affordable tarp shelters?

[Steeliedrew]

Well, I'm scrambling to get gear together before my september elk hunt. I'm leaning towards a tarp/bivy combo and would love a Kifaru Super Tarp or the Para Tarp but its not really in the cards right now to spend that much. Newborn son at home with Momma so money is tight til she gets back to work in August! I still need to get some quality base layers, sleeping bag, pad, bivy sack, cooking stove (jetboil probably), and of course some type of tarp shelter.

So my question is, are there any tarp shelters worth a damn for $150 or less? This would be just an early season shelter used in SW WA.

Thank you,

Drew

 

[arthurvino]

Mount laurel designs in sil-nylon.

 

[Manosteel]

Mountain Smith LT - Palace for one and can fit two; similar style to Mega tarp. $109 at most places. Do a search on here for it there are a lot of threads.

 

[hammer0419]

Definitely can not beat the Mountainsmith shelter. There is a post on here. Some guys just recently got them for $78 on sale. Other than this I would look at a Bearpaw Wilderness Design shelter. John is a great guy to deal with and he will accommodate all your needs for a great price.

 

[SHTF]

Yep Mountain LT is my solo go to Shelter. Setup is like 3 minutes and Ive been through some pretty rough weather with it and its held up well. its a bit on the heavy side compared to the Mega at 2.3 lbs but still very reasonable. Made of 70d coated Silnylon. Wish they would make a different color. Hate the Yellow.

 

[Manosteel]

Yellow does suck but you will never lose it in a storm, fog or darkness

 

[Bmcox86]

Mountainsmith is what I went with, $80 at backcountry.com a few weeks ago

 

[Steeliedrew]

The LT is looking good and the price point is very nice. Thanks guys!

Hate to jack my own thread but now that we have tarps taken care of, how bout some quality, affordable Bivy's?

 

[Hunt'nFish]

The LT is looking good and the price point is very nice. Thanks guys!

Hate to jack my own thread but now that we have tarps taken care of, how bout some quality, affordable Bivy's?

Mountainsmith LT here as well. Wish it were a tad longer but oh well, the price was right.

As far a bivy sack........
If all your wanting is a little protection from bugs, the 14oz Slumberjack "No Fly Zone" bivy
would probably do at about $30 from Campmor. It is floorless though, so no ground protection.
I have an Oware bivy (6oz) that is mostly waterproof, except bug screen portion. I paid a fair bit for it and don't really use/need the waterproof technology in it.
Hunt'nFish

Slumberjack No Fly Zone Bivy

The Brooks Range - Ultralight Sleeping Bag Cover is another inexpensive bivy option.
$40 from backcountry. Not waterproof but, more so that the Slumberjack bivy.

 

[Brent1321]

I use the Gatewood Cape by Six Moons Design. I really love this shelter. Think it was $135. Small and takes some getting used to, but works great. Plenty of room for one guy and gear. I pitch mine about 8" off the ground to make it more spacious. Poured buckets last year, and I stayed perfectly dry, minus one leak where I failed to apply enough seam sealant.

Brent

 

[mfolch]

Just went through a similar process. After a ton of reading on ultralight backpacking fora, I ended up going with an Oware tarp. Weighs less than half as much as the Mountainsmith and costs about the same. Apparently, Oware, which gets consistently great reviews, is considered one of the most durable tent and tarp-makers out there - next to hyperlight mountain gear, a company that makes kifaru look inexpensive. Instead of a bivvy, I picked up a net tent insert from bearpaw wilderness designs, which weighs more than a bivvy but is better suited for the climate I often find myself in (buggy and damp over the spring and summer, and it rains constantly in the fall and early winter). I didn't like they way the tieout loops are distributed on the bearpaw tarps. Borah gear is also worth looking at. I like their bivvies, but their site was down while I was shopping. Also, one can make a tyvek bivvy for about $5.

 

[BroodBuster]

Years ago I was looking at some of the spendy tarps but a mountaineering buddy talked me out of them and in to the Integral Designs SilTarp2. I'm sure glad he did as that thing has survived 5 really tough years and has held up awesome. It's so small and light it's always in my pack even if I'm carrying a tent. What's impressed me the most is how versatile it is. I can string it up and stretch it in many different ways.



http://www.integraldesigns.com/product_detail.cfm?id=727

 

[LandYacht]

Appy Trails Mark 3 and 5 are worth checking out. Still have a 3, but use my LBO. Not a bad deal for a hundred bucks. Might even sell my three...

 

[kipper09]

not to highjack the thread but will flick lock trekking poles work with the mountainsmith? if so what is everybody using?

 

[mrbillbrown]

Kipper, flick lock trekking poles work fine with the MS Shelter LT. I've got a set of Easton Hike 7075's that I use with mine.

 

[Floorguy]

For inexpensive sil tarps there is Etowah outfitters there tarps are really competitively priced they are also the company that makes the tarps for Bushcraft Outfitters.

 

[Ruskin]

If you just wanted a flat 6x9 you can check amazon. There are a couple sil nylon tarps in the 60-90 range.

 

[Steeliedrew]

I'm liking the looks of the appy trails mark III.

 

[LandYacht]

It's a really decent shelter. Perfect for one and gear. No room for gear really with two people though. I don't think there is anyway to put three full size people in there though...unless you really have to

 

[trophytaka]

Check out Etowa Tarps. Ive got the sil nylon 8 x 10 and love it.