OutdoorGearLab

For true ultralight aficionados and die-hard thru-hikers, no form of shelter burdens you less than a tarp. While we only tested two stand-alone tarps in this year's review, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Square Flat Tarp is by far the most protective. The perfectly square design allows for endless adaptability when it comes to pitching options and locations. At only 10.9 ounces, including copious amounts of tie-out cordage, this tarp is the lightest shelter in this review. If you don't like carrying a lot of weight and you're willing to skimp on the comforts of a traditional fully covered shelter, this ultra-bomber and a durable tarp is our best recommendation.  
That weight comes with a minor caveat in that you will likely want to bring along a ground cloth to sleep on, and depending on the season and weather, you may also need a bivy sack for added weather and bug protection in addition to extra stakes and cord. This ups the overall shelter system weight and costs a bit. Keep in mind that both the price and the weight are for the tarp without the trekking poles needed to set it up or the stakes required to keep it affixed to the ground, so you will have to figure in the money and weight attributed to both. Regardless, if you are in the market for a tarp and want the best one we have ever used, look no further than this excellent design.

For true ultralight aficionados and die-hard thru-hikers, no form of shelter burdens you less than a tarp. While we only tested two stand-alone tarps in this year's review, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Square Flat Tarp is by far the most protective. The perfectly square design allows for endless adaptability when it comes to pitching options and locations. At only 10.9 ounces, including copious amounts of tie-out cordage, this tarp is the lightest shelter in this review. If you don't like carrying a lot of weight and you're willing to skimp on the comforts of a traditional fully covered shelter, this ultra-bomber and a durable tarp is our best recommendation.  
That weight comes with a minor caveat in that you will likely want to bring along a ground cloth to sleep on, and depending on the season and weather, you may also need a bivy sack for added weather and bug protection in addition to extra stakes and cord. This ups the overall shelter system weight and costs a bit. Keep in mind that both the price and the weight are for the tarp without the trekking poles needed to set it up or the stakes required to keep it affixed to the ground, so you will have to figure in the money and weight attributed to both. Regardless, if you are in the market for a tarp and want the best one we have ever used, look no further than this excellent design.
Read more: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Square Flat Tarp review

yotpo

expert-review

10 Best Ultralight Backpacking Tarps 2022

If you're ready to purchase an adaptable tarp system at a reasonable price, the Kammok Kuhli UL may be exactly what you're looking for. It's manufactured with a flat-face design with wings to provide more lateral room. It also has six pole-compatible high-quality grommets around the edge. You can build using this tarp in several configurations. With easy-to-use tensioners on each grommet, you can re-tension and loosen it with ease. We also appreciate that the 15D ripstop fabric is quite durable to abrasion. Based on the design you choose to set up with, this tarp can be used easily for three seasons through any kind of weather and fits two people comfortably. 
Not as intuitive as a pole tent, it took a little time to figure out how to set it up with a set of ski poles. In abysmal weather, we appreciate that it doesn't make a whole lot of sound and is pretty stable; however, when set up in a flatter configuration where the walls aren't as steep, the fabric got saturated and stretched out. This means if a storm is going through the night, you'll need to re-tension it. It's also not recommended for snowy weather for this reason. For nicer weather that isn't the worst you can imagine, this tarp option is thin and easy to pitch wherever you explore.

If you're ready to purchase an adaptable tarp system at a reasonable price, the Kammok Kuhli UL may be exactly what you're looking for. It's manufactured with a flat-face design with wings to provide more lateral room. It also has six pole-compatible high-quality grommets around the edge. You can build using this tarp in several configurations. With easy-to-use tensioners on each grommet, you can re-tension and loosen it with ease. We also appreciate that the 15D ripstop fabric is exceptionally durable to abrasion. Based on the design you choose to set up with, this tarp can be used easily for three seasons through any kind of weather and fits two people comfortably. 
Not as intuitive as a pole tent, it took a little time to figure out how to set it up with a set of ski poles. In abysmal weather, we appreciate that it doesn't make much sound and is pretty stable; however, when set up in a flatter configuration where the walls aren't as steep, the fabric got saturated and stretched out. This means if a storm is going through the night, you'll need to re-tension it. It's also not recommended for snowy weather for this reason. For nicer weather that isn't the worst you can imagine, this tarp option is thin and easy to pitch wherever you explore.
Read more: Kammok Kuhli UL review

Tarp Comparison