Thinking of going to a tarp to save weight.
For you guys running tarps , what if anything are you using for a ground cloth ? I'm thinking of pitching in or just after a good rain when the ground is soaked . Thoughts ?
I use a Matty mcmat face for my ground clothe most of the time with a neoair on top of it. The matty is only 8 ounces so is ~as light as a ground cloth and provides some cush. It is larger that most ground clothes rolled up though. I have a DST which I’ve used for a few years. Last fall I bought the Eolus and feel it is an improvement over the DST in all ways For about the same weight.
i would only change one thing (not saying it’s right or wrong) by getting a DCF tarp for multi use. For now, I’m going to use my zpacks wide DCF bathtub ground sheet as a meat tarp while breaking game down… DCF is a perfect material for that, it weighs nothing in the pack, waterproof, and super easy to clean off… you could use it for a meat tarp late morning and use it as a shelter that evening without it being nasty… find a little creek or wallow (or use a nalgene full of water) and the blood and mess cleans off with ease, shake it out and good as new.
the one down side to a DCF tarp is noise and shine if you plan to use your tarp as a glassing shelter or need to wait out a squall… how practical of a problem is that? I don’t know, but something maybe to consider for some.