BWCA Tyvek with Loops and 10x12 Guide Gear Tarps Boundary Waters Gear Forum
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Magnumb
senior member (55)senior membersenior member
  
02/19/2016 08:08PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Don't want to invest in a CCS tarp yet as I'm not sure what size is going work best for us.
I want to try 10x9 tyvex drain tile as it's softer and has less writing on it along with tarp clips or adhesive loops and a Guide Gear 10x12.

Did guide gear stop making tarps? All sites are out of stock. Is there another midrange tarp that's 10x12 or 10x14?

Was thinking of using tyvex for over the fire and cheap tarp for wind block if needed. Any other suggestions?
 
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Jackfish
Moderator
  
02/19/2016 11:44PM  
Do you mean Tyvek, the housewrap? If so, don't bother. Use it for a ground cloth if you must, but buy yourself a real tarp. If you trip with 2-6 guys, a 10 x 10, 10 x 12 or 12 x 12 will suit your needs perfectly.

If you can, dig deep and buy a CCS tarp. If you must, split the cost between you and your buddy. Believe me, you will NEVER look back. Depending on size, you'll be in the $125 range - about double the cost of an average tarp.

But... if you must buy an average tarp, you'll get a fair amount of mileage out of one of these tarps from Campmor. You'll find the sizes I mentioned above and they'll be roughly half the price of a CCS. I owned one of these before I bought a CCS tarp and it served me well enough until a big wind took care of it. The way Dan makes his tarps, it would have held up just fine.
 
DrBobDerrig
distinguished member(688)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/20/2016 07:15AM  
gotta have a tarp...even if you make one out of blue plastic and put extra grommets in it. Tyvec makes a great ground cloth though.

dr bob
 
OldFingers57
distinguished member(4990)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
02/20/2016 09:09AM  
We had the Equinox tarps from Campmor for our Boy Scout troop. I was not too impressed with them as the grommets ripped out fairly quickly and so I took it to a local company that makes EMS and Fire Dept gear packs and had them sew some actual webbing loops on them. Otherwise they are a decent tarp.
 
02/20/2016 09:16AM  
if you are looking for a cheap tarp this.
that said, if you think you would be camping more, I would suggest buying good quality. CCS is just one such brand.
 
02/20/2016 10:14AM  
I have and have done the tyvek house wrap tarp. I don't have a CCS tarp and am sure that it would be light years ahead of what I am using. With the type of camping I do, I am not using a tarp very much. So it is the one place I have decided to save some $. A CCS is an option I may spring for some day. So with all of the disclaimers done....

If you go Tyvek, wash it 3 times in a washer with an agitator (or 3 full water bottles in a washer without an agitator) on cold with ZERO soap or fabric softener. Washing it cuts the noise.

Forget about installing any grommets...been there....ripped that.

The way to attach tie outs is to get a pebble push it up from the bottom of the Tyvek. Make a slip knot loop and capture the pebble inside the Tyvek from the top of the Tyvek with your tie out. I have not used the newer tie out loops.

The Tyvek is relatively light weight and can be had for $1.50 per foot x 9' + shipping (and shipping is often <$5) so, for $20 and your own cordage you can have a usable 10' x 9' light weight tarp.

Your Tyvek tarp will never pitch like a quality tarp and if you don't wash it, it will be "unusably" loud. If you wash it with soap or fabric softener it will disintegrate or leak at the most inopportune time. Tyvek will also get you negative "cool camper" points as it looks really bad.

 
fraxinus
distinguished member(703)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/20/2016 04:33PM  
I don't know what your budget is, Kelty Noah's Tarps have a good rep on this site. I had 9 that lasted a long time. If you keep your eyes open between now and whenever you're thinking of pulling the trigger you'll find a deal on-line somewhere, REI has the 12 now for just under 50 bucks. Caternary cut, not square or rectangular. Kelty Noah's Tarp 12
 
dixiepaddler
member (26)member
  
02/20/2016 05:27PM  
Try Etowah Outfitters. He has been making great gear for the southern backpackers and A/T hikers for years. Has some 10 X 12 1.1 sylnylon "blemished" tarps for about $80. They are great tarps, not quite as bomb-proof as CCS, but very high quality overall.
 
Frenchy
distinguished member(1065)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/21/2016 07:36AM  
I have a tarp from llbean and one from Kondos outdoors. I have been very happy with both.
 
02/21/2016 09:36AM  
Do a search on E-Bay for "Tyvek Tarp parts". The tape is the way to go for a better alternative to sewing, the tape loops adhere very well and function in the field. Lots of choices for different uses.

I never liked Tyvek as a tarp though, too noisy even after prep and usage. CCS makes (in my opinion), the best flat tarps, but lots of others are available. Varied materials (polyester vs nylon), fabric weights and trim can make comparison difficult. Toss in cat cut tarps like a Noah's Tarp, and specialty tarps, makes comparison even more problematic.

butthead
 
02/21/2016 12:34PM  
I'll second the suggestion to look at a Kelty if you don't want to drop a lot of cash. I've picked up a couple (9' & 16') on woot and steep & cheap for 50-60% off. You just have to be patient and keep looking. I think I got the 9' for under $30 and the 16' was under $60.
 
Magnumb
senior member (55)senior membersenior member
  
02/21/2016 06:11PM  
I contacted Etowah and they are all out of blem tarps:( thanks for all the suggestions.

I'm going to order 1.3oz white 30d silnylon engough to make a 10x12 and a 10x14 tarps. Don't really care if it looks professional or not, just want to hold up in some decent wind.
 
02/21/2016 06:55PM  
quote Magnumb: "Did guide gear stop making tarps? All sites are out of stock. Is there another midrange tarp that's 10x12 or 10x14? "

For all practical purposes, you can assume Guide Gear tarps don't exist anymore. I got two of the last "good" GGs back in 2011. Even then they would show up for about 20 bucks and if you didn't get one quickly they were gone.

Then the people who market these things switched manufacturers, there was a minor fiasco over the advertised size, and the product wasn't nearly the quality it had been in the past, just not a really good value anymore.

If you visit the bargain websites regularly, you'll see Kelty tarps pretty reasonable from time to time.

 
fishonfishoff
distinguished member(682)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/26/2016 06:31PM  
I made 2 different tarps out of housewrap (one was tyvek). Instead of tape or sewing, I used contact cement on seams and edges. It is bulkier than silnylon but for the price, they worked just fine. If I was able to trip on a more regular base, I would definitely invest in a silnylon tarp.

FISHONFISHOFF
 
Jackfish
Moderator
  
02/26/2016 07:38PM  
quote Magnumb: "I'm going to order 1.3oz white 30d silnylon engough to make a 10x12 and a 10x14 tarps. Don't really care if it looks professional or not, just want to hold up in some decent wind. "


Let us know how it holds up.
 
fishonfishoff
distinguished member(682)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/27/2016 06:32AM  
quote Magnumb: I'm going to order 1.3oz white 30d silnylon engough to make a 10x12 and a 10x14 tarps. Don't really care if it looks professional or not, just want to hold up in some decent wind. "

Sounds like a good decision. As Jackfish said, "let us know how they turn out".

FISHONFISHOFF
 
ObiWenonahKenobi
distinguished member (483)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/27/2016 08:17AM  
quote fishonfishoff: " I made 2 different tarps out of housewrap (one was tyvek).

I like the near zero visual impact as well. LOL
~
 
06/11/2019 07:36AM  
ObiWenonahKenobi: "
quote fishonfishoff: " I made 2 different tarps out of housewrap (one was tyvek).

I like the near zero visual impact as well. LOL
~"


Should paint a camo pattern on it
 
06/11/2019 02:26PM  
I clicked on this, and as usual I don't read the name of the poster and was reading down the list....and I came to one post and I thought... wow ! this guy is really smart and does exactly what I do!!! Then I looked and it was me.....

 
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