https://chlorophylle.com makes a well-known tarp, in two sizes, which is extensively used by commercial paddling outfitters (canoe and kayak) in the Far North and on mountain rivers. It's not an easy tarp to find. You might have to contact Chlorophylle directly.

I've used a CCS Tundra Tarp for years on Arctic and subarctic canoe trips. No shortage of strong winds. It held up very well, without issue. As littleredcanoe and Mike McCrea stated, CCS products are well made and CCS is very supportive of the canoe tripping community. To bad your CCS tarp experience was not more positive.

_________________
Brian
http://www.JohnstonPursuits.ca

 

If you are having a custom tarp made you could look at having D rings sewn into the webbing loops- Beastie Ds are the the premium option.

I've begun putting panel pulls in the middle of each quarter panel on my tarps. These can be used to stop water pooling or help stop the wind from pushing the tarp into a concave sail. I've been experimenting with bonding these with silicone instead of sewing, so far so good!

I mostly use silicone coated polyester now as I prefer the way it doesn't stretch when wet. It's not as strong in theory but it has better UV resistance and the lack of stretch helps make for a more wind resistant pitch.

CCS have always been the gold standard for tarps. Oware in the USA make some nice tarps. In Canada, I know Hofman Outdoor Gear Supply and Little Shop of Hammocks both make hammock tarps but they are both pretty busy on the hammock side of things.

_________________
http://www.canoepaddler.net

Honestly making a tarp is a great starter project for teaching yourself how to sew/MYOG.

Buy the fabric you want, any accessories you want. However many and wherever any tie outs you want to install.

I did one as a winter project 6 years ago and it's survived many squalls off Georgian bay. Doesn't even show any wear yet really, other then I have reapplied the seam seal on the ridgeline a few times.

I don't know if I would recommend 1.1oz silpoly for your first unless you have the patience of a saint. I found the 1.6oz silnylon a little easier to work with. The silpoly I found really slippery and it had a learning curve to working with it.

The 1.6oz Silpoly from Ripstopbythe Roll is a nice fabric to work with.

Lot's of videos on Youtube!

Another tip: Do not use too heavy fabric for the tie out reinforcements, either use same or something like a 2.2oz. Too heavy and the load is concentrated at the edge of the patch and may tear along the stitch line.

_________________
http://www.canoepaddler.net

I have been using AquaQuest tarps (guide and defender) exclusively for many years in the best and worst conditions Mother nature can throw at them. Never had any issue with the tie outs, stitching or waterproofing. After hundreds of days use they are as good as new still. They are not the lightest (but not bad either at 1.5lb for a 10x10), but excellent quality and a Canadian company to boot.

_________________
https://www.instagram.com/outbound2explore/

Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit. ~ Edward Abbey

You might consider adding a “Gator Clip” to your tarp kit. Those grasp the edge of the tarp and can be used with a guy line or a tarp pole tip through the hole.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Heavy-Duty-T ... lsrc=aw.ds

My local hardware store sells them individually. The colorful tarp flag in the photo above is attached with one.



The times I have been on (poorly coordinated) group trips with several too-small-for-the-group tarps the resulting cover was unsatisfactory at best. Erecting multiple tarps so that rain isn’t blowing though some overlap is an oft-unsuccessful nightmare.

That said I often bring a small 6x8 or 8x10 PU coated nylon tarp for secondary purposes; laid on the ground as a staging area on family trips for staging, packing and unpacking gear, cover the firewood in rain or set up near vertical as a windbreak if the weather shifts.

I have an old Timberline Annex tarp rigged with clips so I can easily move it from one side of the Tundra Tarp to the other, which is a lot easier than reorienting the entire tarp.

... and I just realized what all the talk about tarp clips is ... as an alternative to edge loops. so it doesn't matter really if a tarp has specific edge loops because with good tarp clips you can create that connection point anywhere! I just didn't clue into that.

I am looking seriously at AquaQuest. I like that they are Canadian and appear to make quality tarps.

I'm using cheapish $50 'Chinook' brand Polyurethane-coated tarps these days. They seem to be available in tan or dark-green, and have been reliable so far. I'm getting them at the local 'Ma and Pa' outdoors store. MEC 'had' good tarps, and my old (gray) Scout tarp lasted for almost a decade. I'm not at all fond of the circus-clown colours they are offering. Not at all fond of MEC either these days.

I'm scratching my head over how the cord is cutting through the webbing on the Cooke tarp? The cord would need to be moving saw-like across the webbing to produce this effect, but in a properly rigged tarp the cord should capture the webbing. Make a loop in the cord-end, pass through the web-loop, and then tuck the tail through the cord-loop before running to anchor.

Me too. I've never had tarp loops give way before. I've been using the MEC tarps I have for over 10 years, multiple trips a year, some very windy stormy conditions and never has a loop given way. I set up the Cooke the same way as with my MEC tarps... and BAM! And as I said the other 3 corners were also in various stages of ripping.

I have no answer. I don't think it was "user error". Or, if I do set up a tarp in error, the MEC tarps seem to handle my set up fine. All I can say, based on the facts, is that perhaps Cooke used different webbing on my tarp that was not able to handle the conditions. Which is why I will no longer by a Cooke tarp because I can't be confident in what I am going to end up with and the last thing I want is a tarp to go flying while we are in a storm and cooking.

I've been using a CCS Tundra Tarp for near 10 years. It has the requisite spark holes but otherwise has held up very well. No problems with any of the tie out loops.

AquaQuest tarps are made in China not Canada. They may still be good, I've never seen or used one.

I've used my 15x15 CCS tarp for at least 5 years, maybe 6. No issues at all with any of the webbing. I also usually set it up with a ridge line.
When guiding we always used Chlorophylle tarps. Never had one rip ever and we'd have serious winds on the Alsek River at the end of August. They are quite bulky, don't think I'd use one on a lake/portage trip in Ontario.

rab

Yes we know there are many Cooke tarps out in the wild with many years on them and doing just fine. That's great you have a wonderful and reliable tarp.

I did not. I think it's important to bring this up for those who are making purchase decisions and/or just as a matter of interest. I did not have a good Cooke tarp. It was a waste of money in fact. But for those of you making purchase decisions, go for it I guess.

I don't think you have to keep posting about your fabulous Cooke tarps - we all know of Cooke's good reputation - a few more people posting about their great Cooke tarp isn't really going to add any value here.

Just move forward knowing that Cooke sold a crappy tarp that didn't last 3 trips. It wasn't user error because as I said, I've been using the same tarp set up techniques with other light weight sil tarps with no issues. I got a bad tarp from Cooke. Will he release another bad tarp? THAT is the driving question.

I am hoping Cooke sees this because in the event that he did make a comprimise now there will be motivation to go back to tried and true. If he didn't and the tarp was the same as all the good tarps you have, then perhaps there was a webbing lot quality issue? Something was up with the tarp. I just can't risk it again not knowing. I'd rather go with another brand and take my chances that way. Further, AquaQuest being in canada means less hassle if it needs to be shipped back for repair. And they are slightly cheaper than Cooke. That's the direction I'm heading. You go buy your Cooke tarp and if it works out, like most of them do apparently, great. But, maybe you want to take my experience into consideration and if so, there it is!

The point of this topic is not to compare Cooke tarp experiences but rather to bring up what appears to be a very unusual occurance.

I stated they were a Canadian company which they are, not where the tarp is made I know they are made in China, most stuff is. The quality is very good and the price is palatable as well.

_________________
https://www.instagram.com/outbound2explore/

Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit. ~ Edward Abbey

I trust that while relating your unhappy experience with Cooke Tarps you have corresponded with Dan Cooke directly. I would bet that he would want to make you whole. I find bashing without contacting the maker reprehensible.

Yes. I have no issue with the manner in which CCS wanted to resolve the damaged tarp. But after the tarp was stolen, the whole issue was moot. My issue is with the tarp construction alone.