Best Tarp Shelter

[Jericho Cain]

I am planning to (in the next few days) buy a tarp shelter. In August I plan to go on a two week hike in the SC, GA area and will bring whatever new tarp shelter I purchase along. This will be the first time that I have hiked without a tent and I would like to hear any recommendations concerning which tarp is best. Also, I have been looking at Golite’s lair 1 and from the reviews it sounds good for a beginner. Has anyone used this shelter?

[Tim W]

For a beginning tarpster you might consider buying Ray Jardine’s tarp book and making or buying Golite’s Cave 1 and perhaps their bug nest. Total weight will be about 1 pound each but gives you the great flexability. It’s an excellent proper introduction to tarping.

You might also check out Henry Shire’s Tarptents or Dancing Light’s Lunar Solo tarptent. They’re good compromises between tents and tarps.

The big advantage of tarps over tents is the ventilation. Some of the tarptents (and maybe even Golight’s Lair) may sacrifice ventilation for ease of setup.

The trend among experienced tarpers is to use a very small (and lightweight) tarp with a breathable water repellent bivy sack.

I’d say, start with a basic flat tarp (7×9 or 7×10) for pitching options and go from there.

[Ryan Jordan]

Jericho,

For the most flexibility and fun, consider a flat tarp, 8′ x 10′ or similar size. Gives you lots of pitching options and remains light enough (14 oz in silnylon) to make your tent feel like a brick.

Manufacturers of high quality silnylon tarps that I’d recommend:

Oware
Integral Designs
GoLite

Then, for absolute ease of use in creating a very nice tarp shelter with a minimum number of stakes, but you lose pitching flexibility, look at:

Granite Gear and browse their website to the White Lightenin’ Tarps.

ProLite Gear in Bozeman carries all of these brands, or you can buy direct from the manufacturer. Some of the brands are also carried at BackcountryGear.com, or your local outfitter.

In our courses and clinics, we’ve found that the Granite Gear tarps are the easiest ones to introduce new folks to tarp camping. Their catenary curves amke them easy to pitch, they are strong, and waterproofness make them outstanding choices for lightweight backpacking. The Oware catenary tarps are close behind.

BackpackingLight.com offers lighter versions of catenary tarps (see the tarp shelters section) but they are recommended more for intermediate and advanced tarp users.

You would also do well to read this article before you buy:

Comparison Review of Tarps and Other Floorless Shelters at BackpackingLight.com.

[Ron Moak]

>> You might also check out Henry Shire’s Tarptents or Dancing Light’s Lunar Solo tarptent. They’re good compromises between tents and tarps. << Tim, that would be the Six Moon Designs, Lunar Solo (www.sixmoondesigns.com). Dancing Light does have one called the Tacoma Tarp. Ron

[Jericho Cain]

Thanks everyone! I think I will go with the 8 x 10 Golite Ultra-lite tarp. It sells for $79.95 but I found it for $64.00.

Cheers,

Jericho

[Tim W]

Sorry Ron.

A friend just bought a Lunar Solo and it looks like a great shelter. Nice work.

[Janet L Besanceney]

Hi Jericho,
Where did you get the tarp? We are required to carry an 8 x 10 shelter, so I have been looking for something that won’t break the bank. Does anyone have exerience with the strength of this? It has to be stable enough that I can make a litter out of it.
Thank you.

[Jericho Cain]

Janet,

Sorry I took so long to reply. I ordered the tarp from campmor.

www. campmor.com

Just search brand names, golite.

Cheers,

Jericho

edit: Sorry, not campmor..got confused. It was from:

http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/accessdetail.cfm/GO3101

but the sale seems to be off now. Still cheaper than ordering from golite though.

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