Best tarp under $50?

[Justin Baker]

I have an outdoor products 7×9 tarp I bought from REI.
http://www.rei.com/product/766381/outdoor-products-coated-tarp-9-x-7
It's not a bad tarp, but I am wondering if there is anything better of lighter at that price range. It weights 1 lb 5 oz, which is not bad, but I have seen lighter. I don't like the grommets on it either. I would rather have tabs, which could save me some weight.

I could return it and buy something new for the same price, but is there anything better in that price range?
Keep in mind, I don't have a lot of funds and I need something that will last durability wise.
Or should I just remove the grommets and keep using it? I am not a huge weight freak about everything, but if I can save a few ounces without spending any money, it's worth it.

[Eugene Smith]

You could pick up a 7.4oz. Go Lite Poncho Tarp, use the 40% off single item code at checkout: DEN40S11

That's about as good of a deal on a simple, lightweight tarp in your budget.

[Dale Wambaugh]

The grommets don't weigh much and you could damage the tarp by removing them. You can still add tabs. I weighed some grommets and they aren't the problem– that tarp is polyurethane coated and heavier fabric.

I've painted myself into gear corners that way too many times. Wear it out and save your pennies for a nice Cuben rig. A silnylon tarp that size would be about 10oz. In the mean time, the view won't look any different from under that tarp than another. You're young and you have time :)

[Justin Baker]

Well, I already have an 8 oz usgi style poncho that I use during mild weather, but I am looking for something lighter, unless that poncho is actually bigger. The poncho is just too small to provide 3 sided protection from the wind.
If the material is the issue, and lighter material is more expensive, then I will stick with this. I am certainty content with it and not dying for less weight. I would be very iffy in buying anything labeled as an "utralight tarp" because I might not have funds to replace something that's not durable.
I also mess with fire, and it would be less of a heart ache for something to happen to this than a $120 tarp, and silnylon I have heard has a much better chance to actually catch fire, rather than just burn a whole through. Not that it is much of an issue if you are careful and watch out for pops, but something to note.

[Jamie Shortt]

Justin, Here is what I think the same basic tarp 1.9 oz coated nylon with tabs. But it is 6'x10'.

etowah_tarp

It is $38 and free shipping. Looks like it might save you a few ounces.

To save bigger weight you will need to move to silnylon which is going to be hard to <$50 for a tarp that size.

Jamie

[Cesar Valdez]

MYOG dude. The Deluxe Hobo Tent I made is great to use with a fire. Even without a fire it is wind and waterproof, and will reflect your own body heat.

I wrote a detailed blog about it recently: http://cesarandthewoods.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-favorite-diymyog-camping-shelter.html

Just go to Home Depot and buy a roll of clear plastic, duct tape, a space blanket, and some strong string or light rope and you are good to go.

I doubt I will ever buy a silnylon and/or cuben tarp unless they get much, much cheaper.

EDIT: Oh, forgot to add that this tarp is about 450g or 15oz if my math is right.

[David Drake]

+1 MYOG. I made these shaped tarps using silnylon 2ds from Backwoods Daydreamer (now diygearsupply.com). Finished weight of the smaller one is 9.5 oz, including guylines. Each took a bit less than 5 yards of material @ $5.50/yard, or about $30 with shipping. With 11 stakes and polycro groundsheet, total shelter weight is right at 16 oz.

If you want a flat tarp, it would be even easier to make then these.

[Joe Clement]

Nice!

[Justin Baker]

The clear plastic sounds like a decent idea, at least for short trips or if I really want to get my weight down. Cheap too.
Honestly, I have no sewing skills or a sewing machine. I will look into the homemade tarp though.

[Theron Rohr]

I don't think you can do better than what you've got without making it yourself or upgrading to more expensive material. I have a 7×9 tarp with grommets from Equinox and it's a good tarp at a very reasonable price/weight (claimed 20oz). It's been great as my first tarp and I haven't felt the need to upgrade. That 6×10 one from Etowah sounds like it has nice dimensions for one person though!

PS: one thing I like about grommets is you can stake it down to the ground tighter against the wind. With tieouts you always have an inch or so of distance between the stake and the tarp.

[Randy Nelson]

Very nice, David.

[Cesar Valdez]

Yet another thing I forgot to mention about the hobo tent is that around 450g is with two doors, rope, and the space blanket on the inside, and is 2m x 2.5m.

A friend of mine came over yesterday and I gave him my old summer hobo tent, which is just plastic sheeting, 2m x 2m. It worked out great on my last trip a week ago, and I got rained on all night, but it was a tight fit with my gear (I am about 6ft tall). My friend is shorter than I am, so it will be more room for him, and I made a new one for myself that took all of 2 minutes or so to make. It's 2m x 2.5m like my deluxe version, and clocks in at a mere 250g (a little under 9oz). Add another 20-30g for string or rope and 50g for a garbage bag ground cover and you are good to go.

Another thing I really like about plastic tarps is they are easy to fix if they are damaged. Just put a duct tape patch on, and this is easy to do out in the field too, as pretty much everyone, even hardcore SUL guys, take some duct tape and/or waterproof tape with them. You should not fix silnylon or cuben with duct tape, from what I gather, and have to have a separate repair kit for them.

I am excited to make the transition over to bivy bag camping. I just ordered a TiGoat bivy and plan on using it with my hobo tent set up, which total (tarp, bivy, ground cover, rope) for shelter will be only about 530g or 18oz. I have a UL tent too (BA FC UL1), but for lighter weight and easier set up, tarp is the way to go.

[Justin Baker]

Yeah, I considered using cheap plastic, but thought it would be kinda silly. But I guess it would be a good way to get my weight done. How do you find the durability with that stuff?
I eventually want to get a kirafu parahootch for really windy environments, possibly above the tree line or in tundra/grasslands. It's an 11 oz tarp that basically sets up like a really roomy bivvy. You can pitch it more open, however slightly awkward way if you really need a fire. Pretty expensive though.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Geeze, ETOWAH 8' X10' tarps are 24 oz. And that's with no netting or ground cloth. Just get a 24 oz. TarpTent Contrail and be done with it.

[Justin Baker]

They are ripstop, so they would be nice if you valued durability over weight.

[Jamie Shortt]

Justin, My suggestion of the Etowah tarp was based on interpreting your needs. Being that it was under $50, tabs instead of grommets, reasonably light weight, larger than 5×8, and yes one of the more durable tarps around I suggest it.

->MYOG – great if you can sew or know someone who does, but sound like this is a no for you. As shown by the examples adding this skill with access to a sewing machine can create some incredible shelters with little money.
->Plastic shelters – yes you can't beat the price, if you want to save the most coin go for it, but a plastic shelter has a life in trips not years (my experience as a kid). Wind is the enemy. Granted protecting a plastic shelter may be a skill that I have just not learned yet.
->The equinox tarp you have – I agree its about as good as the Etowah. I'm a tabs guy which is why I would offered the Etowah as consideration. You would end up with $4 in your pocket and maube a few ounces off your back.
->Tarptent – I agree nice shelter, I have one, but it is 4 times your max price. You probably would want the optional pole or bring bring hiking poles, I dont see using trees/sticks with this guy.

If you were to relax your price a bit I would suggest going 1.3 oz silnylon, but if you want to stick with under $50 then a nlyon tarp (1.9 oz/sq yd), it is a great deal.

Jamie

[tommy d]

http://gearx.com/integral-designs-sil-tarp.html

Integral Designs Sil Tarp
7 oz

$59.97 and it looks like free shipping at the moment. Not sure when this deal ends. Just an idea. Looks like the free shipping ends 8/1/2011.

[Jamie Shortt]

The ID siltarp is a good one. Its one of my favorate flat tarps. Backcountrygear.com has it on sale for $45.50. Free shipping over $49 doh! so you will need to by a spoon or something to get to $50. But realize it is a 5×8 foot tarp which is small if not using a bivy. If you can go that small then it would be my suggestion as well. Mine weighs 6.5 oz so the 7 oz weight is no exageration.

As far as fire goes…I doubt any nylon tarp will enjoy fire, but yes silnylon is probably one of the worst.

Jamie

[Justin Baker]

Thanks for the recommendations. Unfortunatley, that's just to small for it's intended use. It's a great deal though. I already have a poncho around the same size that I use for more mild weather. The etowah tarps are probably going to be in the similar weight weight ratio as my current tarp. I will keep looking around, maybe I will find something.
Etowah actually makes fire retardant, 5×7 tarp that weighs 13 oz. Cool stuff. Apparently some guy drop a coal on it for a few seconds and while it kinda melted a little bit, it did no penetrate or damage the tarp at all.

[Cesar Valdez]

@Justin: "How do you find the durability with that stuff?"

I have slept in many versions of the hobo tent, from hardware store tough-plastic tarp, to garbage bags, to the clear plastic that is currently my favorite due to cost, weight, and ease of use. I have never had an issue with durability, but granted, I have not gone more than a week using them, and when I did use them several nights in a row, it was the heavier and tougher hardware store tarp.

@Jamie: "Plastic shelters – yes you can't beat the price, if you want to save the most coin go for it, but a plastic shelter has a life in trips not years (my experience as a kid). Wind is the enemy. Granted protecting a plastic shelter may be a skill that I have just not learned yet."

Of course other material is going to be tougher, but you might be surprised at how tough plastic sheeting or garbage bags are, within reason of course. I have slept very dry, comfy, and cozy in both wind and rain. Wind is only the enemy if you don't pitch it properly. Keeping it low to the ground helps, as does pitching it in a good location where you have small hills and/or trees around you to absorb the wind. Rocks are free and plentiful in most terrains, so as long as you put enough to anchor the plastic right, you should be fine unless there is a storm (and most tarps would crumble during storms anyhow).

Now as far as life in trips, that I will have to get back to you on. In the past I used primarily hardware store tarps, and for years of overnight to week-long trips on the AT I used the same tarp. Then I moved to Sweden and bought a few of the same hardware store tarps to mess around with, and had no need to replace them after many overnight and weekend trips. About half a year ago I started to experiment more with garbage bag shelters and then the clear plastic shelters. I have made several and used them, but the problem is, I am a member of a camping club and my fellow members have been very interested in these shelters so I have ended up giving away several after using them once or twice.

Just yesterday I met up with a friend who is in the club and he wanted one of these hobo tarps, so I gave him the new one that I made for myself. I recently ordered a bivy, and plan on using it with a hobo tarp. I will use the same one and keep track of any damage and/or how long it lasts.

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