One of the most multi-functional items in my pack these days is my Brooks-Range Solo Guide Tarp. It was only after talking to the staff at Brooks-Range at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market that the scope of possibilities of this simple object came to me. The tarp is made of a very lightweight ripstop nylon impregnated with a waterproof coating. There is a weather proofed anchor point in the center of the tarp and 16 nylon loops sewn evenly along the edge of the rectangular shaped tarp.
The designers at Brooks-Range packed a lot of punch into this ultralite solo tarp. At 5’X8’ with 40 sq feet of coverage, the tarp has plenty of room to shelter you in an emergency situation, and with a little spectra cord, your trekking poles, and a few stakes it is possible to pitch it multiple configurations. The inclusion of Velcro along the edges then expands the possibilities beyond a simple tarp. Folding the tarp in half and sealing the Velcro to each other allows it to quickly be utilized as a bivy shelter. Opening up the bottom and passing over your head, and poking through the Velcro on the top will serve as an adequate backup rain poncho.
These days I carry this tarp (7 oz) everywhere with me, along with a length of spectra cord (.3 oz), and 4 minimal aluminum stakes (.35 oz each). My logic being that for less than 9 oz , I have a comfortable secure shelter, and will serve multiple other purposes if called upon. The Ultralite Solo Tarp comes contained in its own pouch that is roomy enough for the cord and the stakes. This self-contained unit is easy to throw in a pack, and is a good value at $75.00.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Ryan Dionne // Feb 25, 2009 at 3:24 pm
You said it has a waterproof coating, how does it work as far as waterproofness? Any leakage?
2 pspiller // Feb 25, 2009 at 4:08 pm
At this point I have not had the opportunity to use it in severely wet conditions. The moisture (moderate rain showers fro 5-10 minutes) I have seen with it has beaded up and rolled off. here is what Brooks-Range says about the waterproof coating.
“The fabric’s custom coating keeps the fabric waterproof to a pressure of 1 pound per sq inch (2 ft water pressure depth), which exceeds the pressure generated by a hard rainstorm.”
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