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Thread: Chill Gorilla??

  1. #31
    Senior Member rweb82's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by heavyhanger View Post
    I am a big fan of cottage industry, and support it as much as I can, but sometimes it is just not a reality and I would much rather see someone outside living life with gear from Amazon, Walmart and the like, than not go, for wanting of gear that is not in the budget.
    ^This. I've always advocated for getting the best gear you can afford to get out in the woods, because isn't that really the goal in the first place? You can replace pieces over time to eventually end up with top-of-the-line gear. I started with a GT Skeeter Beeter Pro that I basically got for free b/c of an Amazon credit, DIY CDT TQ & UQ, a cheap poly tarp, and a $25 pack from Menards. None of that gear ever failed me. But was it everything I wanted? Not even close.

    I also don't buy into the strawman argument that folks are more likely to give up on hammock camping, because they started with cheap gear. Sure, there are some folks who give up. But most of us here started with cheap gear, and now we pretty much all use cottage vendor gear. If anything, I believe the availability of cheap Amazon gear helps our cottage vendors in the long run.

  2. #32
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rweb82 View Post
    ...and a $25 pack from Menards.
    Packs now? Such a weird store. When I worked there back around 2004 it started modest with white calf socks, knockoff Snuggies and Famous Dave's BBQ sauce. That was it.

    Now it's a hodge-podge of Lowes, Dollar Tree and Kohls.

  3. #33
    Senior Member rweb82's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OneClick View Post
    Packs now? Such a weird store. When I worked there back around 2004 it started modest with white calf socks, knockoff Snuggies and Famous Dave's BBQ sauce. That was it.

    Now it's a hodge-podge of Lowes, Dollar Tree and Kohls.
    They definitely try to be a "jack of all trades." If you're craving Famous Dave's BBQ sauce and Sprecher's Root Beer, there isn't a better deal around! I also like to buy my smoke wood chunks from there.

    I will admit, the pack wasn't half-bad. If I had been able to adjust the torso length on it, I probably would've used it a bit more. I still have it, but it doesn't get used on the trail anymore.

  4. #34
    Senior Member rweb82's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OneClick View Post
    Packs now? Such a weird store. When I worked there back around 2004 it started modest with white calf socks, knockoff Snuggies and Famous Dave's BBQ sauce. That was it.

    Now it's a hodge-podge of Lowes, Dollar Tree and Kohls.
    They definitely try to be a "jack of all trades." If you're craving Famous Dave's BBQ sauce and Sprecher's Root Beer, there isn't a better deal around! I also like to buy my smoke wood chunks from there.

    I will admit, the pack wasn't half-bad. If I had been able to adjust the torso length on it, I probably would've used it a bit more. I still have it, but it doesn't get used on the trail anymore.

  5. #35
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    I have a 12x12ish chill gorilla tarp. Let me tell you- this was not a cheaply made tarp! While being on the heavier side, it's a little larger than a nalgene water bottle, this thing had so many tie outs on it, it could be configured in so many ways! I was usually able to make doors on it, and it was so roomy under it due to the tie outs, that other campers could put camp chairs under it on really windy days in order to get out of the wind! I used it for many years- I only upgraded in order to get something smaller & lighter weight. Definitely fantastic though for winter camping & car camping if you are not constrained for space!

  6. #36
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by taraH View Post
    I have a 12x12ish chill gorilla tarp. Let me tell you- this was not a cheaply made tarp! While being on the heavier side, it's a little larger than a nalgene water bottle, this thing had so many tie outs on it, it could be configured in so many ways! I was usually able to make doors on it, and it was so roomy under it due to the tie outs, that other campers could put camp chairs under it on really windy days in order to get out of the wind! I used it for many years- I only upgraded in order to get something smaller & lighter weight. Definitely fantastic though for winter camping & car camping if you are not constrained for space!
    I have a CG tarp- maybe it is(was there a) the Pinnacle? - in my closet. I got it a year or 2 back and have never even pitched it! Maybe I will soon! ( I probably bought it because the already cheap tarp was on sale)

    I often use ultra cheap Harbor Freight tarps in my back yard. Bulky and heavy, but who cares for that use, and I am willing to leave them pitched in the sun's rays. They have never failed me. But I would not want to backpack with one if I could fford something lighter and less bulky.

    OTOH, back in 2007 or 08 I paid full price for a JRB 10X11 rectangular tarp. It has gone on many a trip with me and kept me dry in some deluges. Recently, due to my error, it got torn real bad near one edge. I had my wife sew it back together on her machine, and I slapped a bit of seam sealer on that edge before a recent trip to the Adirondacks. But I did not reseal the main seam, the one I sealed all those years ago. It still looked fine and withstood a back yard hose test. Lo and behold, it worked as good as it ever has for the 4 nights of that recent camping trip. It kept me dry thru one afternoon deluge and one all night light rain. There were several big tents in camp, and I was the only one 100% dry. I had comments from the tenters about how dry I was, much to their surprise. THAT TARP IS AT LEAST 13 YEARS OLD, AND PATCHED WHERE I HAD TORN IT BY ACCIDENT THRU ABUSE! So it cost me what, about $10 per year? How are you going to beat that?

    I also have a HH tarp bought about the same time. (12 X 10, or X 11) While getting ready for the Adirondack trip, I was testing it in the back yard. The seam tape was coming off. So I pulled it off and sealed it with silicon sealer from the auto parts store. After that, it appears in fine condition as well. These high quality products are well worth the money when used for many years. Or maybe even if only for 1 trip if your safety is at risk. But, I also do not hesitate to use the cheaper stuff, and some of it is not bad at all. Some of it I would take backpacking if I could not afford the better stuff. In all cases, I would test in my back yard first.

    Man, I have got to get that cheap CG tarp out and give it a test! But, I bet they are out of business. Then again, I have known several of our most respected cottage vendors, known for the highest quality and for most excellent customer service, to suddenly go out of business as well. If someone is selling a $25 tarp, I won't be surprised when they suddenly disappear.

  7. #37
    Senior Member cmoulder's Avatar
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    BB58, I think you're referring to this one. 'Pinnacle MD' from Amazon seller that has evaporated. I got one of them years ago and have used it only a couple of times for the rare car camp. I think it has seen only one light rain, but it is well made and worked just fine.

    Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
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  8. #38
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    CM, I think that is the one. Sure seems familiar!

    EDIT: That's it! Found it sitting right on top of my gear storage containers, because I had it out when I was getting ready for my recent Adirondacks trip. I was considering taking it instead of my much older and patched JRB 11X10 rectangular, or my HH 12X10 Hex cut. But I had never had it out for testing, and it was not quite as big as those 2 others, since it was both a Hex cut and at least a few inches less wide(and a foot shorter than the HH). But I bet it would have worked fine. Since, according to that video you linked to, it has seam tape, I will need to check and see if it has come loose like the HH did. (I have also had that happen on at least 1 HH asym tarp) Of course, all of the HH tarps were over 10 years old and had seen at least some use. The CG is probably only a few years old at most, and has seen zero use. So maybe the tape is still good. Hopefully, I will soon find out, by testing, now that it has cooled off.

    According to that thread you linked to, it is actually quite light at 17 oz for an 11 ft silnylon tarp.
    Last edited by BillyBob58; 09-25-2021 at 09:10.

  9. #39
    Senior Member cmoulder's Avatar
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    Yes, bang for buck was very good on that one, and it doesn't have a gigantic, gaudy logo on it.
    Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
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