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  1. #1
    Member WebsterJ's Avatar
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    Poncho Tarp as Tarp Door

    After reading the poncho tarp thread I've been thinking of sewing a poncho tarp that could be used as a tarp door this winter. I'm not ready to try to use a poncho as a primary shelter, but it could be a nice shelter supplement. It could also be used to cook under if your primary tarp was pitched low in anticipation of foul weather.

    I was thinking the top middle would hook to the apex of the tarp, the top two corners would tie out to the top middle via shock cord. The two bottom corners and bottom side get tied out to the ground.

    Has anyone tried this or see any reasons why it wouldn't work?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Two Tents's Avatar
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    I have been thinking about a dual use tarp door lately too. Your idea seems fine to me and would like to know how it works for you when you test it!
    I like refried beans. That's why I wanna try fried beans, because maybe they're just as good and we're just wasting time. You don't have to fry them again after all.

  3. #3
    Senior Member FLRider's Avatar
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    Used my USGI surplus poncho during my last outing (it rained something like five inches over the weekend, total, and two to three of that was in a single storm), and it worked perfectly.

    What I did was close the snaps on one side over the tarp ridgeline and run mason's line from the grommets on the bottom of that side to my underquilt suspension biner on the other end of the hammock. I then ran more mason's line tie-outs to the far corners of the hex tarp and attached them to the mitten hooks that come on my tarp.

    This ensured that the "door" on that end stayed in place and prevented rain from coming in above about eight inches off of the ground (note: if I'd hung on a level patch instead of an incline with that end higher, the opening would've been more like a foot to a foot and an half high). The hood flapped a lot in the wind, but I wasn't too worried (that thing is made out of something like 300 denier PU-coated nylon, so it's plenty tough). I just tied off the drawstrings at the hood as tightly as I could to prevent water incursion (didn't work perfectly, but it kept the water dripping down at that end rather than blowing into the hammock).

    If you're looking for a method to block cold wind, though, this might not be the best way. Rain, sure. Wind, less so. The air gap at the bottom was significant in how much wind it let through, and I had it hung in about the best conditions I could find.

    Obviously, a custom-made poncho will work better for this than the issue one, so you should be just fine with one that is properly designed.

  4. #4


    Here's how I rig my Sea to Summit poncho tarp when only rain is a concern. It helps me create a little more space to use out of the weather. For a wind block, I rig it differently.

    Hope this helps!

  5. #5
    Member WebsterJ's Avatar
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    From your responses, the general idea is clearly viable. Thanks. Time to order some fabric. I'll post some pics when finished.

    @FLRider - I agree the wind could still be an issue. The widest poncho tarps I have seen are 5' wide. However, in my case I'll be using it with a WB Edge (126"x94"), so for me the tarp will be the lowest point of my shelter. If it were to dip much below freezing I'd probably need an UQ protector to be on the safe side.

  6. #6
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    I have a JRB poncho/tarp that I bought to use similar to a Grizbeak on my hennessy tarp. Granted it is not a perfect set up, but I think it will be a great help. I have put it on a few times, but the weather always missed me, so it has not been really tested. I tend to put it on the head end of the hammock, because that is where I feel more exposed.

    As far as wind protection goes, it might help a little, but my super shelter blocks out way more wind than the poncho did.

    Ragnall.

  7. #7
    Senior Member HappyHiker's Avatar
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    I have used my poncho as a door.

    I drape it over the tarp RL, stake the back 2 corners either with, or by the tarp corner stakes - the other 2 corners get pulled across each other to form the doors. Works ok, just a little noisy in windy conditions.

  8. #8
    Senior Member turnerminator's Avatar
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    My poncho saved me from a miserable night a few of times before doors were added to my tarps.

  9. #9
    Senior Member DuctTape's Avatar
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    I often use my poncho as a weathershield under my hammock. I have used it as a door once or twice.

  10. #10
    Member joehasbeard's Avatar
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    hey guys, late bump on this one but I was just playing around with my poncho as a tarp door and I really like the way you rig yours CapDubOh, looks similar to a vestibule you'd find on a normal tent (even though our whole tarp coverage area is like a vestibule).

    I have this random prussik tied to my tarp RL from when I was setting them up, and I ran cord through two of my poncho's corner tie-outs (on the long side) and used that for tension with the poncho draped over one end like a wall. I attach the bottom corner tie-outs with the excess guyline (I had plenty with a fairly wide pitch, probably have a bunch more with a storm setup) and the poncho hugs the end it's attached to.

    Don't have any pics for you right now, I was just kinda throwing the idea around tonight. I'll be trying it out on my next trip, anyone else have any other ways to pitch a poncho?
    Only the dreamer venoms all his days,
    Bearing more woe than all his sins deserve.

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