My DIY Multicam Tarp

[SirMarkos]

So the story goes...

I love to stealth camp. I'm just not a huge fan of all the bright, stick out colors that are generally offered when it comes to camping. That being said, I really love camouflage tarps. It does so much for masking a human signature out in the woods. I want to preserve the outdoor experience for other hikers/campers as much as possible. So, staying relatively unseen is paramount for me.

Browsing around all of the cottage vendors in this industry, the choices were pretty limited. A few of them do offer tarps that are camouflage but most of the time they are the woodland camo, and I just don't find it to be as effective for my needs. So, I did a little searching and found the 1.55oz multicam epsilon material on eBay for $8 yd. and went to work. This is some seriously soft and luxurious feeling material too! It would make an EXCELLENT hammock!

DSC_6961.jpg

I also picked up a 1/2 yd. of black ripstop at Hancock's to make my tie-out reinforcements. I cut squares and then folded them in half to create triangles with a simple rolled hem.

DSC_6952.jpgDSC_6953.jpg

I managed to find some great looking 5/8 camo ribbon that I bar tacked to the triangles as my tie-out loops.

DSC_6954.jpgDSC_6958.jpg

I used a heavier nylon webbing for my ridgeline tie-outs. Also, I used the french/flat felled seam hybrid for my ridgeline.

DSC_6955.jpg

Next I just rolled the hem of the tarp itself and wedged the reinforcements under the tarp hem.

DSC_6959.jpgDSC_6962.jpg

Here is the tarp's weight before silicone treatment. If you can't read it's: 1lb 10oz.

DSC_6963.jpg

And here is the final product with DIY silicone treatment -

DSC_6968.jpgDSC_6967.jpgDSC_6971.jpgDSC_6966.jpgDSC_6969.jpg

For the record, I used the 6:1 ratio of mineral spirits to clear silicone. This thing sheds water like a champ!

Finished Size:

12ft x 10ft

Total Cost:

$70 in multicam material
$2 in black ripstop
$2 for camo ribbon
$1 for nylon webbing
$5 split rings
$5 for 1 tube clear silicone
$5 for 1/2 a gallon of mineral spirits
= $90

[Zilla]

That's a real nice camo, alittle pricey but your finished tarp looks great and your chance's of blending in are pretty good now.

[PointPastor]

Nice tarp. I really like the pattern on the camo. Looks like some really good coverage too.

[STinGa]

Pretty darn cool. Good job and great post.

STinGa

[gunner76]

Very nice looking and your sewing seams are much much straighter than mine.

I will starting my first DIY tarp soon and it also be camo. Just have not decided if I will do like yours or attempt cat cuts. I am leaning towards not doing cat cuts as this will be my first DIY tarp.

Questions ??

How wide were the rolled hems ?

Where did you find the camo ribbon and is it grosgrain ?

Are those split rings SS ? I have plastic triangles from DIY Gear Supply that I will probably use.

[SirMarkos]

How wide were the rolled hems ?

My rolled hems are roughly about 3/4in. Easy to find on the sewing machine guide

Where did you find the camo ribbon and is it grosgrain ?

I found this ribbon at Hancock Fabrics. It's 100% polyester and feels very much like grosgrain. Although the packaging doesn't indicate that it is specifically.

Are those split rings SS ? I have plastic triangles from DIY Gear Supply that I will probably use.

Yes, the split rings are stainless. The only reason I went this route as opposed to the plastic D or triangles was that the split ring can easily be removed and/or replaced. Whereas the plastic ones could eventually break, and I figured I'd end up using split rings as a replacement anyway.

The weight difference was also negligible. 2 grams per ring.

[gunner76]

Thanks for the info.

[squidbilly]

That's a beautiful tarp, and you did an excellent job crafting it too!

That's about the same ratio of MS to silicone I use for my DIY silnylon. It seems to soak in better and the fabric remains soft and flexible.

[SirMarkos]

That's a beautiful tarp, and you did an excellent job crafting it too!

That's about the same ratio of MS to silicone I use for my DIY silnylon. It seems to soak in better and the fabric remains soft and flexible.

Thanks you!

And I agree. That ratio thins it out enough that I feel like it soaks into the material much more evenly and completely.

[genixia]

That's awesome. What is final weight post-silicone?