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A back-to-basics pyramid tarp with lots of headroom, liveable space, and plenty of room for gear; if you love camping but don’t like the confinement of a “regular” tent, this could be a game changer for you. A light and airy “base camp”, it’s easy and quick to set up.
Big Agnes says:
For fast and light adventures with the whole gang, the Gold Camp stands above the rest. The single pole design makes setup simple, even after a long day on the trail. Inside you'll find plenty of room to stand up and change, and to sleep up to five comfortably. Add the optional Footprint and Mesh Inner for extra protection from the elements, and sleep soundly for tomorrow's adventures!
Our Verdict
The beauty of this pyramid tarp is that it’s so simple and fast to pitch; stake out the four corners, then simply insert the pole and adjust to your desired height; lowering the pole will help the tarp perform better in bad weather, fully extending the tarp will add breathability and airflow, you can then stake out the rest of the tarp and adjust to get your ideal pitch, very simple on your own, but if you are doing it in a group, with practise you can get the Gold Camp UL 5 tarp can be up in minutes.
Once the tarp is up, you get a very airy, open shelter with two doors, a single zip “front door,” and a rear door that, with the addition of two trekking poles, can be used as an awning. Multiple internal loops can hang gear up to dry or attach a lantern to give some light. The whole thing creates a nice liveable space that, on hot days, is incredibly well-ventilated, but if you are confined to the tarp due to bad weather, it’s a place you can still sit up, and hang out, even have a game of cards and not feel confined.
If you are not attaching the mesh body, which is sold separately, you get a lot of space, as you are not sacrificing room for the vestibule, so you can just about squeeze five adults, mats and sleeping bags into the tent, but it doesn’t leave a lot of room for gear. Four adults would be about right. I will also say that the pole should be taken into consideration, I initially set off with the intention of using a double matt for myself and my partner, but the pole makes this unworkable.
The Tarp has high sides, which can catch the wind; however, the rigid pole and the extra guy outpoint make the pyramid tarp very strong in the wind. I wouldn’t advise using this as a shelter on top of a mountain, but for all other 3 season activities, this is an excellent tarp, a really good basecamp and a heavyweight backpacking shelter; if you are looking to save weight, check out the Gold Camp UL 5 Tarp, which is 480g lighter.
- Reviewed by Basecamp Gear
Features
- Pyramid architecture is fast-pitching and lightweight
- Square-shaped structure base
- Two doors with low vent technology; single zip front door, dual zip awning-style rear door
- Dual-zipper doors with easy-grip zipper pulls
- Storm flaps on door zippers
- Structure can be supported with adjustable center pole or hung with exterior peak loop
- Two supported upper vents with mesh lining
- Reinforced apex for lasting durability
- Four reflective mid-body guyout points enhance structural stability
- Multiple interior loops for attaching gear lofts and accessories
- Interior loop system for compatibility with Gold Camp Mesh Inner
- Adjustable stakeout loops for easier pitching
- Mesh Inner - sold separately
- Footprint with reinforced center pole pocket- sold separately
Specifications
UOG Specs -
- Total weight: 2017g (excludes pegs & bags)
- Tarp weighs: 1537g
- Poles weigh: 480g
- Pegs x12 weigh: 14g (Per Peg)
Big Agnes Specs -
- Trail Weight (excludes pegs & bags): 2.04kg
- Packed weight: 2.38 kg
- Packed Size: 20 x 20 x 53cm
- Floor Area: 8.27 m²
- Lenth & Width: 287cm
- Height: 168 - 203cm
Material & Construction
- Tarp: 75D polyester taffeta with a 1500mm polyurethane coating
Poles & Stakes
- 1 x adjustable 6061 aluminum pole
- Length: adjustable 66”-80” / 167cm-203cm
- Pole diameter: 19mm-22mm
- 7.5” Dirt Dagger stakes x 12
