hi

i am not a guy that uses a tarp very much but i started to carry a 10 x 10 just in case.

my trips are typically only 3 or 4 nights of base camping and usually have no need for one.

this past summer however, the wife suggested we try using the tent without the rain fly due to the heat of summer.

when she joins me we bring our larger tent (4 person) so princess can have more room. lol

i found the 10 x 10 did the job but just barely. we did get some rain and stayed dry but i felt we needed more coverage to feel less worried about possible blowing rain etc.

it certainly was a lot more comfortable sleeping in the tent without the fly. the hi temps were not as much of a factor, we got a lot of fresh air, and had a view.

the 10 x 10 i had was a Redcamp, black, nice quality ripstop, with lots of orange hi viz line, and stakes. it was under 20 bucks CAD believe it or not (no freight though as we pick up at the border). but it only has a tie down on each corner plus one in the middle (also has one in the centre (9 total i think?).

i have used this tarp a couple of times as a shelter in the fall instead of a tent but the lack of tie down points leaves you with only minimum options on how to use it.

so i figured i would get a larger tarp with more tie down options this time.

it actually took awhile to find something at a reasonable price that i could get up to canada and would suit our needs. i settled on a Gold Armour (see link below), 14 1/2 x 12, hi viz orange, ripstop, some line, and stakes. shipped to me was 70 cad. and this one has a whole whack of tie down points.

so this should provide much better coverage for the larger tent, give me way more options for use if/when i use it as a shelter instead of a tent, and maybe prevent me from getting shot in the fall seeing as it is orange. lol

it does not seem to be as high quality of ripstop as the redcamp so we will see how it stands up. the redcamp 10 x 10 went through a major storm with extreme winds last year and stood up just fine. hopefully this one will as well if needed.

i believe it weighed in at about 3 1/2 pounds so not bad for a large tarp. and seeing as we would be leaving the large tent fly at home and not bringing the 10 x 10 tarp, the extra weight is really a wash. in fact we may even be a bit lighter and less bulk

tarp link

I hope that tarp works well for you! When I trip, I try to be fairly fast and light and rely mightily on my community tarp, so I will stick with my Cooke Custom Sewing 10'x14' 1.1 oz. sil-nylon tarp. It weighs in at 24 ounces and has served me well on many trips. CCS is a very popular manufacturer for canoe tripping and they make top notch gear.

i am sure they are very nice. but 300 usd plus freight to canada is a no go.

I will agree they are pricey, but I decided to spend the money on one about ten years ago and it still stands as one of the best gear purchases I have made in 20+ years of canoe camping. It is extremely light, has all kinds of tie points, has kept me dry in torrential rain storms, and provided shade in some wide open areas.

Had done the cheap route for tarps for the first ten or so years. They worked. Were bulky and heavier. Mine is a 12x14 (?) and has been used on group trips (kept nine people dry during a storm), trips with my wife, solo trip, and even at state campgrounds with my camper (for extra dry area at times). Never used for a tent cover, but it would easily fit any of my two or four person tents.

Buy once, cry once fits here. I wouldn't hesitate to invest in a good tarp like this if you are planning for several years of use.

If weight isn't an issue, the MSR sunshield wing has been on sale. the 200 is huge but comes in at 6lbs with poles, stakes, tarp, and bag

To each their own. Try it and let us know what ya think?

I have a 10x 12 CCS silnylon 1.1 oz. Tarp I bought in 2002. It’s made about 50 trips. Weighs 22 oz. Vs. 50+ oz. Works for 4-5 people. Easy to modify in a storm.

I get the saving money. Nothing wrong with that. I won’t judge…I paid like 60 bucks for my CCS tarp in 2002 and I don’t expect to buy another in my life. Plan on my kids using it after me…

T

Rick. Look at Aquaquest Gear out of Vancouver. Great tarps. They know rain very well in BC.