Wandering through Walmart this evening, I found a cheap tarp. Walmart sells it as a sunwall for 10'x10' camping gazebo under their house brand, Ozark Trails.

It is nylon measuring about 9.5'x6' and sells for $15.

They also have a smaller 5'x7' tarp for $10, also one of their house brands.

Conway Yee

Hahaha! I love it.

Not sure if they're as thick as Ozark brand but I recently bought some tarps on Amazon a bit cheaper than that, shipped. I do like cheap tarps as backup and dirty jobs where I don't want to ruin a good camping tarp.

I was worried about buying through Amazon since I am not sure I am not going to end up with those HEAVY blue tarps that are not suitable for my needs. I want it much lighter. Which Amazon product did you buy?

tnx.
Conway Yee

This one?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-10-x-10-Sun-Wall-Dark-Gray/22402169?findingMethod=rr?



shipping weight almost 5 lb.

Yee, if you want a light, cheap tarp, try Harbor Freight. I just bought 3 7x9 tarps for covering wood at the campsite, rain covers, etc. They were on coupon for $1.99 each. The quality if fair and if you don't plan to carry them on your back they are great. I often use one when cleaning the roof, then drag the loaded tarp across the (not grass :-) yard and have not had one tear or abrade significantly yet.

Respectfully,

Jerry

I am fond of the HF tarps as well. They hold up well and are quite inexpensive.

I buy one now and then when I get a coupon for one.

IMO, tarps are like ammo, there just is no such thing as enough.

That is it. The shipping weight is NOT the product itself.
I am looking for a tarp suitable for backpacking use but the stuff at REI/EMS is on the order of $40-50. Too expensive for a flat sheet of fabric.

The material is similar to tent fabric but heavier than sil-nylon.

My complaint of tarps from Harbor Freight is that they are too bulky for backpacking use.

Conway Yee

Yee,

Is this a coated tarp? From the description, it could be uncoated (it is for vertical use). If not, it would probably not be suitable for most of the uses for a tarp.

Respectfully,

Jerry

Good point. I can't tell. I'm going to try it out the hard way and find out!

Conway Yee

It is coated. I filled up a sink and the tarp kept the sink happily full.

Conway Yee

Thata boy!

how much does it weigh?

Hard to say since I don't have a scale that can weigh such light things. The fabric is similar to tent fabric.

Conway Yee

This is the one. It's a bit thinner which I also prefer. The price tends to change daily on amazon.


8X6
http://www.amazon.com/100686-8-Foot-5-Millimeter-Brown-Reversible/dp/B000FH5UW6/ref=pd_sim_hi_34


And other sizes

http://www.amazon.com/110142-10-foot-14-...p;keywords=Tarp

Further experimentation. I just spent a night in the rain under the Walmart tarp. No problems.

Conway Yee

Conway,

Can you confirm that the tarp is really 10'x10'. It seems it would be more likely that it is 10'x8'. The tent gazebos that it is made for are 10' wide but not 10' tall so there seems to be no reason to make the sidewall tarp 10' tall. Are there extra tie down loops at the 8' point, or otherwise how would they be fastened to the gazebo?

The website picture shows it as a rectangle--not a square. But, I suppose some of it could be hanging down on the other side.

One of the packages was open so I looked around inside the box. The corners have elastic bands with some kind of metal clip on them. I was tempted.

In the UK, milspec desert camouflage tarp/basha is available for around $30. (£20)

http://www.strikeforcesupplies.co.uk/index.php?method=stock&id=20087&from=18

NSN 8415-99-360-4782

Sizes: approx 255cm x 215cm (8.5' x 7'), weighs around 850gms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGkHyiVGwkE