Overheard a kid at REI say a tarp is 'basically a tent' and it got me thinking about how gear has changed

I was in the REI in Denver last Saturday killing time while my wife was in a different store. This kid, maybe 19 or 20, was talking to his friend about camping and said a tarp is basically a tent. I almost laughed out loud. But then I thought about it, and you know, he's not totally wrong if you're talking about a basic shelter. I grew up in the 90s with a heavy canvas tent that took 20 minutes to set up and weighed like 15 pounds. Now I see people with these crazy ultralight tarps and a bivvy sack that all fits in a water bottle pocket. It's a different world. I still like having walls though. Maybe I'm just old fashioned. Has anyone else noticed how lightweight everything has gotten compared to even 10 years ago?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim9631mo ago

You mentioned the heavy canvas tent from the 90s and that's exactly what I grew up with too. But here's the thing nobody talks about - all this ultralight gear has made camping way more accessible for people who can't afford a car. I know it sounds weird, but I see folks bike camping and even backpacking to trailheads because they can fit everything in a tiny pack now. That kid at REI probably doesn't own a car or has a small apartment with no storage space. A tarp is basically a tent when you can carry it on a bus or bike and set it up anywhere without needing a parking spot. The old gear assumed you had a trunk to fill. This new stuff assumes you have legs and a backpack.

anthonymurray1mo ago

Bro @kim963 you just made me realize my 90s tent weighed more than my actual car did back then lol. I used to drive a beat up civic and that canvas beast took up half the trunk space. Now my whole camping setup fits in a milk crate I can strap to a bike rack. Wild how gear changed from "you need a pickup truck" to "you need a bus pass and some determination." That tarp point really hits home too. I saw a guy at a trailhead last summer with nothing but a bivy sack and a folding stove. He biked 30 miles from the city to get there. No parking pass needed, no gas money spent. Meanwhile I'm hauling a coleman lantern that weighs as much as his whole pack probably. Its funny how the old stuff felt like luxury but really it was just designed for people who could afford a car and a big house to store it all. The ultralight revolution is actually an accessibility thing in disguise. Not rich enough for a car? No problem just buy a 300 dollar tent that fits in your pocket. Makes me feel like a boomer for even owning a tent with poles honestly.

lily_singh210d ago

Real talk though @kim963, that old canvas tent kept you alive in a storm that would shred these fancy tarps into confetti. My $400 ultralight setup nearly collapsed in normal wind last season while some dude with a 1990s Coleman was playing cards through a hurricane. We traded bombproof shelter for the ability to carry it on a bike, and I'm not sure that's always the right trade.