【Rainy Car Camping Measures】Using a DIY Back Door Tarp on the Jimny! Upgrading to Enjoy Fishing Trips

Field testing the original back door tarp during car camping fishing trips. With this system, even in the solitude of the mountains, you can surely spend your time with peace of mind. If the DIY items work effectively and you have a successful fishing experience, it will surely be a perfect day.

Stream Fishing and Overnight Car Camping with a Back Door Tarp

On a day with overcast skies and occasional rain, I came for stream fishing while camping in my car. This time, I'm going to test out my homemade back door tarp in actual use, and as soon as I arrive at the campsite, I'll start setting it up.

Setting up the back door tarp that I made from electrical pipes is very easy; you just have to replace one leg of the already installed bed kit with a leg with a tarp pole and cover it with the tarp.

That said, it's my first time setting it up on-site, so I'm worried about whether any troubles will arise. Following the steps, the frame part seems to maintain its strength well and is functioning properly.

This homemade back door tarp works by installing tarp poles and hooking the tarp onto a horizontally opening back door to create an awning. By attaching neodymium magnet hooks to the back door to secure the tarp and spreading the excess tarp towards the front, and similarly securing it with magnets on the left and right doors, the back door tarp can be completed in no time.

The top surface of the awning part is taut and angled, so rainwater doesn't pool and flows off properly. Unlike a typical tarp that uses poles as supports, it is supported by the car roof, providing stability. Since it can be secured solely to the vehicle without using ropes or pegs, I believe it’s a significant advantage that it can be used in any location.

Completely satisfied with the sense of security wrapped up! Maybe it can also be expected to improve heat retention!?

I usually spent time with the trunk part left open, but since I'm wrapped in the tarp, I feel secure, and it also serves as a windbreak, enhancing heat retention. As the chilly season begins, it seems like it will be a great ally for car camping.

It rained a little, but since the forecast is for clear skies the next day, testing in stronger rain will have to wait. It seems like the shelter has high rigidity, so as long as the wind isn't strong, it should function without any issues. I decided to fall asleep while basking in the afterglow of successfully creating an item based on an original idea.

At bedtime, it can also serve as a window shade

Actually, after removing the tarp poles, it was discovered that by shifting the tarp a bit to the front and securing it, it functions as a shade for the entire window. It saves the hassle of putting on a shade and packing away the tarp, providing a two-in-one function. It’s a simple thing to cover the car with a tarp, but without the tarp system, I wouldn’t have realized this fact.

The image above shows the interior of the car, which successfully welcomed the morning. Although the window shade that is usually used is missing, external gazes are effectively blocked.

While I spent a comfortable night, the results of fishing were...

Fishing at a first-time spot was more challenging than expected, involving crossing a small waterfall and pushing through thickets in what turned out to be a wild fishing trip. There was an attractive pool ahead that seemed to harbor big fish.

I cast a lure into that pool, but it got caught on something big... or so I thought, as a fish's tail flickered back and forth on the surface, creating splashes! It looked to be over 25 cm based on gauging, and I was very surprised since I had let my guard down, but when I tried to get closer to catch it without losing it, the hook came loose, and I could see the dark fish shadow escape into the rocks. I suppose it was because I was too careless and hadn't properly hooked it... That was the only sight of a fish I saw that day.

Walking along the forest road, I watched dead leaves fluttering down, and the atmosphere felt autumnal. As September ends, fishing in mountain streams enters a closed season, but if I dive into nature, exciting ideas should spring to mind once again. I want to shape the ideas that come to me and create my own fun times.

Interview/Article by Kazuma Tanaka

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