A bag of worms to ask this I know.

Do I get a tarp or a mini cheap tent like the 1.5kg HiGear Soloista from GoOutdoors.

& if you say Tarp – what size ?
The small Alpkit is out of stock so is the larger Rig-7 one OTT for one person or is it in fact a better bet giving that slightly larger shelter srea.

What are you using it for? Ive a tent, tarp-tent, big tarp, little tarp. Each gets used for a slightly different purpose

I’ve got the Soloista, bought to to replace my orange proaction hike lite to use for stealthy bikepacking. Soloista ok for low level stuff, very small like a coffin but fine to sleep and then crawl out of. Do not like fibreglass poles though, questionable longevity, I handle with kid gloves Prefer the hike lite but discontinued and need one in green. Only have a micro tarp so can’t compare to full on tarping, sorry.

You can get a Siltarp 1 from backpackinglight.co.uk if it’s that size of tarp you are after.

I have a tarp and a couple of lightweight tents and choose to take whichever is most suitable for terrain, weather, length of trip etc.

wanted for bikepacking.

Never been bikepacking before & not walked/camped for a good few years.

One nighters at the moment & only occasional use.

As for size of tarp – well I don’t know. The small Rig from Alpkit sounds small but not having the experience to judge

Head over to here http://www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/index.php

and ask those in the know

You’ll probably need a bivvy bag with the Tarp, unless you have a bag with a DWR coating, and synthetic fill, but even then I would always take a bivvy bag.

I find really small tents horrible, and have stayed dry in pretty heavy rain under a Golite Poncho tarp, but really I like my Terra Nova Laser Comp the best, as it means you are properly protected, but a bit more money than you are looking at.

Also, there is an art to putting up a tarp so it doesn’t keep you awake all night flapping that I don’t seem to have mastered yet!

Depends entirely for me on whether there will be midgies around or not.

+1 on the midges. Tarp + midges is the most miserable combination known to man.

Midges ain’t been a problem for me since discovering Smidge

That Terra Nova is certainly light – not much weight penalty at all.

Love my Quasar, 25 years & still going strong.

Look at the aplkit ordos tent. Very light at 1.2kg. We (my wife and i) went for this over 2 bivvys and a tarp as it gives a bit more security at next to no weight penalty.