Review: Warbonnet Ground Tarp (SPOILER: It’s awesome)

Joined
Apr 18, 2019
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1,648
There isn’t much info out about these tarps, even less on hunting forums. I recommend it constantly in posts but usually seem to get lost in the main hunting brands. I’m here to tell you this is THE best lightweight tarp out there.

It is more or less a flat tarp with doors. …doesn’t sound interesting?…. Well what that means is that you can do most of the pitches you would want to do with a flat tarp, while also having the ability to close off the sides to keep wind and rain out. Yes, you can pitch flat tarps in ways that accomplish this, but you sacrifice a ton of space. For 17oz, you can sleep three people and gear! 17 ounces and you can sit up, even at 6’4”. It accomplishes this in two ways: 1: The doors mean you can lay almost all the way to either end and stay dry, whereas in open tarps you need a buffer. 2: The two panel pulls on both side really spread the tarp, giving steep angles at the walls to maximize useable floor area.

It is so nice having “doors” when the temps drop in those mountain storms. Keeping the wind out and the heat in adds so much comfort. I’ve gone out to pee, and it’s 10-15 degrees cooler outside than in…but if it was the other way around, the doors and be left open for ventilation or pitch it like a lean-to.

I keep a few feet of lightweight cordage attached at all the guyout points so it can be pitched in less than 3 minutes solo…less with two people. We’ve beat out many rain and hailstorms doing this.

10/10. Highly recommend. It is always in my pack whether I’m day hiking or backpacking.

Pic below is us hanging out in NM waiting out a hailstorm and cooking some ramen. Next pic is actually their superfly tarp, which is basically the same thing but for hammocks. I just don’t have an outside pic of it pitched.

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Joined
May 22, 2017
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504
All the pictures on the website are the tarp pitched in an A frame configuration. Can this tarp be pitched in popular pitches like the plow point, tent, Holden, etc.? When laid flat, is it a perfect rectangle? What gives it the doors? It does look nice for a shelter but it doesn’t look as versatile as a flat tarp and it seems it requires a ridge line.
 
OP
G
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
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The main body of the tarp is a rectangle. It’s hard to describe the doors. Picture an A-frame pitch, but where there would normally be no fabric, they left a triangle shaped piece of fabric on both sides of each end that overlap creating a door.

I have not tried to make those other pitches, though am not sure why one ever would want to if they had this tarp other than maybe lack of space. If you’re concerned with wind, you can lower the ridge height and have shallower side angles.

You do NOT need a ridge line. There is a very heavy duty seem and attachments in the middle that will take more tension than you could possibly put on the tarp. You need two trekking poles, two sticks, two trees, or any two combinations of those to pitch and about 5’ of ultralight cordage on each end of the ridge.

Skim this video:
 

sram9102

WKR
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
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1,009
Location
IN
This looks very similar to my simply light designs winter haven tarp. Super versatile, I initially used it for a hammock tarp but have used it many times as a floor less shelter.

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OP
G
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Messages
1,648
This looks very similar to my simply light designs winter haven tarp. Super versatile, I initially used it for a hammock tarp but have used it many times as a floor less shelter.

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Yes. Very similar. I have a Hammock Gear tarp that is like yours.
 

twall13

WKR
Joined
Jan 21, 2015
Messages
2,574
Location
Utah
I don't have any experience with their ground tarp but I have 3 different Warbonnet tarps for hammocks and they are all great. Well built and at a reasonable price comparatively.

I wouldn't hesitate to use my Warbonnet Superfly tarp in a very similar setup to the ground tarp if I had to, but I prefer being up off the ground when possible.

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OP
G
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
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1,648
Are those spreader Bars on top?
On the outside pic, it is, but that’s not the exact same tarp. That’s the hammock version because I didn’t have an outside pic.

Both the ground tarp and hammock tarp have two panel pulls on both sides. You can use spreader bars on both, but I never have. Stake into the ground, tie to a tree (best method), or use a combination of a ground stake and stick so that the pulling motion is coming from a higher off the ground. The matter is only necessary if you have three people in it to maximize space. If it is just one or two people, you don’t need the panel pulls for anything besides stabilizing the sides.
 
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