I need a tarp..

a cheapo from Ollies. it repelles water. thats all they do anyway.. shocks me to see folks spend well over 100 bucks for tarp. again all it does is keep the rain off ya. 10x10 at Ollies will run ya $10-15 and if you really was paranoid about it repelling water buy a silicone spray for $5. works like a charm for me.

 

depends what you need...if you're a distance backpacker and need an ultralight one then the integral designs siltarp2 (10'x10', 13 oz) is the ticket...it's on sale for $107 right now. if weight isn't as much a concern but you're still carrying everything on your back then i recommend the bushcraftusa coyote brown 10'x10' ($60, 1.5 lbs). if you're stealth camping or otherwise sleep close to the fire then the bushcraftusa multicam 10'x10' ($115, almost 3 lbs!). if you're car-camping then a $15 one from the hardware store is just fine - only problem is it's a bit "crinkly" so tie it down really tight to reduce the noise when it's windy.

i've used them all in sun/rain/snow and they're all good to go except the siltarp2 which i just got a few days ago...i'm not a weight weenie, i bought the siltarp2 to cut weight so i can bring more knives instead

 

The cheapest way to go is with a painter's plastic drop cloth. Then the ubiquitous blue tarp from WalMart (sometimes found in silver or brown). It goes up from there. Right now I am using a recycled nylon rainfly from a tent. It was the right price... free... left at a campsite with a wrecked tent. Stealth camping is camping in places you don't want to be seen. Camo or subdued color tarps are a must for that.

 

I wouldn't order from BCUSA again, and I agree with you that I don't see why tarps are so expensive. Some cost more than a tent. I don't understand why. I like a cheap tarp personally. Have you thought about using two military ponchos, snapping them together for a shelter? That would be very versatile. Now that I have said aloud, I am surprised I just thought of this.

 

I have the 10x10 Brown heavy weight tarp from Home Depot in each vehicle.
With a hank of paracord and a couple small bungees, you are going to stay dry and out of the wind in most cases if you use some ingenuity. We also carry a rubberized casualty blanket as a ground sheet.
I think it came out to about $50 per vehicle.

 

I highly recommend the GI military ponchos. Usable as a tarp by tying the hood closed, multiple ponchos can be snapped together for larger coverage and very workable, not as loud in the rain as some of the hardware store type tarps. Also, believe it or not, it can work as a poncho for added versatility.

Great piece of gear for $20-40.

 

I recently saw some multicam ones 10x10 and 10x12 on the Equip2Endure youtube channel. The tarps are from Bushcraft Outfitters. Here is part 1 of the video set I'm sure you can find the second one if you look on their channel:
[video=youtube;BXkvT2dqaKk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXkvT2dqaKk&feature=plcp[/video]

 

I think it depends on what you want in a tarp. I think JV3 covered it very well. The military ponchos are on the heavier side. While they give you more options as a multi functional piece of gear, it will weigh much more than a silnylon tarp. For instance, I've got a custom tarp for my hammock that is roughly 12X10 that weighs 19 oz. The Bushcraft tarps weigh almost 3 times that amount, but they have the added bonus of being more flame retardant.

 

I've talked to a lot of people who have the BCUSA tarps and they really seem to like them. I'm using a thin plastic tarp from the super market. I got twp 10x12 on sale for $5 each last year. Hoping to snag some more this fall. They are kind of like painters drop clothes but with gromets.

Where will you be Backpacking when you come to Utah? I'm in Spring City which is off Highway 89 about 5 miles from the dead center of the state. Been backpacking all over the place since moving here in '91. Feel free to email me if your coming through this area and want to check out some cool places.

 

I've been through Zion NP a few times. Will be heading down there with the scouts in a few weeks. Just accepted a calling to help with the scouts and the Narrows will be my first trip out with them. Cedar City Canyon is really pretty. I've actually been saving up to make a trip down there or back to Escalenti this summer. BTW I just found your other thread and posted in it about my area here in Central Utah. I can update it with some info about Southern Utah too so as not to get this thread to side tracked.

 

How 'bout Guide Gear tarp, not the lightest but price is reasonable, great for short hike or car-camping :

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/guide-gear-11x11-tarp-green.aspx?a=954701&e=Y

I use $$$ hammock tarp when weight is a concern.

Have fun with your trip

 

JV3 alluded to it and milani spelled it out. The heavier multicam BCUSA tarp is flame retardant and suffers a little on the weight. I like those during the winter when I camp on the ground and closer to a fire. During warmer months when I pack a hammock, I like the lighter weight of the sil-nylon and my hammock isn't too close to the fire. Etowah makes tarps with tabs vice grommets which makes it easier to repair in the field. I have a 10x10 sil-nylon one specifically for my hammock set ups. The larger size allows more room for "battening-down-the-hatches" or to open up like an awning giving you more room to operate outside your hammock when it's raining. Since you're in Alabama, I would strongly recommend getting off the ground during the summer and hammocks are my preference...the larger sil-nylon tarps don't add much more weight or bulk.

ROCK6

 

10x10 Bushcraft USA tarp is awesome! I have had mine for close to two years and have camped in every kind of weather (winter too!) and it has held up very well. The sewn tabs are the way to go.

 

Anyone have experience with either of these?
http://wildernessinnovation.com/
The PSS and PST? Seem nice.

How about the pathfinder tarp/poncho?
http://stores.thepathfinderschoolllc.com/-strse-318/The-Pathfinder-Tarp--fdsh-/Detail.bok