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