Bushwalk Australia

Wondering if many tent-users tend towards also including a L/W tarp in the pack for added shelter where conditions might less than ideal? Naturally there is the added aspect of weight and bulk which probably makes it a no-no for those who are very gram-conscious. But I'm curious if many consider throwing in a tarp.

Not normally, and not UL, but a friend put one in when a small group of us had a couple of nights in the same spot. It was nice being able to be a bit sociable in the evening in spite of the drizzle.

I always include one in my pack. They have come in handy many a time and are pretty lightweight and bulk wise a small tarp is less spcae than a drink bottle so worth having along IMO.

With a group or with kids a definite "YES"

Solo, almost always no. Two or more probably yes, and if more than a one night camp, definitely yes.

The lighter the tent then the lighter the floor and more prone to punctures so a little cheapy 6×4 Chinese blue tarp underneath is great insurance. By day on the move it can come out as a quick shelter with strings to hand. V.light and easy slips into auxiliary pack pockets like the top, flatty on my Cascade. It might even be (never tried) a useful rain water collector if needed. The cheaper ones are lighter ; doesn't need to be bomb proof.

I hate being stuck inside a tent when it rains so I often pack a small tarp, but it does depend on the walk and the forecast. If the forecast warrants it I take an S2S ultrasil nano tarp poncho plus a couple of miniature karabiners, and attach it to the tent like an awning. It doesn't give you a lot of room and the headhole is always a concern, but it's better than being stuck inside. I have taken bigger tarps when it's a base camp sort of trip, or when there's family involved.

I carry a tarp as part of my sleeping system.

In all the years I’ve been carrying it I’ve deployed it once just for shelter. And that was when I had planned a long lunch break and the weather was threatening.

We tried a few times (HMG 9'x9' flat tarp) but usually setting it up wasn't worth the hassle, assuming we had access to trees/etc. to string it up with in the first place. Our days tend to be long so there's not normally a heap of "hanging outside the tent" time. More often than not the mozzies/flies drive you "inside" too The TarpTent DW has a very nice "porch mode" so if you are tent-bound in drizzle you actually have a decent amount of undercover space and can still cook safely.

We are looking at using a tarp with two bivvies this coming summer, for UL trips through dense forest where flat ground for pitching a tent is likely scarce.

You might get different responses if you posted this question in the 'Bushwalking Discussion' or 'Equipment' forum, instead of this 'Ultralight' forum.

Son of a Beach wrote:You might get different responses if you posted this question in the 'Bushwalking Discussion' or 'Equipment' forum, instead of this 'Ultralight' forum.

yes indeed. As my focus is tending towards 'lighter', I was curious to hear from the UL demographic. Ultimately, it'll be something to road-test when next out and about, and come to my own conclusion. But always interesting to learn from others.

JohnnoMcJohnno wrote:I hate being stuck inside a tent when it rains so I often pack a small tarp, but it does depend on the walk and the forecast . . .

I have occasionally thought a tarp might be useful in hot weather, when shade is required and the tent is an oven. Haven't got around to it and possibly never will. But if I did I would not be worried by any extra weight because the pleasure of having shade would make up for that.

Pretty well always, except ski touring.

I have a cuben fibre tarp. Can’t remember brand. Probs 10’x 7’, and about 200g. Wonderful to have something to sit under when it rains. In winter, the extended vestibule tent takes its place.

A

Yes, fantastic when you're out in constant drizzle, a great place to cook, keep the vestibule dry with the door open etc. A small cheap one is a great investment.

This week I'm sleeping under a Mont batwing the larger size, inside an MSR thru hiker mesh house one. All up with a couple of poles and a piece of tyvek it probably weighs one kilogram. Loads of covered area

I am not a ultra light, but have been slowly reducing my weight overtime. I use a large pack cover, paracord and hiking poles to extend my tent vestibule in very wet weather. Works great.

I find them a useful tool for the right time and place. If I'm doing a dayhike or in a group, a tarp is really valuable. They are also great for "grab" kits if you might be in a situation where you might need to assist someone. Sure we think of the ultralight tarp in this context, but a sheet of tyvek or a decent polypro tarp has it's place in a lot of other situations. They are not a cure-all, and certainly are not essential in all cases, but I think that while tarps have seen a resurgence in popularity in some circles, they still get overlooked in others. I still have most of my head in "group" mode, and need to do a lot more solos before I can really speak to the need for a secondary shelter to a solo walker, but at the very least, that is where my head is at.

Take it back to Bill Moss and his groundbreaking tent designs.
Most of the Moss tents had a tab designed to take one of his add-on flys.
One of my most memorable trips was the Sealers Cove track when it rained non-stop for about a week. Everybody was pretty miserable on the second day when we stopped for lunch; whereupon I pulled out my old army hootchie and quickly erected a rain fly to stand under.
Pretty funny all of us trying to shelter under it but it did make a difference.
All of the school groups I come across use large tarps for meetings.
The focus here being Ultralite I think you would need to think about Cuben fibre as the tarp fabric but if you can justify the cost the weight is very low, especially for the benefit it brings.
An Ultra-Lite palace would be a couple of Megalites with a shaped tarp running between them

Actually decided to try the tarp again on a recent trip, given we were planning on setting up a base for three days (ended up staying only two due to the weather). Campsite was rather devoid of trees so ended up basically throwing it over the tent for an extended porch... not a huge amount of headroom and a bit weird looking, but still worked definitely welcome with the on-off drizzle. Allowed us to be more communal at breakfast/dinner