Noah's Tarps - gone with the wind

[mattblick]

Last month I was in REI eyeballing a Noah's tarp 12x12 to use on car camping trips. I decided to wait until the $20 coupon with $100 purchase that comes this time every year. In store today they were nowhere to be found. I noticed shelves being rearranged so I checked stock online before asking a CSR help me find it. Found stock "unavailable" in Cincinnati (and all stores in a 230 mile radius).

REI did have Kelty's 5.5' x 6.5' 22 ounce Upslope tarp for $100; it must be a new product. Let me think here, CONSIDERABLY smaller, only 10 ounces lighter, and $30 more expensive... I don't think so. Product improvement?

I bought the Outdoor Products 9.5x12; it will still provide better coverage than my backpacking tarp and save wear and tear when weight is not an issue, but the Kelty was a better product. What will we recommend to new hangers now?

I checked Kelty's web site and only the 16'x16' Noah's is still available there. Amazon has the 12x12 listed, but also specifies "Usually ships within 1 to 4 months." If you might want one, and can find one, now is the time to buy.

[dirtwheels]

Wilderness Logics Tadpole. Simply Light Designs Asym Diamond for $57 @ 9 oz. would be an option if the 11.5 oz. $90 Tadpole is too expensive.

Last month I was in REI eyeballing a Noah's tarp 12x12 to use on car camping trips. I decided to wait until the $20 coupon with $100 purchase that comes this time every year. In store today they were nowhere to be found. I noticed shelves being rearranged so I checked stock online before asking a CSR help me find it. Found stock "unavailable" in Cincinnati (and all stores in a 230 mile radius).

REI did have Kelty's 5.5' x 6.5' 22 ounce Upslope tarp for $100; it must be a new product. Let me think here, CONSIDERABLY smaller, only 10 ounces lighter, and $30 more expensive... I don't think so. Product improvement?

I bought the Outdoor Products 9.5x12; it will still provide better coverage than my backpacking tarp and save wear and tear when weight is not an issue, but the Kelty was a better product. What will we recommend to new hangers now?

I checked Kelty's web site and only the 16'x16' Noah's is still available there. Amazon has the 12x12 listed, but also specifies "Usually ships within 1 to 4 months." If you might want one, and can find one, now is the time to buy.

[mrjaw14]

The Noah series appeals to me because it's coated polyester instead of silnylon if I'm not mistaken. It's thicker and more durable. Theoretically more UV resistant. I'm looking for a Noah 12 to go kayak camping where I can take the extra weight vs a sil tarp

[SSGHawk]

I bought one of the very last from Amazon last night for I think $65.
One when on eBay for about $55 + shipping last night.

[cataraftgirl]

I just checked backcountry.com and they only have the 16 X16. Sorry.

[mattblick]

The Noah series appeals to me because it's coated polyester instead of silnylon if I'm not mistaken. It's thicker and more durable. Theoretically more UV resistant. I'm looking for a Noah 12 to go kayak camping where I can take the extra weight vs a sil tarp

That was the beauty of the Noah's. More durable, doesn't stretch, costs significantly less at a cost of weight. If you camp in order to hike long miles I can understand the concern about an extra pound. For hiking in order to camp, or boating, Noah's [and whatever we find to replace it] it is a better choice.

If you will, pardon my soapbox:
Backpacking paradox: the more miles you hike the less you should carry. I think a lot of people romanticize thru hiking but won't actually enjoy 15+ mile days when they try it - even after taking measures such as the 1 pound savings a minimal coverage silnylon (and the lighter materials) provide. I did a 13 mile day last month with my 'light' 16 pound load; this a was camp in order to hike trip. I could easily get that weight down 2 more pounds but I did not need to further sacrifice comforts. If I was inclined to hike a 20 mile day, I would have to. On the AT, Skurka did 23 mile days with 8 pounds on his back, that will never be for me. However he also wrote a great blog entry "Stupid light”: Why light is not necessarily right, and why lighter is not necessarily better". Stupid light comes at costs to more than just your wallet; you sacrifice efficiency and comfort. Reason for this lecture: if you aren't hiking long miles why spend $40+ more, sacrifice durability, coverage, and convenience to save 1 pound in your pack? That seems stupid light to me.

Last weekend I was out again with my 'heavy' load. I hiked ~7 miles to stay at and back country campsite 23 in GSMNP. I fished most of the day instead of hiking most of the day. I brought my heavy gear that included such luxuries as my 9x9 DD tarp, 5 pound backpack, isobutane stove, fly rod, etc.. The comforts cost me 8 additional pounds compared to the previous trip. Of note, while I was at 24 pounds but my 68 year old Father-In-Law was carrying 31.

Soapbox Off. :-)

Deciding if I want to get the Noah's in addition to the Outdoor Products one I purchased yesterday..
- Matt -

[Wraith6761]

Just wanted to add something here...Amazon tends to add comments like the "usually ships in blah blah blah" to items that have a tendency to sell out quickly during certain times of the year, or to items that have Amazon Prime coverage but we may not be able to stick to that customer promise of it getting to them within 2 days. I've never seen any of our warehouses actually take a full month to fulfill an order...usually we're freaking out if it takes more than a day to get the order together, packed up, and sent out the door into the hands of UPS/FedEx/Lasership; if it does end up taking us longer than that (without a message on the item page about possible delays), customer service will almost always do something in return for you (usually some kind of credit to your account) as well as bumping your order up to next-day for free. Once the item leaves our hands, obviously, there's nothing we can do if UPS or whichever courier service is just slow and misses the delivery date.

[mekdad]

http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/s...2554/cat100831


This is where I got mine.

[mrjaw14]

Is kelty discontinuing this tarp?

[slumberinthetrees]

I just purchased a Kelty Noahs 12 my thoughts are that it was one of the last ones. i got mine from kittery trading post in kittery maine. might be worth checking to see if they have anymore