Tarp for an awning - ideas

[RogerDat]

I have been looking at the Kelty Noah tarp and some good poles to replace the Coleman pop up that was wind smacked into scrap last year.

I camped for a lot of years using a nylon tarp for a dining/rain fly and I am just wondering if anyone else has tried that specific Kelty tarp or just using a tarp instead of an awning or pop up canopy and can provide feedback. If you are what size? How arranged? Got pictures?

One thing I wish to avoid is stuff like poles located where they can beat on the camper shell if they pull up a stake or work a little loose. Would rather walk a few feet to get to the covered area than damage the fiberglass in a high wind, but then maybe I'm being paranoid.

No AC so outside is where we are mostly, need the shade, and we cook outside also so good usable space is important. Gonna miss that 10 x 10 but not the 80# weight or replacing it every couple of years when they get destroyed.

[rdickens]

For just over $300, we got and use the CLAM 1660 Mag Screen tent and 6 privacy panels:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6qHSO18qK18

That saved about $600 compared to the $900 that Scamp wanted for an awning and,
with the no-see-um fine mesh screening, it seems to be a little more versatile.

Of course, YMMV. 😉

Ray




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[Sid]

Kookaburra Shade Sails
Roger
We really like the one we got from Kookaburra. It's actually a shade sale meant to be left out all summer. Vicki picked one up at some year end sale somewhere. They are uv stabilized polyester with a really nice robust edge trim. We often don't need all the poles if trees are plentiful as you can see in one of the pics.

[Sid]

I forgot to mention I place a link to their website. Here it is again....Kookaburra Shade Sails

[john madill]

I jjust picked up one of these at Costco yesterday:

http://www.costco.com/Coolaroo-Ready...100090440.html


They are on sale for $20. Haven't played with it yet because temps are in the 40's this week.

It's three-sided, 13' per side, with ropes included. Comes in a very compact zippered case.

Soon as it warms up i'll try a few configurations and post some pictures.

My Compact Jr is 10' long so one 13' side could run along the top of the trailer with just 18" of overhang on each end, and maybe tied off on the bumper and tongue.

Then I may just need a tree to tie of the other end or a single pole. Anyone here tried something similar?

[trilliumdon]

The Clam looks awesome! I did notice however that the screen door was never closed. Is it magnetic closures? Zipper? Does it work well?

[RogerDat]

Sid I am wondering about those poles, they look like some I saw online that had mixed reviews. What do you think of them? And where did you pick them up? There are mucho dinero kelty poles that are super compact and strong but at $40 a pop....

Liked the height of your poles.

Then I may just need a tree to tie of the other end or a single pole. Anyone here tried something similar?

Well when the storm flattened my pop up canopy I pulled two broken poles out of the wreckage tied two corners of the cover on the far side of the camper and ran the cover over to the door side, then tied the two broken poles into the tarp with guy ropes to pull an awning for shade.

Poles need guy ropes and stakes, you can as Sid shows in the pictures use a single rope that pulls across the tarp to the opposite corner. For more strength run a guy rope and stake inline with the edges of the tarp going away from that corner. So you have two guy ropes that pull along the edge of the tarp from each pole. Each pole then ends up braced in two directions.

Best arrangement I have found is point of pole through grommet of tarp with guy rope(s) on top and around the pole tip. Rope holds the grommet down on the pole. Absent that have used a short rope tied to a grommet with a loop that goes on the pole.

Nice trick I have used to put a rope where there is no grommet but there is a tree is to wrap a round rock in the tarp and tie off to that. Like this image shows. http://www.angelfire.com/ia3/camping...etcomplete.gif

I'm really hoping that I can find a good tarp and pole set up, tired of the pop up size and weight, clam looks like they cut that down a lot but I'll have to do a bit of research before I'll spend $300 on a canopy. But it does seem better when compared to a factory awning at $800.

[Raz]

I use a piece of ripstop bought at the fabric store. Maggie sewed a strip of Velcro on one side and a continuous loop on the opposite side. Five pieces of industrial grade Velcro are stuck to the roof. Poles are the clutched aluminum type. Takes 5 minutes to install. It will survive the winds but the flapping tends to keep us awake so I take it down at night. The Velcro on the trailer has to be replaced every other year. The glue holding the adhesive part to the Velcro part fails. A hair dryer, a plastic scraper, and goo gone do the job. Originally I used maple saplings cut from the woods but recently decided to ungraded to the aluminum poles. Raz

[Seldomseensmith]

looks wimpy in the pic but my buddy had one and I bought one after considering several other options. And it's from REI so if you don't like it just bring it back.


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[Casita Greg]

Clam double entry door has both a zipper and tie backs.

[cpaharley2008]

Just ordered a Clam look alike from Gander Mountain, Gazelle Portable 6-Sided Gazebo-836287 - Gander Mountain on sale and with coupon, $225

[Sid]

Originally Posted by RogerDat

Sid I am wondering about those poles, they look like some I saw online that had mixed reviews. What do you think of them? And where did you pick them up? There are mucho dinero kelty poles that are super compact and strong but at $40 a pop....

Liked the height of your poles.

Roger,
We pick them up at Cabela's, they range from six dollars to $20 depending on length. I have to admit I didn't really research them. I just saw them and they fit the needs so I bought them. We are in our second year of camping with them and they seem to be holding up fine, I do notice that the pipes hold a little bit a water if it rains.
As far as the Clam shelters go I won the smaller (72"x72") Clam Traveler at a work raffle this spring and we love it! It's large enough for 3 to 4 people with lawn chairs, four would be cozy depending on the size of the chairs. The front does close with the two way zipper.
Sid

[Sid]

Of course with the shade sale if you wanted it to stay up how you anchor it in the ground is just as important as the polls you use. I picked these up at Home Depot and at 10 inches long they do the job quite well in almost all soil conditions.

[rdickens]

On ours at least, the door has a zipper (as mentioned).

CLAM now has a couple of newer models that are beige and brown. I don't know about those doors.

The smaller one is called a "Traveler" and has 6 foot sides (only 4 sides IIRC).

We got our CLAM from Amazon.com.

Ray

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[rdickens]

Sid,

Is the Traveler bag any shorter than the 1660 bag? The 1660 bag is about 70" tall (IIRC).

I know that the CLAM Traveler is only about 20 lbs compared to the 34lbs for the 1660.

Shorter and lighter could make the Traveler a little easier to transport. 😊

Ray


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[Sid]

Ray
I think it is about 40 to 45 inches long. I will check it tomorrow after work.
Sid

[Sid]

Ray,
Just got home from work. The actual length of the Travler bag is 52 inches.
Sid

[rdickens]

Thanks, Sid!

Ray

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[heypizon]

what about a "walk-through" option? Perhaps with a "boot" allowing it to be semi-attached to the camper (at least making it a bit more difficult for mosquitos to find a route inside). Perhaps this: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Wenzel-Sma...ingMethod=p13n

[RogerDat]

I'm thinking I will start with either this rip stop tarp. I like having so many attachment points and it has a reputation as being really strong. Max size is 10 x 12.

http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Rip-sto.../dp/B00JXO0ES2

Or go with the Kelty Noah tarp which is available in larger sizes of 12 x 12 or 16 x 16 and is square. I can see running rope for one corner over the roof of camper so that one "point" of the tarp creates cover all the way to the camper door.

http://www.amazon.com/Kelty-Noahs-Ta...dp/B009R9FUI2/

Poles I found an interesting idea for using the tarp loops with a pole. Take along some large washers such as fender washers. Slip those over the point of the pole, then point through tarp loop. Tie guy line above loop to the point of the pole. Washer prevents tarp loop from sliding down pole. Guy line prevents tarp loop from pulling up off of pole tip.

Have also given some thought to one of the mostly mesh dome camping tents. You could put a picnic table inside our 10 x 10 and we have spent a rainy cold weekend with lawn chairs set up inside of it. Less expensive than the clam and with a duel use. Grandkids (or kids) can use it as a tent.

Amazon.com : Coleman Sundome Tent : Sports & Outdoors
OR
http://www.amazon.com/Wenzel-Evergre...dp/B00A8E2IRQ/

We could use our 10 x10 as a screen tent but it has the slide through poles so is more of a hassle to set up than the clip type pole attachments. Our backpacking tent had those and we could set it up in 5 minutes. Also it is getting pretty old about 20 years old now.