A tarp does more at camp than you expect, and a small one that packs into a side pocket is the one you actually take. The Hikeman Waterproof Camping Tarp is ours: a 140 × 210 cm sheet of 210D Oxford polyester that weighs 308 g with its pouch. It cost us $56, and it has been a tent footprint, a picnic mat and, on the beach on the Fleurieu Peninsula near Adelaide, a shade shelter off the back of the Prado.
What’s in the box
One 140 × 210 cm tarp in grey 210D Oxford polyester with a PU2000 mm waterproof coating, double-stitched reinforced hems and a webbing strap with a grommet at each corner, plus a drawstring pouch. Packed, it’s about 20 × 8 cm.
What we like
- Light: 308 g with pouch
- Packs to 20 × 8 cm
- PU2000 mm waterproof
- Strap and grommet at each corner
- Footprint, mat or shade
- Comes in five sizes
What we don’t
- Thinner than dearer tarps
- Medium too small for a group
- Basic pouch
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Hikeman |
| Material | 210D Oxford polyester |
| Colour | Grey |
| Weight | 308 gwith pouch |
| Size | 140 × 210 cmMedium |
| Packed size | 20 × 8 cm |
| Water rating | PU2000 mm |
| Features | Reinforced hemsCorner straps with grommets |
Shade on the beach
On our big trip we camped on the beach on the Fleurieu Peninsula, with no shade anywhere, so the tarp became our shelter. We clipped one end to the channel of our Grand Tourer Lite rooftop tent with a strap and carabiner, ran the other end down to the back of the Prado and pegged a guy line into the sand, and set the chairs up underneath. The corner straps and grommets make it easy to clip on wherever you need.
Groundsheet and picnic mat
As a groundsheet it fits under a one or two person hiking tent and keeps the floor dry: after an overnight drizzle on wet grass, the underside of our tent stayed dry. PU2000 mm isn’t the highest rating around, but it’s plenty for damp ground and light to moderate rain. It also works as a picnic mat for two with some gear, or as a quick canopy between trees.
Build
The 210D Oxford polyester sits between ultralight nylon and heavy canvas-style tarps: much sturdier than a paper-thin groundsheet, but still light. The hems are double stitched and the corners reinforced, though the fabric is thinner than on dearer tarps, so on rocky ground or sharp sticks we’d still put something underneath. It dries quickly once hung up, and mud brushes off once it’s dry.
Packed size and weight
At 308 g with its pouch and 20 × 8 cm packed, you barely notice it in a backpack, and it slips into a side pocket or the bottom of a drawer in the 4WD. Folding it neatly back into the small pouch takes a bit of care, and the pouch itself is basic.
Sizes
Ours is the Medium, 140 × 210 cm, which suits a one or two person setup. The same tarp comes in four other sizes, from a 90 × 210 cm Small for a solo tent to a 210 × 240 cm XX-Large for a family tent or a bigger shelter.
| SmallerSmall | This reviewMedium (ours) | BiggerLarge | BiggerX-Large | BiggerXX-Large | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 90 × 210 cm | 140 × 210 cm | 180 × 210 cm | 210 × 210 cm | 210 × 240 cm |
| Best for | 1 person | 1–2 people | 2 people | 2–3 people | 3–4 people |
| Shop | Check price at Amazon | Check price at Amazon | Check price at Amazon | Check price at Amazon | Check price at Amazon |
Conclusion: Hikeman Waterproof Camping TarpConclusion
The Hikeman Waterproof Camping Tarp is a light, simple tarp that earns its place: 308 g, 20 × 8 cm packed, PU2000 mm waterproof and a strap and grommet at every corner. It has kept a tent floor dry on wet grass and given us shade on a Fleurieu Peninsula beach off the back of the Prado. The fabric is thinner than on dearer tarps and the Medium is too small for a group, but at $56 it’s an easy one to keep in the kit, and it comes in five sizes.
A light, simple tarp that earns its place in the kit.
It's kept our tent floor dry on wet grass and given us shade on a Fleurieu Peninsula beach, clipped to the rooftop tent off the back of the Prado. The fabric is thinner than on dearer tarps, and the Medium is too small for a group.
- Hikers
- Solo trips
- Couples
Yes. A 308 g tarp with a PU2000 coating that packs to 20 × 8 cm is an affordable essential. The fabric is thinner than premium tarps and it won’t cover a group.
