Tyvek vs 2mil painters tarp

My suggestion is neither. Get some gossamer gear polycro which is industrial strength shrink wrap. It looks and weighs similar to 2 mil painters plastic but is a lot tougher. You can also find it sold as window film in the winter but it may be hard to find this time of year.

I get over a years use out of a sheet.

Painters plastic is too fragile and tyvek too heavy.

2 mil painters tarp is better for a prototype to test some idea

it's totally waterproof where tyvek is breathable. So plastic (or polycro) is good for a tarp that's suspended above your skin, tyvek is better for a jacket that's against you

Tyvek is stronger and in fact the most durable ground cloth materials I've ever used.

They make at least two different thicknesses.
The thinnest version is very durable, the thicker stuff is overkill as a ground cloth.
You can get the lighter weight stuff on ebay and many outfitters carry it.
I think the bigger hardware stores tend to carry the heavier weight stuff.

I have used polycryo extensively and results have been good, but it has punctured and ripped on sharp rock and certain desert plants.

I use tyvek if I need the durability and polycryo when I think conditions will allow it.

2 mil painters tarp is ok, but not as durable as tyvek.

Several options:

tyvek is most durable, heaviest (~5-6 oz) , least water proof.

SOL Polyethylene space blanket is lighter than tyvek,(3-4 oz) but pretty tough

2mil poly- kind of heavy really, and not that tough

polycr0- tough, and very light (1.5 oz)

mylar space blanket – very light,(1-1.5 oz) not that tough, but available at walmart for $3 for frequent replacement when needed.

Ive successfully used the cheap mylar and polycro quite a bit on hard soil with embedded gravel and twigs, and they are still intact, for now. However, I put my raingear under my sleeping pad as well, for protection, which helps spread load out and may help prolong the groundsheet too.

---

They make at least two different thicknesses.
The thinnest version is very durable, the thicker stuff is overkill as a ground cloth.
You can get the lighter weight stuff on ebay and many outfitters carry it.

---

Do you happen to know the name of the thinner type or thickness?

I prefer the 2 mil painter's cloth B/C Tyvek picks up too much dirt and tiny needles and twigs.

Plus I know for sure the plastic painter's cloth is waterproof (until punctures develop, that is).

I wonder if all 2 mil painter's cloths are equal in strength/puncture resistance??

"Do you happen to know the name of the thinner type or thickness?"

I think this might be the lighter stuff (40 g/m^2):

http://www.amazon.com/Tyvek-1443R-Kitemaking-Material/dp/B001TO4QVA/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1403385405&sr=8-7&keywords=tyvek

Edit: guess it is technically 38 g/m^2 = 1.34 oz/m^2.

I've never needed a tyvek ground sheet of more than 3 oz – ever.

I LOVE my Tyvek (House Wrap) ground sheet. I added my Tyvek to a purchase from Z-packs. I found the price reasonable and shipping cheap.

While Tyvek house wrap comes stiff and noisy, it only takes about 15-20 minutes of crumpling to turn it soft, pliable and whisper quiet. Mine has never been in a washing machine. It has been extremely durable and infinitely useful. I keep my Tyvek on the outside panel of my pack and pull it out almost every time I stop hiking. If I sit on the ground, under my tent, even when hammocking, my Tyvek keeps my feet clean when I enter or exit my hammock.

I have no negative experiences with Tyvek. Dirt never sticks to my Tyvek. My Tyvek is not noisy. The size I use adds little terms of weight, but tons in terms of utility to my pack.

House wrap is a vapor barrier, I would be concerned that similar material used for kite making would lack this property.

Tyvek is just a click away. Find it on the Accessories page @ ZPacks.com.

Good Luck

I've used the kite making tyvek, it's fine, lasts a long time it's just thinner. It becomes soft with use kind of like a bed sheet. It softens easier in the washer than the house barrier type. Mine lasted over a year of heavy use, taking care in the desert to not puncture it. I wore out my last piece of kite tyvek and got a new replacement of house tyvek for a groundsheet in Wrightwood at the hardware store so I'm interested to see how long this kind lasts.

D C:

"House wrap is a vapor barrier, I would be concerned that similar material used for kite making would lack this property."

Tyvek house wrap is not a vapor barrier, it is a breathable material. The 1443R used for kite making is more breathable, but neither will keep ground moisture from evaporating into your shelter environment and causing condensation.

Then it doesn't seem like it would make a good ground cloth. If you were on wet ground, the water would get through and get your sleeping bag wet.

My experience has shown that although Tyvek is slightly breathable it is waterproof.
Some water vapor may be able to penetrate, but liquid water does not.

Liquid water does penetrate through pin-holes in any material, but since Tyvek is very puncture resistant it is less likely to happen than with other groundcloth materials.

It is much easier to puncture polycryo or plastic painters tarp material.

Site selection is always important when camping on the ground. Never trust a groundcloth to be 100% waterproof

tyvek seems pretty tough so definitely good for protection

I've only slept on it a little and curiously, I stayed dry even though the ground was wet – I guess it's because it doesn't let liquid water through.

Just pour some water on it and see……very scientific! ;-)

Tyvek is great but to be honest, Polycro seems to have the best toughness to weight ratio of the materials I've tried. It is also more compact to store than Tyvek.

It's the one I eventually settled on through trial and error. Results may vary.

I agree that polycryo has the best toughness to weight ratio and I use it most of the time.
I do use Tyvek at times when I need the extra puncture resistance since I use a blow-up pad and sometimes find myself hiking areas that will puncture polycryo.

I don't think I'd ever consider using a painters tarp anymore, unless it was the only thing available.

I suspect the heavier weight Cuben would really have the best puncture resistance to weight ratio, but I can't justfiy the price.