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View Full Version : What's your favorite tarp size?



Smithereens
04-24-2017, 21:43
I recently got a 5x8 tarp on the cheap ($12!) and have done some backyard testing with it. I like the size, it gives decent coverage (two nights in thunderstorms without getting soaked) and the weight is not bad at all. With six aluminum pegs, three bits of cord, stuffsack and a plastic ground sheet it's right at 1lb 1oz.

I have a 7x10, a 10x10, and a 7x9 as well. The 7x9 is my favorite size all around, but mine leaks terribly.

What's your favorite size? Any odd sizes like an 8x8?

AfterParty
04-24-2017, 22:13
11x8'6 cat cut. It is a was a hammock gear hex tarp. I flipped it over and use the side pull outs to help support the sides of my bathtub floor. My floor is a HMG flat ground sheet with some creative folding and tent repair tape its now a bathtub. I have 1 beak for it from 2qzq and can close up the other end with my poncho. I leave my floor and beak attached when I roll it up. Its actually quite nice 1# with 9 aluminum Shepard's hooks I carry 3 extra. My corner tie outs are about a foot long max dutch stingers that have shockcord going to the floor, and the ridge line stays in loop which I stake down twist it around my pole a couple times and set the pole and everything is set up. I really do like this setup and don't plan to spend any money on a different setup since I already had this stuff.

Feral Bill
04-24-2017, 22:30
8x10 (nominal) is just right for me. Roomy and light.

Dogwood
04-25-2017, 00:56
Trapezoidal cat cut for A Frame and lean to configurations no smaller than 7' at the head and 5'6" at the tail for stand alone tarp sleep shelter set ups with a 110" ridge line without gram weenie front pointing.

Favorite size tarp is the one that gives the coverage I need when I need it...which is why it's nice if you're an avid tarper to have different sizes and types.

10-K
04-25-2017, 19:19
I've got a couple of tarps but I seem to always grab my Hyperlite Mt. Gear Echo II. Huge for 1 person.

https://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/echo-2-tarp.html

Smithereens
04-26-2017, 02:37
I've got a couple of tarps but I seem to always grab my Hyperlite Mt. Gear Echo II. Huge for 1 person.

https://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/echo-2-tarp.html


I have been lusting over their 8x10 flat tarp... 9.6oz ... but it's just too rich for my blood at the moment.

Smithereens
04-26-2017, 02:43
Sadly, I bought the 7x9 version of the small tarp I mentioned in the first post. It is supposed to be polyester, but it's setup in the backyard covered in dew and sagging badly, just like my silnylon tarp does.

I know I can work around the sagging by using bungees, but man, I am starting to hate nylon!

Land_Shark
04-26-2017, 05:33
Rain,rain and a little more rain? 10 x 12 is what i carry. This allows for dry area to yard sale every night/day without water interference. The curious question i have been asking hikers this year is how do you setup in the wet and keep your survival gear dry? Answer: large tarp (light weight) packed on outside of bag set up first. So many on trail this year are missing this idea. This is why they are wet and everything they own is also. Etowah tarp 10 X 12 , 14 OZ

4eyedbuzzard
04-26-2017, 09:05
8 x 10 Etowah Meadows tarp (has a built in section with zipper for a door when pitched as teepee)

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Gambit McCrae
04-26-2017, 09:24
I was fortunate enough to tarp for 150 miles this winter without rain or snow. However, the reciprocal of that is - I don't know if my setup is only for fair weather or not. I have the Echo II tarp with tyvek floor. And I am sure that in a bad thunderstorm, runoff, blowing rain or snow that I would be missing my tarptent.

So short of setting it up in the rain, can some with experience using a smaller tarp share what to expect during different weather patterns, and how protected you actually are under the tarp?

As well, I tarped all winter, but now that it is spring I have this image of waking with a rattlesnake snuggled up right against my pad and the ground. or in my quilt!

scope
04-26-2017, 09:42
Ughh, are you talking about being on the ground? Why would anyone want to sleep on the ground?

AfterParty
04-26-2017, 09:56
Because not everywhere we wanna go has trees.

cmoulder
04-26-2017, 10:27
Ughh, are you talking about being on the ground? Why would anyone want to sleep on the ground?

Because some people prefer it for all manner of reasons? ;)

When not hiking with my pooch and therefore not using my Duplex, I have been experimenting with some tarp and tarp/bivy combos.

I find that the HMG Echo II tarp with a splash-resistant bivy is good. The wind changed direction during the night and there was some rain blowing in from the head end, but it was no problem.
39171

For warm weather, I'm going to try the ZP Hex solo (with the storm flaps) with a Borah bug bivy (http://borahgear.com/bugbivy.html). (Don't have the bug bivy yet and there is a 5-week lead time, which is now going on 3 weeks for me.)
39172

10-K
04-26-2017, 10:51
HMG makes a beak for the Echo tarp. I've used that combo in some serious rain and stayed dry.

You'd be surprised at how good you can get at site selection when staying dry is important. Kind of like how fast you can learn to use a map and compass when you're not sure where you are.

cmoulder
04-26-2017, 11:01
I should contact HMG to see if they'll sell the beak alone... not listed separately on the website. I got the tarp on a gear swap without the beak.

This was a super-nasty early spring day (right at the end of snow melt) and there were precious few site options—had to go with the least-wet grassy hummock. :o

Gambit McCrae
04-26-2017, 11:05
I should contact HMG to see if they'll sell the beak alone... not listed separately on the website. I got the tarp on a gear swap without the beak.


I know they used to. from a production standpoint, they are probably cutting the beak from the material in the bill of material associate with the echo ii. Sales of beak only were not high enough to keep it in the catalog and they obsoleted it. However I don't see why they couldn't make them upon request.

BuckeyeBill
04-26-2017, 11:06
I finally got a HG 11'x8'6" cuben fiber tarp and have not looked back since. At 7.3 ounces I carry it in a side pocket so I can set it up first when it is raining.

AfterParty
04-26-2017, 15:01
2qzq makes beaks for hammock tarps. You can get them in dynemma as well. Might be worth checking out idk how they fit different tarps though.

cmoulder
04-27-2017, 07:24
2qzq makes beaks for hammock tarps. You can get them in dynemma as well. Might be worth checking out idk how they fit different tarps though.

Actually, I like your idea in another thread of using your poncho to close off the end. :p

I have been doing more wet-weather gear testing this Spring in anticipation of more trips without my pooch this summer... he really suffers in the heat!... which permits me to go the tarp/bivy route. I've now tested rain jacket/pants, Packa and poncho in the rain, and the Zpacks poncho has won me over. It has some grosgrain loops already sewn in that would make it easy to attach to the tarp.

AfterParty
04-27-2017, 16:39
I have a hood cord to tighten around your head, I just loop one side over the tarp and around the other toggle thingy an tighten one side. My snug pack didn't have anything for this porpose but since the sides are sewn I found the corner if you will tied on a shock cord loop and that gets hooked to the base corners and I'm amazed at how well it worked. It took me a minute to figure out. Because my poncho isn't really poncho like. Now I'm even more glad its the one I got though. I can throw that thing up in 20 seconds and not get up! Its not perfect and I have saved enough weight that will still be in a mss gortex bivy. It will do plenty to stop a howling wind the other end has a beak. I use as my head end so unless I need the poncho up. I got a great view.

https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/3/6/3/3/20170427_152535_thumb.jpg (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=62284)
https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/3/6/3/3/20170427_152648_thumb.jpg (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=62283)
https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/3/6/3/3/20170427_152707_thumb.jpg (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=62282)
https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/3/6/3/3/20170427_152851_thumb.jpg (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=62281)

Miner
04-27-2017, 18:23
I used a ~6x8 tarp for many years in all sorts of weather. A handful of times I wished it was longer. Recently changed to a ~6.5x9 for more coverage. Smaller sizes are easier to fit in marginal campsites which is one reason why I moved away​ from 8x10 size a long time ago.

cmoulder
04-27-2017, 18:55
I have a hood cord to tighten around your head, I just loop one side over the tarp and around the other toggle thingy an tighten one side. My snug pack didn't have anything for this porpose but since the sides are sewn I found the corner if you will tied on a shock cord loop and that gets hooked to the base corners and I'm amazed at how well it worked. It took me a minute to figure out. Because my poncho isn't really poncho like. Now I'm even more glad its the one I got though. I can throw that thing up in 20 seconds and not get up! Its not perfect and I have saved enough weight that will still be in a mss gortex bivy. It will do plenty to stop a howling wind the other end has a beak. I use as my head end so unless I need the poncho up. I got a great view.

https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/3/6/3/3/20170427_152535_thumb.jpg (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=62284)
https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/3/6/3/3/20170427_152648_thumb.jpg (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=62283)
https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/3/6/3/3/20170427_152707_thumb.jpg (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=62282)
https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/3/6/3/3/20170427_152851_thumb.jpg (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=62281)

Thanks much!!

I am going to play with my setup soon because the ZP poncho opens all the way up and should have some flexibility with the tie outs. Maybe angle it over the ridge line past the trekking pole because it has a grosgrain loop in the middle (shoulder area). Well, you don't know until you set it up and do some hands-on tests with different ideas.

But I always luv-luv-luv it when stuff does double duty. :D

Smithereens
04-28-2017, 03:40
I have a hood cord to tighten around your head, I just loop one side over the tarp and around the other toggle thingy an tighten one side. My snug pack didn't have anything for this porpose but since the sides are sewn I found the corner if you will tied on a shock cord loop and that gets hooked to the base corners and I'm amazed at how well it worked. It took me a minute to figure out. Because my poncho isn't really poncho like. Now I'm even more glad its the one I got though. I can throw that thing up in 20 seconds and not get up! Its not perfect and I have saved enough weight that will still be in a mss gortex bivy. It will do plenty to stop a howling wind the other end has a beak. I use as my head end so unless I need the poncho up. I got a great view.
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Hmmm... I've just been using an oversized groundsheet. I roll the extra up close to the opening (pitched as a mid) and If splashing/weird wind gets to be a problem I just unfurl the extra and cover up. That or just tie it off to the top of the pole sorta like you did with the poncho.

saltysack
08-01-2017, 17:29
I love my new duomid but think I'd like to get a smaller, lighter option to pair with my Borah cuben bivy as the duomid is a mansion for me and the lil jrt....what size for me and sometimes lil pup? Ron has been great to deal with so likely buy again from him....Solo grace or something else worth considering??? Thoughts....


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MuddyWaters
08-01-2017, 19:32
A shaped tarp provides better storm protection at lower wt than a flat tarp
At increased cost, and reduced flexibility

saltysack
08-02-2017, 08:33
A shaped tarp provides better storm protection at lower wt than a flat tarp
At increased cost, and reduced flexibility

Examples? Hexamid?


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cmoulder
08-02-2017, 10:43
I have the Hex solo with the door flaps, .51 cuben. Only seen moderate rain with wind once thus far and it worked well with my clone of the ZP Splash bivy. I had the Pocket Tarp before and it didn't have quite enough coverage if the wind changed directions, as it always seems to do. I use this if the bugs aren't too bad and I don't have my pooch with me. The bathtub floor of the bivy is 1.0 cuben and the bivy weighs 6.4 oz with Momentum 90 and center zip on top.

40004

saltysack
08-02-2017, 11:00
I have the Hex solo with the door flaps, .51 cuben. Only seen moderate rain with wind once thus far and it worked well with my clone of the ZP Splash bivy. I had the Pocket Tarp before and it didn't have quite enough coverage if the wind changed directions, as it always seems to do. I use this if the bugs aren't too bad and I don't have my pooch with me. The bathtub floor of the bivy is 1.0 cuben and the bivy weighs 6.4 oz with Momentum 90 and center zip on top.

40004

Thx...I've got the cuben Borah bivi in reg/wide @ 5oz...only used in Co for few nights, so far so good but looking for lighter tarp to pair with it for trips with or with out the 20lb pup....love the cuben duomid but more wt and room for me/dog if weather forecast isn't calling for lots of rain....plan to do a few winter FT hikes with and without pup where would be useful.....


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saltysack
08-02-2017, 12:14
I have the Hex solo with the door flaps, .51 cuben. Only seen moderate rain with wind once thus far and it worked well with my clone of the ZP Splash bivy. I had the Pocket Tarp before and it didn't have quite enough coverage if the wind changed directions, as it always seems to do. I use this if the bugs aren't too bad and I don't have my pooch with me. The bathtub floor of the bivy is 1.0 cuben and the bivy weighs 6.4 oz with Momentum 90 and center zip on top.

40004

How much coverage on other side of bivi and pole you have w doors closed?


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cmoulder
08-02-2017, 12:52
How much coverage on other side of bivi and pole you have w doors closed?


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Hard to say because I've not put a measuring tape to it. However in the photo the tarp is pitched with about 6" ground clearance and IMO there's enough overhang that it'd take a fairly strong blow for rain splash to become a problem. With the doors secured, there is plenty of room on that door/pole side for gear storage and cooking, which I have done in the rain — no problem. Also, it can be pitched with the trekking pole canted over quite a bit so that it frees up space quite nicely.

Cadenza
11-21-2017, 21:59
I have several tarps.
It's nearly impossible to say which is "best" because it depends on the situation.
UGQ Winter Dream for cold weather hammock, UGQ Hanger 12 for Summer, HG cuben for fast and light, Go-light "Cave" for minimalist with a partner, etc.

But if I could only have one,....it would be the 10 x 10 SQUARE tarp.

There is a reason Japanese origami starts with a square piece of paper.
The versatility and wide range of pitching options is unmatched by rectangles, hex, and cat cuts.

Ethesis
11-22-2017, 00:29
Rain,rain and a little more rain? 10 x 12 is what i carry. This allows for dry area to yard sale every night/day without water interference. The curious question i have been asking hikers this year is how do you setup in the wet and keep your survival gear dry? Answer: large tarp (light weight) packed on outside of bag set up first. So many on trail this year are missing this idea. This is why they are wet and everything they own is also. Etowah tarp 10 X 12 , 14 OZ


Wish th I could find polycro in that size. Until then just a little smaller but so much lighter.

Cheyou
11-22-2017, 09:29
Hard to say because I've not put a measuring tape to it. However in the photo the tarp is pitched with about 6" ground clearance and IMO there's enough overhang that it'd take a fairly strong blow for rain splash to become a problem. With the doors secured, there is plenty of room on that door/pole side for gear storage and cooking, which I have done in the rain — no problem. Also, it can be pitched with the trekking pole canted over quite a bit so that it frees up space quite nicely.


Yes enough space even pined to the ground in bad weather mode. I don’t open the foot box on my quilt. If I do it ends up outside the tarp and damp from dew. Im 5’10”. Wish they still made a Deschutes in Cubanfiber

thom

MtDoraDave
12-01-2017, 17:12
Not a "tarp" exactly, but the Tarptent Notch is on sale right now for $256, and you can order it without an interior. The fly weighs about 16 oz, and would be large enough for you AND your gear to stay dry in a rain shower.
I love mine, and if I didn't have a thing against bugs, I'd have ordered it that way (sans interior)