View Full Version : Tarp Advice
I am a cold sleeper and will soon be switching from my hammock to a tarp/bivy setup. I have used a lightweight nylon tarp for years on group trips but not for my personal shelter. I have a silnylon tarp now and I have read somewhere on this forum that silnylon tarps stretch when they get wet. Any tips or suggestions from the tarp users out there.
stranger
09-27-2003, 00:42
Any nylon product will sag when wet, it you are really worried about it looks into using Polyester, it's much better in rain and UV resistance, doesn't sag when wet either.
Youngblood
09-27-2003, 05:52
Silnylon is the lightest tarp material. It does stretch a little and it is not as waterproof as some of the heavier materials. What to do? Be prepared to re-tighten when/if required using taunt line hitches, re-staking, etcetera. If you can, locate your re-tensioning scheme where you can reach it while under your tarp. The waterproof issue only comes into play with 'extremely hard rain' and what you get is a slight 'misting' through the silnylon-- usually this is not much of issue and you just live with it... first time I noticed it I thought I had not sealed the seams properly.
If you want to go light weight, use silnylon tarps and learn the deal with the stretch and misting.