10 Best Ultralight Backpacking Tarps of 2026
Backpacking tarps are a great camping option if you want to significantly reduce your backpacking gear weight while experiencing a deeper connection to the outdoors, by sleeping under a shelter without walls. Backpacking tarps come in two basic flavors: shaped, catenary cut tarps that have curved sides to reduce weight and flapping in the wind, and square, flat tarps with 90-degree corners which can be pitched in many different configurations but take more skill to use. Ground sleepers usually sleep in bivy sacks under such tarps for insect protection along with a waterproof groundsheet, a sheet of Tyvek, or plastic window wrap.
Here are the best ultralight backpacking tarps we recommend:
Hyperlite Mountain Flat Tarp
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Flat Tarp is a flat tarp with 90-degree corners that can be set up in many different ways or “shapes” depending on weather conditions. It’s available in two sizes: an 8’6″ x 8’6″ model (10.6 oz) and one that’s 8′ x 10′ in size (11.6 oz) in white or spruce green Dyneema DCF. It comes with 16 perimeter tie-outs and 4 internal ones so you can lash it to the ground or nearby vegetation in many different ways. The tarp comes outfitted with line locks and the ridgeline is factory sealed. 10 guylines are included, but you have to attach them yourself. I recommend getting the larger 8′ x 10′ size if you’ve never tarped before, even if you’re only going to use it for one person: you’ll appreciate the extra coverage and flexibility in poor weather.
Zpacks 8.5′ x 10′ Flat Tarp
The Zpacks 8.5′ x 10′ Flat Tarp is a 6.5 oz Dyneema DCF Tarp that’s a minimalist’s dream. It comes with 16 tie-outs, five per side, with two on the ridgeline and four mid-panel. All the tie-outs are reinforced and the ridgeline is sealed, but the tarp does not come with line locks or pre-cut on guylines. That’s by design. On a tarp this size, they’d just clutter things up and add excess weight. You’re better off rigging just what you need when you pitch it.
Gossamer Gear Twinn Tarp
Mountain Laurel Designs Grace Duo Tarp
Stone Glacier SkyTarp 10
Hilleberg Tarp 5
Paria Outdoors Sanctuary Sil Tarp
Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar
SlingFin SplitWing UL Tarp
Yama Mountain Gear Cirriform Tarp
Key Considerations
Tarp Types: Flat Tarps vs Catenary Cut Tarps
Flat tarps have 90-degree corners with flat sides and are shaped like squares or rectangles. They can be set up in a wide variety of different pitches that emphasize views, airflow, or weather protection. Catenary cut tarps have curved sides and ridgelines which reduce the amount of fabric required to make them and lowers their weight. But this limits the ways they can be set up, often leaving them with a simple A-frame pitch. Catenary cut tarps are also quieter in the wind because the fabric is stretched more tightly. Some catenary-cut tarps are tapered, meaning one end is wider than the other. This is also a weight-saving measure.
Fabric/Materials
Tarps are available in several fabrics that confer different properties.
- Tarps made with Dyneema DCF are very lightweight and have very little stretch. However, this can limit how they can be configured and their ability to deal with uneven ground or obstructing vegetation. Dyneema DCF tarps do not require seam sealing and are very waterproof. They are bulky, however, and take more room to pack in a backpack.
- Tarps made with Siliconized Nylon (silnylon) or Siliconized Polyester (silpoly) usually need to be seam-sealed to prevent leaks in the rain. They make good flat tarps because they have some stretch, which can be useful when pitching them in different patterns.
- Tarps coated with Polyurethane (PU) or Silicone/PU are usually seam-taped and don’t need seam sealing.
One and Two Person Tarps
Most people prefer two-person tarps to one-person tarps, even when camping solo, because they have more room to spread out their gear out of the rain and keep it close at hand.
Knot Tying and Guylines
Most catenary cut tarps come with integrated line loc tensioners that eliminate the need to tie knots. When it comes to flat tarps, different people have different preferences. On larger square or rectangular tarps, fixed guylines can add unnecessary weight and clutter, and many people prefer to add guylines only when setting up their tarp. Some knowledge of knots can be helpful or the use of knot-typing devices like Figure 9s.
Insect Protection and Splashback
Most tarp users sleep in bivy sacks or larger bug bivies for protection from insects and other creepy crawlers. Bivy sacks also provide added rain protection from what is known as “splashback”: when rain bounces off the ground along the sides of the tarp and then reflects back under it, getting your gear wet.
Groundsheets
While many bivy sack bottoms are waterproof, it’s convenient to sleep on top of a groundsheet so you can spread your gear out around you at night. Most ultralight backpackers use a sheet of Tyvek, polycryo plastic sheets (sold by Gossamer Gear), plastic window insulation wrap, or even a Dyneema DCF groundsheet, although the latter is quite expensive compared to other alternatives.
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