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Tarps, Bashas and Hootchies for Shelter
Submitted by An Outdoor Idiots Team Member.
Note: This article describes why tarps are so good, and gives some advice on buying a tarp. If you want some ideas about how to pitch a tarp, see this instead. It's even got some high-tech video footage, which we are very proud of.
Tarps
Definition of Tarp
A "tarp" - short for tarpaulin - is the name commonly given these days to a sheet of material used as a shelter in the outdoors. You can make one yourself out of spare material such as that salvaged from an old tent or groundsheet. For a really nice, neat tarp, consider buying a professionally made one.Using a Tarp
In use, a tarp is often rigged up by attaching guy lines to available objects such as trees or posts. One can also carry extra equipment in order to make sure that the tarp can be pitched even in open countryside. Just one pole, such as a trekking pole, is enough to help make a tolerable shelter.Tarps in Britain
One rarely sees tarps in use here in Britain. This is, I suspect, for several reasons. Tarps are usually regarded as alternatives to tents - that is, as something to sleep under. In this country, the weather is often very unsettled, and in cold, wet and windy weather, I imagine people would rather sleep in a sturdy tent than under a tarp. Most tents also do a good job of keeping insects out, again making a tarp less of an appealing option.A Tarp is a Tarp!
To think of a tarp only as an alternative to a tent is, perhaps, to miss out on just how useful a tarp can be. A tarp is an expanse of waterproof material whose uses stretch as far as your imagination. I think of a tarp as being a great addition to all the other equipment we normally use for dealing with wet weather. A decent set of waterproofs, such as a waterproof top, waterproof trousers, waterproof boots and perhaps also gaiters, can make walking in wet weather just as enjoyable as walking in dry weather. However, even with the best waterproof clothing in the world, some things remain fairly miserable in the rain.Things as simple as studying a map or getting something out of your rucksack become a very different matter in a torrential downpour. A tarp, even if not rigged up properly, can help with these things. And a properly rigged-up tarp can open up the possibility of doing a lot of things in comfort, even in heavy rain. Things such as studying a map, eating, drinking hot drinks, cooking, resting or even lighting a fire. Perhaps the time I was most grateful for having a tarp was when I needed to perform an impromptu "number two" in a forest in fantastically heavy rain. You can imagine, or might have experienced for yourself, the issues involved with impromptu "number twos" in forests in fantastically heavy rain... I rigged the tarp properly for that one.
Given the wet weather we get in this part of the world, and given how useful tarps are at helping the outdoor enthusiast deal with this weather, I find it unusual that tarps seem to enjoy greater popularity in drier climates. We should be a nation of tarp-users! Britain was made for tarps, and tarps were made for Britain! To be in woodland in rain, with a huge tarp rigged up above head-height, is quite an experience. You can stay comfortable and dry, you can move around freely, you can listen to the sound of the rain, and there is nothing cutting you off from the wildlife all around you. You can even brew up a nice cup of tea in comfort... what more could you ask for?
Recommendations
Once you start using a tarp, you will develop your own preferences for how and where you choose to use it, and how you rig it up. If there are any lessons that I have learned since I started using a tarp, the most important ones involve how you pitch it. In particular, the real benefit of a tarp is only realised if you make it as quick and easy to pitch and take-down as possible. If it is awkward or time consuming to rig up, the chances are you'll find yourself thinking, "I fancy a break, but it's raining so I won't bother..." If you can rig it up easily in under a couple of minutes however, then you will probably be more inclined to make the most of it. Therefore:- Have your tarp pre-rigged as much as possible. For example, have good length guy-lines (I use 3 metres) already attached to at least the four corners (to peg down with tent pegs), and consider adding sliding adjusters to them, as usually found on tent guy ropes. If you also use a ridge line (recommended), have this tied in place, too.
- Have your tarp in an easy to reach place, such as an outside pocket of a rucksack, or even a pocket in your jacket if it is small enough. The tarp in the picture easily fits into a map pocket.
- Practice! In particular, practice knots. There are all sorts of knots that can be used to tie cord round a tree or post, and plenty of sources of suggestions on the internet. Try us, for example, here. Find one (or two) that you are happy with, and make sure they come apart easily when you want to take the tarp down.
- Take a foam sit-mat. This is the perfect lightweight companion to a tarp, and makes the prospect of sitting on wet ground positively tolerable!
Shopping for a Tarp
If you are interested in acquiring a tarp, here are some shopping guidelines:Tarp Materials
Tarps can be made from a variety of materials, such as plastic, canvas, PVC and nylon. A good material to look for is rip-stop nylon with a waterproof coating. This is light, strong and fairly durable.Tarp Size
The absolute minimum size I would recommend for a tarp is 2.5 metres by 1.5 metres. This is just large enough for one person to sleep under, if required - although it will have to be pitched very close to the ground or hammock, in order to keep rain out if it is also windy. This size is also just large enough for two people to sit under - again, if pitched low.As for the largest size - well, the sky is the limit. You just need to be realistic about how big you actually need it, and how much weight you are prepared to carry. 3 metres by 3 metres is just about big enough to rig a tarp at head-height to enable walking around, while keeping the rain out if it isn't too windy. If you really want to turn a forest into a home, get big tarps, and get more than one!
Tarp Features
The minimum you should look for in terms of features is a means of attaching cord at all four corners, and a means of attaching cord at two opposite sides (for the ridge line, so you can get a tent-shape, or inverted-V shape, to help shed water). The attachment points are usually in the form of brass eyelets or tape loops.Other features to look out for are:
- Extra loops or eyelets along the sides. This makes it possible to directly pin one or two sides very solidly to the ground with pegs, rather like a tent. Useful in very wet and windy weather.
- Press-studs, or "poppers," along the sides. This enables tarps of the same type and size to be attached together neatly, to form very large tarps.
Tarp Weight
The tarp in the photograph is a small one - it is about 2.5 metres by 1.7 metres, made from ripstop nylon with a silicone waterproof coating, and, when 4 aluminium tent pegs and all cord is added, weighs a little over 400 grams. A small (very similar size) British Army Basha with the same extras weighs about 750 grams, probably because the material is a thicker (but non-ripstop) nylon with a PU coating for the waterproofing. It also has press-studs to enable neat fastening of one tarp to another.Tarp Price
If you are after a small, simple tarp, there is no need to pay more than about £30. You can also pay £200 or more on some of the specialist tarps aimed squarely at the ultralight backpacker.Extras
Many tarps do not come with the extras you will need to pitch them. The minimum extras you are likely to need are often found in camping shops, and consist of:- 4 pegs - consider aluminium (i.e. light) tent pegs
- 30 metres of strong cord. I say 30 meters, because it is often sold in packs of 15 metres. Accurately, I would recommend 4 x 3 metre lengths for the corners, and 15 metres for the ridge line (total 27 metres of cord). It is nice to have a good long ridge line, since this allows for attaching it between two trees that are a long way apart, and have thick trunks - a lot of cord gets used up in tying around thick trees.
- 4 sliding toggles for the 4 corner guy lines, as used on most tents guy lines. These are not essential - a clove hitch around the tent pegs will do - however sliding toggles make things that much easier and quicker when pitching.
Search Tips
There are several names given to tarps, depending on the country of origin and/or purpose they were originally intended for. Here are three terms that I am aware of:- Tarp: The term commonly used by hikers and backpackers.
- Basha: As used by the British army.
- Hootchie: As used by the Australian army.
- General Outdoor Shops: Some outdoor shops occasionally stock tarps. However, perhaps because (as mentioned in this article) they are not very popular in the UK, this is not usually the best place to find one.
- Military Surplus Shops: A good place to find tarps (they will probably be called Bashas or Hootchies).
- Bushcraft / Survival Schools: Certain "Bushcraft" and/or survival schools in the UK (and elsewhere) have online shops which often sell simple shelters like tarps.
- Ultralight Backpacking Specialists: Typically these are manufacturers and/or retailers of specialist equipment aimed at the ultralight backpacker. In some cases, they are small set-ups who specialise in tarps, and are often run by ultralight backpacking enthusiasts.
- Ebay: Another good source, particularly for army-surplus "bashas" or "hootchies," or the interesting "Poncho Tarp!"
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On 26 October 2008, Tramadol_prekkenda said:
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On 27 September 2008, Garry Knight Lincoln UK said:
I do a lot of canoe camping and I use a tarp with the canoe as part of the shelter it works well and I am happy with it
all campers should have a try at camping under a tarp
On 20 August 2008, John Williams said:
Pretty nice site, wants to see much more on it! :)
On 19 August 2008, John Williams said:
Pretty nice site, wants to see much more on it! :)
On 28 September 2007, teflon nonstick said:
Bought a pvc tarpaulin - £6 from a discount store (blue/green/camo) 13' x 10', eyelets down each side, including corners. First attempt it stood up to mini tornados and a mild gale (dorset coast) using 2 tent poles and 8 bungee cords. Brilliant!
On 4 May 2007, Fernando said:
How good is the strandard British Army Basha that you find in UK military surplus internet websites? I'm thinking about it as a lightweight and low cost one person stealth selter to walk a Transardennaise in Belgium. (Unfortunately it is mostly illegal to
The Outdoor Idiots.com Emergency Response Team says:
Its great for a low cost Basha and should do fine. However if lightness is main concern, might be better paying more for a really lightweight ripstop nylon one in dark green.
On 26 January 2007, Fred B said:
May I copy this much of your content into a letter to a forum I belong to? US military types are discussing the etomology of "hootch" as applied to a shelter. I'll also include your url.
"There are several names given to tarps, depending on the count
The Outdoor Idiots.com Emergency Response Team says:
Feel free to discuss our content in other forums. You might as well, because nobody can be bothered discussing it in ours.
On 16 January 2007, Robert Watts said:
Very goodthanks for that nice info
Do you think it is possible to use Tyvek to make a tarp.
They use it on the appalachian trrail under tents and under bivy bags to keep away chill.
it is water proof and breathable some people even call it the po
The Outdoor Idiots.com Emergency Response Team says:
We have not tried Tyvek for this. It will probably be awkward to rig up nice attachment points for the ridgeline. And it will probably be white and noisy in the wind. But who cares? No reason not to try. We expect a full report!
On 16 October 2006, aks said:
well written and very useful - thank you.
On 23 August 2006, chopper said:
well done a proper brief of how to use and enjoy tarp living, excellent!!!
On 28 July 2006, steve said:
very informative, armed with these revelations.... i will search with renewed vigour!
On 27 June 2006, duffman said:
excellent web page ,dare i say even better explanations on how to set up a tarp the mr mears's books. thank you
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