Tarp Choices

HG is a great vendor.  I have their standard dyneema tarp with doors for hammock camping. This ground tarp has a ton of tie-out points, including the ridgeline. a square or rectangular tarp will allow more configurations than a catenary cut shape. Silpoly I’ve heard is great if you aren’t ready to pay for dyneema or just want something a tarp that packs down smaller.

I can’t comment on the size being sufficient. Probably depends on the group size.

Please note:  Looked at the Slingfin NFT website and confirmed that the fabric is nylon; so not a sil/poly material.  The HG Traverse Tarp is a polyester if I have it right.  I wrote to HG to inquire whether with the stated 1.1 oz per square yard fabric is the finished, measured weight.  Thanks.

I’m assuming that “group shelter” refers to a tarp folks will sit around and eat under, not sleep under.  My personal preference for such use is to have one or two tie-outs along the main ridgeline.  Those will be clipped via small carabiners to a high support line stretched between two trees.  The ends of the ridgeline are clipped to prussiks on the support line to pull the ridgeline taut.  That gives maximum headroom along the full length of the ridge.

The HG you link to appears to have no tie-outs along the ridgeline.

That’s a good suggestion for the group shelter especially when everyone is using trekking poles for their shelters. I think the ridgeline tie-outs are pretty ideal especially for pitching low when you want to use as a ground shelter.

I used a 10×10 silnylon tarp on an island backpack/camping trip. It was raining in a steady pace, but not windy. Five of us in UL chairs fit under it for lunch and play trivia a few hours. There was a bit of splash spray at times but all were comfortable in the low 60s temps. I keep my tarp ready to go and can get it deployed n less than 5 min IF adequate trees are around. A pole and stake setup is less than an added minute. I would say for typical use 4 ppl could comfortably fit under a 10×10 in moderate weather. JMTCW.

Here’s the dimensions per number of people for sleeping the bulk of outdoor schools use.

Solo 5×7 to 6×8′

Two person 8×10, 9×9, 10×10′

Three person 10×10′

Four person 10×12′

Five person 10×14 or 12×12′

I just ordered the Trek from HG at a great price. The runner up was Dutchware and Etowah but price was the final decision with a weight gain of 3.58 oz and a cost savings of $70-150. I went with 12’x9.6′ due to my experience on the AT with my 10’x8′. Then I saw on The Trek website they said that thru hikers chose 10;x12′ over any other size in 2023.  I was surprised by that since 10×12 it not as widely available and seldom talked about. But the winds always blow in the ridges as does the rain that comes.

Charlie B,
Looked at the Hammock Gear Traverse and Trek, but was not able to obtain a fabric weight. The Trek page referred to, “our silicone impregnated ripstop polyester fabric 1.1 oz / yd² (20D) .” But not sure the spec’d weight is accurate. Ordered a Trek for the “copper” color that has a lighter shade compared to most other silpolies, including the lightest and strongest found from Yama Gear, that will be used for a floor.

Am looking for a lighter sil/poly that makes for a brighter interior in a tent. Did test the waterproofness of the Traverse when only a darker shade was available, and found that it contained the fabric with only a drop or two showing when squeezing with full hand strength being applied; which is very good compared to a number of ultra-light tarps I’ve tested. Will use the Trek fabric for both vestibules and a fly if the weight is at or close to 1.1 oz/sq/yd. If not, will use the sand colored silpoly from Extrem Textil for the vestibules, and maybe the Trek fabric for the fly if it is significantly lighter than the Extrem Textil (1.3 oz/sq/yd).

Note: To save weight, am designing with a lighter, solid inner wall that does not project into either front or rear vestibules, excepting the rear floor; and a double crossed carbon frame is used to keep the canopy convex in shape, as compared with the concave shape of A-frames.

Jeff mentioned Etowah and I second that. It’s a small company that has been around since the early 90s. They make solid gear at very reasonable prices. I’ve used my 10×10 silnylon tarp on group trips since 2010. It’s still going strong despite summer storms with 50 mph winds. Nothing fancy, just solid, reliable gear.

https://backpackingadventuregear.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw5v2wBhBrEiwAXDDoJYI71qdBQgZd5B1lFNgzBpeotWgsDJuLWYndIbaygvIYgAUqkEZZ3hoCWbwQAvD_BwE

Seek Outside just released their DST in silpoly.

https://seekoutside.com/dst-tarp-silpoly/

anyone have any experience with this one? Looks pretty cool although still pretty heavy at around 1lb.