Tarp for general use in camp

[Namtrag]

Hi guys, I don't see too much about this topic, so I thought I would ask.

We are ground dwellers, but are thinking about buying a lightweight tarp to take on trips where we know it's going to be raining a lot. We are looking specifically at the Warbonnet Momba Jomma tarp, as it is pretty lightweight, while also being reasonably priced.

Does anyone else that sleeps in a tent bring a tarp to set up as a place to sit in rainy weather?

[bigcranky]

We that on occasion when our daughter was younger. Made a nice lunch spot in rainy weather, or a place to pack up while taking down a tent in the rain. It was more of a big deal when we had heavy packs, a kid who couldn't walk very far, and too much gear. Nowadays we really don't need it.

[slbirdnerd]

Once when I took an AT first timer with me on a 2 night trip, I grabbed a blue tarp and took it because I KNEW it was going to rain and wanted us to at least be able to cook and eat under it. It was fine for that, being a short trip and running light on weight.

Warbonnet makes great stuff, but if you can swing it I'd look at the Hammock Gear Cuben Fiber Standard Tarp w/Doors (or any other cuben tarp from any other maker). Soooo light (7 oz.), huge tarp, packs small, and won't wet out. I'm taking mine as my emergency shelter on the AT through GSMNP this fall.

[Venchka]

Not just rain, but sun too. Shade is sometimes a good thing.
I own the last MSR clone of the Moss Heptawing. Great shaped tarp. Heavy, 1 pound 10 ounces, but that means durable. Seriously thinking of using it in the Rockies instead of a tent.

Wayne

[Namtrag]

Thanks for the advice, I will take a look at Hammock Gear's website as well!

[Namtrag]

Not just rain, but sun too. Shade is sometimes a good thing.
I own the last MSR clone of the Moss Heptawing. Great shaped tarp. Heavy, 1 pound 10 ounces, but that means durable. Seriously thinking of using it in the Rockies instead of a tent.

Wayne

Sweet setup, Wayne. I can see us taking a tarp to Wyoming for when we are above tree line. You can sunburn in a nanosecond up there!

[cneill13]

I take a Kelty 12 tarp with me every time I go camping regardless of weather. I use it as a hang out area for cooking and shooting the breeze. Sure is nice to be out of the rain when spring showers pop up.

[Tipi Walter]

If I felt like carrying an 82 lb pack instead of an 80 lb pack, I'd pack a tarp to use in camp and to cover me and my pack during a deluge rainstorm while resting on the trail. (It's a great technique during a hellstorm: Dump your pack, cover everything with your tarp and/or ground cloth, and wait the worst of the storm out.)

Otherwise, my tent with a floor is both my tarp and my shelter and everything I need in all conditions. The only "tarp" I carry is a ground cloth to protect my Thermarest inflatable from thorns, spikes, sharp rocks and all else.

[Just Tom]

I'll admit to carrying the extra pound and bringing an 8x10 silnylon tarp when I know it is going to rain. Having a tarp with us has been worth it on at least one occasion.

[Odd Man Out]

MLD sells a tarp for just such a purpose. I have thought about taking something like this, but haven't

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com...roducts_id=122

[Namtrag]

MLD sells a tarp for just such a purpose. I have thought about taking something like this, but haven't

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com...roducts_id=122

Checking it out now, but it's only 5'x5', Maybe they have a bigger one.

[cycle003]

Yes, I carry a Cooke Custom Sewing 8x10 ft tarp. It's not the lightest, but it is well-made with a lot of tie-outs.

[linus72]

got a cheap tarp for car camping years ago ( $8 maybe? ) that we have employed for the last 2 overnight rainy backpacking trips to great success. combined with our trekking poles to raise up the corners, we have a palace in there to eat, drink, cook, and read under without being confined to our tent until bedtime. http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/file...5/img_1255.jpg we like to set it up where theres a good rock or two underneath to sit on where possible. i dont know what it weighs but its so light i dont notice the difference carrying it except for its size profile but i just shove it in the mesh pocket on the outside of my pack. the only thing i want to do is get glow in the dark paracord for the guylines like my tent has.

[linus72]

well maybe not a palace but compared to a tent, its nice to have a dry open space with fresh air to hang out under unless the rain is coming sideways in which case we do a lean-to pitch against the rain/wind vs. the A-frame one employed above.

[Namtrag]

got a cheap tarp for car camping years ago ( $8 maybe? ) that we have employed for the last 2 overnight rainy backpacking trips to great success. combined with our trekking poles to raise up the corners, we have a palace in there to eat, drink, cook, and read under without being confined to our tent until bedtime. http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/file...5/img_1255.jpg we like to set it up where theres a good rock or two underneath to sit on where possible. i dont know what it weighs but its so light i dont notice the difference carrying it except for its size profile but i just shove it in the mesh pocket on the outside of my pack. the only thing i want to do is get glow in the dark paracord for the guylines like my tent has.

Exactly what we want to have one for! Nice!

[linus72]

aaaand went to REI after work and bought some reflective paracord so i stop tripping over the tarp guy lines! but last weekend we made rock piles around the stakes on the ones that kept getting in the way... another tip - hang things you need to dry, and a headlamp with a 'biner off the main support line for the tarp for light and air drying! and i only brought four extra stakes and when i suddenly wanted 6 i used rocks for the other two that weren't the main guylines and it worked great and handled gusts probably better than the staked lines as the rocks weren't anchored down and could move a tiny bit if needed.

[Brider]

Check out the MEST it is 5 x 7 12 oz.

http://www.bushcraftoutfitters.com/M...est-coyote.htm

[rocketsocks]

My poncho doubles as a tarp.

[cycle003]

Here's a picture of my 8x10 Cooke Custom Sewing in the Smokies.
Tarp.jpg

[peterboysen]

I like having an extra tarp along when I'm with a group, especially as most of my trips are in Northern MN (no dispersed camping, fire grates at sites so even with rain having a fire is usually pretty doable and helpful for cooking for a group). I don't have one but Cooke Custom Sewing comes highly recommended, especially in this area. Available in a lot of sizes so if you want one for larger groups you can go larger, else you can stick with something more manageable for a couple people.

For solo use I don't think I'd bother with an extra one, especially as I typically just tarp + bug bivy then anyway so moving my bivy out of the way to make some room to sit under the tarp is super simple.