using a tarp as rainfly for Coleman Hampton for 9 persons? is it a good idea?

[newcamper]

Hi every one, I am a beginner camper. I just bought a Coleman Hampton tent for 9 person. It is 10' x 14'. The rainfly doesn't have sufficient coverage for windows. As I read so much about the importance of bigger rainfly which over hang or cover the windows, I am thinking of buying a 16' x 20' tarp to directly put it on top of the tent and use the guyline and stakes to secure it. Is it a good idea? Another qestion is what kind of tarp is good for this purpose? Any suggestion please. We are leaving tgis weekend and weather forcast shows rain with wind 18 m/h. Please reply soon.

[CMPR1966]

Re: using a tarp as rainfly for Coleman Hampton for 9 persons? is it a good idea?

I have the same tent. I used it a couple of times. I like to put a tarp over my tent for sun, sap and bird dropping protection. I also like knowing I will not need to pack up a wet tent or if it is raining when I strike it I will be dry til the tarp comes down.

I used a 16x30 tarp. I put two poles in the center front and back of the tent connected with a ridge line and staked out. With the tarp high enough along the ridge I stake out the ends with ropes kind of like an A frame. This gives me room on the sides to put stuff out of the rain or like a porch on one side and a car(bike)port on the other. I use a big green tarp.

We went thru a big thunderstorm last time out and stayed bone dry.

[newcamper]

Re: using a tarp as rainfly for Coleman Hampton for 9 persons? is it a good idea?

[QUOTE=CMPR1966;27202]I have the same tent. I used it a couple of times. I like to put a tarp over my tent for sun, sap and bird dropping protection. I also like knowing I will not need to pack up a wet tent or if it is raining when I strike it I will be dry til the tarp comes down.

I used a 16x30 tarp. I put two poles in the center front and back of the tent connected with a ridge line and staked out. With the tarp high enough along the ridge I stake out the ends with ropes kind of like an A frame. This gives me room on the sides to put stuff out of the rain or like a porch on one side and a car(bike)port on the other. I use a big green tarp.

We went thru a big thunderstorm last time out and stayed bone dry.

[/thank you very much for you to take response I really appreciate it
]


thank you very much for your quick response I t appreciate it

[Mike]

Re: using a tarp as rainfly for Coleman Hampton for 9 persons? is it a good idea?

Hi every one, I am a beginner camper. I just bought a Coleman Hampton tent for 9 person. It is 10' x 14'. The rainfly doesn't have sufficient coverage for windows. As I read so much about the importance of bigger rainfly which over hang or cover the windows, I am thinking of buying a 16' x 20' tarp to directly put it on top of the tent and use the guyline and stakes to secure it. Is it a good idea? Another qestion is what kind of tarp is good for this purpose? Any suggestion please. We are leaving tgis weekend and weather forcast shows rain with wind 18 m/h. Please reply soon.

Using a tarp over a rainfly over a tent seems odd. Kinda like buying a truck to haul your car so you can get better gas mileage from your car or like putting sugar on your Frosted Flakes.

Coleman usually make reliable products. Have you tried your tent in the rain to see if it needs an additional tarp?

[EnglishTeacha]

Re: using a tarp as rainfly for Coleman Hampton for 9 persons? is it a good idea?

I would not lay a tarp directly over the tent. You could suspend it over the tent using ropes. Then if it rained the tent itself would stay dry and you could, in theory, take down the tent under the tarp in a rainstorm and you'd stay dry, too!

[Coastie]

Re: using a tarp as rainfly for Coleman Hampton for 9 persons? is it a good idea?

I went riding this last time out and I seen other campers having tarps over their tents, not touching but suspended as EnglishTeacha mentioned. And I may do next time I am out to stay dry. For now I need to take my tent, sleeping bag and air mattress and air them out to dry. And Pillow also. My rainfly did good with the exception of the back side and I think I fixed it but did not rain again after I did.

[CMPR1966]

Re: using a tarp as rainfly for Coleman Hampton for 9 persons? is it a good idea?

"Using a tarp over a rainfly over a tent seems odd. Kinda like buying a truck to haul your car so you can get better gas mileage from your car or like putting sugar on your Frosted Flakes." Mike


With my tarp rigged up I don't even need the rain fly and I get all the other benefits I mentioned in my post.

[Jumaja]

Re: using a tarp as rainfly for Coleman Hampton for 9 persons? is it a good idea?

I have the same tent. I used it a couple of times. I like to put a tarp over my tent for sun, sap and bird dropping protection. I also like knowing I will not need to pack up a wet tent or if it is raining when I strike it I will be dry til the tarp comes down.

I used a 16x30 tarp. I put two poles in the center front and back of the tent connected with a ridge line and staked out. With the tarp high enough along the ridge I stake out the ends with ropes kind of like an A frame. This gives me room on the sides to put stuff out of the rain or like a porch on one side and a car(bike)port on the other. I use a big green tarp.

We went thru a big thunderstorm last time out and stayed bone dry.

We are new to camping....our first trip is this coming weekend.....forecast isnt looking good. How hard is it to put up a tarp if we've never done it? We have an 18x20 tarp....what else do I need to set it up?
Thanks!

[CMPR1966]

Re: using a tarp as rainfly for Coleman Hampton for 9 persons? is it a good idea?

We are new to camping....our first trip is this coming weekend.....forecast isnt looking good. How hard is it to put up a tarp if we've never done it? We have an 18x20 tarp....what else do I need to set it up?
Thanks!

There are many ways to hang a tarp depending on where you are. You can simply tie it up in trees at the four corners or six points if you have the trees or are allowed to do so where you camp. The idea is to get it high enough to walk under. It will most likely sag some with time and rain. Be sure to keep one side lower to allow water to run off. Still sometimes you will end up with a pool that needs to be drained off periodically during rain storms. This is not a big deal and even gives you something to do during rain unless you are away from camp or it is while you sleep then it can build up and bring the whole tarp down in a ripped mess.
The method I described over my tent would require a couple of poles and is somewhat freestanding. My poles are from a 1970's model dining canopy. They extend to about 10 feet or so. If I did not have these I would probably make some connecting sections of 2x2 with a loop of rope or a hook at the top. I place the poles where I want them and attach a rope between them, drape the tarp over the rope and tie it off to the poles. Then raise the poles and stake them out with lines to hold them in place. Now stretch out the two ends of the tarp with ropes and stake them out close to the ground or tie off to something. This creates an A frame like structure that has brought me through more then a few storms.
I hope this helps.

[Jumaja]

Re: using a tarp as rainfly for Coleman Hampton for 9 persons? is it a good idea?

There are many ways to hang a tarp depending on where you are. You can simply tie it up in trees at the four corners or six points if you have the trees or are allowed to do so where you camp. The idea is to get it high enough to walk under. It will most likely sag some with time and rain. Be sure to keep one side lower to allow water to run off. Still sometimes you will end up with a pool that needs to be drained off periodically during rain storms. This is not a big deal and even gives you something to do during rain unless you are away from camp or it is while you sleep then it can build up and bring the whole tarp down in a ripped mess.
The method I described over my tent would require a couple of poles and is somewhat freestanding. My poles are from a 1970's model dining canopy. They extend to about 10 feet or so. If I did not have these I would probably make some connecting sections of 2x2 with a loop of rope or a hook at the top. I place the poles where I want them and attach a rope between them, drape the tarp over the rope and tie it off to the poles. Then raise the poles and stake them out with lines to hold them in place. Now stretch out the two ends of the tarp with ropes and stake them out close to the ground or tie off to something. This creates an A frame like structure that has brought me through more then a few storms.
I hope this helps.

Thanks so much! . That was very helpful.