Ultralite Solo Tarp

"Despite the freezing rain...
I stayed dry."
Larry Amkraut in Rock & Ice Magazine - #185

The Brooks-Range Solo Tarp is a rectangular tarp (5' x 8') made from our Ultralight™ water-resistant, ripstop nylon. It is incredibly strong and resilient for its spartan weight!

The Solo Tarp is designed for 1-2 persons looking for a lightweight shelter, tent awning, wind shelter or gear storage shelter. At around 7 oz. it is light enough to take on all trips.

The Solo Tarp has a seam down the center of the 8 ft length. There is a weather-resistant reinforced patch anchored at the center plus 16 lightweight grosgrain ribbon nylon loops sewn to the corners and at approximately 2-foot intervals along the edges to facilitate a variety of set ups with trekking poles, off trees or added on to tents.

Brooks-Range Ultralite™ Fabric:
This fabric used is specially designed for Brooks-Range Ultralite™ products. It is the lightest water-resistant available for backcountry use. The key is a calendering process that gives it superior water and wind resistance. It is waterproof to a pressure of 1 lb per square inch—more than the pressure generated by a hard rainstorm. Because of this custom finis, the waterproofness and ability to shear wind will not wash or peel off like most competitors fabrics.

• Dimensions: 5' x 8' (1.52 x 2.44 m)
• Surface Area: 40 ft.² (3.7 m²)
• Weight: ~ 6.7 oz. (190 g)

About Brooks-Range UltraLite™ Fabric:
Our ultralight hi-tech fabric, Intrepid®, is a 20/20 denier ripstop nylon fabric, and is only available with Brooks-Range UltraLite™ products. To achieve waterproofness it does not rely on coating or impregnation. Instead it has a cire finish produced by subjecting the fabric to calendering.

Calendering is a heat and pressure finishing process that irons the fabric flat with heated rollers so the yarns bond together, converting the loose woven mesh into an integrated fabric that is smooth, water tight, incredibly strong and resilient for its ultra light weight. It easily shears wind thanks to an impressive strength-to-weight ratio.

The smooth finish helps keep the fabric waterproof to a pressure of one pound per square inch (two foot water pressure depth), more than the pressure generated by a driving rainstorm. It does not absorb water, nor will its waterproofness wash or peel off. We are confident Brooks-Range Ultralite fabric is the lightest water resistant fabric available for such heavy duty use.

Over time Brooks-Range UltraLite fabric will soften and become more pliable. Certain types of dry desert sand will stick to it.

The Brooks-Range UltraLite™ fabric is highly flammable, so keep it away from all heat sources, especially direct flames.

Care and Maintenance Cleaning:
Hand wash with sponge, a mild non-detergent soap and warm water. Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residue. Do not dry clean, bleach, machine wash or machine dry.

Storing:
It is essential to dry a Brooks-Range ultralite fabric product before storage to avoid the irreversible consequences of mildew (mold growth). Store in a cool, dry place out of direct light once dried.

Packing:
Stuffing is quicker, but creases the fabric and creates a more bulky package. We recommend folding the tarp into a long strip the width of the stuff sack. Put a knee gently on one end and roll tightly towards you, brushing off any dirt.

Customer Reviews

• Author: Larry Amkraut
  Review in Rock & Ice Magazine #185
  
  I recently climbed the Mountaineer's Route on Mount Whitney (14,498') and slept on the summit with a 6-ounce Solo Tarp to protect me from hail and rain. No typo, that's six ounces, buddy! During the ascent, my two friends, who kept cautious eyes on the gathering storm, and who carried an 8-pound mountaineering tent, ribbed me that I'd soon be groveling for a spot in their nylon hotel.
  
  The storm hit and pounded us until midnight. Despite the freezing rain, my down bag and I stayed dry under the 5-by-8-foot tarp. As I listened to the patter of hailstones on the nylon, I asked myself if I would rather carry a tent up a mountain, or a tarp that weighs as much as a T-shirt and packs to the size of a sandwich?
  
  The Solo Tarp is an amazing shelter. Sixteen nylon loops let you erect it in a variety of configurations, and allow it to be pitched with ski poles or under a tree. I used it throughout the Sierra for winter mountaineering and as an add-on vestibule to a tent. But the Tarp's uses aren't limited to solo travel. On group trips in crappy weather the Tarp is a great morale booster. Instead of everyone staying in their tents, you can pitch the Tarp and use it to cook in, play cards, and B.S. the tempest away.
  
  

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