View Full Version : Regular tarps?
I just ordered my first hammock (Warbonnet) and I've been looking at tarps. I've seen a lot of very nice ones for a good chunk of change. Just out of curiosity, why aren't more people using just regular blue tarps like the kind you get at Walmart? Aside from the UL tarps, the Walmart ones are roughly the same weight per area as many, if not most, of the more specialized ones. Just wondering if I'm missing something? Help a newb tree dweller out. :)
skoolbyrd
05-03-2011, 23:31
Can't imagine how a normal blue cheap tarp would be the same weight as others made for the hiking / tents/ hammocks. Most tarps designed for backpacking are typically a thin poly / nylon fabric that is much thinner and lighter.
bigcranky
05-04-2011, 07:51
I have a couple of those woven-polyester tarps from wallymart. They are much heavier than coated nylon pack cloth, and even heavier than sil nylon. They are usable, though, so if you would rather carry some extra weight and save some $$$, they'll work fine.
You can also use an 8x10 silnylon tarp like the Equinox, which I think is still under $100.
But eventually you'll probably end up wanting something like the Maccat Deluxe, which is not that much more expensive, and is an awesome tarp. I finally broke down and got one a couple of years ago. If I had bought it first, instead of other cheaper tarps, I would have saved money in the long run.
Blue woven poly tarps are heavy and don't stuff well (at all, maybe). to make them as small as possible they must be folded then rolled, which is a pain in the rain, so to speak. The lighter ones tend to have grommets rip out of them as well. Sewn webbing loops are stronger than grommets, so look for a nylon tarp with loops. Coated nylon tarps are fine, though the coating tends to peel after several years of use, and they're heavier and not quite as strong as silicone impregnated tarps (the silicone actually "glues" the threads of the fabric together strengthening it more than the same fabric without the treatment).
A 12x8 blue tarp weighs around 15 oz, or at least that's what mine weighs. Unless you're spending well over $100 from what I've seen, a specialized tarp with a comparable surface area is going to weigh roughly the same. Though I do see the benefit of packability.
Sorry I meant 8x10 not 8x12.
the blue tarps you'll find at walmart may be cheap, but they're not the same product that you'd buy from a specialty shop such as hennessey or the like. the blue tarps are bulky and heavy. I'm sure they'd work, but I recommend spending the extra $50 or so for a lighter and more compatible tarp. you don't have to buy one of those $120 tarps but you should be able to get a decent hammock tarp for $50-$60.
A 12x8 blue tarp weighs around 15 oz, or at least that's what mine weighs. Unless you're spending well over $100 from what I've seen, a specialized tarp with a comparable surface area is going to weigh roughly the same. Though I do see the benefit of packability.
Really? I'll have to weigh some of mine as they sure feel alot heavier than that.
Your post made me weigh both my cheap poly tarps (Camo and brown). (A DIY silnylon tarp currently in progress.)
10x12 is approx 35.8oz
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200381676_200381676
8x10 is approx 21.1 oz
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200376781_200376781
+1 to grommets ripping out, not packing well(bulky) and a bit noisy (crinkly).
IMHO they are fine for a weekend, but not for longer excursions.
JaxHiker
05-04-2011, 15:06
In addition to the weight concern that's been mentioned they're very noisy.
Leanthree
05-04-2011, 18:59
It may make sense to get the cheap and heavier tarp to see if you like hanging before you spend the larger dollars on a lightweight tarp. Worst case is you spent a bit of money on the cheap tarp that you wouldn't have spent otherwise but you can just use it for raking leaves or painting or some such use.
gunner76
05-04-2011, 20:00
Look for a Gear Guide tarp 12x12 ft for under $30 weights just under 2 lbs.
Bad news is that they sell out very fast.
Kelty Noah's tarp http://www.trailspace.com/gear/kelty/noahs-tarp-12/
might be a good compromise between weight, quality, durability, and usability.
The shape is good for a hammock, less so for other uses, imo.
Wise Old Owl
05-04-2011, 20:45
Ahh Tinker you are right, but even for hammocks it was too large. Too many tie outs too.
Ahh Tinker you are right, but even for hammocks it was too large. Too many tie outs too.
It's only too large if weight is the primary concern or if you only have trees less than 12 feet apart.
Bigger tarps are the first thing skimpy tarp users think about on a windy, rainy night :).
Ps - You can cut off any of the ties you don't use (I did that with my 10x12 Equinox).
Wise Old Owl
05-04-2011, 20:57
Yea but Kelty Noah was huge, even I am happy at 8x10!
That's a good size (8x10 - rectangular), and I'd recommend it if cost wasn't an object for the OP (actually, if he can scrape together the cash he might be better off waiting to buy what's right for him instead of what's good enough). :)
I bought a cheaper than wallymart 8' x 10' tarp from ollies, cut it to 8' x 8', added grommets, and voila - 16oz. Cost? $9. Yup, they don't fold well, but I just roll mine up with my pad. They are slightly noisier than the UL one's you pay $80+ for, just make sure it's tied down well, and low enough to the floor the wind can't get in. Money can be better spent elsewhere in my opinion to save oz
skoolbyrd
05-11-2011, 23:28
I'll be using a $4 walmart blue tarp this weekend. If this thread is still going, I'll give you all a report.
twsmith001
05-15-2011, 16:23
if you look in the sporting goods section of walmart they have a 5x7 temporary tarp for i believe under ten bucks....packs down real small and is lightweight but i must emphasize that even on the box it says temporary........
Those cheap tarps definitely work...I've used them before on backpacking and canoeing trips when I was between tents. But they really aren't designed to last more than a year...they are the old canvas tarp's answer to paper towels and plastic forks.
lilricky
05-16-2011, 07:08
There's a little bit of confusion on these blue tarps being sold at Walmart. Walmart now sells sil-nylon tarps under the Outdoor Products brand. These are different from the heavy utility blue tarps that most of you are familiar with. Check them out here (http://www.outdoorproducts.com/Products/tarp-8ft-x-95ft/79).
lilricky
05-16-2011, 07:10
Oops, meant ure-nylon, not sil-nylon.
Those cheap tarps are great for giving you an idea of what size you would want later on.. Go for it..
wally world tarps won't last. they are made in china, which unfortunately leaves them lacking in quality, even the urathane coated nylon ones. they're crap.