Big Agnes Onyx Tarp Carbon with Dyneema fabric is an expensive piece of advanced plastic with some unique features without a match on the market.
Key features & benefits
- Ultralight.
- Ultra-packable.
- Completely waterproof.
- Spreader pole included.
What this is about
As you see from the title above this is about the Dyneema which is also known as Cuben Fiber. Some basic properties of this new and advanced material are outlined in my separate text.
The manufacturer uses the word Carbon in the name, and this describes the included pole. The official name of this is Big Agnes Onyx Tarp Carbon. I am convinced the stress should be on the fabric and not on the pole which is not essential in any case.
Note that, as of the moment of writing this text, on Amazon they even use the word ‘tent’. Well, this is not a tent, bear this in mind. You do not have any protection from insects with such an item.
So here just to stress that this fabric is 15 times stronger than steel, and it is also much stronger than kevlar. This is basically a plastic (polyethylene) but of a particular type, exceptionally suitable for outdoor equipment because it is completely waterproof.
One great side of this material is that being a plastic, there are no classic seams with tapes. With plastic they use welding so the place where the pieces are bonded together is much stronger than the surrounding area, and it will never leak, contrary to tapes that can degrade in time.
Big Agnes is on the forefront in building outdoor equipment with this fabric. You can see it in their Scout 2 tent. See also our separate text Big Agnes Scout 2 Carbon vs Big Agnes Fly Creek HV 2 Carbon where you have both tents built from Dyneema.
So they are continuing this trend here in building this Big Agnes Onyx Tarp Carbon with the same fabric.
Big Agnes Onyx Tarp Carbon – overview of features
This is a material that resists stretching and sagging when the weather conditions change, so it will preserve its shape after you pitch it and fix. The shape is rectangular and you can see it in the picture with the dimensions:
So the total area is 6.7 m² (72 ft²) but this is with a flat tarp. Clearly, it will be far less when you make some configuration with it, see more below.
It comes with many guyout points, and those are the black dotts that you see on this translucent material. They allow for a variety of configurations so you can pitch it anywhere. Below you can see a few more configurations:
The weight
They describe it as an ultra-technical, ghostly lightweight tarp, and tear-resistant. Indeed, its trail weight is 6 oz (170 g). You can compare this with a standard Kelty Noah 9 tarp which is nearly the same size, 108 x 108 inches (274 x 274 cm) and its minimum weight is 1 lb 11 oz (765 g).
Note on Amazon, the trail weight is both 6 and 8 oz, and the ‘item weight’ is 6.08 lb, quite a mess.
The spreader pole
The mentioned carbon pole is not just any pole. In fact, this is an Easton carbon fiber pole that you can use in various ways in combination with your trekking poles or without them.
The top picture above shows it with trekking poles on the two ends and the spreader carbon pole is added transversely in the middle to add some shoulder room. You have laser-cut Hypalon tabs in the center of the tarp for increased headroom. Here you put the tips of the spreader pole. If you are curious about this material, this is a sort of synthetic rubber.
What else is included
Apart from what is mentioned already, you have the following in the package:
- 8 DAC superlight aluminum J stakes.
- 4 Additional 48″ guylines.
- Dyneema patch kit is included.
- A stuff sack with a pole sleeve pocket for easy storage.
Please see more in this video:
Specifications
- Trail weight: 6 oz (170 g).
- Packed weight: 10 oz (283 g).
- Fast-Fly weight: 4.5 oz (127 g).
- Packed size: 15 x 4 in (38 x 10 cm).
- Floor area: 72 ft² (6.7 m²) – this is with the tarp flat.
- Fabric and poles made in the USA.
Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons
So you have seen it, this Big Agnes Onyx Tarp Carbon is a high-tech product for a minimal setup. If you are willing to invest in such high-end outdoor items, you might want to start with this. It is great for ounce counters and also for bike-packers and pack rafters.
But observe that this is a translucent material and you will not have a shade. On the other hand, regarding protection from the rain, you cannot have more from a tarp, this is a totally waterproof material and it does not absorb water. So it remains light in rain and it preserves its shape. See how I rate it:
Big Agnes Onyx Tarp Carbon Backpacking Tent
Pros
- Ultralight.
- Ultra packable.
- Totally waterproof.
- Very strong.
Cons
- Very expensive.
- Translucent.
If this tarp is above your budget, check for more options here. Thank you for reading. Please bookmark this site and stay informed, we add texts regularly.
Leave a Reply