12.8 oz Tarp from Harbor Freight

That's relatively heavy and bulky for its size. But, it's cheap.

–B.G.–

Yes it seems to be the constant battle between the cash and the weight. The worst part is sometimes you will spend a bunch of money in small amounts over time and basically you could have bought something nice and expensive from the beginning. But hey, $4 is a good deal.

Andy, in my book, you have a winner of a tarp.
Look at the postings and compare:
>GG SpinnShelter…10.5 oz, $145.
This will be stuffed into a backpack until it is set up at camp and carefully stored away at home.
>Blue Tarp…12.8 oz, $3.99.
This can be folded and used against the back of a frameless pack for padding/support, set up in a number of ways, used about anywhere around the apartment, house or garage whenever needed… it's lifetime gear! Save your money for a really good sleep system.
Yes… the SpinnShelter has quite a bit more technology built into it but once the sun goes down and everyone is tucked in their quilts, the SpinnShelter owner will sleep just as well as you even though your blue tarp is a whole 2.3 oz heavier.

My first tarp trips were with a very similar green poly tarp- just as functional as anything else.
13 oz. is damned liberating when you're coming from carrying around a 5 or 6 lb. tent.

I've turned many high school students on to lightweight/ultralight backpacking, many now in college and continuing to get out. Gear accessibility/cost is a huge limiting factor to them. Once they're into it and older/working, they'll spend the money…but not on their first few trips. Nor would I recommend it.

Poly tarps were always my first shelter recommendation; cheap, durable, and easy to get, especially for a high school kid without a budget.

Combined with a cat can stove, grease pot, whatever old pack and sleeping bag they could muster (these were usually the easiest to scrounge- many people have some sort of sleeping bag/pack lying around or can borrow one), they're out the door for a few dollars.

From an adult perspective, maybe UL/L backpacking looks cheap…but certainly not from the perspective of someone that might not have a job and has no gear to start with.
A $300-400 entry cost, while reasonable to most of us, is completely turn off to most teenagers.

I'd also stress the learning benefits associated with tarp camping, using simple homemade/cheap gear, finding your own sticks for poles, site selection, etc. I think starting off simple pays large dividends later.

best comparison would be the ID siltarp … 5×8 … cost 75$ vs. 4$ … 7oz vs. 13 oz

5 extra ounces wont kill you … IMO newbs are better off starting off with a cheap tarp to learn whether you actually like it first … saves having to resell the gear later or having it sit in yr closet … you;ll always find a use at home for a cheap tarp

there's no reason why BPL can't also be backpacking light and CHEAP

youll spend more on a frapacino .. lol