When it's all said an done...

[c0wb0y_hubs]

I consider myself a capable DIYer, but I also understand that some things are better off purchased rather than assembled in the "lab".

If I have ~$75-$90 for gear, would you recommend I make or buy a tarp?

It rarely rains here in southern NM, but when the monsoon season decides to make itself known, we can get many inches in a short amount of time.

Currently, my plan is to backpack in 3 seasons rather than 4, so there's no need to prep for the onslot of a winter blizzard.

I just want a decent sized and weighted tarp. My hammock is a tablecloth jobber.

So what do you think? Make it or Buy it?

Thanks,
c0wb0y_hubs

[dragon360]

I would look through the sales sub forums and pick up a great deal for the budget you have set aside. You can get a more expensive tarp for less and save the DIY for other parts (silnylon is a real pain to work with for many people!).

[priller]

Hey Cowboy, wanted to throw you some Las Cruces love!

I can only suggest what I have experience with....See if you can find a Chinook 12x9 tarp. It's what I use all year round....

It's a great tarp, decently lightweight and packable. Best part it is, you may be able to pick one up for less than $40.

Then when you have the tarp, you can DIY a bit by adding webbing pullouts and other nice things to have in a tarp.

OTOH, $90 could get you a lot of nice material to work with!

[Brute1100]

I would save a little more and get a better tarp... The thing about good quality gear is it holds its resale, you can sell it for 90% of what you paid...

I would go with a superfly, plenty of shade, protection from side ways rain fairly light weight...

But within your price range pick up a wilderness logics tadpole... Great tarps for the weight...

[Moel Siabod]

I used a £5 utility tarp for a couple of years without problem. Good coverage, surprisingly light at about 550g and it had a nice camo pattern. Then when I knew that hanging was going to feature in my future and I knew exactly what I wanted, only then did I splashed the cash.

[Mountnman]

I would save a little more and get a better tarp... The thing about good quality gear is it holds its resale, you can sell it for 90% of what you paid...

I would go with a superfly, plenty of shade, protection from side ways rain fairly light weight...

But within your price range pick up a wilderness logics tadpole... Great tarps for the weight...

+1 on save up and buy a good tarp

[c0wb0y_hubs]

I would save a little more and get a better tarp... The thing about good quality gear is it holds its resale, you can sell it for 90% of what you paid...

I would go with a superfly, plenty of shade, protection from side ways rain fairly light weight...

But within your price range pick up a wilderness logics tadpole... Great tarps for the weight...

I was debating over the Edge and the Tadpole, and since I started this thread, I've been trying to find a site that has the Chinook 12x9 instock (with no success yet).

If I only get one tarp for many years, I might as well make it a better quality and lighter one.

So now what.....


EDGE or TADPOLE?

[jordo_99]

If I have ~$75-$90 for gear, would you recommend I make or buy a tarp?

DIY is going to be slightly cheaper if you already have the sewing machine and are comfortable on it:

a 12' x 10' tarp is 8 yards of fabric...from DIY Gear Supply that would be roughly $50 (silnylon 2nds) or $25 (70D PU, camo, 2nds) on a budget.

If you want to have catenary cuts it's free but more time consuming. If I were to make a square tarp like this it wouldn't take more than an hour. A hex tarp with cat cuts would probably be around 3 hours.

Buying either of these used should be right around your budget.

I think you just need to weigh the options of how much you feel your time is worth and if you enjoy this sort of thing. For me, I just love making gear so I would go DIY but I was also very close to buying a few tarps for $50-75 due to the extra time I can spend making other stuff and playing video games.

[c0wb0y_hubs]

I think I can get more tarp for my money if I suck it up and make one myself, so now I just need to do a little fabric learnin'. I really like the price of the 70D, but it's that very same thing that makes me cautious of it.

After a brief search, I'm not able to find that crucial difference between silnylon and 70D.

[Brute1100]

I think I can get more tarp for my money if I suck it up and make one myself, so now I just need to do a little fabric learnin'. I really like the price of the 70D, but it's that very same thing that makes me cautious of it.

After a brief search, I'm not able to find that crucial difference between silnylon and 70D.

Weight, its all about the weight...