Amazon Basics Waterproof Multipurpose Camping Tarp, Tear Resistant with Reinforced Edges, 7.5 Feet x 9.5 Feet, Dark Green
Product Information, Not A Review
Quick Specs
What Stands Out
What To Check
This is the plain dark green tarp that Amazon lists as its top seller in camping tent tarps. Rip-stop polyethylene, laminated on both faces, reinforced corners, grommets around the edge. There is nothing clever about it, which is the appeal.
It goes under the tent so the floor stays dry, over the picnic table when a Texas thunderstorm arrives at dinner, or over the firewood pile overnight. You throw it behind the seat and stop thinking about it until the sky opens up.
Safety and fit note before anything else: rigged overhead, pitch it with enough slope that rain sheds instead of pooling. A pocket of water gets heavy fast and can pull a line loose over a kid's head. Never rig a tarp directly above a fire ring.
The Numbers That Matter
Listed at 7.5 x 9.5 ft. Big enough to tuck under a four-person dome tent with the edges folded in, or to cover a picnic table with overhang. The same listing also prints a 120 x 90 in item dimension, which is a different rectangle. Tarp sizing is commonly quoted before the hem, so measure before you plan a footprint around it.
Rip-stop with laminated faces. The grid weave is what keeps a stake hole from becoming a tear the length of the tarp after a windy night.
About 1.5 lb. This is truck gear, not pack gear, but it is light enough that carrying two is not a decision.
| Spec | What it decides |
|---|---|
| Listed 7.5 x 9.5 ft | Ground sheet under a small tent, or a table fly |
| Rip-stop PE, laminated | How a puncture behaves on night two |
| Grommets at corners and edges | Whether you can rig it overhead with paracord |
| About 1.5 lb | Two of them ride along without a thought |
Who It Is For
Any dad packing the truck for a weekend outside, which is most of them. Under a Coleman Sundome 4-person tent it is the difference between a dry floor and a damp one, and it is also the thing you throw over an Intex queen air mattress to keep dog nails off the flocking. For the rest of the sleep kit, the MalloMe 3-season sleeping bag covers the warm half of the year. Light for the table comes from the Etekcity LED camping lanterns.
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The Short Version
A tarp is the cheapest piece of gear that saves a weekend. This one goes under the tent, over the picnic table or over the firewood, and then goes back behind the seat. Measure the finished size yourself before you plan a footprint around it.
MIKE MANNING
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