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  1. #1
    Senior Member
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    Interior vs Exterior Pole Mod

    I have been using a no sew exterior pole mod on my WB superfly for several years and it has been great, but I am in the middle of constructing a 12x12 winter tarp from 1.1 silpoly XL and reconsidering my devotion to the exterior pole mod.

    a tarp of this size is not backpacking gear, but primarily used for Boy Scout campouts, so weight is not a huge factor.

    What is the collective wisdom on an interior pole mod vs exterior pole mod?

    This is my current setup for my superflyCapture.jpg
    Malo Periculosam Libertatem Quam Quietum Servitium

  2. #2
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    imo (and maybe only my opinion) if you're carrying extra poles just for the tarp (not using trekking poles) then an interior mod is the way to go

    i think you end up with a tighter tarp, and if it's for winter, it'll definitely hold up better to snow loads

  3. #3
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    Exterior is lighter by virtue of the shorter poles and/or the use of hiking poles, if you carry them anyway. For your car camping it isn't an issue.

    What has your experience been with your current external setup? Is there instability? Rocking back & forth on the ridgeline?

    Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    Mike ... the exterior pole mod has works fantastically on the WB superfly. Holds steady in strong winds or heavy rain. We don't get much snow in my part of North Carolina so I can't say how well it sheds snow.

    To make sure I have a "solid" connection, I make a couple of 6 inch dogbones with a soft shackle at one end. the fixed eye stays attached to the pullout and the soft shackle makes sure that the pole will not slip out. Just requires proper tension from the corners.
    Malo Periculosam Libertatem Quam Quietum Servitium

  5. #5
    Senior Member kitsapcowboy's Avatar
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    IMHO, external mods are lighter and more versatile, because you can use less pole to employ them or even guy them out with lines and/or hiking poles/trail sticks. That said, I rather dislike external pole mods because they are kind of ugly, a pain to seal, and challenging to sew for DIY.

    While they tend to weigh more, I much prefer either single or double internal pole mods. For serious weather -- punishing rain, high winds, and wet, heavy snow loads they are definitely superior: stronger, more stable, and better at shedding precipitation and debris. I also think they're more aesthetically pleasing. Using 1/2" Beastee Dee rings at the tarp corners makes your tarp instantly pole-compatible (with Easton .344" tips) at virtually zero weight penalty, closing the gram gap between internal and external mods.



    FWIW...my 12' x 12' tarps are totally backpacking gear!
    Smart graphic design for all your needs by BGD

  6. #6
    Senior Member
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    cowboy... how long are your poles in relation to the width? is it a 1:1 or trial and error to get the tarp tension proper?

    I am sure that there are some math geeks out there who can provide the optimal ratio or formula.

    my tarp for backpacking is my DIY .9 membrane hex. Capture.JPG
    Malo Periculosam Libertatem Quam Quietum Servitium

  7. #7
    Senior Member kitsapcowboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scouter_Ken View Post
    cowboy... how long are your poles in relation to the width? is it a 1:1 or trial and error to get the tarp tension proper?

    I am sure that there are some math geeks out there who can provide the optimal ratio or formula.Capture.JPG
    IMHO you actualy have a fair amount of latitude in the angle of your set-up, but the center of the pole has to hit the ridge line tie-out you install. (I use 4-foot Last-It whoopie slings running from the poles to the RL tie-out points to avoid this issue, so I don't have to modify or seal my tarp ridge lines.)I think on the tarp in the photo my poles are only 4" longer than the corner-to-corner span, but they still lean in over a foot, so it doesn't take much to create decent tension.
    Smart graphic design for all your needs by BGD

  8. #8
    Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by kitsapcowboy View Post

    this tarp needs to hang over my Amok!

    I keep eyeballing a single pole, and contemplating trying to add it to the default amok tarp, but it's been 26 or 27 years since I last touched a thread injector

  9. #9
    Senior Member Johnny Gunz's Avatar
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    I'm going to have my Superfly ready for either inner or outer. I've had a few cold hangs, including a brutally cold (for south/central Texas) 16* frozen butt hang where I battened down the hatches on the SF. Even in those cases, I still may want to open up the tarp, especially now that I'm using Bill's Big Bridge.

    Outer short pole mods turn the tarp into a great tent. The long inner pole mod is like the ultimate porch mode for nicer weather
    But for the grace of God, there, I go...

  10. #10
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    This SLD @ 12x14 is a bit larger than the superfly. It came with 2 external poles but I modified for 3 internals. We call it the Taj. Yeah, car camping only.


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