Harbor Freight 7'4"x9'6" Tarp

[laziboie]

I'm glad I saw this thread. I've really been debating back and forth over the tarp issue. I WANT to go lightweight, but just CANT afford a decent tarp and I don't want to spend $40-50 on something right now when I could spend another $20-30 additional when I have the money to get a really good tarp.

I've been looking at getting one of the 11x9 camo tarps from Harbor Freight, but I was worried about the weight issue. I was actually planning on getting some 3mil plastic and making my own - Not Polycro shrink film, but the kind that you find in the paint section to lay on the floor.

Harbor Freight Poly tarp
Pros
- camo
- more durable
- easy (just pick it up and use it)
Cons
- heavy

DIY 3mil Plastic Tarp
Pros
- Lightweight
- Cheap
- Definitely waterproof
Cons
- Questionable durability
- No privacy

Does this all sound about right to yall? I cannot make a decision and need some guidance...any thoughts on the "wise" choice here?

Thanks,
Lazi

[Black Chrome]

I used the larger sized tarp last night and it worked great. Strong winds all day with gusts up to 35 mph. It started pouring rain about 2 am but I stayed nice and dry. I didn't have any rocks to create pullouts until I took a hike around the lake. When I got back one grommet had already started to rip so I fixed it up with a rock and used another one to create a pullout across the back. I set it up in a lazy porch mode fashion. It's the one on the right in the pic.

[the_drake_man]

Thats my set up behind black chrome. The tarps worked great!

[the_drake_man]

Avoid using the grommets if possible. They're probably gonna rip.

Have you tried using the tarp hold downs that clamp onto the tarp to make a tie down point? They seem to work well but would also just be another thing to pack around opposed to a rock on the ground.

[Black Chrome]

The tarp clips you had worked good. I was very surprised that they held up to that wind. Great for car camping but I wouldn't want to backpack with them. Too heavy for me IMHO. YMMV HYOH!

[fishbait]

I purchased their Camo Tarp for my first set up. For less than $10.00 it worked great, I had it setup in a diamond configuration in Porch mode. The second time I used it was in a fiels setup over the top of my Turtlelady stand. The setup withstood some severe weather and heavy wind. Everything stayed dry. My only complaint was the 2lbs weight.