Tarps warm at night?

[sierraDoug]

I'm out here in California and generally backpack in the Sierras in the summer where/when rain is pretty rare. I take a plastic tarp just in case. I get the impression some people sleep under their tarp every night. Is this noticable warmer than under the stars? Does it mean you can use a lighter sleeping bag?

Thanks for any insight on this.

[Bonehead]

no

i said no the message not too short

[Frog]

No not warmer at all. Most of us are probably living on the east coast where dew is a much larger problem.

[Deerleg]

My only experience in the Sierras was in April 99. The snow pack was several feet deep in places and gone in others. Fascinating to this flatland Midwesterner.:) My Eastern experience with a tarp has been that it will help with the warmth depending on how and where you set it up.

Ray Jardane, an accomplished western hiker, devotes several pages to using a tarp in his book "The Pacific Crest Trail Hikers Handbook"

For me the biggest advantage when camping in the open has been keeping the dampness at bay, less of a problem in the Sierras. Also when set up properly on those breezy nights it can make a big difference in comfort. I have managed to get by with a lighter bag at times even when it was pretty cold by adjusting tarp set up, clothing, etc. With practice you may be able to use a lighter bag with a tarp vs sleeping in the open.

[chris]

Yes, I have noticed it, but I would say that it is not very important. Keeping the dew off, in the west, is the more important benefit. Open design tarps seem to trap less warmth than full coverage (i.e, a Tarptent) one. But, in either case, I do not think it is more than a few degrees.