I have 5 Aqua Quest tarps of different models and sizes. The Safari 10 x 13 is my favorite. A little more robust than the Guide series but not as overkill as the Defender series. I use bowline knots instead of slip knots. 9 ft guy out lines are what I like too, but I use much longer lines for the top two sides because trees here in the Pacific NW can be very large in diameter. Many times I use a solid ridge line with prusik loops and simple toggles. A dry bag to store everything in makes so much sense! Love that idea for the reasons you shared. Hope you and your family are safe with the effects of the hurricane!
I love tensioners. Pull quick to taut and a fast breakdown next morning. Never experimented with size, always gone with 10x10. Just enough to cover tent and chair
Luke, I really like this channel, and you have made me spend more money in gear than you you can imagine, but I love them. I was hoping that in this video, you were going to show step by step how to set up the tarp, I struggle to do the setup with the poles when I don't have trees around.
Hey Luke I hope you and Susie are safe. I've never met you in person but I feel like I know you well enough to know you are probably busy helping those around you who need it. Just wanted you to know you all are in our prayers.
3m²( 10' square) for me, as I am in a less rainy place and it's to provide shade in the daytime and protection from dew at night. Usually flown with all 4 corners above head height. However I also use an Australian military tarp known as a hootchie. It is about 2.8m x 1.9m (9' x 7'). They have snaps to join 2 or more together.
I know you normally stick to smaller tent reviews but PLEASE review the new One Tigris Jovian. Your reviews are the most thorough so I only trust you 😂
IMO, tensioners (like lineloc 3's) absolutely save time without complicating things. Don't substitute them for knowing proper knots. Everyone needs to find the setup that works for them. There are lots of other videos out there with different methods that might work better for some people.
Stay safe, such devastation in the mountains. I used to live on the coast of NC.......I agree about tarp size. I got the AquaQuest 10 x 7, wish I had gotten the 10 x 13. Much more versatile.
I just got a 10 x 10 One Soldier tarp. I thought of a trick which I'm sure others have too. I tie a bowline in the tent stake end and attach the other end to the tarp with a tensioner. This way when it rains I can just reach out from under the tarp to adjust it without getting wet. It's kind of reversed from the usual way. I leave them attached to the tarp and hank them up
I use a 10' x 10' Aqua Quest Defender &\or a 10' x 10' Bearhard tarp . For my guylines I'm thinking I'll follow your example and switch from 550 Paracord to Dynema cord , I already use the same type of tent stakes you do . I'll also replace my tarp stuff sacks with larger dry bags . Thanks for the great ideas .
I thought you were going to talk about strategy - where and how to set up depending on the incoming weather, etc. But I guess you're basically a product guy, so fair enough.
I guess we are all wondering how you & Susie are after this horrible tragedy. Please just post a short video to let us know you are safe. I am missing your treks into the wild. I am guessing you will be delayed for some time due to all the destruction. Stay safe. Faithful viewer here.
I use 9x9 and 10x10, wish I purchased 10x12. I also like my Aqua Quest 10x7. It's my back up in case someone steals my tent from my campsite. I used the Aqua Quest twice when I arrived late and had to leave early, in a Holden tarp tent style. My cordage is 2.5mm, 270lb load from Paracord Plant.
All good from east Kentucky. Hope the flooding hasn't impacted you to severely. Terrible. Hel[ping what we can. A tarp comes in handy at food distribution centers. I always carry mine in the woods. it's as important at times to stay out of the sun as it is to stay dry. Same size same tarp. Cordage much the same. I need to get me some of those poles. Generally cut some limbs where I go. Next time
my fav tarp`size is 4.5x4.5m (sorry, no imperial measures here) and the cordage of my choice is paracord 350, much more compact and even less stretchy than paracord 550.
(In keeping with the subject matter of the video)… I think the best tarp size is entirely dependent upon its intended use. But if I could carry only one, it would be a 10x10. That’s large enough to accommodate most situations without being too big or cumbersome to deploy in adverse and windy conditions. I do like your suggestion of using a dry bag to carry the tarp. But I differ in your thoughts on tensioners. I’d say if you forego tensioners on your guylines, you’d best know how to tie a tensioning knot on one end of each of them. As you say, many times speed is of the essence when deploying a tarp. So to not be able to quickly re-tension your lines as weather conditions (and tarp fabrics) change- you’re not really tarping “like a pro”.
Was hoping you would go over knots. Man I suck at them. I've got an app, Ive watched videos and the only thing I can do is a slip knot to the tarp itself and just get sloppy tying off to trees. I have a set of the same poles too which I use slipknots on but for typing off to stakes, I get sloppy again. Slip knots on both ends just don't work out from my experience.
@lookwhaticando447… There are some really good (practical and easy to follow) knot tying tutorials on RU-vid. Dave Canterbury has some good ones. Something else I would recommend is a small Knot Tying Kit. They’re inexpensive and available on Amazon. The one I bought comes with small laminated cards that illustrate the steps to follow and the kit covers all the basic but useful knots to get you started. The key is to practice, practice, practice so you develop a muscle memory for each knot. You can practice while sitting in a chair watching TV. to build the muscle memory. But I can tell you from experience there is absolutely NO substitute for practical application in real life scenarios. Because everything looks and feels different when tying around objects of different heights, sizes, angles etc. Hope this helps. And don’t give up. You’ll get the hang of it with patience and diligence.
Hi Luke, I love your channel after hearing about your dyneema cordage I did some research and it seems that people say it’s too slippery to hold simple knots. I value your opinions on camping gear and was curious. Am I researching the wrong cordage
I like the video but i’d like to reiterate on my last request of multiple set ups for the 13 x 20 Aqua quest tarp. I have 2 set ups like yours but what about turning it into a tent?
Search RU-vid for the 'truckers' hitch knot' and 'two half hitches'. One ties the rope ro itself after being wrapped round the tree, and the first is a good tensioning knot. You can also do the taught line hitch which is easier but I prefer the truckers hitch as when you pull to tighten it the knot pulls towards the tree where as the taught line hitch moves towards the tarp for tension, not great if space is tight
I usually use a basha (about 2×1.8 meters - 6ish by 5ish ft), stakes and bungees. Or I use 3x3 or 3.5x3.5 meter tarp. I do use some paracord but usually only on two corners. Doesn't matter if I'm ground or tree dwelling (I hang as low as I can - especially after one badger incident..).
I have a Unigear 10 x 13 foot tarp, with Garden V telescopic poles. I have #42 tarred bank line to use with it. Thank you so much for making this video it answered my Messenger question I had for you yesterday. So, I will be adding 9 feet to my system and will be testing it out this weekend. Thank you for the big dry bag idea. I will be including my Niayafly 30L dry bag to this system. I already have a Ridgeline bag set up. Be well my friend.
I own 2 AquaQuest tarps and I love them. One is a HD 12 x 16 ( forget the model name) I use for car camping - in fact I just got back from using it for 5 days up in northern Ontario crown land camping. It's in its 5th year and stands up to everything. My 2nd is the 10 x 10 defender. I use it for canoe camping. All my lines are attached. I can string it up in a minutes. I do however like your idea of the 10 x 13 after watching this - ay have to add a tarp to the collection. Thanks!
Thanks for this video Luke. I’ve been hoping you’d make a video about this. Glad y’all are safe and made it through the storm. Hope lone wolf mountain has minimal damage.
I recently bought a 3x4 meter tarp on Temu for $26 (now $31), and after two uses, I'm very happy with it. It may not last, but it seems durable at this point. It has 19 tie outs, so it's very versatile. I've pitched it as a fully enclosed, A-frame tent and more as you've pitched the tarp in this video to cover a cot and bug net sleep system. I saw the A-frame pitch on youtube and wanted to try it. I haven't used it for camping. It feels too confined, but it seems to provide exceptional protection in wind and rain. The more conventional pitch provides far more ventilation and room to maneuver, and it seems to provide ample protection from the rain outside of a tropical storm.
Hope you and your family are safe. I don’t use tensioners, but I do use two hole pumpkin clamps. I run my cordage through one hole, through the tarp grommet, back through the other hole, and then tie a knot in the end to prevent it pulling out. Then I tie a 6 inch piece of 550 around the doubled cord on the tarp side of the clamp. The 550 cord prevents the clamp from slipping, but will not prevent retensioning as the tarp stretches out. As long as I remember to move the clamp close to the grommet when taking it down, I don’t get any excessive tangling, and it makes it very quick to set up, since I don’t have to get tension tight while anchoring. I just get it close, and then move the clamps for final tensioning. I have set it up in pouring rain and 30 mph winds in under 5 minutes. It usually takes less time than that, but it was hard ground and my stakes kept bending. Good tip on the tri-stakes. I will be searching them on Amazon now. Stay safe.
Always carry and ultralight 2.9m x 3.0m tarp, several colour variants and these are all from DD Tarps. Also have some larger ones I use from time to time and an usual one that is a winged tarp
Hi Luke, i like to use 10x10 tarp, also i use ridgeline - it helps with stability (no sagging in the middle in damp conditions) and i can hang gear or a light on it. I noticed that You don't. Is that because it's faster without it or some other reason?
I now use a 15x15 defender 😊 mostly as a tri pyramid tent , also have a 10x10 tarp , and I must agree, the tarp is the first thing up and running in camp , cordage as an old timer said , two pieces of small rope wrap around the edges of your tarp , then a piece in each corner that runs to the opposite corner , that way when you roll up your tarp the cords are ready to deploy for most occasions. . . . Don't think I would use dry bag to store food in , then stuff your tarp in , wouldn't your tarp smell like food afterwards ?
We, being Paratroopers use our Parachutes as Tents. "Don't Do It." Ultra-Lite by Design, perfectly Useless against Rain and Stretches when trying to use it As A Tarp. .. Insolation Value on Zero ( 0 ) as in None. Reusesbility 100% .. yet ask yourself, "Do You Even Know How To Pack A Parachute ?"" .. Sometimes Solutions when Deployed Wrong are Useless and Parachute Fabric is just a Frog-Hair Stringer then A Plastic Trash Bag.
Also preserves the tarp, helps absorb shock from wind and weather. I converted a couple of years ago and felt like an idiot, been tying up tarps for decades without bungees. Not anymore!
@darrellchristie643 I think that's obvious lol first thing I wrote was not enough tie outs, lol secondly he states in vid how big it is 😅 I think you have the get out of bed attitude and maybe fanboy butt hurt syndrome ?
@@Rust_valley_adventures Yet Luke carries his in his various backpacks ... states his reasons for his cordage, wieght of tarp, size, etc... or are you alluding to the wieners that do the long distance thru-hiking only?
Why? He did address his situation in a recent short, beyond that all he can say is what you can find on other sources. Any other info he can give you is likely just repeating what he has heard or seen on the same sources you can find. He also in that short, said that connection with the outside world is spotty and that the next few videos would most likely be ones that he has made in advance and held in reserve in case he couldn't make content for since reason. Why does everyone feel the need to hear what "celebrities" think about things?
@@randymartin5521 Because his lack of addressing it on his main channel after dropping two other videos gives the appearance of having ignored what has taken place there. And he is far less a "celebrity" than a resident of those mountains.
@@ebm1925 what do you want him to say? "Oh, woe is me. We're all suffering up here in the mountains."? Again, no point. Besides that, as I said he's probably dealing with a lot of cleanup around his own place and doesn't have time to create a new video.
Hey Luke I sure it’s hard to make a video when there is so much devastation around I know it’s sickening to look at my prayers are with you hang in there maybe even y’all could do some kind of donation thing on your channel
