Crazy Creek, the Montana-based purveyors of classic backpacking and camping chairs, also make a mean DWR-coated ripstop nylon camp tarp. It’s a piece of gear that should be in any car camp kit, especially if you’re still rockin’ an old, duct tape-patched blue tarp in camp. And it’s light enough at 2.5 pounds (including guy lines) to take along on shorter backpacking or bike packing trips. The 10 by 14 foot size is big enough for a small group or family to escape the elements. I set mine up recently in the wind and rain under thorny tree branches, which amazingly didn’t lead to any tarp puncture wounds, and there was room for four guys to cook and keep dry out of the rain. MSRP: $130. Crazycreek.com //
