Choosing a tarp, doors attached or as a kit?

[Ghashul]

Hey guys, I've been watching a ton of videos and I'm still uncertain what is best in regards to doors.
I'll probably have one made instead of off the rack since I'd have to import it, and I'll just have the one tarp.

In fair weather the doors could be left at home, but my area tends to be quite windy so it might be prudent to always have them?

I guess the only con to attached doors are that you always carry them so weight is an issue.

How fiddly are attachable doors? If it's easy enough, then it's not a problem, but if it's always going to be a hassle, then maybe the added weight is worth it?

I'm really just confused about it, so hoping some of your opinions will help me choose.

In summer I'd prefer as small a tarp as necessary, but for cold windy and rainy days i want to stay warm and dry.

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[soul embrace]

Personally I would rather have them attached because with weather you never know what will happen. They can predict one thing and it do exactly the opposite. If you had the door kit and left them at home and the weather turned bad then you could have issues and wish you had the doors. If the doors are made into the tarp and you don't need them you can always tie them back.

[Phantom Grappler]

While I might not help on doors or no doors--I can add to your confusion. My tarp is 13 foot ridgeline by 12 feet, with no doors. And my hammock is 12 by 6 feet. This gives about 18 inches overhang on each end. That's enough extra length to bend tarp inwards at each end during rain storms.
For a smaller tarp that fits just right--with no doors, you can lower the sides to a steeper-tighter pitch and multi-purpose a poncho on the rainiest side for a makeshift door! Good luck Ghashul, it'll fly wet or dry!


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[Ghashul]

My hammock is an 11ft with a structural ridgeline, so around 110in if I'm not mistaken.

The reason I'm thinking doors is if the weather is really bad, and I have to be awake under the tarp and cooking of some such, it'd give more living room it seems to me.
Sides folded in seems like a great idea if it's just for sleeping, but not so much for hanging out.
I guess with your tarp that much longer, it'd be a pretty bad storm before it was necessary?

The thing about randomly changing weather is most definitely something to consider...

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[WalksIn2Trees]

Yes, a bigger tarp is an option too, a WL Bullfrog is rectangular, so you can stake it out rectangularly, or fold the corners in as doors. If you don't do much winter hanging this is a great option because you can use it in the winter too. I used mine all last winter. And with a bigger tarp, there's much less need to utilize the doors in a storm. I would get it with Velcro too close the doors though. If you don't do winter hangs, it doesn't even need to be a full length Velcro strip, just a few dots to keep the middle of the doors from flapping around.

A tarp with sewn doors though, you have to hold them back with a cord, otherwise they just kind of hang in the way. Many use a shock cord stretched from front door to back door, one per side. I use Amsteel for mine, and hang my clothes on it, for the night, but that makes the doors sag in unless you have loops on the inside of the side pulls then you can attach to that and retention your side pull guy lines to counter the weight.

Whichever way you go though, when setting up in winter mode, so you can close it down tight, set up with the doors closed. Stake them out to a point, then stake out your corners, then the side pulls then the middle.
By doing the doors first, you set the limits of the geometry for the corners. Otherwise you have to adjust it over and over until it finally is right.
The side pulls and the middle stake take up any slack from the middle of the span and make it roomy inside.

Oh yeah, and I recommend a pole mod. You can either get it as an add-on, but it separately, or if you have telescoping trecking poles, you can do the mod with them and some lengths of shock cord too, or use them for porch mode. I haven't tried an inside pole mod, I feel like that would take up inside space, but it's another option, and one you'd have to order up front, while an outside mod you can just rig with sticks you find on site and some spare cords if you want

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[Otter1]

I do not like fiddle-factor when backpacking.

Attached doors for the win! They fold back easily til needed.

[Billy Goat]

I have no doors on my tarp. I did make a beak for it and the last outing it was well worth its weight. When I make another tarp (and it will be fairly soon) it will have attached doors. The beak doesn't hardly weigh anything, and takes up very little room. It's no different from doors, so I can't see doors adding much weight or bulk. I vote attached.

Cheers,
the Goat

[SilvrSurfr]

I guess it depends on where you live, where you camp, and how often you go out in bad weather. I live two blocks from the Atlantic Ocean, with a river behind my house, and just about every time there is precipitation, it's blowing precipitation. On the other hand, I often camp in the NJ Pine Barrens and the chances of blowing precipitation are pretty minimal. Based on my own experience, I would rather have doors all the time.

On the other hand, there are people who seem to have never experienced blowing precipitation. Perhaps it rarely occurs where they camp, and they don't feel the need for it. Or, they could be fair-weather campers who won't even go out in the rain, well enough blowing rain. Personally, I like knowing that if I need doors, they're ready to be deployed at a moment's notice.

[Ghashul]

It rains 170 days a year, on average, and it is often windy, which is why I most definitely want some form of doors. Also, I have usually planned outings for 'good weather' and it is my intention to not let some rain stand in my way henceforth.

I'm leaning towards just getting the doors attached, and then if I feel it is overkill for many outings I can then consider a lighter summer tarp.

A side question, as cuben fiber is out of the picture because of price, is silnylon the best bet for a light but also durable tarp? I'm not sure if I trust in silpoly to be durable, based on some things I've read, although many seem to love it.

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[Billy Goat]

A side question, as cuben fiber is out of the picture because of price, is silnylon the best bet for a light but also durable tarp? I'm not sure if I trust in silpoly to be durable, based on some things I've read, although many seem to love it.

Im in the love silpoly camp. I've not yet found any durability issues with silpoly... aside from the too small stuff sacks I made of it with the stakes inside with the tarp. It's good stuff. As far as durability is concerned, are you thinking leaving it up in the elements and it lasting for 20 years? I doubt that. But if you are making a monthly trip to the back country, I don't see any reason it wouldn't last at least a few years. If trips are fewer it should last a good deal longer than that. I personally don't figure on more than a five year life out of the bulk of my gear. Especially the ultralight stuff. YMMV.

Cheers,
the Goat