I have usually taken one of those cheap polyethylene tarps (the green ones) for creating the kitchen/sit-in area for a backcountry canoe trip. They're cheap but heavy and don't pack as nicely. Want to see if someone can recommend a tarp that's lighter (and more importantly packs nicely) and better but still for a decent price. I need it to be large enough to cover 6 people + gear. I think on my last trip I took one that was 12 x 15!!!!!

As you can tell, most of my backcountry canoe trips aren't too hardcore... Usually in Killarney or Algonquin, Maybe a few portages but nothing too crazy and we usually just camp on one site.[quote][/quote]

One of the best deals around for a quality basic tarp is the MEC Guide Tarp either in silnylon or polyester. The silnylon being lighter and packing smaller.

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5046-107/ ... uides-Tarp

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"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

My choice is a silnylon guide tarp from MEC.

It's done everything from a tarp, windbreak, water collection, bivy sack, table cloth, sail, sun shade, fire reflector, etc...
Mine has to be 10 years old.
We regularly have our fire (in a firebox) under our tarp and have only had two very small burn holes so far. Knock on wood.

Another vote for the MEC Guide Tarp. I have a nylon one from 1999 that I still use. I would get silnylon, unless you want to pitch close to a fire. Silnylon is not spark-friendly. Nylon is more forgiving, just a little bit heavier.

The chinook one is fine for $50 https://www.lacordee.com/en/chinook-all ... arp-medium

I have Chinooks in both 9'6"x12 and 12 x 14. They are good bang for the buck. Tie out points are oddly placed, so I've added grosgrain loops in more useful positions.

We have the MEC Guide Tarp in both sizes( polyester). Both at least 15 years old and have taken a beating, heavier than the silnylon but resists spark burns better.

'Tie out points are oddly placed, so I've added grosgrain loops in more useful positions.'

We added some too. Just long enough to make a nice end door storm flaps for hammock. It helped me learn the sewing machine a bit and it led me to make a winter hot tent. Funny how little things rolls along to bigger things.

Do they also take up more space when folded compared to their silnylon cousins?

I use my Kelty Noah for hammock camping and shelter when need be. Also had the Eureka Bug out Zone which offers a decent sized tarp.

Does everyone find that a 10 x 10 or a 9x12 is sufficient to adequately cover 6 campers (maybe in chairs), gear and protect the fire too from a blowing rain? I like mine a little bigger, hence the 12 x 14.

I think 10x10 would be tight for 6 and gear. Mine is 15x15, and maybe a bit big, but I never am disappointed with the extra dry space.

rab

10 x 10 is barely comfortable for one or maybe two people for anything other than a light sprinkle of rain with no wind whatsoever. Even that presumes you can set it up perfectly.

In any sort of actual rain with even a bit of wind the size of the tarp won't actually cover much more than half the actual area (a 10 x 10 might cover 5 x 5 or 25 square feet) for 6 people that would give each person 2' x 2', only enough space to stand or squat!

For 6 people, gear and a fire you need a HUGE tarp plus nice flat ground and suitable trees to hang it from.

For any tarp unless you just want to crawl under you will find that you lose 2 - 3 feet all around that will be damp at best, the higher the tarp is hung the less usable space.

Your average 2 person tent has a floor area of about 30 sg ft, think about how crowded it would be with 6 people inside!

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"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

I concur with recped. The MEC sil/nylon guides tarp is great. Spend a few extra bucks and get the sil/nylon instead of the regular nylon Guides Tarp. Lighter...packs tighter...stronger.

If you want to go a step further, order a sil/nylon tarp from Cooke Custom Sewing (USA). They have ridgeline loops sewn in, making for very versatile set-up options. Whatever you do, don't get a tarp smaller than 10x14'. 10x10 is inadequate except as a second supplementary tarp.

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www.mikemonaghan.ca

What's your tarp?