Lightweight Tarps?
Equipment
I saw a Slumberjack Satellite tarp on Camofire today. Seems like a nice lightweight model with some decent features.
I would use it mainly for setting up with trekking poles to glass under when the weather is nasty. I’ll use it foe elk hunting a bit but definitely for moose in Alaska.
Opinions on this tarp or suggestions on another at a similar price? Only $60
Seek outside makes hreat light weight tarps, as does kifaru
I bought a lightweight silnylon tarp from Campmor.
Campmor! Why didn’t I think of that? I’ll check. They always have great deals. Thanks
I have a Kifaru sheep tarp. It’s pretty small but works pretty well and weighs 9 oz
Couple years back I bought a 9x12 that weighed 13 oz. Used it on a sheep hunt and it was great for dealing with the occasional shower. The two of us would just pull it out, find a big rock and sit under it for the duration. Beat wearing rain gear. Used it each night to cover our packs and gear.
Worth every bit of the $99 it cost.
12X12 Noah's Tarp by Kelty. Always goes with me to Alaska. Have used to stay out of the rain when I don't want to be in a tent and have covered meat with it as well. We usually bring two. Roughly $50.00 bucks.
I recently purchased some small silnylon tarps for my kill kit to use to lay meat on or to cover meat or to string up above me to get out of the rain. These I purchased from Simply Light Designs and were reasonable, good quality, and free ship.
Looks like they have a shelter tarp on sale for $80.
A piece of Tyvek will cost you nothing if you know someone to get a piece from and weighs next to nothing. Tough and waterproof. Put it in washing machine for a cycle will soften and quite down.
I have the one from Slumberjack. I really like it as it can be set up with trekking poles and the stakes that come with it.
My Integral Design Sil Tarp II (8’x10’) has gone on all my backpack hunts for the past 9 seasons. Combined with 7 DIY tent stakes made from some busted Carbon Injexion arrow shafts with a cut-up roofing nail epoxied into each end to build a 7” “nail” and some light but strong tie out cord plus stuff sack it weighs a pound. Great insurance for the back country. Add your hiking poles and it is a decent shelter. But think ID was bought and may be out of business?
The k what about size. Obviously bigger means heavier. I don’t intend to use it for camping. Just as a temp shelter for extended glassing.
9x9, 10x10, or 12x12?
Simply light designs makes a great product. Trail duster tarp would fit the bill nicely.
There are lots of options. For fairly light I like Jimmy's Tarps (think he only advertises on Facebook). For really light you can just get a piece of Tyvek, which is used by ultralight hikers. On ebay you'll find Tyvek sold in various sizes and you can get corner or edge tie-downs fairly cheap.
I’ve used tyvek as a flooring option. It’s actually heavier than siltarp type material and ridiculously noisy.
So I broke down and bought a lightweight tarp.
And it’s one of the most practical pieces of gear I never knew I needed.
I have a 12x12 Noah's and its a great tarp ($60 on sale at REI) but too big for what you want. 8x10 would be more suitable.
8X10 is the perfect size. Make sure whatever you buy has sewn on loops for staking and guying out and a couple in the centre is very handy too. I can make several configurations, from lean-to, Baker pitch to a fully closed in tent for two, in very short order. As far as Tyek, It’s fine if you want to roll up like a tortilla.
For a great look at what you can do with a tarp, google “8’X10’ tarp pitches”.
I have a Kelty Noahs tarp that I love. Super versatile.
Are those Kelty Noahs 100% waterproof after a few seasons?
The Sanctuary looks really nice and very lightweight.
Sorry, altitude sick, you're right. Tyvek is usually heavier than silnylon. Chief advantage is that its really cheap. If you need to debone quarters you can use the Tyvek as your groundcloth to keep the meat clean and not feel bad just throwing it away afterwards.
Mule Power I've been having my Noahs for probably 10 years and its still keeping me dry.
The Noah's tarps are nice. I have the largest one for outdoor cooking and hanging out at camp. But they aren't exactly light weight for backpacking .
Matt
I think I’m going with the Sanctuary 8x10. Really lightweight and a lifetime guarantee. I like that. More money but it comes with everything and I figure the warranty adds value.
Gearing up for moose gives me an excuse to buy some nice stuff for elk hunting. Thanks for the feedback!!!
In addition to an 8X10 siltarp, I have a silponcho which I believe is 5x8 with a hood in the middle. If a very sudden squall comes up just pull it over your head and it drapes around you, pack and all. It can be staked out as a smaller tarp too. Plenty big for one, but not quite big enough for two unless your very friendly. It’s about the size of a coffee mug and weighs about eight ounces.
Depth perception is off in the pic, but the silponcho is exactly half the size of the siltarp.
When I spike camp, I carry a 8x10 siltarp. GoLite (defunct). I use it to cover my gear at night. (Pack, bow) keeps them dry. Plenty of other uses.
Just picked up an Integral 8’x10’ Siltarp 2 on sale for $104 on SunnySports.
Check out Paria Outdoors Products Sanctuary siltarps.
go on amazon and look up silnylon tarp. Lots of options. I bought the Chill Gorilla 10x10 to use for my hammock camping. Very light weight. Cost is $32.00. Comes with tie downs, stakes, storage bag and eyelets. Got it all. Not sure of the color options, but for hammock camping, the blue that I picked up works extremely well. We slept under it in downpours and it stays dry.
Yes the Noah's is 100% waterproof. Whether in the Backcountry, or truck camp
Paria’s Sanctuary tarp is the winner. Only 15.5 ounces and 20.5 for the entire kit. US based company out of Colorado and a lifetime replacement warranty. Reflective Dyneema guy lines and the highest waterproof rating.
The Kelty Noah was a close second but it only comes in 9x9 or 12x12. 12 foot is too big and the 9 footer weighs 1.95 pounds for the kit.
Chill Gorilla makes a nice tarp but again I wanted 8x10 and theirs is 10x10 so the weight is higher at 1.4 lbs tarp only and 1.85 for the kit. They have a nice warranty too.
It was a tough decision because guys I know and respect on here, Lou, otcwill, Grey Ghost and others who were kind enough to comment here own Kelty Noahs tarps. I hope I made the right choice. I’m actually thinking about buying the Noahs tarp too compare. Two tarps in Alaska isn’t a bad thing!
We are bringing two tarps to Alaska this year. The first will be a 8x10 sitka flash shelter along with an extra poll. I am going to run it as front porch off a Kifaru sawtooth. With a different pitch this can double as two person shelter in the unlikely event of tent failure. As is it will provide more room for gear ect, with stakes and 2mm guys from Lawsons it comes in at 23 oz total. Th second tarp I am bringing is Seek outside Gunnison tarp, its 57 x 110, this we will carry with us to set up with trekking poles to keep us out of the weather when glassing. It will also pull double duty to cover meat as well. with stakes and guy lines its 19oz
57 inches seems small Trial in a sideways wind... or even in general.
I’m definitely going to buy a Kelty Noah. Too many thumbs up not to go with one. The purpose for this one will be a front porch from the tent since calling and glassing right from camp is definitely part of the plan. Their 10x10 will be good for that.
Here is noah 12, packed weight with stakes and no guy lines. If you get noahs tarp make sure you replace the guy lines that come with it. They are junk and will not hold up in bad wind, you will have to constantly be retighting them because of stretching. Get 3mm refelective cord from lawsons for the pole guys on both tips and 2mm for side guys. You will also have to watch the side seam covers becuas they way they are stiched they will pool water on the points. It not my favorite tarp by far because of the weight and shitty seems however it works for truck camping. When are you going? If you want to borrow my 12 i can send it you
I will most likely use it over the 4th of july for two weeks then pack it away for the rest of year. Let me know and send it out
Thank you for all of the comments as I had the same question...just purchased Chill Gorilla myself.
Mike
Wow Trial I really appreciate the offer. That’s really generous of you!
I’ll pass for two reasons though. Well 3. No sense in spending money to ship a $50 item. Also it’s a piece of gear that could be abused and if anything at all happened to it I’d just buy you a new one. Last I spoke with my transporter today. He said don’t worry about a second tarp he has plenty in camp.
Although worth mentioning for anyone hunting Alaska he said it was a great idea to ship gear ahead of time and he’d drop it in camp pre season that way we won’t have to worry about our weight limits when we arrive to hunt. I plan on taking him up on that for sure.
Thanks again man guys like you are what makes Bowsite what it is.
If weight is an issue the Kelty's are pretty heavy.
If it's an option, get a cat cut tarp. The curved edges stay tighter with a bit of tension. Not a real big deal.... unless it's windy.... or the tarp gets wet, then the edges flap around a good bit. Nylon stretches when wet.
Sewn in loops are WAY better than grommets. Lighter and much stronger for the sil-nylon material.
I got one years ago from a guy sewing tarps to pay for college. 8'x10'? Which if you've done much research on tarps is no more 8'x10' than a 2x4 is 2"x4".... Mainly we used it as a "kitchen" or a place to hang out, keep gear out of the weather and left the tents for sleeping. Worked great, could pitch it a dozen different ways depending on weather, etc. Was looking to try and find his info but I'd lost it. Lots of folks out there working from their home making gear, I kinda like dealing with them, the internet has opened up the markets to the "little guy" a great deal.
And I love the newer cords that have reflective material in them. Strong stuff and saves a good deal of swearing after tripping over a "camo" cord....I keep a length in my kill kit as well, handy as heck and you can clip off pieces to mark trails and such that really stand out at night.
if budget allows it's really hard to beat dyneema tarps for this purpose. They're stronger, lighter, and they don't stretch out when wet like sil-nylon. for solo use while waiting out a storm or for an ultralight meat cache while mountain hunting even something like the HMG groundcloth works great.
Sil poly also has no stretch. Cat cuts are not required. However, on a straight edge tarp made from sil nylon, stretch can be an issue. Especially when wet.
I am ordering a quilt from UGQ and they look like they make nice tarps. I have a summer quilt from them and everything i seen points to great quailty. The price and specs on the tarps are very good. Worth a look
Hmm, I don't think it's considered lightweight, but the Kelty Noah works fine for me.
