Ultralight backpackers love to talk about shaving grams, and this week there's an easy win on the table: the Rab SilTarp Plus Solo, a solo shelter that weighs just 8.8 ounces, is on sale for $85. For context, that's lighter than most phones-and-keys pile at the bottom of your daypack, and it costs a fraction of what dedicated ultralight tents typically run.
The catch — and it's a fair one — is that a flat tarp isn't a tent. There's no zip-up door, no clip-on fly, no instant setup. You pitch it yourself using trekking poles or a ridge line, and getting a solid, weather-proof configuration takes practice. Rab's tarp uses a 30D silicone-coated nylon body, which sheds rain reliably, and it offers more than a dozen guy-out points so you can rig it tight and stable when wind and storms roll in. In the hands of someone who knows what they're doing, that flexibility is a feature: you can create a lean-to for a view, a low A-frame for storm security, or even an enclosed pitch with improvised doors.
So who is this actually for? Two groups, mainly. First, the tarp-curious — hikers who've heard about flat tarps and want a cheap way to try the style without committing to a $400 ultralight tent or a fancy DCF tarp. At $85, the financial risk of finding out tarp camping isn't your thing is close to zero. Second, established ultralighters who want a backup shelter or an even lighter option for fair-weather trips where a full tent is overkill.
If you're new to tarp camping, don't let the learning curve scare you off — but do prepare. Practise a few pitches in your garden or a local park before you rely on one in the backcountry, and learn at least two configurations: an open lean-to for calm nights and a low, storm-proof pitch for rough weather. Site selection matters more with a tarp, too, since you're more exposed to wind-driven rain and bugs (a head net or bivy can help with the latter). None of that changes the core maths, though: no other shelter style gets you under cover at anywhere near this weight or price.
The deal was flagged this week by Backpacker, which frames the SilTarp Plus Solo as an ideal entry-level solo shelter for anyone willing to put in the effort to learn. If your holiday plans involve multi-day treks — think hut-to-hut routes, long-distance trails, or any trip where every gram in the pack counts — an 8.8-ounce shelter at $85 is a genuinely useful piece of kit at a price worth acting on.
