utlra-light tarp review - pic heavy

N

northern

Joined
May 2, 2010
Messages
154
alright guys,
here's the deal... i picked this tarp up from a member, it's "used", and by that i mean it's not brand new, and has been opened, but aside from that it's spakin' new...
forest green. and well i think the rest speaks for itself?
also it was WAY cheaper than any of the sylnylon stuff out there so i wanted to give it a shot...
for my tastes it has turned out to be too much tarp though.
but here it is. i haven't tested it as a shelter or anything, but i brough it out into the bush and snapped all the pics i thought were relevent. starting with a few pics of the area.
i had to drop down a "fairly sheer face" to get to this spot. i have a few other posts to add. for tonight this is the only one i can add for you guys...
here it is
SAM_0253.jpg

the bag it comes in is WAY too big for it... so i shoved a guyot bottle in to prove the point
SAM_0254.jpg

the corner's are nylon loops of sorts
SAM_0256.jpg

they are reinforced
SAM_0258.jpg

center grommets are reinforced aswell this way
SAM_0260.jpg

the tie strap for the tarp sucks, but i will replace it
SAM_0262.jpg

the tarp itself
SAM_0264.jpg

size comparables.. unrolled with rolls of rope and my garden hatchet
SAM_0266.jpg

the VERY middle of the tarp... to tie a line from center to center?
SAM_0270.jpg

i am six feet tall... here is a 6 foot tall log i cut to show the size
SAM_0274.jpg


i have MANY more pictures i will add tomorrow...
but here's a start...
if this tarp is as waterproof as anything else then i will love it... it is compact and seem durable (yet to be seen in a more rugged way) my only problem with it so far is that it's too much tarp.... i am not home and am visiting a friend so i do apologize for this being a half baked attempt at a review, however i will support it all with more text and more photos tomorrow...
thank you for reading..
i will be out tomorrow night with this tarp so PLEASE PLEASE ask me for any photos or other requests you might have, i would be happy to look into it along with my other tests i will be doing on this and other items!
thank you again...
northern
 
Your right a 10' x 10' tarp is indeed a LOT of tarp. However with a little bit of ingenuity you will find it can be formed into a TON of shelter designs. That is a nice tarp wouldn't mind picking one up myself.
 
Some questions that might be interesting to answer...
how many loops/grommets does it have, and what are their locations?
how do you plan to pitch it? (configuration, cordage, staking, etc.)
will you use a hammock, bivy, or warming fire with it?
how easy do you feel it is to get up & take down from in the pack to pitched & vice versa?
 
I dunno, 10x10 doesn't sound outrageously big...it really depends on how you want to rig it up. I think once you start trying different set-ups you might find it is quite versatile. Looking at it flat is quite different than seeing in a three dimensional shape when pitched.
 
I agree, a pitched tarp covers much less ground than a flat one. You might be surprised.

If you decide to switch to something smaller and lighter, check out Integral Designs Siltarp, it measures 8 x 5. Mine weighs 7.2 oz bare. (No lines attached), and packs down to the size of an apple. I use mine as a cooking shelter for rainy days when I’m backpacking. Personally, I wouldn’t want to use it as a primary shelter, but I live where there are lots of bugs, rain, and bears.

I also have an Integral Designs Siltarp 2 that measures 10X8. It weighs 14.5 bare, and packs down to the size of a grapefruit. I use this size for two person trips.

I rig both of these with my hiking poles so there is no added weight for extra poles.

I know that Silnylon tarps are expensive, but they are truly “Ultralight” and pack down very small. Mine have been very durable and are 100% waterproof. They do flap more in the wind than heavier nylon tarps due to the gossamer weight of the fabric. The weight and size difference is well worth it though.
http://www.integraldesigns.com/product_detail.cfm?id=726

Equinox and Granite Gear also make some pretty good Ultralightweight tarps that cost a bit less than Integral Designs.
 
I found that my 10' x 12' tarp was just too big for tarp camping, albeit it is great for hammock tamping. I was messing around with a 5' x 7' tarp and that was just too damn short to provide full coverage on the length. I just bought a silnylon one at 7' x 9.5' and will see how it performs. This one came from MEC and was a steal at $64 Cdn, but it does a weight a touch more than the integral designs one.
 
my poncho-tarp (also a ID) is 5x8 and is about as small as one could go for a single person shelter- even at that I use a light bivy to keep spray (and bugs :)) at bay

7x9 would be much more luxurious! :D
 
I think that's a perfect size for a solo excursion. And the square shape is very adaptable. Looks to be a smartly constructed tarp. If your bag is oversized, throw the cords in it.

I'm currently using a 9x9 tarp myself. One thing I don't bother with is rolling or folding up the tarp. I just stuff it in its sack. It's faster, and you can use a smaller sack. Also, I've drilled a hole right through a golf ball and keep that in the tarp bag. So much faster to thread a cord through that and toss it up over a tree trunk than fiddling with a stone.
 
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