Hi. I'm starting to cut down on my pack weight and recently bought an REI Bughut 2. I'm interested in getting a tarp that would be big enough to rig over it when the weather is bad. I'm on a limited budget though it looks like the noah's tarp 9 or 12' might work good. Also saw a 10 X 10" tarp at campmor. Any suggestions. I'd rather use the tarp alone but insects here are big and numerous, and hungry.
Thanks,
Scott

An 8' x 10' will be plenty big; even an 8' x 8' would do. Ergo, you might want to look at a JacksRBetter 8' x 8' silnyl on closeout for $50 right now, I believe, or maybe an Equinox 8' x 10' silnyl. These are much lighter alternatives than you listed, but still economical. From experience the latter will work.

Thanks for the info. I've tried rigging a 6X8 poly tarp(I know, very heavy)and it's too small. The Bug Hut is just too tall and wide at the top. Maybe should have waited and gone with something else, maybe a no seeum with more of an A frame shape.

The 8x8 you mentioned looks great. Since I'm a complete novice at this, I'm wondering if the 8X10 or 10X10 might be a better choice? Finances will be tight for a while so I'm hoping to make a good tarp choice on the first attempt.

I'm really enjoying the gear list posts on the forum. Hoping to steadily whittle down the weight from my very heavy gear set up. Hoping also to get my wife and kids to join me more often on the trail.

I hear that. Skeeters are mean. I will be watching this post. I have been researching this in a similar way. I have been tarping for a while, but this summer I might try to reduce the bug attacks. I am thinking about getting an 8x10 just for the functionality of it. I used a poncho tarp for about a year (our 4th season is not too bad). But I want more room and some netting. I have to keep it simple - my dog bunks with me and he has trouble with zippers - no thumbs. By the way - the poncho tarp I use is 4'6 x 8'8 and the 8'8 just barely is long enough in a heavy or windy storm - so beware not to go too short or you may end up with a super low pitch and your bug hut might be all over you. I would not feel comfortable with an 8x8 if I did not have the option of a really low to ground pitch for those windblown storms. Why not cut a piece of plastic to 8x10 and test it - then cut the same peice of plastic to 8x8 and test it. Or buy one of those 8x10 blue tarps at home depot for <20.00 and test it out for a while - see what suits your needs then plunk down the big money on what you want.
Some of these simple tarps seem over priced to me. Based on the fact that I paid 139.00 for a Sierra Designs Oragami UL back in December (before they included the pole and raised the price to 179.00).
Look at all the details, panels, taped seams, zipper, stakes, guy lines, storage sack, storage sack for the stakes, Sierra Designs warranty ect... that come on that tarp -
and some places want that much for a simple 8x10 with some webbing tie outs.

OVERPRICED AND THEY KNOW YOU WILL PAY IT, plus shipping.

We actually have two of these rigs;REI bug hut w/ Equinox sil-tarp-8x 10.This is perfect for two kids(in one)my wife and I in the other.
Personally I would like to go with something lighter but my last tarptent (squall) was still too claustrophobic for my wife.
Another positive note;on our last trip,the rain decided to show up on our last morning,so we turned one of the sets into our "mess" tent and made breakfast inside.Even with the rain,it was a great morning;relaxing by a river,watching and listening to the drops,all the while enjoying a great meal!

Patrick

Never even thought about testing it with just a plastic painters sheet. This bug hut is free standing and sits 40" high. Also wide at the top. Floor is 87 X 52, so maybe a 10 X 10 or larger would be needed for best rain coverage? I know this isn't considered ultralite but it's sure lighter than what I've been using. I'm heading in the right direction.

http://www.rei.com/product/724388

Hi Patrick. How are you rigging your tarps to get good rain protection?
Thanks,
Scott

An 8' x 8' will be just enough to give good coverage buttoned up; you'd have to pull a stake to get in and out in the rain, I imagine. An 8' x 10' will give you enough room for a little vestibule area in front.

My wife uses an old MSR bug hut which is the same thing as your REI bug hut 2.

Do you know the real weight? Is quoted weight accurate?

My digital home scale says 3lbs. I need to take it to the post office and see what their scale says.

I have a MSR Ventana which is a fancy REI bug hut with a fly that does what is suppose to do. It weighs in at a whooping 6.5 pounds so it sits in my closet these days. I have really wanted to go with the Bug Hut but its not engineered with a fly that will work and I do not use treking poles. Mixing and matching could come back to bite, worse than the bugs in a wilderness setting. That said, I also will be very interested in how this plays out for you.

I have a Nest2 from go-lite that I use with a self-sewn 8 by 10 sinylon tarp. It works fine in up-and-down rain, but in windy spring storms it feels too exposed.

I'm thinking I might go with a 10 by 12 tarp. Silnylon is so light that most of the weight comes from the seams, not the extra area, and having a bigger tarp would allow for more overhang and would create more of a cooking area in front of the net. So I'd say don't rule out a 12' tarp.

-j

I haven't looked at weight or price but Cabela's has a shaped tarp. The link is too long so go to Cabelas and look for the XPG Ultralight tarp. I understand the Kelty Noah tarps have a good reputation. Brian is making me a tarp; you might look at his stuff.
http://www.outdoorequipmentsupplier.com/index.htm

Kind the opposite of what you were asking but something to consider. Maybe get the tarp and ditch the Bug Hut. My rig was a sil tarp and a bivy sack for a floor. I used one of these net boxes
http://www.rei.com/product/729007
under the tarp when the bugs got bad. From under the tarp just run cords to the corners. A few small rocks along the edge to hold it down. It's looks poorly made/sewn but having said that I haven't destroyed it with some hard use and it only costs $15. I only used this set up once or twice; my girlfriend is a trooper but won't do floorless so I never completely developed this tarp/bugnet set-up. However, it turns out that this net works with my Missing Link. It's pretty cool; the long side is the same length as the distance between the poles on the front of the ML and the net box side wall height is a few inches more than the height of the ML so there is enough net to touch the ground. The corners of 1 of the long sides of the net go over the trekking poles before you put them in the ML pole pockets. Now 1 side of the net is flush with the front of the ML and the bug net is under the awning. (If you want to go in the ML you just lift up the net.) The seams on the short sides of the net box have loops; you rig those to the guy lines of the ML that slope down and away from the front awning. Now you have a big screen porch for 8-9 oz ( REI says 15oz).
Good luck on your search.

Hi Patrick,
After reading jamies comments about a 8X10 in a heavy blowing rain, was wonderingwhat yours or others thoughts on this might be? Ever had the good fortune of having your bughut and 8X10 set up during a blowing rain? Sounds like your set up worked fine in the situation you described. I'm definitely looking at both the 8X10 and 10X12 sil nylon. Just have to decide which one. Thanks for your previous response to my email too.
Scott

Had no problem in rain with the 8' x 10', but by all means, if you're worried go for the 10' x 12'. Since you're family camping, you can always use the extra space, and since it's silnyl the weight penalty's not excessive.

I just wanted to say same here. I too haven't had a significant problem with the 8 x 10, but using a tarp this size in blowing rain means having to pay close attention to wind direction and usually keeping the sides very close to the ground. However, the ends are somewhat vunerable if the wind direction changes. So 10x12 will be heavier but less fiddly in a real blow. Of course, these blows don't happen very frequently, so it's a more weight for a safety margin... is it worth it? Only you can decide!

10x12 is also huge. It's like a palace... but again, it might be harder to find a suitable site for pitching such a big tarp.

There's always trade-offs, one way or another!

-jamieS