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My cheap tarp setup was garbage until I switched to a silnylon fly | Camping Gear Reviews - The Community Guide

My cheap tarp setup was garbage until I switched to a silnylon fly

I spent 3 summers fighting with a blue tarp from the hardware store. Every morning I woke up with puddles inside because the grommets leaked and the whole thing sagged like crazy after a bit of rain. Finally dropped $80 on a silnylon tarp from a small brand out of Colorado last spring. The difference is night and day honestly. It packs down way smaller, no water pooling because the fabric actually stretches tight, and I stopped waking up damp. Made my canoe trips in the Boundary Waters way more pleasant. Anyone else ditch the heavy plastic and notice how much better their sleep is?

2 comments

2 Comments

anthony_jackson2mo ago

Man, that blue tarp struggle is real. I remember waking up in a literal puddle one night because the grommet leaked and the whole thing sagged into my face. Switching to silnylon was like going from a wet cardboard box to an actual shelter. The stretch is key, yeah, but also the fact that it doesn't hold water weight is huge. My old setup would be twice as heavy after a storm and took forever to dry. Now I just shake mine off and it's basically dry in 5 minutes. Plus packing it down to the size of a soda can is a game changer for backcountry trips.

elizabethhart2mo ago

@anthony_jackson yeah, same here... I had a blue tarp collapse on me during a storm in the Smokies and ended up sleeping in a wet sleeping bag the whole night. Switched to a polycro groundsheet and a silnylon tarp after that, and honestly the weight difference is ridiculous. I can pack my whole shelter setup in one hand now and it's way less fussy... no more waking up with water pooling in the corners. The drying time thing is spot on too, I can break camp in the rain and just shake it off when I get home, no mildew issues.