TARPS

“TARPS
"Been trying to search for different ways use a tarp for sleeping on or under or both while sleeping out in the great outdoors. Havent been to find anything out there posted specifically on this. It seems alot of you use just tarps while packbacking. Would like to give it a try and loose that 5lb tent but a Im a little hesitant just to wing it."”

“I've gone without a tent a few times, it's alright, no hastle of setting up a tent, only the hastle of setting up a tarp and cut the weight. Still, i prefer a tent, a place to relax, free from bugs, a place to get totally out of the rain and wind, winter camping at cold temps is fine without anything, warmer temps demands a tent. Summer time, a tent is nice in the rain and bugs, if weight is an issue, go for it.”

“i thought about a tarp, too and that's about what i came up with. it would be cool in winter but not in summer. got to have a net between me and the buggers.”

“see SGT Rock's site : SGT Rock's Tarp Setups or Oware's site : Oware Tarps"”

“I have found that wal-mart has great tarps for only $3.99.

6' by 8'

Good buy.

8)”

“and what do they weigh crazy mike?

silnylon forever (grin)”

“I either make a small lean to stlye setup in warmer weather, and a very low sung deal for winter.”

“About 1 lbs.

And they have gromments on them!

They are a good deal.

I love mine!

8)”

“here is my setup

”

“something wrong with the pic birch - looks like a reference to your hard drive that is not reachable form anyone else's machine ie : img src=c:\My Documents\My Pictures\ tarpin.jpg”

“Well, unless you want to post your IP address and drop your firewall. Teeheehee ¦ )
.”

“I use a nylon 10x11. With cord & stakes it's about 1 1/2 pounds.
Get some plastic. Set it up several ways. If it ain't big enough then get a bigger piece of plastic. When you find the sive that suits you than go buy a tarp that size.”

“There have been a few threads about tarping in bug country. I purchased the mesh insert for the trakker tarp to pitch under a sil nylon tarp. Here in FL in summer the tent is too humid so I want the tarp to keep the rain off but let the breeze in, and the mesh insert keeps the bugs out and is a good ground sheet. Total weight with guys and spikes is less than 3 lbs. Must admit I haven't tried this out yet - still waiting for my B'day to get the tarp. Others here have a similar setup though.”

“Has anyone ever tried to just use a tent fly instead of a tarp? Several of mine are squarish & I can't see buying a tarp if something I already have would work the same. Never tried it myself because I think between freezing & dealing with bugs there are only about two days here. Is there an obvious problem with this that I am not seeing?”

“Someone mentioned... "winter camping at cold temps is fine without anything, warmer temps demands a tent" For me it's just the opposite...I'd rather have the tent for snow and blowing frigid temps.

I used my SD Omega Rainfly and poles on a trip last Fall and it worked great. It was like a freestanding enclosed tarp. My tent was made before SD came up with the "FastPack" design where there's a footprint groundcloth to be used with the rainfly and poles, and it worked well regardless.”

“i used the fly and poles for my tnf canyonlands last weekend. worked perfect and weighed in at about 2lbs, 11 oz w groundcloth, stakes and all.”

“was talking to dayhiker about these.

thought i'd throw up a link.

i have these and they work great. they let you put a tie out anywhere on a tarp or connect two or more tarps quick and easy.

http://store.yahoo.com/safetycentral/gripcliptara.html”

“Looks cool,but a small rock and some string work just as well.”

“yea, a half a dozen of those will weigh as much as the whole tarp.”

“I was thinking the same thing, BackSlacker. It would be a good thing for Joe Carcamper, but probably not for the average gearhead on this board.”

“they're very small, weigh next to nothing, and dirt cheap little gadgets that make camp life just a little easier.

they are not req'd and i definitey wouldn't turn around and go back if i forgot them, but they are nice to have.

i put them in the same category as fire starters.”

“Yea, they would probably be good for that too!”

“Not knocking your post, sacco. They do look useful, thanks for the info. I just tarped my firewood at home with plain plastic and these would work well to tie down the corners.”

“Learn to tie a clove hitch

http://www.iland.net/~jbritton/clovehitch.htm

”

“Actually you need to learn how to tie a Sheepbend knot. that is the best knot to tie rope to fabric.”

“Sheetbend not Sheepbend.

Poor little lamb got all twisted up.
last edited: 12/01/04 9:18:36 AM”

“Have to fold the corner of the tarp into a 'U' to use this

”

“yeah thats it a shiitbend”

“For those that have thought about tarping it but shy away from the cost of silnylon tarps, here is something I saw someone post about on backpacking.net.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=183819

This looks like a relatively light tarp that is cheap, cheap, cheap. It is heavier than silnylon (but not nearly as heavy as a cheap plastic tarp from walmart), but is less than 1/5 as expensive.

What I like best is the numerous tie outs that it has. Makes it very versatile. If it doesn't work for a bping tarp for you, it would probably be a very good car camping tarp.”