bug out bag
Tarp/Bug Out Bag Rope?
I've been working on adding stuff to my BOB (Bug Out Bag) over the past six months. One thing I really want to add is a tarp with some quality rope. I want the rope to be durable and able for use in other occurrences besides just holding up a tarp..........like possibly hunting, climbing, and whatever else. What is a good brand of rope that is still fairly priced?
Also what's a good brand of tarp?
Thanks for your help!
I haven't done a lot of climbing, and for what I have done, other people have supplied the gear, so hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in. Climbing rope is bulky, heavy and expensive. A 70m (230-ft) length of climbing rope will weigh over 8 pounds and take-up a good portion of your pack, while costing you around $200. You would not want to sacrifice part of a climbing rope by cutting-off lengths to secure a tarp. Plus climbing rope is thick (9.4 to 10+ mm diameter), so it could be difficult to thread through the grommets/loops on a tarp.
Paracord is a common staple of BOB's and other camping and survival kits. It is inexpensive and lightweight but strong -- rated for 550 pounds static load. I just bought an additional 300-feet of Paracord today at a local swap meet/military vehicle show and paid $21. However, you would not want to use Paracord for climbing or rappelling. At 3mm, it is 1/3 the diameter of most climbing rope, so it would be impossible to get a good grip with your hands for climbing, or to generate enough friction for speed control with a descender. Also, the 550-Lb static load limit would easily be exceeded while bouncing during a rappel or the arresting jerk after a fall.
If you need to prepare for the possibility of a climb or rappel you should get properly rated dry or static rope intended for climbing, with thicker diameters (10mm+) being easier for beginners (like me) to handle. Also get yourself some training on how to use rope safely.
For everything else Paracord is a good utility rope.
As for tarps...
SilNylon (silicon-coated nylon) tarps are very popular for backpacking because they pack up extremely thing and are very lightweight. Integral Designs, Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO), Granite Gear and MSR (Mountain Safety Research) all make SilNylon tarps; Integral Designs is considered the best. But these are expensive, averaging around $90.
A key strategy for BOB's is to select multi-use items. Here's a situation where a tarp/poncho has some benefits. Equinox, Sea-to-Summit and Integral Designs make SilNylon Tarp/ponchos that are very lightweight, pack compactly, and can be used as a poncho by day and a tarp by night. I have a few Campmor (made by Equinox) SilNylon tarp/ponchos and they are very convenient.
There are also lightweight poly tarps worth looking at. I picked-up a lightweight blue woven poly tarp, 6x8 feet, from REI for $3.50 just out of curiosity, and have used it several times with good results. It is a few ounces heavier than a SilNylon tarp and doesn't fold-up as compact, but is still very lightweight and compact in my pack. I just used this tarp again yesterday to make an awning off the side of my Jeep at a military vehicle show and flea market. Although we had torrential rain and winds up to 40MPH, the tarp stood up very well all day and night. I'm so impressed I'm going to buy a couple more in the same and larger sizes for my other gear kits.
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