Tarp set Up

Hi Mark

Yes, I meant 6m x 3m . Do you mean I use the spreader bar in place of the ridge bar?

I'm already working on the wife about a camper trailer . :)

Clouseau, I probably over simplified it, you will also need vertical poles on the sides of the tarp no more than 2 metres apart if you expect wind, but you won't need a centre pole. We haven't on our 8 man tent with such a set up.

So assuming you get a tarp say 8m x 3-3.5m, you will need 12 poles and 16 guy ropes around the perimeter of the tarp and the ridge bar somewhere near the middle (doesn't need to be exact). You should have two guy ropes off each corner.
Cost starts to add up with all those poles, but if you do it often and for years, it makes your camping so much more enjoyable.

Thanks for that Mark ... thats the sort of info I'm after.

I'm not so much worried about costs as I am about being caught hundreds of kilometeres from home in 3 days of rain ...

Thanks John and Val

It will probably be a poly tarp (haven't got it yet) .... I'm understand how important it is that it be pegged down properly. I want the tarp mainly for the heat.

Wife says thanks for agreeing with her, but she's not surprised .. she's always right! haha. One positive I've already found with camping, just the promise of taking the kids camping ensures they are at their best behaviour. .. not sure how long that will last.

John, Val & Clouseau

Yes ridge bar= spreader bar. John & Val, the reason you still need a stand alone spreader/ ridge bar is that without one when tying the tarp down you put too much strain on the tent and bend/ break the tent frame (from personal experience and cost) and as you say John, you need to keep the tarp off the tent to create the "tropical roof" effect.

You don't need the tarp, we did it for a few years without one, but it is better with one. As a family over 25 years we have gone from a 3 man K Mart tent to a four man tent, to a 8 man tent, to a cheap camper trailer and now as our kids are leaving home to a up market 2nd hand "couples" camper trailer.

Family camping is best when you go with friends/ relatives with similar aged kids. They enjoy it much more that way, therefore you get to enjoy it double as much

I have a toddler, 21 months,and a four yr old.