Living History: 8 x8 Oilcloth Tarp From Tentsmiths 

Yes, that center loop is what sold me on it. It allows to do a miner's tent style pitch without a center pole, giving lots more usable space. Its difficult for me to tell which was more popular with trekkers during the 20s and 30s; tarps, DIY from patterns published in books and magazines, or cheap, durable, and easily available surplus. A tarp certainly is a better choice for me here in Texas for Fall and Spring where temps at night could be in the 40s or the high 70s--sometimes on consecutive nights. I've got a couple of DIY projects and a sewing machine recommendation coming up in this series.

Thanks for watching! Tell other folks, we know you guys are out there.

@@sargevining been binge watching all day! I've always liked the old ways and old school camping. I've been through ancient and medieval camping, and then got into the frontiersman and longhunters. But all along my preferred style has been turn of the century old west or early 1900s to 50s Midwest (think Where the Red Fern Grows). I've never gotten into being historical, but have made most of my gear from materials available at the time. My brother will be doing his 1st classic camping with me in a couple of weeks! I will definitely let him know about your channel! Thanks for taking the time to keep the history alive!

@@williamsparks6811 If you're not a member of the Bannerman's Camp Facebook page, you and your brother should join. We'd love to see pics of your trip.

Thanks for watching!

You're welcome! Got about 5 more videos in this "Getting Ready For MY Classic Camping Trip" series. Thanks for watching!

Its a great tarp, and I like working with the material as well. Thanks for watching!

Tentsmiths does make some good stuff. Thanks for watching!

Have not used it in heavy rain, but since I live in coastal Texas, it's a definite possibility, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it provided I could find ground high enough to drain water away from the pitch.

Tentsmiths calls it a "long staple cotton", so its lighter than canvas. And yes, you can use the preparation on most any fabric. There are a few dozen videos on how to make your own oilskin on RU-vid, most start out with a high thread count Egyptian cotton. I opted not to do it as large pieces like tarps or tents require a week or so of drying and for that you need some space. In a couple of weeks, there's going to be a video on what I did with three yards of the fabric. Thanks for watching!

IIRC, it came with the tarp as a sample. The tarp is very sturdy but lighter weight than canvas. It would take a lot to put a hole in it. Thanks for watching!

Ok. I bought a couple of tents that had a patch kit that came in it so my thoughts went to maybe a patch kit ok