Tyvek alternatives

[snowplow]

Hi, I need a groundcloth for my tarp shelter. Last year I just used the lightest home depot plastic dropcloth. It worked out fine but I think I can do better. I know a lot of you guys use Tyvek but was wondering if there were any good alternatives?

Tyvek is a house wrap, but there are a bunch of different house wraps, many that are much quieter and more flexible.

Why use loud Tyvek? Any other good options?

Thanks!

 

[FreeRange]

I like the emergency space blankets but they are neither as durable nor "quiet" as tyvek, though lighter and more dual purspose.

Polycryo window covering material, which you can get at the depot, is lighter and quieter than tyvek but very low on the durability scale. It's popular with the ultralight backpack crowd, some even make shelters out of it which is crazy. If you're talking about the clear-ish plastic drop cloths for painters that HD sells, polycryo is more durable than that material.

Nylon double coated with silicon is probably more what you're for, a bit heavier than tyvek but not by much.

 

[Akicita]

I use a Kifaru Sheep Tarp. . . 5' x 9' roughly 9 ounces or so - and can be used for so many other things other than a ground cloth.

 

[Muley Buck]

I use a Kifaru Sheep Tarp. . . 5' x 9' roughly 9 ounces or so - and can be used for so many other things other than a ground cloth.

I was wondering about doing this, but I was worried about tearing up the sheep tarp on rocky/snaggy terrain.

 

[Tsnider]

tyvek is pretty quiet and very flexible once you run it through the washer with ONLY cold water. air dry. do that once or twice and it just feels like a durable cloth.

 

[Felix40]

We made some out of the lightweight shower curtain material and they seem to be working fine. Maybe not the best thing out there but cheap and easy.

 

[Beendare]

Just a note on Tyvek;

It will wick water through it on wet ground...

 

[snowplow]

Just a note on Tyvek;

It will wick water through it on wet ground...

REALLY? I thought that was the whole deal with Tyvek (waterproof)?

 

[camping1601]

There was a thread last fall or so where people were using SOL emergency blankets.

 

[yak]

6mil visqueen from the hardware store. Add a couple grommets if you want to stake it down.

 

[Akicita]

I was wondering about doing this, but I was worried about tearing up the sheep tarp on rocky/snaggy terrain.

I have 2 Seek Outside ground cloths I use on really nasty ground. . . A little heavier than the Sheep Tarp by a few ounces and limited to ground cloth use only as it doesn't have grommets. They have been through some really tough use and are holding up well. My sleeping pad also doesn't seem to slip as much on the Seek Oustide tarps as the Sheep Tarp.

 

[Muley Buck]

I have 2 Seek Outside ground cloths I use on really nasty ground. . . A little heavier than the Sheep Tarp by a few ounces and limited to ground cloth use only as it doesn't have grommets. They have been through some really tough use and are holding up well. My sleeping pad also doesn't seem to slip as much on the Seek Oustide tarps as the Sheep Tarp.

Ya, I'm looking to get a Cimarron and a lite outdoors cylinder stove this spring. I just don't want to tear a hole(s) in my air mattress. I was going to get one of the Seek outside ground cloths too, but thought I might use a sheep tarp too. Dual purpose, you know.

 

[oldgoat]

tyvek is pretty quiet and very flexible once you run it through the washer with ONLY cold water. air dry. do that once or twice and it just feels like a durable cloth.

This is what I did, I tried sleeping on a SilNylon tarp once, I don't recommend it unless you smear some seam sealer on it to make it less slippery! My piece of tyvek has two seasons on it

 

[Muley Buck]

Ya, I was thinking the same thing. I'm not a big fan of slipping and sliding around when I'm trying to sleep.

 

[Upcountry]

I've tried a few different things in the past in my Golite SL1 and SL3... Tyvek(packs bulky, and holds dirt), Polycro(didn't like the clear aspect), and one of the SOL blankets. The "Heavy Duty" one, in the dark green color. I've had it for over two years and it's held up well, even with a dog walking around on it. The material is more quiet than most space blankets by a long shot, and it's got a "rubbery" give to it that prevents punctures and tears. It's saved my butt in the past as one early October trip dipped into the low teens unexpectedly. It's size(5'x8') allowed it to be folded under and over me(shiny side in towards me) over my bag and pad and added some warmth to my 20 degree bag and also cut the wind that was creeping in. It's one of those pieces that I carry as a "survival tool" but also can use routinely, so the few extra ounces it adds isn't an issue.
Survive Outdoors Longer(R) Heavy Duty Emergency Blanket - Shelter - Survival | S.O.L.(R) | Survive Outdoors Longer(R)

With that said, I have since made a nice deep bathtub style floor that clips in to my SL3 using some 1.1 oz Silpoly PU4000 that weighs about 9 ounces. It's nice with two people, or with the dog and I, not having to worry about it shifting around or with water working it's way in.

 

[tttoadman]

I am a fan of bathtub floors. I use the nest for my other tarp and drop the nest and sleep on top of the netting. Keeps all my stuff in order. I have long tie backs that reach out to the pegs even on the cimarron. My brother picked up one of the tub floors from Bearpaw.

 

[Akicita]

This is what I did, I tried sleeping on a SilNylon tarp once, I don't recommend it unless you smear some seam sealer on it to make it less slippery! My piece of tyvek has two seasons on it

I have two pieces of of non slip tool box shelf liners from Sears that are about 24 x24. I use one of them to roll my carbon fiber tent pole in before stuffing it in my pack to protect it and the other one goes in my wood stove bag to keep if from shifting around in the pack. I use them for a lot of different things around camp but before I go to bed I throw them under my sleep pad to keep if from sliding around on my ground cloth. . . Not a big issue for me with or without them since I am a relative calm sleeper but I do agree it can be a challenge on uneven ground without them.

 

[boom]

my buddy hiked the PCT with nothing but a sheet of that stuff they use to tint windows for insulation. he abused it and it never tore...he used it as a ground cloth.

polycro tarp??..he gave me a sheet and it is ethereal in weight..it weighs nothing. sorry if i cannot remember the name. the lightweight guys are loving the stuff.

 

[Clarktar]

my buddy hiked the PCT with nothing but a sheet of that stuff they use to tint windows for insulation. he abused it and it never tore...he used it as a ground cloth.

polycro tarp??..he gave me a sheet and it is ethereal in weight..it weighs nothing. sorry if i cannot remember the name. the lightweight guys are loving the stuff.

I think you might be referring to this type of material

Duck Brand 281504 Indoor 5-Window Shrink Film Kit, 62-Inch x 210-Inch - Replacement Dishwasher Doors - Amazon.com

 

[LBFowler]

Ya, I'm looking to get a Cimarron and a lite outdoors cylinder stove this spring. I just don't want to tear a hole(s) in my air mattress. I was going to get one of the Seek outside ground cloths too, but thought I might use a sheep tarp too. Dual purpose, you know.

the newer SO ground tarps have tie outs now (second picture).

Ground Tarp - Seek Outside

40d fabric so it is a little heavier then most of the 30d tent fabric, and the PU coating should make it less slippery then most sil options