Tarp wihout poles?

At this weight, you're looking at high-tech materials, like cuben, or spinnaker. It's certainly doable, though at that weight (and commensurate size) a more water resistant bivy would be beneficial—silk will stop drafts, but soak up water.

If you're DIY'er with little experience, a simple square with a flat-felled seam down the middle is the easiest, and is perfectly functional. Cantenary curves, tapers can be done, but also take away some of a tarp's versatility.

A tarp is easy to set up without poles, even without trees (although on the AT, two nicely spaced trees aren't too hard to find); just find two sturdy sticks and pretend they are your poles.

There's no reason that a shelter with the lightest materials would require you to seek "shelter" elsewhere; for an extra couple of ounces, moreover, you'd have a palatial living space.

Whatever size you build, you'll need 5-6 yards, unfortunately, as no fabric comes from the factory wide enough (mostly 60") for even small shelters.

Whatever you use, you'll want something for bugs; a headnet can work, if you're tolerant. Something more substantial, like a net-tent, will be in order if you can't sleep with the buggers right next to your ear.

Forget silk liners, as you don't have a bag to protect; just wear your dirty clothes. But lightweight silk can be found at thaisilks.com (I think).

Look at the examples of tarp shelters at Six Moon Designs, Mountain Laurel, Gossamer Gear, Oware, …

5oz is too light to make a shelter that will withstand blowing rain.

Keep in mind that the shelters on the AT can get full during a storm.
I'd maybe consider something big enough, maybe an 8×10 rect tarp made out of Cuben/Spinnaker. Maybe make a shaped tarp like a Spinnshelter(9oz) or Solomid(10oz) or using an ultralight bivy under a 5×9 tarp, but then you are up into the 12 oz range.

I personally wouldn't relish relying on the shelters with the leaks, rodents, almost constant disturbances and people sleeping on top of each other.

If you think you only need something for occasional drizzle and don't mind the shelters, look into something like the MLD Monk tarp(4 oz), but you may want to consider adding something like and SMD Meteor bivy for bug, ground, wind and rain spray protection.

>I want a sub 5 oz tarp…pitch without poles….

If you are expecting Any blowing weather a MLD Grace Solo at 5.5 ounces is close to the lightest you'll find that will hold up day after day.

If you can pitch sheltered, then the MLD SpeedTarp at 3.5 ounces is worth considering.

These are 7x5x8.6 and 6.75×6.25×8.5 respectively. (frontxrearxridge)

Having spent a few nights under the SpeedTarp I can say it is large enough to get the job done. So for sheltered sleeping only, it suffices. If you have to cook and hang during a prolonged blowing rain, it ain't gonna be much fun. IMHO.

You Can go lighter. You Can go smaller. You have to decide on size versus weight versus hangtime.

With all that said, provided you can get down to timber and/or find a couple of sticks/poles, you will be able to pitch almost everywhere if you take 50' to 100' of line, plus, if you want to pitch fast, 8 stakes.

I saw that tarp at one point, but just sort of excused it for some odd reason. But now that I see it again, I realize I could do that with 3 yards of cuben. Its just a rectangle. I have set up a cheaper heavier rectangular poncho like that and been dry in the rain. I was fixated on having a long tarp set up like the SpinnTwinn. The monk is like the cape I used last year sans door flaps. I think I am sold. Just gotta make sure I point it the right way. I might consider adding a beak of sorts.

Is the widest I could get half oz cuben 54 inches? That would still beat MLD's 4×8.5 ft. b 6 inches of width. Or s there 60 inch of anything? I didn't see anything that wide, but might not be looking at the right places.

On one of the first backpack trips that I ever did in California (30-odd years ago), the leader carried very little gear. We got rained on, so he found a semi-dry place under some trees, he tied a cord between two trees, and he threw his flimsy plastic painters tarp over the cord. He anchored the bottom edges down with rocks. That was it. No frills.

You could do a little better than that with a nicer cord, and with nylon fabric, but the rocks will be about the same.
–B.G.–

Mice chew on AT shelters.

I ESchew AT shelters for all the reasons above. (But ya still gotta hang yer food from a branch.)

Finally, hiking poles, properly used (especially the strap placement) prevent long term knee damage and are great for using your upper body help to your legs and back. Otherwise your upper body gets no exercise and your legs take all the beating. I see no reason to leave the poles behind.

Many folks, having never cross country skiied, don't know how to properly use pole straps. They are NOT there just to keep the poles from falling off. They are mainly there to push down against with your hand so you don't have to grip the poles tightly. Correctly adjusted they will be very comfortable.

Your hand goes UP through the strap, not just in it. The strap should form an UPSIDE DOWN "V" on the palm of your hand at the web of your thumb and forefinger. Adjust so your hand falls properly on the grip.

I think I am going to go with a rectangular model. I can make a 6×9 with 4 yards of cuben, well 8'11''x5'11''. I will put numerous loops for lines. Keep it versatile. It would weigh in at 2.94 oz for cuben, 5-6 oz for spinnaker, 9 oz for sil. add an oz or two for reinforcement, loops, tape. I like the versatility of a rectangle. It can be tube-like, mid-like. I've been fiddling around with a few pieces of plastic today. I don't really wanna do a cat cut too… I still have a couple months. plans could change. I'll sleep in my painter's plastic tarp and see how it fares in the rain. I still might take hiking sticks too. Just wanted the option should I feel like I don't need em. My knees would thank me, I'm sure.

You also asked about bugs. There are lots. The daily rain & 80-90% humidity breeds lots of mosquitos and knats. In the evening's you'll notice that the leaf-pack on the forest floor has a spider web every 18-24 inches in many area. So if you don't like mosquito & spider bites – a net tent is nice.

ps: It's usually too hot & humid for a bivy (50 degree nights in May, 60 in June, 70-80 in July/Aug). Except for the Mtns of Southern VA that you'll hit around the end of May. You probably won't hit snow, but may hit 40 degree & windy nights.

pps: Everything is below treeline, so sticks are abundant if you want to set up your tarp in the cleared areas around the shelters. If you don't stay at a shelter, then the problem is usually finding a spot big enough to pitch a tent that isn't filled with dense undergrowth or isn't a mass of 2-3 ft diameter dents due to the rock under the dirt. Finding trees to use to run a ridgeline between won't be a problem – no matter which way the wind is blowing. If you can sleep in a hammock, and are willing to carry 1-2 lbs of extra weight for bottom insulation, etc, then you can camp "anywhere" you choose to stop along the trail.