New Hilleberg 5 XP Tarp

Got a Hilleberg 5 XP in yesterday's mail. From reading the specs on Moontrail's website it looked to be the perfect size for the style of shelter I would be most likely to pitch on a regular basis. The Hilleberg XP tarps use Sil-Polyester and the UL tarps use Sil-Nylon. For the extra 6 oz. of the XP I'll take the extra UV resistance and tear strength.

Having been to the fabric store and shopping for ripstop nylon to make my own tarp I know that I would have spent nearly as much for material as the Hilleberg cost and I wouldn't have had the stitching, the sil-polyester material, OR the lifetime warranty Hilleberg offers.

Upsides:

• Packs down SMALL and compresses even further
• Green color easier to blend in to surroundings
• Comes with guylines already attached
• 18 oz. for almost 5 feet X 11.5 feet (1.45m X 3.5m)
• Sil-polyester feels nice and sturdy
• Tie-outs have metal/hard plastic rings for durability

Downsides:

• Guylines were a rat's nest when I pulled the tarp out of the stuff sack and had to be unknotted and retied
• A bit smaller (narrower) than anticipated

Overall I'm pleased with my purchase. Once I get it outdoors and pitched a time or two I may be able to come back here and revisit my pros/cons list and revise. For $50 though I'd say you'll be hard-pressed to beat the apparent value as long as you're comfortable with a minimalist shelter.

Thanks for reading,

B