Tarps are one of the essential gear in the backcountry, and you should always have one in your pack. Here are some reasons you need them.
Tarps are one of the most versatile pieces of camping gear there are. The uses are many. From providing a foundation layer laid underneath your tent, to ground covering areas of your campsite for protection from ticks and other critters, for covering the top of a tent to provide a secondary layer of protection to help keep the rain or snow out, you can quickly grasp te importance of including tarp fabric in your planning!
In addition to the above, you can also broaden your applications for using tarps to collect and divert clean drinking water to your water supplies, or having them to create a lean to or other form of secondary shelter further away from your campsite. Many who hunt while camping also like to pack a couple of Camouflage tarps to make wildlife blinds for hunting or photography. They can also be used overhead for tree houses and a wide range of other applications when trekking. In short, tarps can be used for anything, from privacy to shelter to the hammock to a picnic blanket. Here are more ways to get creative with your tarp in the backcountry.
Lean-to Shelters
You may locate lean-tos almost anywhere. You’ll need a 10×12-foot tarp, cordage, and a rope or pole for the ridge. Placing pebbles or stakes along the edges of your tarp and hanging it from a bar or tightrope will help keep it in place. Set up a lean-to shelter in minutes, go fishing and berry collecting, then make a campfire to cook and enjoy a fine wilderness meal.
For Water Collection
Water-collecting tarp is common among campers. The water collected in a single catchment can be suitable for drinking and washing. If there is sufficient rain in the area, you can do it anywhere. Cover the tundra with a tarp (or ground, if tundra is scarce in your home woods). The tarp must slope toward a dip for water to gather. To protect your tarp catchment from being damaged by wind, you could place rocks or sticks along its borders and weigh it down.
Horseback Riding
Horse packing journeys, especially hunting adventures, frequently encounter blizzard conditions, high snowfall, and adverse weather. Placing a tarp that is four by 6 feet in size over your pack, or one that is larger, and can be folded down to that size, will protect your belongings from snow and rain. Tying it down, so the ends don’t flap and let moisture in.
Use in Hanging Food Supplies beyond the reach of Wildlife
The meat can be hidden from view after you have laid it out in the snow after it had already been prepared. A layer of plastic can be found under the snow and the meat. Spread a tarp on the ground if you don’t have anywhere to hang meat or quarters. It’s a quick and easy solution that will keep your heart clean and out of the dirt for a short period. Putting moist garments or socks on the tarp where the meat will be placed overnight will prevent coyotes.
A DIY Kitchen Awning
Unless you prefer preparing meals in the pouring rain, you should set up an awning over your kitchen with a tarp. It shields your mouth, as well as your face and neck, from the rain. Climb between 8 and 10 feet and secure two tarp corners to trees while maintaining a taut edge along the tarp. Stretch the tarp to the trees on the other side of your kitchen. Put a foot or two of slack in the knot, allowing water to flow more easily. You will need to cut some saplings, place them under the corner, and then secure them with a guy cord that runs perpendicular to the tarp and is attached to another tree or a stake driven into the ground if you do not have any trees in the appropriate locations. Tarp-based canopies have a propensity to flap in the wind.
Hide Tanning Uses in the Field
Tarps are great for tanning hides. It’s possible that you can improve the quality of your bear skin or elk cape by keeping them clean. Before airing your leather, fleshing it out, or salting it, spread a tarp on the ground. Your hide or cape will be shielded from mud, vermin, and moisture thanks to this accessory.
Covering for Your Tent
If you anticipate being caught in a heavy downpour or snowstorm, you should put a tarp over your tent. Because the tarp provides an additional layer of protection, you won’t get wet inside your tent, and it will also keep you warmer. To prevent the tarp from sagging and soaking up water that should be drained elsewhere, stretch it taunt at an angle. It will be easier to remove any snow that may have accumulated on the tarp if you shake it vigorously regularly.
Food Safety
Meat that has become overly soggy is never desirable. If there is a chance of precipitation shortly, you should make use of a tarp to shield both your food and your shelter from the weather. Ensure it keeps meat dry while allowing air to flow. Secure the tarp so the wind won’t blow it away and expose your meat.