Top 11 Best Tarp Brands For Hikers
When it comes to ultralight hiking and minimalist camping, tarp shelters are a game-changer. These versatile, lightweight shelters offer protection from the elements while allowing you to pack light and move fast. Perfect for any level hiker, backpackers, and wilderness enthusiasts, tarp shelters are a favourite for their adaptability, compact size, and ability to create a customized setup for any terrain or weather condition.
In this post, we’ll dive into what we believe are the top 11 best tarp brands for hikers, highlighting companies that excel in crafting durable, lightweight, and weather-resistant tarps. Whether you’re looking for an ultralight option for long-distance treks or a rugged, heavy-duty tarp for harsh conditions, this guide will help you discover the best brands to meet your needs.
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Kammok
Kammok is the maker of some of the most durable and reliable outdoor gear in the industry. Their focus is on the strength of the fabrics and the manufacturing techniques to provide clients with weatherproof gear. As you might know, this is not a mere detail but a crucial matter when you are outdoors.
Having the reputation of being a brand you can trust your life on gave Kammok a huge following and sky-rocketed sales. For those looking for an easy-to-carry and pitch, lightweight, sturdy tarp that can save the day, Kammok has many great options to offer.
The fact that each piece comes with a lifetime guarantee might be enough to show the durability of their products.
Notable Tarp: The Kuhli XL
Made for the camping leader, the Khuli XL is the perfect shelter for large groups. It features 16 Hypalion-reinforced guyout points and a reliable knotless design. This dependable shelter will keep you and your group safe, sound, and dry regardless of the weather.
REI Co-op
The second part of the name Co-op comes from the beginnings of this company as a cooperative to help mountaineers. In that sense, the brand’s reputation grew astronomically because they have the insight into mountaineers’ needs that only years of outdoor adventure can give you. It is no surprise that Jim Wittaker, the first USA-born person to summit Mount Everest, was their first employee.
If you are looking for a tarp that can not only get you through the harshest weather but will also be cleverly designed to occupy minimal space, be easy to pitch, and take exactly the shape you need, you can trust REI. Not only does REI make its own gear, but it also carries various other high-quality, reputable brands.
With more than eight decades of non-stop innovation and hard work to back their products up, REI is a brand you can trust when looking for quality outdoor gear.
Notable Tarp: REI Co-op Quarter Dome SL Tarp
Perhaps the most versatile of them all, the REI Quarter Dome SL Tarp is a polyurethane-coated ripstop-nylon tarp with impeccable durability and is waterproof. It can be used as a sleeping shelter, a temporary roof, or any other shape you can think of. Finally, it comes with eight stakes, six quick-attach guylines, and a stuff sack.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
Hyperlite’s name is not a coincidence. Mike St. Pierre called his company that way because they make some of the lightest gear in the world. Moreover, the initial spark to get the company going was to solve his own weight problems whenever he hit the road.
For Hyperlite Mountain Gear, the past decade was a period of intense work, directed innovation, and growth. As a result, their outdoor products became better, and with a revolutionary combination of fabrics, they managed to reduce the weight of the gear while increasing its durability. After thorough testing in the harshest weather, their tarps became the go-to option for some of the highest-demanding athletes in the world.
If you love going out packing as light as possible, you’ll feel you’ve found a gold mine when shopping at Hyperlite Mountain Gear.
Notable Tarp: Flat Tarp
The Flat Tarp is not only light as a feather; it is also durable, weatherproof, and UV resistant. Moreover, its composite fabric can be arranged in a virtually limitless array of options since it is available as an 8’6” square or 8’X10’ rectangle. Finally, the flat edges, non-catenary cuts, and square corners make it as versatile as it is lightweight.
Sea To Summit
The name Sea to Summit originated from the brand’s initial quest: providing gear that could endure an adventure going from sea level to the Everest summit. That happened over 30 years ago, and since then, the company has been working hard to perfect that initial outstanding gear that endured such crossing through a wide variety of temperatures and the harshest conditions imaginable.
Nowadays, whenever you see the Sea to Summit logo, you can expect expertly-made gear that features all the clever add-ons you would assume a life dedicated to the outdoors can give you, and that can endure any trip. Furthermore, the extreme reliability of their tarp line will save the day regardless of the weather conditions.
Notable Tarp: Escapist 15D Tarp
The Escapist 15D Tarp features 8 Hypalon tie-out points that hold the tip of a trekking pole and have cord adjusters with reflective guylines pre-attached. With these features, you can create any setup you see fit and cover up to two people when set in an A-frame.
Mountain Safety Research
MSR started as a mountaineering community in the shape of a newsletter. Through that experience and because of a life dedicated to the outdoors, Larry gathered enough insight to create a brand that could solve everyday, real-life problems mountaineers had when hitting the road.
As a result, whenever you see the MSR logo on a piece of gear, what you can expect is the perfect solution for your needs created by people who have been in your shoes before. Furthermore, the company was purchased by Rei in 1981, which resulted in a huge push forward in terms of production techniques, fabric knowledge, and reliability.
Nowadays, MSR manufactures some of the best-designed, most reliable tarps and mountaineering gear in the market. Moreover, over 50 years of successfully helping hikers reach their dreams, back their products up; if you haven’t already, check them out.
Notable Tarp: Front Range 4-Person Ultralight
Ultra-light, this tarp occupies virtually no space in your backpack and can be a game-changer, protecting up to four people from all elements. Moreover, it is covered with Xtreme Shield, MSR’s coating technology enhancing durability and making it weatherproof.
Big Agnes
By the time Bill Gamber joined forces with Brad Johnson, he was a big name in the outdoors industry because of his company named B.A.P. The leverage and know-how of being a lifelong outdoors enthusiast combined with the experience manufacturing gear for some of the harshest conditions on the planet provided the perfect background for Big Agnes’ exceptional leverage.
Today, Big Agnes is one of the best options for hikers and mountaineers trying to solve real-life problems with gear that won’t break the bank and can perform regardless of the weather conditions. Their line of tarps is cleverly designed to withstand anything, be easily pitched, and occupy the smallest space in your backpack. Big Agnes offers real solutions for real mountaineers; if you’re looking for the real deal, look no further.
Notable Tarp: Deep Creek Tarp
If you love be protected while you sleep but don’t want to be enclosed inside the walls of a tent, this is the best bet. It offers all the protection you need with only two poles, multi-loops, and guy-out points. Furthermore, it is so versatile you can use it in any shape you need.
Zpacks
Joe Valesko is not only an expert designer; he is an experienced mountaineer with over 10,000 miles under his belt. During that time, he encountered countless setbacks and overcame as many obstacles as imaginable. That experience, together with his passion and talent, gave birth to a brand that designs and manufactures the kind of gear mountaineers dream of.
The company focuses on keeping simplicity as the core principle when designing its equipment; thus, you can expect your future ZPacks tarp to be functional, easy to use, and reliable. With ZPacks gear on your back, you can face any challenge and get closer to having those 10,000 miles under your belt following Mr. Joe Valesko’s tracks.
Notable Tarp: Hexamid Pocket Tarp w/ Doors
Set with just one pole and six stakes, this is easily one of the lightest, most portable, yet durable tarps on the list. Not to mention, you can have a nice breeze in beautiful weather or keep away from a storm on a rainy day with the dual doors.
Mountain Laurel Designs
Much of what makes this an outstanding brand in outdoor equipment is the leverage that, being a Search and Rescue Climber for Yosemite National Park, gave Rob Bell. During those years, he learned the hard way what it meant to travel with more weight than desired.
Rob understood that mountaineering gear needs to be as innovative as nimble and durable. Thus, buying from Mountain Laurel Design is to go in that direction. You can expect extreme reliability that will occupy the smallest possible space in your backpack and be extremely lightweight.
Furthermore, if you are looking for your next tarp, learning that this company was literally built over word of mouth for manufacturing the best in the industry is not a minor detail. Buy your next tarp shelter from the experts and enjoy the outdoors regardless of the weather.
Notable Tarp: Supertarp Flat Tarp
With a total of 27 tie-outs, this is a state-of-the-art professional tarp that can endure anything you can throw at it. It can be a 10’ square Pro Silnylon or an 8.5 x 10’ Dyneema Composite Fabric (AKA Cuben Fiber) rectangle. In all cases, it is waterproof and UV-resistant.
Hilleberg
If you haven’t heard about this Swedish wonder, this brand manufactures some of the most reliable, durable, and sturdy gear in the world. Indeed, they were pioneers in supplying tents and shelters for expeditions going to the most hostile places on the planet, such as Antarctica.
That being said, the founders are also a couple of adventurers with decades of being out into the wild and overcoming obstacles. Thus, what you can expect from Hilleberg products is the know-how of a lifetime dedicated passionately to mountaineering coupled with non-stop innovation that has been going strong for over half a century. You can’t go wrong with a Hilleberg tarp in your backpack.
Notable Tarp: Hilleberg Tarp 20 UL
This is the pinnacle of the Hilleberg tarp line and also one of the biggest in the market. That being said, it is ultra-lightweight and the easiest way to protect yourself and your group from sudden weather changes. It is made of durable, waterproof Kerlon SP, just like all Hilleberg tarps.
Yama Mountain Gear
Founded by Gen Shimizu, Yama Mountain Gear is a reputable eco-friendly gear company. His inspiration for the company came from his crusade to create the best mountaineering gear to withstand the hardships of the road while keeping a minimal carbon footprint.
Yama Mountain Gear manufactures sustainable, eco-friendly products that can perform in any circumstance for mountaineers who are as serious about the environment as they are about their adventures. You can expect gear with a smart design that won’t break the bank or cause harm to the environment while also being durable enough to last various adventures.
Notable Tarp: 2P Cirriform Tarp – DCF
This tarp’s catenary curvatures are perfect for a wind-shedding pitch, and the rear brake provides protection at the foot. Moreover, Cirriform is the perfect material to keep the wind out of the equation while keeping the tarp as lightweight as it gets.
Six Moon Designs
Six Moon Designs is the creation of a mountaineering veteran who completed his first Appalachian Trail in 1977. From that time until now, Ron spent his days and money perfecting the gear to hit the road with the lightest weight possible while keeping his equipment durable, sturdy, and, overall, reliable.
These 40+ years of experience made him an expert in all the fabric revolutions and gave him enough insight to create products that will perform without breaking the bank or weighing too much. If you’re hitting the road, doing it with gear designed and built by experts like Six Moon Designs is your best choice.
Notable Tarp: Deschutes Zero-G
Weighing only 8.1 ounces, this tarp is as light as it gets (40% lighter than the Deschutes line). Still, it provides the same 360-degree protection against even the harshest weather.
