Skip to content

Tarps and shelters

REDCAMP waterproof ground tarp vs GardenMate ground tarp, 10 × 10 ft

A cut-down camping sheet or a full 9 m² (97 sq ft) tarpaulin under the tent?

By

Both of these go under a tent rather than over you, and they come from two different worlds. The REDCAMP is a camping-cut sheet that publishes a denier, a weight and a pack size — three figures at once, which is rare here. The GardenMate is a general-purpose cover sheet of 9 m² (97 sq ft), quoted by fabric weight, with the tightest eyelet spacing in this hub.

REDCAMP rectangular waterproof tarp in ripstop polyester with edge eyelets

REDCAMP waterproof ground tarp

7.8/10

Wins 3 of 9

Search Amazon

GardenMate green woven tarpaulin cover sheet with aluminum eyelets

GardenMate ground tarp, 10 × 10 ft

7.8/10

Wins 4 of 9

Search Amazon

Gram against gram

Compared on waterproof ground tarp ground tarp, 10 × 10 ft
Dimensions 210 × 140 cm (82.7 × 55.1 in); the maker also lists a 210 × 210 cm (82.7 × 82.7 in) size 3 × 3 m (10 × 10 ft), stated as 9 m² (97 sq ft), with a stated tolerance of ±5% on all measurements
Fabric and coating 210D Oxford ripstop polyester, described as waterproof; no coating is named A PP/PE weave at 140 g/m² (4.1 oz/yd²), coated on both sides and stated to be UV-stabilised and mold-resistant
Hydrostatic head Not published — called waterproof, with no millimeter figure Not published — a weight per square meter is given instead of a millimeter figure
Denier 210D Not published — the fabric is quoted by weight, at 140 g/m² (4.1 oz/yd²)
Eyelet spacing Not published — eyelets are described around the edge with no spacing given Aluminum eyelets every 50 cm (19.7 in)
Tie-out count Not published — eyelets are described around the edge without a number Not published — the eyelet spacing is stated and the total is not given
Edge and corner reinforcement Not published Rubber edging at the corners and double-hemmed edges
Stated weight 310 g (10.9 oz), stated for the 210 × 140 cm (82.7 × 55.1 in) size Not published — 140 g/m² (4.1 oz/yd²) is a fabric weight, not the weight of the sheet
What the pack includes The sheet only — no pegs and no cord are listed Not published — no guylines, pegs or poles are listed
Listed on amazon.com No No

Each tick belongs to its own line and nothing more. The row of ticks is not a score: the two verdicts underneath settle the page, because these two answer different questions on the trail.

Which of the two, for which walk

REDCAMP waterproof ground tarp

No amazon.com listing was found for this one. We hold references for other markets but none for the United States, so it may not be buyable here — which is the first thing to weigh against anything below.

The REDCAMP is the one that goes in a pack: 310 g (10.9 oz) for the 210 × 140 cm (82.7 × 55.1 in) size, a 210D Oxford weave and a 12 × 7 × 2 cm (4.7 × 2.8 × 0.8 in) folded box, all published together. It is cut for a solo tent footprint and nothing more, and its edge has eyelets whose number and spacing are never given.

GardenMate ground tarp, 10 × 10 ft

No amazon.com listing was found for this one. We hold references for other markets but none for the United States, so it may not be buyable here — which is the first thing to weigh against anything below.

The GardenMate is the bigger sheet and a different job — 9 m² (97 sq ft) at 140 g/m² (4.1 oz/yd²), rubber-edged corners, double-hemmed edges and an aluminum eyelet every 50 cm (19.7 in), which is the tightest spacing here and the reason it can be pegged out as a shelter as well as laid flat. It publishes no weight for the sheet itself, so what you carry is left for you to work out.

What people ask before buying

Why does eyelet spacing matter more than eyelet count?

Spacing tells you where you can put a peg, which is what decides whether a sheet can be pulled taut or only weighted down at the corners. A count on its own says nothing about where the points are, and one of these two publishes the spacing and neither publishes the count.

Can a fabric weight replace a water column?

No. Grams per square meter describes how much material there is, not how much pressure the coating holds before water passes. Neither of these sheets publishes a hydrostatic head, so both use the word waterproof without a figure behind it.

The full page for both

Prices in these summaries were read on the dates each review gives. The live figure sits beside every product.