Starter Tarp

[Qooter]

Does anyone have an opinion on this tarp for a starting tarp. I know it's heavy. Should I be concerned about durability?

http://sport.woot.com/offers/twisted...sp_cnt_wp_20_4

[Carrico]

Looks to me like an upgraded version of the Yukon Outfitter pretty much the same dimensions. I used a yukon for two years before I finally splurged on a Superfly. IT worked for me pretty good with a 10-foot hammock, it worked OK with an 11 footer except for when the rain was blowing sideways.

[SilvrSurfr]

Sounds like a crap shoot. I went that path once. I refused to even consider buying a real tarp because it was too expensive. Now I have a closet full of "not exactly" tarps:

1. Two repurposed Coleman tent flies - waste of time. I even seam sealed them (waste of money). I wouldn't let my worst enemy use these tarps.
2. Two Guide Gear 12 x 12 tarps, $20 each - totally useless and a waste of money - 100% guaranteed to leak. See "worst enemy" comment above. They work okay as group shelters for dining or putting over the fire.
3. Two Grand Trunk Funky Forest Tarps, $20 each - waterproof polyester but too short (10 x 10) and can only be hung in a diamond configuration. Diamond configurations just don't cut it in blowing precipitation. These tarps rarely get used.
4. DIY silnylon hex tarp - works well, just not something I'd take out in blowing precipitation.
5. HH Hex tarp $20 - excellent tarp with good coverage; can't believe this deal came up on Amazon and haven't seen it since. Very good loaner, slightly better coverage than my DIY silnylon, but I really miss having doors in blowing precipitation.
6. Finally, I have a $395 HG Winter Palace cuben fiber tarp with doors. It blows all the other tarps away in weight, coverage, and every other way possible.

I wish I had known upfront that I was a 4-season tarp with doors person - I wouldn't have ended up with such a big tarp collection.

[Kroma]

Concerned about durability? Why? It's only 20 bucks. Just buy one and check it out. You're not out much if it sucks and you get to practice pitching a tarp.

[Grinder]

Here again we have the typical responses on a forum:
1 Hell no! It terrible you'll be sorry!
2. what the hell, it's cheap. why not.

I am a part 2 kind of guy. I bought a "guide gear" tarp ten years ago and it's still going strong. Well over half the AT and dozens of Florida weekends.

You pay your money and take your chances.

[Qooter]

Thanks all for your input!

[kitsapcowboy]

2. what the hell, it's cheap. why not.

I am a part 2 kind of guy. I bought a "guide gear" tarp ten years ago and it's still going strong. Well over half the AT and dozens of Florida weekends. You pay your money and take your chances.

Me too. I think I bought four Guide Gear 12x12s from Cheaper Than Dirt in 2007 for some outdoor group activities. I think they cost me about 15 bucks a piece. I've used them ever since as utility tarps, and they've taken tons of abuse. None of them leak, and I think a couple of the tie-out loops one one of them are finally wearing out after almost a decade, but I've sure as beck gotten my money's worth out of them. They're probably almost a pound heavier than any of the hammock tarps I own, and bulkier too, but they've proven invaluable when I just want to keep a good-sized area dry and I don't want to get my nice hammock gear wet or dirty -- or put it at risk in uncertain circumstances.

My cheap GG tarps are still light enough to carry and pack up fine for car camping or backpacking, even though they'll never make any thru-hiker's ultralight gear list. They represent a nice middle ground between top-shelf weather protection and cheap blue poly utility tarps from big box stores. And they're CAMO! (A pretty effective woodland pattern, actually...without having to pay extra for it.)

Cheap tarps are not as good as expensive high-quality tarps -- and they certainly lack prestige value, if such things are important to you -- but bargain basement gear can still have utility for certain applications.

[JPismyusername]

I just got it as a starter tarp. Haven't had a chance to use it yet, but wanted to point out that the dimensions are misleading. The measurements are actually diagonal. I ordered it thinking it'd be bigger than my 8x10 blue tarp but it's actually smaller =/

[tj2020]

I just got mine in the mail today. I thought I'd give it a try. I think it will be better than the blue wally world tarp.

[JPismyusername]

I did a test run at a park today (first time pitching a tarp). That's a Grand Trunk Ultralight under it. Think next time I'll try to do the V shape suspension thing so it doesn't get in the way of the hammock suspension. Otherwise seemed pretty neat. Weather is usually pretty mild around me so it'll probably do fine and it's pretty lightweight.

Ztkypcx.jpg

Curious though -- is it supposed to arch like that on top? I used a continuous ridgeline for suspension. I assume it arched when I staked out the sides.