Anyone deal with A1 Tarps?

[Bingo]

Researched and found new 8 mil tarps on there discount for very decent prices, they also have 12 mil. for under tent protection for a bit more but very reasonable. I'm researching bit by bit on the best places to buy items I will need to save for next year. Is the 8 mil thickness good thickness to protect tent for suns rays and extra rain protection?, I'm pretty sure that the 12 mil. is good enough for ground protection. The grommets are 18" apart.

[MacGyver]

Re: Anyone deal with A1 Tarps?

Personally, I like 10 or 12 mil tarps for over a tent and 18 ounce vinyl tarps for under it. For the over tarp, I like the 12 mil because they'll take a hit from the odd branch that falls. The thicker tarp also just generally lasts longer than thinner tarps - especially if you get a silver/gray tarp which doesn't break down from UV degradation as fast as the more common blue or brown tarps. For the ground sheet, I have a custom cut vinyl tarp without any grommets to fit my largest dome tent. When I take out a smaller tent, I just fold it to match the footprint. The vinyl tarps are about as bulletproof as anything I've seen. Although I've bookmarked several tarp distributors, the two companies I tend to deal with most are TarpSupply and TarpsNow.

[actad]

Re: Anyone deal with A1 Tarps?

I have not dealt with A1.

I get my thick silver Steelton Tools tarps for under the tents at my local Ollies for a good price. I have several as my tents range from 14'x10' to 7'x2.5'

The color/reflective silver Grabber tarps are ordered from Walmart, but many places carry them. They seem to go on sale in February - I picked up several at half the regular price. I use them for keeping heat in the tent in cool weather by hanging them silver side in inside the tent, or helping to keep the sun off the tent in summer by puttng them over the tent with the silver side out. I also use them to keep warmth in the travel trailer when I use it in the winter (I don't tent camp in the winter.)

Dollar Tree has the small blue tarps that I use to cover firewood or under a muddy dog in the truck cab.