I'm a CCS Tarp guy. But I've read some folks like and recommend the Kelty's Noah's Tarp.
Woot.com has that Tarp in the 16 x 16 size on sale today for $46.99. Here is the link: Noah's Tarp

Great deal. Good tarp if you don't mind a bit more weight and limited budget.
I bought one ten years ago and searched hard to find one on sale for 50. In light of a decade of inflation that is a super deal.
Mine only gets used a couple weeks a year and still great shape. It has seen some bad weather. I think it weighs near 4 lbs. though.

Also remember that the Kelty tarps are Cat cut not square cut. So you lose a little bit of coverage compared to a square cut tarp.

That's a really good price for a 16 ft.

quote OldFingers57: "Also remember that the Kelty tarps are Cat cut not square cut. So you lose a little bit of coverage compared to a square cut tarp. "

My Kelty Noah (12') is square cut.

quote WonderMonkey: "My Kelty Noah (12') is square cut."

Hmmm, that's odd.

quote WonderMonkey: "

quote OldFingers57: "Also remember that the Kelty tarps are Cat cut not square cut. So you lose a little bit of coverage compared to a square cut tarp. "

My Kelty Noah (12') is square cut."

In the ads they show them as being Cat cut.

quote OldFingers57: "

quote WonderMonkey: "

quote OldFingers57: "Also remember that the Kelty tarps are Cat cut not square cut. So you lose a little bit of coverage compared to a square cut tarp. "

My Kelty Noah (12') is square cut."

In the ads they show them as being Cat cut. "

I have the 9' one and it's definitely not square. Great tarp for the money though, it kept is quite dry through a couple real downpours last year and I think I paid only a little less than what that 16' is going for so that's a heck of a deal. I think 16' is a little bigger than I need but damn I'm tempted to pick one up.

My Noah 9', 12' and 16' are all cat cut - just the bigger they are the more you notice the angles of the cat. That 16' gets pretty big - sometimes hard to find a big space for it.

quote OldFingers57: "

quote WonderMonkey: "

quote OldFingers57: "Also remember that the Kelty tarps are Cat cut not square cut. So you lose a little bit of coverage compared to a square cut tarp. "

My Kelty Noah (12') is square cut."

In the ads they show them as being Cat cut. "

I may just be incorrect on what square cut is.

Tarps shaped and flat

Good explanation.

butthead

quote butthead: " Tarps shaped and flat

Good explanation.

butthead"

I always thought my Kelty Noah 12' was rectangular. It looks like this one.

Just me, but I don't care for cat cut tarps. More than half of them are worthless for sitting under during a rain. So if you get a 16' cat tarp, its the same as an 8'x6' rectangular tarp. I pity the fool who sits under one of the triangular parts and gets soaked. What a waste of fabric. Go cheap and get wet, or get a real tarp.

Doesn't need to be an obvious curve,
"Catenary curves have gentle U-shape, like the cable on a suspension bridge. Shaped tarps are cut with these curved edges because they provides a tighter pitch and saves some weight because the resulting tarp has less fabric. A lot of tent flies are also cut using catenary curves."
In the Kelty Noahs tarp the QC does vary quite a bit. I had one that would not lay flat or could use a regular ridgeline, without looseness, it was a 12 ft. version. I have seen the same tarp almost lay flat with barley noticed scalloped lines at the edges.


Whatever the cut and layout Noah's and GuideGear tarps are good values for introductory tarps.

butthead

Like I said I prefer a CCS Tarp for both its versatility and quality. But when I was starting out as a beginner I couldn't begin to afford a CCS Tarp.
I stumbled across this deal and thought I'd share it. In the beginning I used equipment I could afford and made do until I could upgrade.

Butthead, thank you for posting the link to the Pros & Cons of different types of tarps.

quote AndySG: "Just me, but I don't care for cat cut tarps. More than half of them are worthless for sitting under during a rain. So if you get a 16' cat tarp, its the same as an 8'x6' rectangular tarp. I pity the fool who sits under one of the triangular parts and gets soaked. What a waste of fabric. Go cheap and get wet, or get a real tarp."

No way an 8'x6' rectangular tarp gives the same coverage as a 16' Noah's. Not even close. Properly pitched, 16' cat tarp has the same amount of fabric as a 14' -15' square tarp. Many people pitch them like they would a rectangular tarp, which negates the advantages of a cat cut tarp.

quote CanoeKev: "

quote AndySG: "Just me, but I don't care for cat cut tarps. More than half of them are worthless for sitting under during a rain. So if you get a 16' cat tarp, its the same as an 8'x6' rectangular tarp. I pity the fool who sits under one of the triangular parts and gets soaked. What a waste of fabric. Go cheap and get wet, or get a real tarp."

No way an 8'x6' rectangular tarp gives the same coverage as a 16' Noah's. Not even close. Properly pitched, 16' cat tarp has the same amount of fabric as a 14' -15' square tarp. Many people pitch them like they would a rectangular tarp, which negates the advantages of a cat cut tarp."

+1 - know how to use it and it gives great coverage.