How small can a tarp be and still keep you dry?

[Z0rst]

I want to get the smallest (bulk when packed) tarp I can get to fit a nano 7.

Keep in mind less expensive is better..

BMWRider, are you going to be packing the tarp on a motorcycle? If so,

For packability on a motorcycle, my favorite so far is arrow-head equipment's Shangri La Tarp. The ends of the tarp can be hung at different heights to make different levels of comfort (rain/warmth) while keeping entry and exit at a comfortable level.

If your pack bag is waterproof or even a garbage bag, that can extend the coverage inward. Similarly if you have waterproof ride gear (e.g., Klim, aerostich) you can hang that at the other end to act as a door.

A weather-shield that goes under the tarp helps for splash and fog (such as often found in the blue-ridge and other common ride areas). The weather shield extends your warmth so one can go with a smaller quilt. It also serves as a ground cloth when we need to go to ground (e.g. the iron butt motel). Depending on the bike, it also can be used as a bike cover at a hotel.

However, doors on at least one end of the tarp are super nice to have. And if a rider is transitioning from tent camping (as opposed to those transitioning from cowboy or bivy camping) he/she may find a full coverage tarp with doors a great way to go. Especially if ride gear is not waterproof or will get soaked/muddied from riding backcountry.

As far as costs go, an excellent Silnylon tarp will cost less than a front tire, and an excellent full coverage tarp will be about as much as a back tire. Of course, the tarp will last much longer. Or at least it should.

[bmwrider]

The plan was to make a small light tarp for light trips

[warbonnetguy]

Long long ago i was caught in a bad storm using a small diamond fly and got wet enough we had to retreat the next morning. The moisture was almost like a fog/drizzle mix, it was so small and light that it was coming down at a like a 40 deg angle (or possibly even more horizontal that that), it went on like that all night and the hammock got soaked which seeped through and soaked my sleeping bag. It was coming in at such a flat angle i don't think there was any way i could have pitched that tarp to protect the bottom half of the hammock from getting wet. In certain severe conditions i think a tarp that size can without a doubt be inadequate, those conditions mainly being sideways moisture which is uncommon but not unheard of

[FLRider]

I did just about the opposite of Cannibal and Hawk-eye: I started with the (enormous!) Hennessy Hex tarp and moved to a postage-sized tarp for the weight savings. Now, I'd learned a bit about site selection with the Hex, and I learned more with the DIY asym I have now.

However, the biggest thing I found was to use my poncho as a weather shield on the bottom of the hammock. With that combination, I stayed dry for 11+ of 14 hours in my hammock last year during the edges of a tropical storm (I was in my front yard, so that if something went wrong, I'd have a place ~20 ft away to bail to). Winds were between 10 and 30 MPH, and swirling. Approximately 4" of rain dropped during that period. The only way I finally got wet was via water intrusion via capillary action through the whipping knobs of my hammock (the tiny tarp ends had slid off of the knobs; this was later fixed with Black Wolf's suggestion of plastic S-biners to hold the suspensions in line). None of it came from underneath.

So, for me, the minimum tarp I'm willing to bring is DIY Gear Supply's asym tarp combined with a poncho/undercover. Total weight for the system, including guylines and suspension kit? 16.7 oz. And it doubles as my rain gear/pack cover/emergency go-to-ground bivy kit.

Total cost for it, if using sil 2nds, would come in at ~$65, including shipping. That's a tarp and rain gear for ~$65.

Hope it helps!

[MDSH]

FLRider always has great suggestions.

Here is some fabric 72" wide that might make a good light weight asym with a little more coverage. Might have to treat it yourself. http://www.ebay.com/itm/400278777749...84.m1423.l2649

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[bmwrider]

Loaded question, too many variables....where, when, how do you camp? Do you need rain, wind, snow protection or just protection from Dew? My thoughts are carry as much tarp as I can justify, not the least amount. Nothing ruins a trip like a wet hammock and quilts. In the wrong conditions it can be life threatening. I find myself carrying the Superfly in many situations where my Tadpole would have been adequate, but there is a peace of mind factor as well as an Oh S*** factor for a cpl ounces.

For the least amount of tarp, I would imagine it would look like one of those police outlines of a body laying on the floor, but suspended above you in Cuben Fiber, not quite enough coverage for me...

I plan to only take this when I don't use a tarp, on summer overnight trips when rain is not in the forecast in case it does rain.
We do some minimalist trips for fun.

[bmwrider]

Long long ago i was caught in a bad storm using a small diamond fly and got wet enough we had to retreat the next morning. The moisture was almost like a fog/drizzle mix, it was so small and light that it was coming down at a like a 40 deg angle (or possibly even more horizontal that that), it went on like that all night and the hammock got soaked which seeped through and soaked my sleeping bag. It was coming in at such a flat angle i don't think there was any way i could have pitched that tarp to protect the bottom half of the hammock from getting wet. In certain severe conditions i think a tarp that size can without a doubt be inadequate, those conditions mainly being sideways moisture which is uncommon but not unheard of

this is for low millage overnight trips an hr. from home, when ending a trip is no big deal to the group, we often take these little trips with minimum gear just for the sake of going minimalist.

[bmwrider]

FLRider always has great suggestions.

Here is some fabric 72" wide that might make a good light weight asym with a little more coverage. Might have to treat it yourself. http://www.ebay.com/itm/400278777749...84.m1423.l2649

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Thank you, that helps, I have very little experience with the DiY stuff but I plan to learn.

[zukiguy]

So far the combination of the size the tarp, the amount of rain, the wind, and of course how it's rigged all come into play. I've managed to stay dry under a stock hennessy and also got wet under my monster 4-season OES (ridgeline leak). The worst storm I've ever been in was weathered under my OES MacCat Deluxe (in-between size) but I saw the bad weather coming and rigged everything really well. Had I gone to sleep with the lines loose or in "porch mode" I would have been hopping around in the rain at 3am trying to fix everything.

The other thing is that "wet" to me is kind of relative. In the heat of summer getting a bit damp in a downpour might be nice, in late fall or early spring it could end in hypothermia. So, you can stay dry with a small tarp with a bit of planning and preparation. Hope for the best, plan for the worst...

[bhinson]

I just got back from a four day trip and two of the days and nights we had rain and wind
And you couldn't give me anything for my ENO Pro-Fly Tarp
Stayed nice and dry durning the rainy days IMHO