8.5' x 8.5' Flat Tarp - SilPoly

I've used this tarp extensively now for two years, including 400+ miles in the Sierras. On that trip, I had one eight day stretch where it rained six of them, and this tarp came through with flying colors. As sometimes happens you find uses for a piece of gear you didn't expect. With this one it was the bungee corded tie outs that are on one side of the tarp that I used for hanging wet socks, etcetera. I'm a tarp guy, so I have a lot of them, and this one is by far the best!

I am so pleased with my 8.5’ square SilPoly tarp. Its thoughtful design and intentional use of quality materials is impressive. With so many tie-in points and a solid ridgeline.I love experimenting with so many pitch options I like to call it Tarp Origami. Thank you Gen for being responsive in answering my questions and advice on my custom tarp. That it came at 13 oz. instead of the promised 14 oz. was icing on the cake. I wish I could give it six stars.

The tarp works great under heavy rain if it has been set up properly. I have used it in several locations of Perú, Bolivia and Spain with success, but on windy nights you'll miss an inner net-tent. I also would like to comment the exceptional customer service that Gen provided me. I bought my tarp out of my home country and he was constantly answering my questions and doubts. He really is a honorable guy and I appreciate how he treated me as a customer. May the road rise up to meet you!

Just back from winter camping. I used my 8.5x8.5 tarp in combination with a lightweight bivy bag. I can tell you the Yama tarp can handle tough conditions, heavy snow, high winds and rough pitching. The quality of the craftsmanship is just amazing and proves that high quality gear doesn't have to come with a high price tag. Highly recommended. Thanks Gen and whole Yama crew!

The best tarp ever... I was considering getting a HMG flat tarp. But when I got this thing and saw the quality and craftsmanship I didn't give it a second thought. Sure it's a few ounces more than Dyneema but the quality of this tarp is built to last many trips in the backcountry and still an ultralight option. I'm very happy with my choice. This will be my shelter when my son and I hike the HST this year. Thanks Yama Mountain Gear team you guys are awesome! -Craig

This looks like the real deal! Haven't had a chance to use yet, don't see ANY reason that I won't love it. Will post experience when I get it out! Prolly a kayak expedition.

**DISCLAIMER** This was my first tarp, which combined with a lightweight backpack dropped my base weight by approximately 8 lbs. I've admittedly only stayed 10 nights under this tarp, but have experienced a myriad of conditions, so I feel I can give a reasonable idea about the tarps performance (except perhaps any concerns regarding durability). Due to inexperience with tarps I can't make any comparisons to other tarps and some of my comments may extend to tarps in general rather than this specific tarp. Ok, now for my actual review. The tarp is very easy to set up. The line locks are very convenient and the guy line setup that the tarp comes with is pretty functional. Adjusting the guy line setup (which is necessary for some pitches) is very quick and easy and the grommets hold hiking poles extremely well. The variety of tie out points allow endless pitching possibilities, but I've used only four different pitches which was enough for everything from high winds to heavy rain to calm cool nights. But if you want to play around with different pitches this tarp certainly won't constrain your creativity. The build seems to be of high quality with reinforced tie out points and nice waterproof silnylon. The guy lines are highly visible and durable. The tarp simply looks awesome and seems to be super durable (although only time will tell). Through ~130 miles of heavy rain, condensation, high wind, sand, dirt, mud, and some extremely taut pitches there are no signs of wear and tear so my hopes are high on the durability issue. The size is generally comfortable for two, less so in big storms, but still manageable. For one person it would be a palace, even in rough weather. When sleeping two in heavy rain, it's necessary to have multiple different pitches in your repertoire; you'll get wet with a simple A-frame if the rain is heavy enough. This is probably true even if you're using it as a solo shelter. With a little thought to campsite selection and pitch configuration, this tarp kept me and my brother completely dry and warm through two consecutive nights of heavy rain in Glacier National Park (of course a good groundsheet is essential in this regard). The under side of the tarp accumulates water via condensation but it seems to keep it off you and your gear. This is course probably true of all tarps so I won't say anymore, but tarps seem to handle condensation better than hammocks and tents (in my limited experience). Being a flat tarp, an A frame pitch is hard to get taut. Even after dozens of pitches I still haven't quite got the A frame pitch down to the point where it wouldn't flap violently in high wind. If high winds are expected I simply pitch the tarp in a different configuration to account for this. For calm nights without heavy rain, an A frame is idyllic. Obviously $140 feels like a lot to spend on a tarp, but I guarantee you this is a very high quality product. The price is justified by the material used (silnylon), but the craftsmanship is superb as well. I also have a $30 tarp from bi-mart, and can assure you at least one bigger backpacking trip I did would've ended early had I used the cheaper alternative. This isn't to say you need to spend this much money, but I doubt you'll find a comparable piece of equipment for much cheaper. Having looked at many alternatives (I spent months researching prior to buying) I think the price point is very competitive for a silnylon tarp. The one gripe I have is the seam sealing. Seam sealing is a pretty painless process, but after seam sealing this tarp twice the seams still leak a small amount in heavy rain. In light rain there is literally no leaking and in heavy rain the leaking is so small that nothing really gets wet under the tarp; it's simply a minor annoyance. I first sealed it with silicone caulk thinned with mineral spirits. I believe I put on much too thin of a layer and after a heavy spraying with the hose noticed a serious amount of leaking in several areas along the tie outs and seams. The second time I put on a thick coat of flowable silicone and it passed the hose test with flying colors. Yet after hours of heavy rain during a backpacking trip I noticed a few drips coming through a couple of the tie outs. Again, the amount of leaking wasn't enough to get my sleeping bag or gear wet and this was unusually heavy rain; but it was enough to take one star off my review since I feel like I did the seam sealing pretty thoroughly and thoughtfully. Overall I have to say my experience with this tarp is overwhelmingly positive. I feel like if you're reading this review, you probably know whether or not a tarp is right for you. It's more a matter of which tarp to get. I don't think you'll be disappointed with this tarp.