Non freestanding tents on Overland Platforms

[Nic]

Has any one used non freestanding tents (ie: tunnel tents) on the Overland track tent platforms? I have a Exped Venus tent that I'm taking on a trip this May and I am a little worried about having to set up on the wooden platforms. This tent requires numerous guy lines and stakeout points.

Are there options to camp on the ground at each camp site?

Thanks,
Nic

[corvus]

G'day Nic,
There are plenty of stake out points on the platforms ,some campsites you have no option but to use them.

[Son of a Beach]

Tunnel tents that only require longitudinal tension are very well suited to the tent platforms. Tunnel tents that require tension in various directions are a little more tricky on the platforms, but they still work fine with a bit of fiddling around (such as my old el-cheapo tent I used up until a few years ago). You my need to use more of the ropes than usual, and look out for nails between the planks or any other points at which you can modify the anchor point of the ropes to make them more suited to your particular tent. If any rocks (already loosened rocks, not rocks you pull out of the ground) are handy, this can also help.

In short, any tent can work well on these platforms. Some are just easier than others.

[Darren]

G'Day Nic
I have used no free standing tents on these pads a bit. I use those 3 sided tent pegs that look like little star posts. They were originally WE but everyone makes them. I just get a rock and bash them between the gaps. If the gap is too wide get a bit of stick and shove it in beside it before you hit the peg in. You only hit it in the thickness of the plank so you end up with pegs sticking up which is a bit sus at night but it works great.
Probably not a sanctioned method..
Darren

One more thing . These platforms are Dam cold. You miss the thermal mass from the earth and its like sleeping on the middle rack in the fridge.

[Nic]

Is there a brand for these 3 sided pegs? Can you find them online?
nic

[Nuts]

Cup Hooks!, might sound a bit 'dramatic' but they will hold a big load and the holes close up in treated pine...
Watch out you don't trip over the wires, loose stuff through the gaps or look forward to a warm nights sleep...

[Darren]

Nic
Type in y stakes in google and you will see what they look like. Most proper hiking shops sell them, there usually gold and with the other stakes . They have a little bit of cord to pull them out. These are my favourite all-rounder. Not much heavier than ti skewers, hold heaps better, and can be abused with a rock if need be.
Hope that helps
Darren

[johnw]

This is how we recently set up our non-freestanding tunnel tent (Wilderness Equipment Second Arrow), on the platforms at Wild Dog Creek in the Walls.

I cut a short length of guy cord (from spare carried) to secure the tail end to the chain that runs around the outside of the platform. The wire guys on the platform were used to secure four of the main anchor points. The rocks (already there) were used for additional anchorage and tension. Also secured the four guy ropes on the tent to the platform chain. No pegs were used.

It had me puzzled when I first saw it; a bit of fiddling around got it sorted. Held up no problems, through some reasonably strong wind at times. I can't recall if the Overland platforms are different, as we mainly used huts on that trip. The ones in the photo below have chicken wire underneath the boards, to help prevent objects from falling through the gaps.

I stumbled upon some very thin poly foam in a hardware store near work before Christmas. Maybe only 1-2mm thick and weighed almost nothing. I cut two sheets roughly the size of our sleeping mats. We used these underneath the mats for extra insulation. This seemed to work well, as we weren't cold inside the tent at all. Even through cold winds, rain and snow.

Tent Platform Setup Wild Dog Creek

[frank_in_oz]

Good pic and descriptions John.

It just takes a bit of fiddling, patience and lateral thinking.

We also take some heavy rubber bands and use them as extensions for the fly "elastics"

[Robbo]

I used a platform at Windy Ridge recently with a non-free standing tent, and was able to get it to work OK. My only suggestion would be to carry a piece of cord to add to the guy ropes, or tie to other places if necessary.

I have one comment re the platforms at Windy Ridge, while it may make great design sense to have non rectangular, or square, platforms, can anyone explain why these platforms are geometrically diverse? It does not make it as easy to set up tents on them, in my opinion.

TR

[tasadam]

My only suggestion would be to carry a piece of cord to add to the guy ropes, or tie to other places if necessary.

I agree - I always have a good length of builders twine in my pack - lightweight, small, very versatile. Emergency boot lace, clothes line, we used it to erect a cooking shelter at Louisa River with the space blanket.
And for extensions to tents on the platforms if needed, very valuable.

Didn't need it here - another platform with a successfully erected tunnel tent. This one at Lake Cygnus on Western Arthurs.

Platform at L.Cygnus