Bushwalk Australia

An ideas and thought post before it goes to the DIY section.

I just made a commitment to buy the PaddyMade KarKampa from Stry
https://www.colongwilderness.org.au/fil ... k=zNyUADez

So I will need a an external frame and a down to the ground outer tent.
First priority is being able to withstand a dead load imposed by our heavy wet snow, second is wind loading but this will be aother bare bones project so low cost is needed, fourth is it needs to fold up small enough to fit on a Paris Expedition sled
I'm doing it mainly for the sake of nostalgia.

If available money wasn't a problem I would just buy the 8 man tarp from Ali-Express

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3F-UL-G ... fcfba7ddcb

I think the nature of the trees where you are setting up will preclude this, but we used a natural timber ridge pole with a large, cheap, poly tarp over for several consecutive years. The poly tarp stayed in place for maybe two months each year, and we got at least a couple of years out of it before it expired. I'm not sure, but I think we had the side edges tied off to additional horizontal natural timber poles a little above ground level. Memory may be unreliable on the side poles. Site was well protected from wind, which yours probably wont be. That setup coped very well with a couple of light snowfalls, but again almost certainly not as heavy as you will be planning for.

Below the snowline that works very well
Something a bit stronger would be something in proofed polyester
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Heavy-Duty-W ... 1438.l2649
but because the japara is inherently water resistant then simple poly/cotton sheeting may be all that is required
it is going to be a nostalgia build more than anything I think so semi traditional materials may work.
How big to make the outer tent tho, that is a serious question; too small and it is hard to undress, too big and we start talking a lot of money for materials

keeping it cheap, anywhere (property or forest) you can 'source' australian hardwood? maybe felling some small trees will give you the traditional poles?

I wonder who the dirty bugger was that came up with the name of that tent! The Bellender?! WOW

Strider wrote:I wonder who the dirty bugger was that came up with the name of that tent! The Bellender?! WOW

Sorry but that one went right over my head; must be old age or summat

taipan821 wrote:keeping it cheap, anywhere (property or forest) you can 'source' australian hardwood? maybe felling some small trees will give you the traditional poles?

I can think of a few places where i can cut bush poles legally or find enough dead saplings but i have some good aluminium tubing here too, 32 and 25mm stuff, my comment was more about the cost of the fabric.
I do know that the first job will be to sew in some sod cloths and make a groundsheet, this tent is never going to be Abdulled

Moondog55 wrote:but because the japara is inherently water resistant then simple poly/cotton sheeting may be all that is required
it is going to be a nostalgia build more than anything I think so semi traditional materials may work.

Reading this, I'm wondering how far a couple of canvas painter's drop sheets from bunnings and some thinned out silicone would get you
That should be relatively cheap, just a whole bunch more labour involved

I thought of that but percale bed sheets from WH Amad in Fitzroy are stronger and not much more expensive, especially if I can find any in the Op-Shop in King size. I found a couple last week in Single bed size for $3- each and did buy them, I have been haunting the closeout table at Spotlight too for king size Microfibre sheets in wild patterns and colours too

One of the big benefits of the old style square cut wall tents is how easy they are to insulate in winter by hanging blankets from the roof on a stretched tight cord and I have a LW polyester one here ready to use from my old canvas wall tent

Well the tent arrived today
They certainly don't make gear like this anymore. I made an immediate decision not to add anything to it except for an internal ridgeline. The fabric is too heavy to get under my sewing machine. Not a sophisticated design at all but a wonderful fabric and reasonably well made.
Exceedingly well looked after too

I've been offered a reasonable deal on a small synthetic wall tent from the USA
Link here
http://store.oldgrouch.biz/scnywate.html

It will need to be made longer and if I can't do the job I know Evan can do it reasonably.
My question is this. How much longer should I make it? Just enought to clear the inner tent by 150mm >/ Use a half width fabric at ~800m or add a full roll width of fabric at around 1500mm?
For summer use the fly I already have works almost perfectly but for a winter above the snowline base-camp tent I want a full double wall shelter

stry wrote:I think the nature of the trees where you are setting up will preclude this, but we used a natural timber ridge pole with a large, cheap, poly tarp over for several consecutive years. The poly tarp stayed in place for maybe two months each year, and we got at least a couple of years out of it before it expired. I'm not sure, but I think we had the side edges tied off to additional horizontal natural timber poles a little above ground level. Memory may be unreliable on the side poles. Site was well protected from wind, which yours probably wont be. That setup coped very well with a couple of light snowfalls, but again almost certainly not as heavy as you will be planning for.

I still have the aluminium awning poles from a few years ago and those are more than adequate and about the same size as a decent ash sapling. I'll just make a new PVC end piece for new A frame ends
I have a polyester fly for the big tent and as it looks like this will be a solo trip I can just use that over the PaddyMade
Problem solved if I use a car to take them up in advance of the snow

A little bit of kerbside collection and I have one of those awning enclosure walls from a big frame tent and some more steel poles.
Time to do some more experimentation with frames I think