Got a Tarp recommendation?

I'm looking for a good multipurpose tarp that will mostly used as an awning of the back of the truck's camper top and maybe as a camping shelter.... Might use it for a rain shelter in the woods when hunting.

I'd like something inexpensive, but am more interested in quality and light weight.

Got ideas?

 

Tarps are pretty much a commodity. Buy cheap, replace as necessary. I have a few used for camping and such, bought at a hardware store years ago for a few bucks.

 

Aquaquest makes some bombproof tarps, but nothing I would want to carry backpacking. I keep a 10x10 in my tacoma. https://www.aquaquestwaterproof.com/tarps-tents/

 

I just buy a bunch of the $8 tarps at the discount store. They last pretty good (one covered my deck furniture for three hard snowy winters before finally tearing. Kept it dry though!
If you were going to use a tarp for your job daily that's one thing. If you only use it a few weekends every now and then just go buy a cheap one and replace when necesary. I have a super quality 12'x12' heavy oiled canvas tarp I bought 20 years ago... I never use it lol. Too heavy and too... much.

 

I just use the cheap plastic-like blue ones. Never failed me except when they get really old.

 

The cheap ones are super noisy and develop leaks between the fibers pretty easy. I might go that route on my next trip, but I would like something a little better. Heavy canvas is too heavy.

 

Try a company that makes banners or a place that makes marine canopies. I have a banner made by Vistaprint and that material would be awesome if it could be found in wide enough sizing for your needs.

Unfortunately the marketplace caters to cheap disposable tarps because no one buys quality anymore so those of us who want anything beyond bottom of the barrel are SOL.

 

There is so much truth in this. We have become cheap asses while complaining about quality and picketing for higher wages. It amazes me how we blame companies for outsourcing stuff to China, but then no one is willing to actually pay more for products made here. But we all want workers to be paid premium wages for taping a box closed. Shit doesn't add up.

 

and when you do find something good the price is ridiculous.

used to be you could get a great quality silnylon tarp for $80-120 now the really good ones are almost $250 it seems.

I actually found one on Amazon from the company OneTigris 10x10. I was just looking for a link to post here cause it was a good price and pretty decent quality but can't seem to find it anymore.

the Hennessy silnylon rainfly/tarp one for my hammock is almost $300CND now. But from what I've heard they are great quality.

 

and how many of the jobs that are being claimed to be overseas are really just gone to robots.

We hear it here in Canada too, all the factory workers saying they are sending jobs overseas, they really aren't they just give them to robots now days.
I was working at one of the factories for Mondelez International Foods a month or so ago and you wouldn't believe the amount of robotics there. Same with Amazon, worked at their warehouse that supplies the greater toronto area and almost everything is automated now days. The boxes aren't even taped by workers.

 

So cheap, quality and lightweight. Tough order.

I haven't tried these, but may be what you're looking for:

https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Quest-Guide-Tarp-Medium/dp/B01C6J169G

https://www.amazon.com/Chill-Gorill..._1?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=BDY81CY33BN2GJ654V9S

 

https://www.kelty.com/noahs-tarp/

These tarps are fantastic, and show up on W00T a lot. I have a 12 that I use sometimes when weight isn't a factor when hammock camping. 12' and up are multi-set up configuration tarps, the 9' is only diamond configuration.

 

You’ll thank me later

https://slumberjack.com/roadhouse-tarp/

 

Wow, that thing is awesome!

 

It’s only $100 on Amazon btw

 

These show up on Camofire.com about every other week and go for about $80.00 or so.

https://www.camofire.com/

 

This! My camping buddy has one that we call Tarpzilla. He used it extensively when camping in Alaska either pitched over his tent to keep things dry or over the campfire to keep the gathering happy.

The dude is a pro, casting removable paracord lines high up in trees to secure it under a lot of tension and angling the sides to shed the rain.

Here's a couple pics from President's Day Weekend (appropriately at Cape Disappointment). You can see the red paracord lines going off to anchor points:






At that height, campfires have never even singed it.

 

I have personally rebuilt those box taping machines. They eliminated a few low paying jobs to provide me with a well paying job.

When I was apprenticing the owner used to say if I can train you to do a job to full competency in one week that job should NEVER pay more than minimum wage.

 

+1 for the slumberjack!