Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Do you use a tarp?

I have a lightweight sil/nylon tarp, 10x10, weight 18 oz. In planning my backpack trip to Idaho, I sort of had it in mind to carry it with me. I thought it may be useful as an additional shelter for cooking, maybe string a clotheline under to air out/dry out sleeping bag, or use in case of bad weather to keep from being tent bound.

I'm starting to really evaluate gear and weight and second guessing the need or practical usefulness of carrying and rigging a tarp in addition to a tent.

You more experienced guys, do you carry a tarp in addition to your sleeping shelter?

Most of my WNC trips are 1-2 nighters, I'll be out for 4 nights, around 8500' and sleeping in a GoLite SL3. This is my first Western bacpack hunt.

So, take it or leave it?

Hi Snubbie

I think tarps are incredibly useful in the right conditions. There are other ways to skin the cat as well. For instance you could take a poncho tarp for emergency use, or outside hanging use, or as a ground sheet. If it's the evening , and raining (or snowing) and you have an animal down you may really wish you had a tarp with you. Of course, you could rig some plastic painters cloth as well. To bad the emergency reflective blankets are to flimsy to be a tarp, as it would work in perfect conditions.

Me, I usually carry some sort of tarp that can double as a shelter or provide overhead coverage and perhaps I can run a fire underneath. 18 ounces would be on the high side, but what is 3 or 4 ounces really. Have I used the tarp much ? No I have not, but one year I really wish I did as I would have stayed a lot drier in the sleet had I simply set it up and used it as a blind. Instead I sat there, getting soaked and waiting for an Elk. I think my pack gained 4 lbs of water weight from the rain itself. If it's just you, a poncho tarp might be the ticket, however it really depends on how your gear fits together as a whole and what your plans are. If the SL3 is always on your back , then I probably would not take it, however I would love it if the sl3 could open up all the way to a tarp (which it can't). Are you using a ground sheet or bivy ? If you are using a ground sheet, it can do dual duty. What about keeping your pack dry in the rain ? Is it waterproof ? If not perhaps a poncho is good, as it can keep your pack dry.

The SL3 will not be carried. My plan is to hike in 4-5 miles, set up camp and hunt within a couple miles of camp. I suppose the tarp could be useful or end up just dead weight, just want more experienced opinions. I suppose in the end it will come down to total pack weight. It would be a nice luxury but not sure it is worth the 18 oz.
I've thought about the poncho. I think this would be a good piece of gear to carry, especially if a night out away from camp is required, or sitting and glassing in ligt rain or snow.
I've kept my eye on the GoLight poncho but it's currently out of stock. Anyone know of a comparable alternative?

I bought my poncho from Campmor.com. Very similar to Golite's and cheaper.
I've used traps off and on over the years instead of a tent. They are pretty open and don't work well w/o sheltering trees to break the wind and/or driven rain. A bivy sack usually works better.
I usually carry my combo poncho/tarp for use in rain or temporary shelter. I save some weight by carrying a very light soft shell garment, 3 ozs., instead of one of my heavier shells.
As a rule, I carry nothing that I'm not sure I'll need. You can add alot of extra weight very easily to the pack if you pack for alot of "what if" situations. E

i used to just carry a tarp and a light hammock during summer backpacking. worked fine and could even have a small fire under it during rainy nights.

I ALWAYS carry a light silnylon tarp and an eVent bivy in my daypack when I go anywhere. The weight of about 34 ozs. is not an issue when the possibility of an un-planned night out in BC's climate is ALWAYS there.

Here, a 20 minute drive from my home, we have hikers killed every year in "high summer" by hypothermia and they are usually younger, fit people from other nations who do not heed the warnings of the locals or the professionals in SAR about how easy it is to get wet, cold and then dead in this climate.

I like an Integral Designs Siltarp II or III and either the ID Bugaboo or South Col eVent bivies, plus some cut-to-size eva pads and have spent nights in total comfort using such rigs, when it was sleeting and blowing and the temps were about 35*F.

So, each to his own, but, sometimes the caution and preparation born of wilderness experience is really the best option, IMHO.

I always have a 5x7 ID sil-tarp in my kit. Used it a couple times hiking/backpacking to sit on or sit under during a storm. During hunting season its used for the same plus laying boned out meat on to cool.

Personally Under you're circumstances I'd leave it at home... You will be in an SL3 which is pretty roomy for being tent bound in the rain.. And you can easily make it back to the tent in 45 minutes or less if hunting 1-2 miles away when a sudden storm comes in..

I made big changes to my gear this year one of which is the SL3...The tent I used for years (MSR Zoid) although very wind and water tight is very small and confined compared to the SL3... I used to pack a tarp like the one you have in question and not once used it, even while being grounded with showers for multiple days..

I have a couple of lightweight 5x7 tarps. I've used them as a ground cloth under my neoair and carried them in a day pack for emergency shelter. They would indeed be handy for cooling meat should I get lucky.

But I like the poncho idea. It could do double duty and I could leave the raingear at home and save a few ozs. and it will cover the my pack should I get caught in rain. I could leave the pack cover at home saving another few ozs.

The SL3 is pretty roomy and unless it's REALLY raining and blowing I don't intend to be hanging out in the tent!

Snubbie, the first trip to Colorado we set up a base camp and hunted each day from there. I carried a military poncho and no other rain gear. It was used several times for storms that moved in quickly over a mountain. I would set down and place my day pack, bow and me under it and wait the storm out. A friend was with me once and a rain moved in. We ran a string between two trees and draped the poncho over it, with both of us standing underneath. Interesting thing I have seen is a lot of the rains have hail falling with it.
I also will be backpacking this year and I will be setting up a tarp to sleep in/under. I will also carry my poncho to carry away from camp while hunting.
My plan is to run a string away from the peak of my tarp camp to again use the poncho as a sort of vestibule in front of the tarp when needed. Something I can cook or stand under if needed.
Good Luck, maybe the North Carolina boys can score some elk meat.

I'd take it. Being cold sucks. Being wet sucks. Wet and cold really sucks.

A lot of guys out west carry something to "siwash" in as the call it in Alaska, in case the hunt requires them to stay out too late to get back to camp. In your case, I'd take it, even if you didn't use it, especially if you will be hunting alone.

The wind blows out west, a poncho tarp would be better than nothing, but a shaped tarp, like a Kifaru Paratarp, is much mo better, IMO. Golite has the SL1 on sale dirt cheap right now, and somebody has one for sale in the classifieds currently.

You put a stove jack in that SL3 yet? You need one of Kevin T's carbon fiber poles for it if you haven't already got one.

Back in the '70's while working for Outward Bound I put in hundreds on nights under a tarp while working in Idaho & Oregon wilderness areas. The tarp I used was a no frills, homemade 10 x 12 with tie out's placed all over. Never even used poles when trees were available to run a line between. Have continued to use tarps quite a lot, including on a recent loop around Rainier (Wonderland Trail) where it rarely stopped raining. Worked great & I slept dry.

Sometimes I think we try to make things too complicated - tarps work wonderfully well.

ID Sil Tarps II and III can be pitched in infinite fashions and even set up just like an Kifaru Supertarp or Paratarp that TAK mentioned.

I have one in the Kifaru Scout pack as my main stay. Hiking, biking, or dirtbiking I will have it without me.

Here's a golite poncho tarp rigged as an awning on my BCS. I borrowed the ridge line from hammock camping. It's 30 feet of lash-it, two s biners, two prusicks, a knot bone, and a figure 9. Guy lines are spectra cord.

It only added an ounce or two to the poncho weight.

I'm doing the math on packing in 4 or 5 miles and hunting a mile or two from camp. If you kill a bull a mile or two from camp, you'll pack meat 5 to 7 miles each trip. A bull will likely take three trips, add camp, and you're packing for 3 to 4 days.

Good luck.

I have a mulie tag and a wolf tag, no elk tag. Don't think I would tackle a solo backpack elk hunt for the reason you mention.

Ditto to hose who always carry a tarp, but i don't take a tent. For backpack hunting I nest into a sheltered spot with a tarp. I find a flat tarp more versatile than shaped ones for adapting to fit any spot.

I have the Golite poncho in my always daypack, and would take that for day carry even if tent camping. In my parka shell pocket is a space blanket and usually a large garbage bag as well, which can make a useful small tarp if cut on one side and across the bottom.

My 8x10 main solo tarp is homemade of spinnaker ripstop, also called kite cloth, super light. I think there is even lighter material now but this one keeps working. I have been thinking of buying a 3 yard length of the lightest material Seattle Fabrics offers to carry as a Siwash pocket tarp. Most of that stuff comes 60 inches wide which would make a 5x9 seamless tarp.

As shown, tarps make a useful porch area for tents.

That's a pretty slick setup. Make it into a vestibule to expand your "floor space", so to speak, and then take the poncho out each day as you hunt...this makes sense.

I believe carrying the 10x10 tarp will come down to weight and I'm working hard on getting down pack weight now.

On reflection, I would not back pack the 18 oz. tarp if I were you and were going to take a tent as well. I would find something much lighter to carry with me every day and use at times around base camp.