Backpacking - Tarp Camping Guide – 7 Tips For Setting Up A Camping Tarp

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Tarp Camping Guide – 7 Tips For Setting Up A Camping Tarp

Andrew N

14/09/2026

Tarp Camping Guide

The versatility of waterproof tarps makes them incredibly useful for camping, backpacking and spending time outdoors. In this guide to tarp camping, I’ll cover the gear you need, how to choose a good pitch, tarp sizes and shapes, hammock setups, materials and how to camp with a tarp when there are no trees around.

If you want to get outside and feel properly immersed in the wilderness, sleeping beneath a tarp is about as open as camping gets. There are no tent walls boxing you in, so you can lie in your sleeping bag and still see, hear and feel everything going on around camp.

Camping tarps are also an excellent option for thru-hikers and backpackers because they can be incredibly lightweight and packable compared with a conventional tent. The trade-off is that you need to know how to pitch one properly and accept that you have less built-in protection from wind, insects and splashback.

Essential Tarp Camping Gear

You don’t need much equipment for tarp camping, but a few small accessories make the difference between a secure shelter and a sheet of fabric flapping around in the wind. Some are essential while others depend on where and when you’re camping.

Tarp

It goes without saying that you need a waterproof tarp or rainfly if you want to go tarp camping, because this is your roof. There are more details on different tarp shapes and materials further down the page, or you can check out our guide to the 15 best camping tarps here.

For backpacking, I generally prefer a purpose-built outdoor tarp with reinforced attachment points rather than a heavy builders’ tarpaulin. They pack smaller, weigh less and are usually much easier to pitch tightly.

Groundsheet

A groundsheet protects your sleeping system from damp soil, mud, abrasion and anything sharp underneath you. You can use another lightweight tarp, a dedicated footprint or even a simple sheet of waterproof material cut down to size.

Remember that a groundsheet itself provides very little insulation unless it contains an insulating layer. Its main job is moisture and abrasion protection; your sleeping pad is what keeps the cold ground from drawing heat away from your body.

Tarp Poles

You can buy individual tarp poles to support your shelter, or use trekking poles if there are no suitable trees. I like using hiking poles because I already carry them on many longer walks, so they give me a shelter structure without adding another pair of poles to my pack.

Ridgeline Cord

One of the easiest tarp setups uses a ridgeline between two trees. You don’t need thick rope for this; a strong, low-stretch cord designed for camping works better because it is lighter, packs smaller and is easier to tension.

Your ridgeline should be comfortably longer than the tarp so you have enough spare cord to wrap around trees and tie secure knots. How much extra you need depends on the size of the trees and the distance between them.

Guylines

Guylines tension the corners and side tie-outs of the tarp. Dedicated reflective guyline is usually better than heavy paracord because it is lighter, stretches less and is easier to see at night.

I like having at least four useful lengths available even for a simple setup, with a couple of extras if the tarp has additional side pull-outs. Hammock tarp setups can use even more depending on how many points you want to secure.

Stakes

Stakes secure your guylines and determine how well the shelter holds its shape when the wind picks up. Standard tent pegs work perfectly well in normal ground, but different terrain can benefit from specialized stakes.

We have guides to both soft ground stakes and hard ground stakes. For a typical trekking-pole A-frame, I would carry at least enough pegs for the four corners plus the ridgeline or pole guylines.

Sleeping Bag

A suitable sleeping bag is still essential just because you have swapped a tent for a tarp. In summer, one of these lightweight sleeping bags may be enough, while colder conditions require insulation matched to the expected overnight low.

I would always leave some safety margin rather than selecting a bag rated exactly to the forecast minimum. Tarps offer less protection from moving air than most tents, so wind can make an otherwise mild night feel much colder.

Sleeping Pad

Even on perfectly flat ground, a sleeping pad makes a massive difference to both comfort and warmth. Sleeping bag insulation underneath your body gets compressed, so the pad provides the insulation that the bag cannot.

Choose the pad by its R-value and the temperatures you expect rather than assuming any mat will do. This becomes particularly important during shoulder-season and winter tarp camping.

Bug Netting

Bug netting is optional in areas with few biting insects and almost essential when mosquitoes, midges or other pests are active. You can get lightweight nets for one or several people, as well as inner mesh shelters designed specifically to hang beneath tarps.

Most can be suspended from the same ridgeline as the tarp, keeping the mesh away from your face while adding very little weight.

Tarp Camping Tips for Setting Up

These are some of the tarp camping lessons I’ve learned over the years. Site selection and pitch direction often matter just as much as the tarp itself.

1. Test the Ground Properly

A common beginner mistake is finding an area that looks flat and immediately starting to pitch. Before committing to a spot, I actually lie down where my sleeping bag will go and check how the ground feels.

Small roots, stones and slopes aren’t always obvious when you’re standing up, particularly if you’re setting up in poor light. Moving the shelter a couple of feet before you pitch it is much easier than discovering a rock directly underneath your hip after everything is already tensioned.

Also check for moisture and drainage. On mountains and wet ground, patches of moss or flattened vegetation can reveal places where surface water regularly runs.

2. Avoid Widowmakers

Widowmakers are dead or damaged branches that could fall without warning. Always look up before setting your shelter beneath trees, particularly after storms or in strong winds.

This matters even more when hammock camping because the hammock places additional sideways load on the trees. Look for healthy, substantial trunks and avoid dead trees, cracked limbs or anything obviously unstable overhead.

3. Don’t Pitch a Tarp Right Next to Water

That beautiful spot directly beside a slow-moving stream or lake can come with a huge mosquito population. Standing and slow-moving water provide breeding habitat for many biting insects, so moving even a modest distance away can make your evening considerably more pleasant.

There is also a more serious reason to avoid certain riverbanks and dry channels: water levels can rise unexpectedly. Check the terrain and local conditions, particularly in places where heavy rain upstream can cause flooding even when your own campsite is dry.

4. Check the Wind Direction and Pitch Accordingly

Before setting up, look for natural shelter from the wind such as terrain, vegetation or a solid landform. A well-sheltered pitch can be noticeably warmer and quieter than an exposed one only a short distance away.

If you can’t find natural protection, use the shape of the tarp. A lean-to can create a large windbreak from one direction, while an A-frame gives more balanced protection but leaves openings at each end.

In stronger wind, I generally pitch lower, tighten the fabric properly and keep the broadest exposed surface away from the prevailing wind. A taut low-profile tarp is quieter and places far less strain on stakes and attachment points.

5. A Breeze Can Reduce Biting Insects

There are situations where a slightly more exposed pitch is useful. Mosquitoes and midges struggle more in moving air, so a gentle breeze can dramatically reduce the number of insects hovering around camp.

I wouldn’t deliberately expose myself to a gale just to escape mosquitoes, but on a warm summer evening a breezier location can be much more comfortable than a stagnant hollow beside water.

6. Hiking Poles Come in Very Handy

Any piece of equipment that performs several genuinely useful jobs earns its place in my pack. Hiking poles help with steep climbs, descents and long days on foot, then become excellent tarp supports once you reach camp.

Without trees or another high anchor point, one or two trekking poles can create an A-frame, lean-to or several other tarp pitches. Adjustable poles are particularly useful because you can lower the roof for bad weather or raise it when you want more sitting room.

You will normally use guylines pulling in opposing directions to stabilize each pole. The tension from the tarp and guylines together creates a surprisingly sturdy shelter once everything is properly pegged out.

7. Sleep With Your Head Uphill

If the only usable ground has a slight slope, I prefer to sleep with my head uphill. This mainly stops me sliding head-first into the end of my shelter or sleeping bag during the night and generally feels more comfortable than lying the other way around.

There are plenty of discussions about this among campers, including this Bushcraft USA discussion on sleeping head-up or head-down. I wouldn’t rely on claims that a mild slope will dangerously increase blood pressure in your head; for normal camping, comfort and avoiding sliding are the practical reasons to sleep head uphill.

Benefits of Tarp Camping

• Lightweight
• Packable
• Excellent ventilation
• Flexible shelter space
• Closer connection to your surroundings

The most obvious advantage of a tarp is the amount of shelter you get for the weight. Instead of a tent body, flysheet and dedicated pole structure, you may only be carrying waterproof fabric, cord, pegs and poles you already use for hiking.

Tarps also have superb ventilation. Condensation can still form on the underside of a tarp in the right conditions, but because the shelter is so open it normally has much better airflow than an enclosed tent.

A larger tarp can also create a useful communal area where several people can sit, organize gear or cook during poor weather. I would keep any stove safely away from flammable fabric and provide plenty of ventilation, and I would not recommend routinely building an open campfire beneath a lightweight synthetic tarp.

The biggest attraction for me is simply how open everything feels. If you enjoy minimalist camping and want to feel more connected to the landscape, tarp camping is hard to beat.

Disadvantages of Tarps Vs Tents

• Usually not freestanding
• Little built-in protection from insects
• Less consistent wind protection
• Less privacy
• Requires more pitching skill

At Gear Assistant, we use tents, tarps, hammocks and bivvy bags for different kinds of trips, so I don’t think one shelter system wins every time. Tents provide the most complete all-in-one package, with rain protection, bug protection, privacy and a predictable setup.

Tarps can provide excellent weather protection when pitched well, but they leave more openings where wind-driven rain or insects can enter. You can add a bug-net inner, although doing that gradually reduces some of the simplicity and weight advantage that attracted you to tarp camping in the first place.

For prolonged cold, severe weather or insect-heavy environments, I often prefer a tent. For lightweight summer trips, fair-weather backpacking and adaptable camp shelter, a tarp can be much more enjoyable.

Waterproof Tarp Shapes and Designs

Camping tarps now come in an enormous range of shapes. The best design depends on whether you are sleeping on the ground, using a hammock or prioritizing minimum weight over maximum pitching flexibility.

Rectangle Tarps

Rectangular tarps are excellent for solo shelters because they’re straightforward to pitch and offer plenty of usable length. Something around 7 x 9 feet is a sensible starting size for one person, although experienced ultralight hikers sometimes use smaller shelters depending on conditions.

You can create a lean-to, A-frame, half-pyramid and several other configurations. More well-positioned attachment loops give you more options when wind or rain changes direction.

Square Tarps

Square tarps are probably the most versatile shape because they can be pitched symmetrically, diagonally or folded into more enclosed configurations. A good 3 x 3-meter tarp gives two people loads of shelter space and can accommodate three people in suitable conditions.

Hammock campers also like square tarps because they can be pitched conventionally or rotated into a diamond configuration depending on the amount of coverage required.

Hex Tarps

Hex tarps are especially common for hammocks. Removing material from the corners reduces weight while the longer ridgeline still provides excellent coverage over the hammock body and suspension ends.

The compromise is reduced protection at the corners compared with a full rectangle or square. For ground camping they can still work well, but the shape gives you fewer enclosed pitch options.

Asym Tarps

Asymmetrical tarps are often designed for hammock campers who sleep diagonally across the hammock. The tapered shape removes material that isn’t doing much work, reducing both pack size and weight.

They can be extremely efficient for one particular pitch but aren’t nearly as versatile as a rectangle or square. You can use one on the ground in an emergency, although it wouldn’t be my first choice for regular ground tarp camping.

Cat-Cut Tarps

A catenary cut uses curved edges between attachment points rather than perfectly straight ones. Those curves help the fabric tension evenly and reduce loose sections that would otherwise flap or sag.

The result can be a very stable and quiet pitch, particularly with hammock tarps. The downside is that the shaped edges make the tarp less adaptable to unusual configurations than a simple rectangular sheet.

Camping Tarp Size Guide

Tarp size is always a compromise between coverage, weight and pitching flexibility. The following sizes are useful starting points rather than absolute rules, because the best dimensions depend on the tarp shape and the weather you expect.

1 Person Tarps – Around 7 x 9 ft

For one-person ground camping, around 7 x 9 feet gives useful coverage without becoming cumbersome. It provides enough length to protect a sleeping bag and enough spare width to pitch a reasonable A-frame while keeping some equipment underneath.

Experienced ultralight hikers sometimes use smaller tarps in predictable weather, while people who expect prolonged wind-driven rain may deliberately choose larger ones.

2 Person Tarps – Around 9 x 9 ft

Around 9 x 9 feet, or roughly 3 x 3 meters, works extremely well for two people. It gives you enough space for two sleeping pads plus equipment while still being manageable for one person to carry and pitch.

A square tarp of this size also gives you a huge variety of setup options, which is one reason the 3 x 3 meter format has become so popular.

3 Person Tarps – Around 12 x 12 ft

For three people I prefer something closer to 12 x 12 feet because the extra fabric gives everyone more margin from wind-driven rain. You also gain enough headroom and usable floor area to make the shelter feel considerably less cramped.

Beyond about three sleepers, several smaller shelters can sometimes be easier to pitch than one enormous tarp because finding a single perfectly flat area becomes increasingly difficult.

Communal Tarps – 15 x 15 ft and Larger

Large tarps around 15 x 15 feet or more work brilliantly as communal camp shelters, kitchens and group sitting areas. They can cover several people comfortably but require much stronger anchors and good tensioning because such a large sheet catches a serious amount of wind.

Hammock Camping With a Tarp

If you’re hammock camping in unreliable weather, a waterproof tarp is effectively your roof. It normally hangs from the same pair of trees as the hammock, making the setup simple once you’ve practiced it a few times.

What Is the Best Size Tarp for Hammock Camping?

The most important measurement is ridgeline length. The tarp needs to extend beyond both ends of the hammock body so rain can’t simply run down onto the suspension.

A 3 x 3 meter tarp provides generous coverage for many hammocks, while dedicated hammock tarps often use longer rectangular or hexagonal shapes. Rather than choosing purely by overall square dimensions, compare the tarp’s ridgeline length with the actual length of your hammock.

What Is the Easiest Way to Rig a Tarp for Hammock Camping?

The simplest approach is usually to run a ridgeline between the same two trees and suspend the tarp above the hammock. Peg the sides down using guylines, adjusting the pitch height depending on whether you want maximum weather protection or more living space.

I like to put the tarp up before the hammock when rain is possible. Once the roof is in place, I can set up the rest of my sleeping system while staying relatively dry.

Diagonal Vs Parallel Tarp Setup for Hammock Camping

Pitching a square tarp diagonally can provide very good ridgeline coverage with fewer pegged corners, which is useful for a lightweight overnight setup. The downside is that the open sides provide less lateral protection than a broad rectangular A-frame.

A parallel A-frame usually creates more protected living space and gives you greater control over side coverage. For poor weather I generally value that extra width, while a diamond pitch can make sense when conditions are mild and minimum setup is the priority.

Tarp Materials

Portable waterproof shelters have existed for centuries, but modern materials allow us to carry enormous amounts of weather protection at remarkably low weights. Each fabric makes a different compromise between cost, durability, packability and stretch.

Silnylon

Silnylon is lightweight nylon treated with silicone to make the fabric highly water resistant or waterproof depending on its construction. It is widely used in lightweight dry sacks, tents and tarps because it combines low weight with excellent tear strength.

One characteristic of silnylon is that it can absorb a little moisture and stretch when wet, which may cause the tarp to sag and require re-tensioning. The fabric itself isn’t meaningfully breathable, but that matters much less in an open-sided tarp shelter than in enclosed clothing.

Silpoly

Silicone-treated polyester, usually shortened to silpoly, has become increasingly common in modern lightweight tarps. Polyester generally absorbs less water and stretches less when wet than nylon, so a well-pitched silpoly tarp tends to retain its shape better during prolonged rain.

Nylon usually has better tear strength for the same fabric weight, but modern silpoly is perfectly suitable for many backpacking shelters. Which one is better depends on the exact fabric rather than assuming nylon automatically wins.

Dyneema Composite Fabric

Dyneema Composite Fabric, or DCF, was formerly widely known by the Cuben Fiber name. It is popular among ultralight thru-hikers because it is extremely light, waterproof and doesn’t absorb water in the same way woven nylon can.

The main disadvantage is cost, and abrasion or repeated folding can eventually damage very light DCF laminates. Its excellent strength-to-weight ratio doesn’t mean every ultralight DCF tarp is indestructible, so it still needs to be treated with some care.

Canvas

Canvas is old-school compared with modern lightweight fabrics, but it remains extremely durable and works particularly well for long-term camps, bushcraft shelters and vehicle-based camping. Treated canvas can also handle heat and sparks better than very thin synthetic backpacking fabrics, although no tarp should be assumed fireproof.

The obvious disadvantage is weight and bulk. If I’m carrying everything on my back for miles, canvas makes very little sense, but when transport isn’t an issue it can provide years of hard use.

Lightweight Vs Heavyweight Tarps

Lightweight tarps prioritize low pack weight and tiny packed volume, while heavier materials generally offer better abrasion resistance and durability. Which matters more depends entirely on how you’re travelling and how roughly the shelter will be used.

Portability

The ability to carry a large shelter almost effortlessly is one of the main advantages of a lightweight tarp. Modern backpacking tarps can disappear into a corner of your pack while stakes, cord and guylines take up very little additional room.

If you already carry trekking poles, your structural supports don’t need to add any shelter weight at all. That is one reason tarp systems remain so attractive to lightweight backpackers.

Durability

Heavier tarps generally tolerate abrasion, rough handling and long-term use better. Canvas and heavy synthetic tarpaulins make sense around static camps, vehicle camps and places where the shelter will stay erected for long periods.

I would still keep flames and high heat away from any tarp unless the manufacturer explicitly rates the material for that use. Lightweight nylon, polyester and DCF can be damaged very quickly by sparks or direct heat.

Tarp Camping Without Trees

One of the biggest reservations tent campers have about tarps is the assumption that you always need trees. Trees are certainly convenient, but they aren’t essential and there are plenty of other ways to create height and tension.

Hiking Poles

Hiking poles and tarps are an excellent combination for long-distance hikers because the same poles support you during the day and your shelter at night. Adjustable poles also let you change the height of the pitch depending on weather conditions.

Depending on the tarp design, you can place the handle against a reinforced attachment point or use the pole tip through a suitable grommet or reinforced loop. Avoid pushing sharp tips directly into unprotected fabric because they can puncture it surprisingly easily.

Tarp Poles

Dedicated tarp poles can be collapsible like tent poles or telescopic like trekking poles. They are usually designed to support compression vertically rather than bend into an arch like the poles of a dome tent.

For vehicle camping or a static shelter, dedicated poles are extremely convenient because they let you create exactly the height and layout you want without searching for trees.

Rocks

Above the treeline or in rocky terrain, boulders can provide excellent anchor points. Cord can be wrapped around secure rocks, while smaller stones can sometimes be used as deadman anchors where the ground is too shallow for stakes.

Make sure anything you use is genuinely stable. A large loose rock rolling toward your sleeping area under tension is considerably worse than a tent peg pulling out.

Fences and Walls

Fences and walls can sometimes make useful anchor points or windbreaks, provided you’re allowed to camp there and don’t damage private property. Lean-to and A-frame configurations both work well when you have a strong fixed point at the right height.

A wall can also provide excellent wind protection, but remember to check what’s above you and how water drains around the structure before settling in for the night.

Final Thoughts on Tarp Camping

Tarp camping takes a little more skill than pitching a freestanding tent, but that adaptability is also what makes it so enjoyable. Once you understand site selection, wind direction, tension and a handful of basic tarp configurations, one simple sheet of waterproof fabric can become an enormous range of different shelters.

For lightweight summer backpacking, I love the openness and simplicity. In poor winter weather, heavy insect pressure or places where privacy matters, I may still choose a tent instead.

The best approach is not to treat tarps and tents as competing religions. Learn how to use both and choose whichever shelter makes the most sense for the trip you’re actually going on.