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