Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Where to Buy:

I picked my Kelty Range Tarp up at Campsaver on sale for under $100 bucks because I couldn’t pass it up. I have plenty of tents but like all gearheads I’m always on the lookout to improve my gear arsenal. In this case I was looking for a lightweight winter shelter that was more robust than my other shelters that were predominantly lightweight warm weather shelters made from very lightweight materials. For some reason I’m thinking winter calls for more robust, tougher gear and I’m not sure that’s accurate but I’m going with it.

The Kelty Range Tarp isn’t extremely light because it’s made of stout 40D nylon but when you take into account the size of the tarp it’s a pretty good compromise. Then you have to add in the fact that you need a floor of some kind and you have a few more ounces to add to the mix. Either way I’m certain I can keep it right around 3 pounds which isn’t bad at all for a two person shelter that’s capable of handling some weather. Kelty’s website states that it’s a 3 season shelter but they also describe it as having rain and snow flaps so I take that as being capable of handling some snow but not necessarily a “snow shelter”. Works for me because my winter hiking doesn’t usually involve an extreme amount of snowfall at one time.

It has some really cool features like snow/rain flaps to seal out the harsh stuff as well as bugs. I wanted a shelter that used trekking poles for setup but didn’t see anything on Kelty’s website about the possibility to set it up by hanging it from a branch but judging by the heavy duty grommets I’d say it’s definitely a possible option.

I like the fact that this thing has two doors which is very convenient. And the vents are basically just the two-way door zippers so you can open them up as far as you want to get some fresh air. Since they are directly across from each other you can get some pretty good airflow if the tent is set up correctly in the wind.

One of the things that attracted me is that I will have the ability to sit at the door and use my Solo Stove just outside without worrying about burning a hole in my tent floor from sparks because there is no floor. This definitely opens up the options, of course I won’t be using the stove inside the tent because it’s really not safe when you consider the lack of venting.

Something else I like about it is it’s simplicity – it’s an a-frame just like the pup tents I had as a kid. Only this one is for grownups and it’s a lot higher tech than the ones I had as a kid. That throwback may be another reason why I had to have it who knows. But, also unlike that old a-frame on this tent the poles go outside of the sleeping area so I won’t be knocking them over in the middle of the night which is a bonus. And the lack of poles makes the interior of this thing extremely spacious! At 108″ long and 62″ wide this thing is like a palace and can easily accommodate two people.

When you look at all of those features it’s a great deal for under one hundred bucks but the fact that both doors can be totally unzipped and it folds out into a tarp makes it even better!

I plan on coupling this thing with either a Grabber Outdoors Original Space Brand All Weather Blanket, Tyvek, Reflectix or a combination to give me some extra protection from the ground.

As of 10/17 I’ve yet to try it out or set it up but I’m looking forward to late December/January to take it to the Smoky Mountains where hopefully there will be a lot of snow to test it. I will be back to give an update on my experience with this thing after I get a chance to try it out a few times.

3/18/16 – 3/20/16 – Allen Gap to Hot Springs, NC – This was my first hike with my Kelty Range Tarp and it went well. It was a mild night on the AT so I was able to leave a good gap between the two doors in order to facilitate good airflow. Setting up the tarp was relatively easy and took very little time. Once set up I put my ZPacks Twin Cuben Bathtub Floor inside the tarp for the floor just in case it rained. It ended up being a really nice night with just a cool breeze and in the low 40’s.

When I climbed inside the tarp I was amazed by the room and could have easily fit another person in there with me. I can’t wait to take it out again!

Here is a nice review someone did on this tarp on youtube: Kelty Range Tarp Review

Here is the description straight from Kelty’s website:

Range Tarp

Need shelter from the storm fast? The ultra lightweight and versatile trekking pole pitch Range Tarp delivers instant coverage every season of the year. With two doors and ground flaps, it’s easy to seal yourself from the snow, rain, wind and bugs when you’re not letting the breeze in. Take it anywhere and set it up everywhere so you and a friend can enjoy real-time defense against the elements.