Your thoughts on canvas tarps

[Ethan-Dubois]

Like many of you, I hunt primarily wilderness/roadless areas, hauling my kit on my back or in a canoe. I have spent most of my 58 years prowling the backcountry with either a long bow or a flintlock. Recently I started to re-assess my backpack kit. My pack in an older Cabela's Alaskan that weighs in at a gentle 12.5 lbs. My shelter is a 12x12 canvas tarp by Frost River weighing 11 lbs. Since I tend to haul in what I want (separate boots to hunt in, leather back quiver, a dozen carbon shafts, Gransford axe, etc.) rather than concern myself with the weight of my kit, it hadn't really seemed important to cut any weight from my set-up. This week, however, I decided it was time to lose some of the pounds off my back. My first thought was to go with a floorless tent. I was drawn to the Silvertip from SeekOutside because I always hunt alone and if cutting weight was the goal, then that was the lightest tent. I pondered the pros and cons for a few days but could never quite get past the idea that the tarp, heavy as it was, was still the ideal shelter. So then I thought, why not change the backpack and lose the weight there. That turned out to be a much easier solution and I ordered a Mystery Ranch Metcalf yesterday.

My reasoning for going with the tarp is as follows: the tarp weighs 11 lbs (dry) and a full package (tent, stove, pipe, stakes) from one of the tipi makers is going to clock it at 6 - 7 lbs. The tarp is tougher. I can start a nice toasty fire in front of it for warmth, drying clothes, or bug deterrent. It gives me far more set-up options. And I like the smell. Like a lot of you, budget is not a concern. But, again like many of you, budget is not a concern because I don't spend my budget without good reason. I cannot justify $1000 to save 5 lbs and get something less versatile.

So what are the flaws in my reasoning? I love researching gear so give a reason to spend the $$$

Cheers

 

[realunlucky]

You could go with a silnylon tarp if you want to stay with a tarp and save 10 lbs


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[fngTony]

I think I understand your thought process. A new pack was needed for more reasons than just cutting weight?

Your body will thank you for cutting pack weight. Maybe not right now but down the road. Don't stop with the pack, keep shedding weight.

 

[Felix40]

Yeah i say get a sil tarp and a stove if you like fire. You will save 8 pounds. Thats a crap ton of weight. Makes no sense to backpack with a canvas tarp to me.

 

[dreamingbig]

10 x 10 foot silnylon tarp from bearpaw wilderness will cost you less than $125 and save you 8 + pounds in weight. He would probably custom build 12 x 12 for not much more. Your call on what the durability is worth for the extra weights. I used one last year for 14 days and it shows no worse for the wear.


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[Beendare]

I get your affinity for canvas. I love canvas...its amazing.
.
that said, it has little place in my kit as its just too bulky and heavy. Yeah, if we have a string of horses we pack in a wall tent...but thats rare. I love a nice big elaborate camp in the backcountry...but its not conducive to success. We do better with a light and mobile camp...that is easily moved. So when we get into animals 3 miles away....we can move a couple miles closer.

When we would setup those big camps....we always talked ourselves out of the move. Canvas is great for painting tarps...silnylon just works better with my strategy.

 

[LBFowler]

I peg the durability of 10oz canvas as comparable to that of 3oz nylon. So yes, while your canvas tarp is tougher then a 1.4oz (most 30d sil) nylon tarp, the later is much tougher then you likely give it credit. The water weight gain is another huge factor, how much does your tarp weigh wet?
I always say that versatility and efficiency tend to be inversely proportionate, tarps are certainly more versatile but a fully enclosed shelter just pitches so much easier and offers so much more protection the trade off rarely makes sense to me.

Not sure how you jumped from Silvertip to 6-7lbs, a silvertip and medium stove from SO is easily under 5lbs.