Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Which Tarp?

I'm sure this topic has been beat to death, but which sil-tarp do you guys recomend and why?
I'm looking for a simple (and cheaper)tarp to use early season in place of my bivy.
Thanks!

Take a look at an Integral Designs Sil Dome. It is somewhere between a tarp and a floorless tent. The Sil Dome is lightweight and goes up much faster than my tarp.
http://www.integraldesigns.com/product_detail.cfm?id=847

An 8'x10' sil-nylon flat tarp is pretty versitile.

Here is one on sale:
http://www.shop.backpackingadventur...ps-on-Sale-8x10-sil-tarp.htm?productId=8

Hi

I might let the cat out of the bag here, and this is a bit commercial, but we have a tarp "The breakaway tarp"

http://seekoutside.com/lightweight-silnylon-breakaway-tarp/

It's ultra flexible. We are going to be offering a spike camp special in the next few days, where it will come with a very lightweight stove as well. The stove and tarp can all be used individually, or together. Together it's a 2 person heated shelter for just a bit more than 2 lbs.

The base tarp is sub 1 lb, the vestibule about 6 ounces and the stove is sub one pound.

More details later this week, once we get pictures and all the that together.

PM me if you want more details

Not sure if you've checked out the White Lightning Sil-Nylon tarps from Granite Gear? They are ultralight and come with adjustable stake straps and guylines already installed. Also come in a couple of different sizes. I have a 10'x10' and a 10'x12' and the quality is Top Notch! Check them out.

Thanks Ed, thats what I was looking for.

Having spent dozens of nights under tarps... I hate them.

Get a light tarp/tent like something from www.tarptent.com

The contrail is one of their model's that's very light, small and inexpensive @ $199.

Ed's obviously got you on a good one there. ID's are great if you can find them at a discount. I've spent a lot of nasty nights under a tarp and when I started I didn't know the best ways to use them. One thing that's helped me out of a few bad setups was taking my rain jacket and ziping it over the bottom of my sleeping bag when the rain cames in at a bad angle. Enjoy.

The Contrail is a good tent. I just sold one to Biathalon man Brad but an 8' x 10' flat tarp with some guylines can be pitched in any number of ways. I like tarps especially during hunting season where they can be pitched for a wind break when glassing.

I go back and forth on tarps. I sure like the light weight and minimalist concept but you do give up some, especially in bad bug country.

PM sent.

All depend how comfortable you want to feel. My kids are part of a survival program where they go out for days (sometimes weeks) with just a piece of visqueen, a thin foam mat, and a sleeping bag. They do it in just about every wx imaginable, and always seem to have a good time. They recently did a 4 day canoe trip to measure out some trails fro the forest service, and I got them a 6.99 tarp down at the hardware store. They thought they were living large!

Equinox makes very reasonably priced tarps if you are on a tight budget.

I'm fond of this configuration.



The half pyramid can be pitched with a 9x12 for a 6ft peak or a 12x16 for a 8ft peak. I use a 12x16. Weight is ~4lbs. Bonus is you can find poly-tarps just about anywhere.

Now if I can just find a 12x16 sil-nylon tarp

--thumper338

I like the ones that can be used as a poncho. I can use them on the trail for weather protection, I can use them as a lean to shelter or I can roll up in them and use them as a bivy sack. E

Anyone use cabela's xpg ultralight tarp

Etowah makes some very sturdy, and reasonably priced tarps.
http://www.etowahoutfittersultralightbackpackinggear.com/

I have one of their BushcraftUSA 1X10 tarps. After almost two years of use, it is still bullet proof.
Up on the AT last year, for a few days with my brothers.