A while back in Mt. Manunggal, around the year 2017, I chose to bring my tarp out for camping during the chilly season. Honestly, the weather conditions were nearly ideal. Being one of the highest peaks in Cebu, Mt. Manunggal experienced a slight drop in temperature, but it was just right. To enhance my comfort while camping, I transformed my tarp into a “montage” tarp tent setup. At first glance, the arrangement might seem somewhat intricate, but it’s a method widely utilized by outdoor enthusiasts and has gained popularity online. So, for those who are curious, I’ve decided to elaborate on it in the following post.
The tarp I’m using
I have a custom 10×10 tarp with 19 tie-out points that I had crafted by a tailor friend and it was intended for use as a training material. While it is quite heavy due to the chosen material, its durability has never disappointed me and I am quite happy with it. This tarp has been on several trips, serving as an additional shelter during group outings or as my primary sleeping setup when I’m alone. Although it’s not extremely lightweight, it offers great durability at a very affordable price compared to other brands.
Here’s how I set it up
Step 1: Spread the tarp out flat on the ground. Position it so that the entrance of your shelter is in your desired location. Ensure that the ridge attachment points are aligned from the back to the front. Next, take a stake and insert it at point A.
Step 2: Now put a stake in B and C.
Step 3: Secure the corners of D and E with stakes. Then, fold the corners neatly underneath the tarp.
Step 4: Proceed to the front of the tarp and shift point F to the right until it aligns with point B, then secure it there with a stake. Next, adjust point G by moving it to the left until it aligns with point C.
Step 5: Now you take a hiking pole and stick it under the front of the tarp with the handle under point H. Attach a line to point I, pull it tight and stake it away in front of the tarp. With the foundation of our tarp set up, now it is time to make some improvements.
Step 6: Go to the back of the tarp and place another hiking pole upside down, close to point A. Attach a line on point J, go around the hiking pole once and stake out the line. To have a real secure setup, you can use a double line as I did.
Step 7: Now get a short cordage/rope and make the setup from the picture below twice. On one side, I have a tight loop. I tied a loop with a friction knot and added tensioning knot on the other end. Instead of this friction knot you can use a guyline tensioner.
Attach the fixed loop to point K, then take a stake and put it in point K. Clip the carabiner in point L (between I and G). Now use the friction knot (or guyline tensioner) to tighten your setup and open the door. Do the same thing on the other side of the tarp.
Step 8: The last and final step is to check around the tarp and put stakes a bit further or make necessary adjustments where possible to make the tarp tighter. Here is one tarp tent we did during the latest Knots and Shelter workshop at S.O.S.C.
