tarp recomendations

[thand]

Hello

Once the "current situation" has passed I was looking to make use of my spontaneous bivvi bag purchase 2 years ago.

Can anyone recommend a decent affordable lightweight tarp and what size I should be looking at?

My one man tent is 1.8kg and my bivvi bag is 500g so looking to try and see if i can make a weight saving using a a tarp and walking pole set up.

Thanks

[jacob]

The most versatile tarps with the most possible configurations will be 3x3 tarps with 7 or more loops on each side.

However, although it doesn't fit the above description, I myself have an older version of this one, and I'm quite happy with it.
Good enough for most practical and less NASA style configurations, well tough, sealed seams, a great reinforced pocket for a setup with a walking pole, and a nice daisy chain on top for setups in forests. And it fits your preconditions of affordable.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/tarp-trek-900-grey-id_8545743.html

[Mal Grey]

The DD 3 x 3 is used by lots of people I know including lots of folk with scouts who do like to break things, and all seem happy. I have the bigger version for group camps which I've had for about 7 years, though it is now getting tatty. I also have an Alpkit Rig14 which I got when they were selling off an old version cheap; better fabrics and tie-in loops but not actually quite as versatile as the basic DD 3 x 3; not much is.

I used tarps lots. I only bother with the bivvy bag under mine if the forecast is damp or its very cold, but I always have it with me. Square tarps are good because of the versatility of shape you can make; there are plenty of resources showing hundreds of different methods for pitching tarps. I tend towards the simple ones where possible.

Tarping is fun as you can get shelter whilst still feeling "outside", though you don't save as much weight as you might think by the time you've got lots of pegs and guylines involved, and you will need them. Trekking poles are great to use with tarps too.

[DavidShepherd]

https://www.adventure1.co.uk/contents/en-us/p35676_military-basha.html

Similar to that? Always used that to bivvie in the reserves. Lightweight, windproof and waterproof.

[thand]

Thanks very much for your advice

[Caberfeidh]

I use a helicopter landing pad windsock which fell off the back of an oil rig. Once the oily grime was scraped off it was almost fit for human habitation...

[jacob]

I use a helicopter landing pad windsock which fell off the back of an oil rig. Once the oily grime was scraped off it was almost fit for human habitation...

I visited Skye in 2016. While there, I also tried to find the jurassic prints on Corran beach. Several tourists were there, all nose down, trying to xray the seaweeds covering the rocks.
On the slope in front of the beach an odd looking man was sat, enjoying the views on us, nose-down tourists, laughing out loud and claiming "better than telly".
Ever since then, I've been wondering wether that odd man was WH's Caberfeidh.

[Mal Grey]

I use a helicopter landing pad windsock which fell off the back of an oil rig. Once the oily grime was scraped off it was almost fit for human habitation...

I visited Skye in 2016. While there, I also tried to find the jurassic prints on Corran beach. Several tourists were there, all nose down, trying to xray the seaweeds covering the rocks.
On the slope in front of the beach an odd looking man was sat, enjoying the views on us, nose-down tourists, laughing out loud and claiming "better than telly".
Ever since then, I've been wondering wether that odd man was WH's Caberfeidh.

If so, you can bet he was sat on the dino footprints!

[Marty_JG]

£100 will get you a 1kg tent

[rgf101]

Tarping is fun as you can get shelter whilst still feeling "outside", though you don't save as much weight as you might think by the time you've got lots of pegs and guylines involved, and you will need them. Trekking poles are great to use with tarps too.

I'd heartily second this. Any weight saving is minimal. The point of a tarp/bivvy set up is that when the weather's decent and you're not worried about midges, it's simply better. Less faff getting in and out through your inner and outer tent doors, better views, more space, more versatility, no worries about getting mud from your boots all over the tent floor.

Weight's not a consideration when I'm deciding to take tent or tarp, it's all about wind, rain and midges. Sometimes, you want cocooned.

I've got the Alptkit Rig 7 - does the job nicely, but have never tried any others.

[gaffr]

Wonder if the Banks ever paid back this vast sum to the those who manage the taxpayers fortune?

Anyway, do folks who use Tarps for camping ever use these for shelter during the midge season in Scotland?