Introduction
A flat tarp is perhaps the most basic shelter imaginable. It is also one of the most versatile and utilitarian. Before heading out on another section of the Desert Trail this spring, I resolved to add a flat tarp to my inventory of minimalist shelters.
I’ve used the fly of the Tarptent Moment and my MLD Poncho Tarp as shelters in previous desert hikes. Both performed well but have their limitations: the Moment fly is relatively heavy, the catenary-cut Poncho Tarp can really be pitched only in A-frame configuration. Neither makes a good midday sun shelter. I would be hiking the length of Death Valley, a place notably bereft of shade, in a season where I could expect +90F (32C) temps.
A sun and wind shelter would be essential to maximizing enjoyment and minimizing the suffering inevitable in desert hikes. Amidst a wealth of worthy options, I settled on the Yama Mountain Gear 7’ x 9’ Flat Tarp as my desert shelter.
About this Review
This gear review relates my experience with this silpoly tarp and compares it with other options that prospective flat-tarpers may be considering. I also include a quantitative evaluation of the Yama tarp as a sun shelter, and compare its sag when wet to that of a silnylon tarp.
Features and Specifications
- Dimensions: 7 x 9 ft (2.1 x 2.7 m)
- Weight (from manufacturer): 11 oz (314 g)
- Weight (measured): 11 oz (314 g)
- Tie outs: 17 (12 perimeter, 3 ridge line, 2 mid-panel)
- Material: 20d silanized recycled polyester (silpoly)
- Hydrostatic head: 2000 mm
- Colors: gray or brown
- Seam-seal: optional
- Included stuff sack weights 0.7 oz (25g)
- Packed size: ~8″ x 6″ x 2″ (~20cm x 15cm x 5cm)
- No guylines, stakes, or line-locs included
- Ridgeline and mid-panel tie-outs have loops of shock cord (exterior) and tape (interior ridgeline)
- Perimeter tie-outs have loops of 2 mm Z-line
- Perimeter is hemmed with tape
- Price: $145
Commentary
Initial Inspection
Yama has established a reputation for thoughtful design and good quality. These traits are apparent upon inspection of the tarp. All of the stitching was even. There were no loose threads or fraying fabric.
The entire perimeter is bounded by a tape wrap that supports and protects the fabric edges. Tie-outs are reinforced. There are D-rings at the interior ridgeline ends, and tape loops on the interior side of the ridgeline middle tie-outs that could be used for attaching an interior line or a bug net.
Field Experience in Death Valley
As mentioned above, I wanted a flat tarp to provide a quick-pitch option for mid day siestas in addition to night time wind and rain shelter. Key criteria were versatility and weight.
Versatility in a flat tarp is mostly a function of the number and placement of tie-outs. With 17 tie-outs (12 on the perimeter), the Yama tarp provides plenty of options for tailoring the pitch to the conditions encountered. Loops of cord at each tie-out allow each point to take stakes or hiking poles of pretty much any size.
The need for shade on this hike was substantial, with high temperatures nearing 100 F (38 C) under cloudless skies on several days. Even under a solar umbrella, it was simply too hot to continue hiking safely over challenging terrain.
As expected, the tarp pitched quickly and efficiently, needing just four stakes and two hiking poles to provide an airy high-ceiling shelter to snooze away the hottest part of the day.
However, the shelter was unexpectedly hot. Despite its fairly opaque material, the tarp surface radiated heat, presumably solar infrared radiation. Propping up my solar umbrella inside the shelter cooled things off considerably. But this was hardly an elegant solution.
As a wind shelter at night (rain never threatened), the Yama tarp made for a very comfortable cooking and sleeping space. I pitched it as a half-pyramid or a dog-eared lean-to (see pictures below). In both configurations I used the mid-panel tie-outs to create more interior space.
Even so, there was significant flapping in the wind. But this is just a feature of flat tarps. The basic trade-off vs catenary-cut tarps is that flat tarps have more flexibility in configuration, but you will never get an equally taut pitch — at least in the configuration (usually A-frame) that the catenary tarp is designed for.
I had planned to try out a couple more configurations (pyramid, hexamid) that require using a hiking pole or two along the interior ridgeline. The Yama tarp has three reinforced ridgeline loops for this purpose. I didn’t get far before it became apparent these configurations would not be stable. The pole handles slipped off the reinforcement patches in the slightest breeze, collapsing the tarp.
Possibly this was due to my use of PacerPoles with their angled handles, and a traditional straight pole would have worked better. I considered pitching tip-end up, but was unwilling to risk puncturing the fabric.
When I got home I tried again, putting road-walk rubber caps on the pole tips. These provided enough friction to hold the poles in place in a moderate breeze (10-15 mph) in a hexamid (2 interior poles) configuration.
Comparison Testing
I was somewhat disappointed in the quality of shade provided by the Yama tarp. I reasoned that solar infrared transmission (or perhaps Stokes shift re-radiation of visible light) was largely responsible for the perceived warmth of its shade. BPL agreed to provide an infrared power meter to quantify infrared levels under the Yama tarp and other tarps used for comparison.
The meter (a Linshang LS122) measures infrared radiation in the range of 1000 to 1700 nm. This range accounts for most of the solar radiation on the infrared spectrum reaching the Earth’s surface.
Infrared Transmission Tests
The tarps I used for comparison were my MLD Poncho Tarp (green-gray silnylon) and GoLite Poncho Tarp (blue silnylon). I pitched all three in a lean-to configuration on a clear sunny day (latitude 40° N, altitude 5400 feet/1650 m), and took triplicate measurements outside and inside the tarps, holding the meter about 4 inches (10 cm) from the interior tarp surface. In addition, I also compared these readings to the GoLite Solar Umbrella that I utilize while hiking in the desert.
As shown in the table below, there is little difference in infrared blockage between the SilPoly and SilNylon tarps. All are much less effective at blocking IR than my beat up GoLite solar umbrella.
| Outside (Watts/m^2) | Inside (Watts/m^2) | % of Infrared Blocked* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yama silpoly | 479 | 316 | 34% |
| MLD silnyl | 495 | 330 | 33% |
| GoLite silnyl | 463 | 327 | 29% |
| GoLite solar umbrella | 501 | 75 | 85% |
* %IR blockage = 100 x (1- inside/outside)
The level of IR transmitted or re-radiated is meaningful: the temperature under the tarp (83 F/ 28 C) was 6 degrees F (3 degrees C) warmer than in deep shade, although less than registered by the probe in full sunlight (93 F/34 C).
Sag Test
Silpoly is a relatively new shelter material. One of its reputed benefits vs silnylon is that it does not stretch and sag when wetted.
I pitched the Yama silpoly flat tarp and my MLD cat-cut silnylon tarp in A-frame configurations, allowed them to stretch a bit while dry, re-tightened their guylines, then measured their mid-panel heights. I turned a sprinkler on them for 20 minutes and then measured again.
The Yama silpoly tarp showed minimal sag (mid-panel height reduced from 19 in / 48 cm to 18 in / 46cm) while the MLD silnylon tarp showed extensive sag (21 in / 50 cm to 15 in / 38 cm). Approximating the sag curvature as an arc, I estimate the level of fabric stretch to be 0.5% for the silpoly tarp and 18% for the silnylon.
The testing that I performed has a few limitations:
- The Yama Flat Tarp was tested only in warm dry conditions.
- The maximum wind speeds it was exposed to were less than 30 mph (13 m/s). Although I cranked down pretty hard when pitching the tarp, I did not use a double-haul configuration on the guy lines to provide even more leverage.
Compared To
The table below lists a number of flat tarp comparisons in the 7 x 9 ft to 8 x 10 ft size range (i.e., 1 to 2 person tarps):
| Yama 7’ x 9’ Flat | Hammock Gear Traverse | Oware Flat 2 | Rab Siltarp 2 | Zpacks 7x9 | MLD supertarp DCF | Hyperlite Flat | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 7 ft (2.1 m) | 8 ft (2.4 m) | 8 ft (2.4 m) | 8 ft (2.4 m) | 7 ft (2.1 m) | 8.5 ft (2.6 m) | 8.5 ft (2.6 m) |
| Length | 9 ft (2.7 m) | 10 ft (3.0 m) | 10 ft (3.0 m) | 10 ft (3.0 m) | 9.0 ft (2.7 m) | 10 ft (3.0 m) | 8.5 ft (2.6 m) |
| Area | 63 sq ft (19 sq m) | 80 sq ft (24 m) | 80 sq ft (24 sq m) | 80 sq ft (24 sq m) | 63 sq ft (19 sq m) | 85 sq ft (26 sq m) | 72 sq ft (22 sq m) |
| Weight | 11 oz (312 g) | 12.3 oz (349 g) | 13.8 oz (390 g) | 16.3 oz (462 g) | 5.1 oz (144 g) | 11 oz (312 g) | 9 oz (255 g) |
| Weight to Area Ratio | 4.7 oz/yd^2 (16 oz/m^2) | 4.2 oz/yd^2 (15 oz/m^2) | 4.7 oz/yd^2 (16 oz/m^2) | 5.5 oz/yd^2 (18 oz/m^2) | 2.1 oz/yd^2 (7.5 oz/m^2) | 3.5 oz/yd^2 (12 oz/m^2) | 3.4 oz/yd^2 (12 oz/m^2) |
| Material | 20d SilPoly | 20d SilPoly | 30d SilNyl | 30d SilNyl | 0.55 oz/yd^2 DCF | 0.75 oz/yd^2 DCF | DCF8 |
| Tie Outs | 17 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 8 | 25 | 23 |
| Price (USD) | $145 | $140 | $110 | $140 | $299 | $380 | $389 |
Recommendation
I recommend the Yama Mountain Gear Flat Tarp for experienced hikers who want a light, versatile, affordable shelter from sun, wind and moderate rain. I do not recommend this shelter for Super-UL hikers, or for wet or buggy conditions.
Where to buy
Related content
- Gear Review:Â Yama Mountain Gear 1P Cirriform Min Tarp Review
- Gear Review: Slingfin Splitwing UL Tarp Review
- Forums: Choosing a Tarp
- Brands: View all articles and gear swap postings for Yama Mountain Gear products
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Discussion
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Companion forum thread to: Yama Flat Tarp Review
Yama Flat Tarp Review: our first looks at this 7′ x 9′ silpoly ultralight shelter for ultralight backpacking.
I am surprised you would leave out the best value (lightest and lowest cost) 7 x 9 ft silpoly tarp on the market made by Borah Gear.
Thanks for the review.
The Borahgear tarp probably is the best value for the money but it only comes default with 8 perimeter tieouts. I think more can be added upon request with a reasonable upcharge, and that includes panel tieouts as well. However the reinforcements are larger and more substantial (and stronger) on the Yama tarp.
Tarpology has really lost favor on BPL and I believe much has to do with the availability of sub 20 oz DCF tents nowadays. Yet many who have never used tarps very much might not realize the big advantages they provide. There is a learning curve and more of a fiddle factor to be sure.
Most people give up on tarping before they master the skills needed to make it easier. As you state Drew, the VERSATILITY is the main draw to flat tarps. For example, when you simply want to erect a quick sunshade in the desert. Try doing that with a tent which is way more involved to set up and gets hotter inside with little ventilation (unless it’s just the fast fly option).
I like the dog ear pitch Drew. It’s basically a double pole holden with center pull tieout. Half pyramid is tough with a tarp much wider than 5′ though. Panel tieouts help yet it’s far from ideal with the bigger tarp. The plow point and upside-down L pitches work well with a 7′ X 9′.
Gen at Yama is a hundred times more talented than me but I like my panel tieouts far better. I take two 4″ square pieces of 20D silpoly (same material as tarp) and bond one on each side of tarp to give me 3 layers total. Then on the underneath side I bond a 2″ square of X-Pac. Lastly I sew grosgain on top side with stitching going into the X-Pac underneath. With 3/32″ shockcord loops my panel tieouts can handle brutal winds without tearing out. Gen’s panel tieouts are too small IMO but they are probably fine in most cases. You can see bonded panel tieouts on my tarp below in a simple lean to pitch.
Noting that since early 2023, all MLD non-DCF tarps and shelters (except the much tougher 30d SilNylon Supermid) Â have been 20d Pro SilPoly fabric.
Drew not sure if you were familiar with John Abela, but before he passed away he would do trail work on the Mojave Trail and experimented with an aluminized tarp. There’s also this quirky product by 2GoSystems: https://www.2gosystems.com/collections/tarp-accessories/products/trifecta?variant=5897656453
@John S. – missing/forgetting the Borah Tarp was indeed an oversight. Here is an updated version of the comp table
@ Chris K – Hadn’t heard of John, but I am thinking along the same lines of modding a tarp for desert use by perhaps adding a removable mylar layer. I’ll report back if I make any progress on this front. Thanks for the 2Go link, I wasn’t familiar with them.
I was wrong, my bad, I stated earlier that the Borahgear 7′ X 9′ has only 8 perimeter tieouts when in fact it has 12. I was thinking of their 5.8′ X 9′.
If you want a tarp that’s reflective against hot desert solar rays I’d suggest getting simplylightdesigns to make one out of RSBTR white 20D silpoly. You’d have to request panel tieouts and I don’t know how they’re applied. Of course the HMG tarp comes in white.
Rab Siltarp 2 is made of high quality 30D Cordura but its panel and perimeter reinforcements are not well done. MLD Supertarp is no doubt supreme in terms of material and build. I heard Yama uses RSBTR 20D silpoly for their tarps but I haven’t confirmed it.
The MLD Monk Tarp (silpoly) is the best solo tarp IMO but just like tents most people nowadays want something wider. It’s 5′ X 9′ and has 12 perimeter tieouts and 2 panel tieouts, all of which are masterfully reinforced. The half pyramid and double pole holden work great with the Monk Tarp’s 5′ width. Any wider and not so much. https://mountainlaureldesigns.com/product/monk-flat-tarp/
The link to this post from the newsletter is making me think more of a question I’ve always had on a shelter with so many tie-outs (like a tarp or a mid). How do most of you determine the number of stakes and cord lengths to bring so that these lightweight options don’t tack on too much extra, unnecessary weight?
If a side panel tie-out that is meant for extra livability can use the same stake that is at the bottom point then something like the MLD mid would only need 8 stakes, but extra guylines all over. Currently I just use 50ft (8ft peak, 4x 4ft corners, 2x 4ft – door and backside, and 3x 6ft sleep area panels – head, side, and foot). Will I ever need more?
In this Yama tarp the panel tie-outs are in line with a bottom one.
but not the ones on the NFT so doesn’t look like the same ability to share stakes.
Also, how often does one actually use more than the one stake on the middle side of a tarp? If just using that one along with corners and peaks then the Yama tarp could use 8 stakes for a stable A-Frame pitch with increased livability, but the NFT would need like 10-12 stakes.
@Charlie – I typically bring 4 guylines and 6 stakes because I always end up staking at least two corners to the ground (so they don’t need guylines). If conditions warrant more support I’ll make deadmen from sticks and rocks, and clip a bit of z-line from the 50ft length I typically carry (mostly for lowering/raising packs over dryfalls or small cliffs).
But there are an infinitude of ways to approach this problem, and I think one of the attractions of tarping is figuring out what works best for you.
Thanks Drew! That helps and I’ll probably add some extra guyline to bring in my repair kit as opposed to having it attached all over the tarp. Less cord tangle every time I use the shelter but have it just in case.
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