DIY Tarp: How to Build a Ultralight Penta-Mid Tarp Without Sewing Skills

I would like to recommend a great tutorial from wilbo (who also makes fantastic hand-sewn tarps) on how to build a Penta-Mid tarp from XFOIL that is not only light and compact, but also accessible to anyone - no sewing skills required! The material costs around €30 and including cords etc. it weighs 175 g. You can find the detailed step-by-step instructions here in the Ultralight Forum .

Advantages of the Penta-Mid Tarp:

1. Wilbo's instructions make it possible for anyone to make a Penta-Mid Tarp, even if they have no sewing experience. The use of adhesive solutions eliminates the need for a sewing machine, making the project attractive for beginners.

2. This Penta-Mid Tarp can be built on a relatively low budget. The materials are inexpensive and offer excellent value for money for the weather protection offered. You also only need a small amount of material, which further reduces costs. 4 meters of XFOIL, (filament) tape and cords for guying, and depending on your preference, a few tensioners

3. This tarp offers a lot of space and, with its small pack size, is ideal for regions with moderate weather. The special shape of the Penta-Mid Tarp ensures that you are not only protected from the wet, but also have enough space for your equipment.

4. Thanks to the simple design, it can be set up in no time

   
   

If you build the tarp from xfoil, you can glue on the guy points as described in Attach guy points; the right tape is covered in our adhesive tape guide. A simpler tarp shape is shown in our ultralight tarp made of xfoil.

A big thank you to wilbo for providing these excellent instructions and great photos!