| Why use tarp shelters? The biggest | | | | learn how to use sticks and trees and |
| reason ultralight backpackers use them | | | | rocks. No stakes means less weight to |
| is to reduce pack weight. The lightest | | | | carry. I've always found something to |
| tent you can find will be close to three | | | | use, even up high on the tundra. |
| pounds. Some of the newest ultralight | | | | You might have to treat the seams with a |
| tarps weigh just seven ounces. | | | | sealant occasionally, or at least when |
| Weight isn't the only advantage of tarp | | | | you first buy your tarp. Buy seam-sealer |
| shelters, though. They also give you | | | | anyplace that sells tarps and tents. |
| room to move, and you can easily look | | | | You'll need string or cord of some sort |
| around. You can quickly take them down | | | | for tie-downs. I put varying lengths |
| when you're ready to go. If it's wet, | | | | around the tarp, so I can untie and use |
| just shake it off and it will fit in an | | | | the long ones where I need them. |
| outside pocket of your backpack. Even if | | | | Sometimes that tree will be a little too |
| they were the same weight, I'd still | | | | far away. |
| prefer a tarp over a tent for most | | | | I use 4' by 7' pieces of plastic for |
| trips. | | | | groundsheets. They're opened-up giant |
| The lightest of my own tarp shelters | | | | garbage bags that weigh 2 ounces. |
| weighs 16 ounces with all the strings. | | | | They're disposable, but I've used one |
| That seems heavy now, when I look at the | | | | for a week in the Rockies, and they're |
| new ultralight tarps out there. | | | | cheap and easy to replace. Whatever you |
| Integral Designs Sil Tarp 5' x 8', for | | | | use, lay your bag on it, to be sure |
| example, weighs just 7 ounces. | | | | you'll have room. You don't want to be |
| The Bozeman Mountain Works Stealth 0 | | | | touching the wet ground just because you |
| Catenary Ridgeline Ulralight Backpacking | | | | moved a little. On the other hand, if |
| Tarp weighs an amazing 5.7 ounces. With | | | | it's too big it will catch rain out near |
| a name like that, you know it has to be | | | | the edge of the tarp, and funnel it back |
| expensive. Of course, almost any | | | | to you. |
| backpacking tarp will be lighter - and | | | | Mosquitos keep a lot of ultralight |
| cheaper - than the lightest tents out | | | | backpackers from using tarp shelters. |
| there. | | | | Repellant is a partial solution, as is |
| How To Use Tarp Shelters | | | | using the tarp only when it isn't too |
| You'll probably need a bigger tarp than | | | | buggy. A headnet helps, but keeping the |
| you think. A seven-foot roof may seem | | | | rest of your body covered when it's warm |
| like it will cover your six-foot body | | | | isn't pleasant. Pitch camp in a high, |
| well enough, until a blowing rain soaks | | | | breezy place and you'll have fewer bug |
| your feet. Proper use is even more | | | | problems. |
| important than size, though. | | | | There are also mesh shelters you can |
| Pitch the low side into the wind. Keep | | | | pitch under your tarp. The lightest I've |
| all sides low if a storm is coming. | | | | seen weighs 1 pound, 7 ounces. With a |
| Evenly tighten guy lines. Use rocks, | | | | 7-ounce tarp, you'd be under 2 pounds |
| trees, trekking poles and whatever else | | | | for a shelter, and it comes with a |
| helps. Pitch the tarp tightly, to keep | | | | floor, so you don't have to bring a |
| it from flapping in the wind too much, | | | | groundsheet. Ultralight tarps and tarp |
| which can loosen the strings or cause | | | | shelters, by the way, weigh less than 20 |
| the tarp to tear. | | | | ounces, a standard I just invented, but |
| If you haven't used tarp shelters | | | | it seems reasonable. |
| before, experiment until you can quickly | | | | Steve Gillman is a long-time advocate of |
| set up in several different enviroments. | | | | lightweight backpacking. |
| Bring lightweight stakes, until you | | | | |