User Review: MSR E-Wing

When a buddy of mine first bought an E-Wing I laughed in his face. "Who needs a tarp? Just wear a rain coat." That's what I said.

Well the next time we went backpacking it started to rain. Normally I have a pretty miserable time in the rain with everything getting wet. Well my buddy pulled out his E-Wing and I helped him set it up and I have to say that my opinion of it changed right then and there.

I immediately realized how incredibly versatile this piece of fabric is. Use it as a rain fly, use it as a shelter, use it as an emergency tarp or poncho. The possibilities are many. Forgo a tent and save some weight by just using the E-Wing.

I liked it so much that I went out the next day and bought one for myself. I take it on every trip I go on now. With my two trekking poles it makes an awesome cooking and dining shelter or just sunshade. I lay under it to take a nap, I read under it, I cook under it. I love this tarp.

Get two together like we do on occasion and you have a near bombproof shelter. And when it's time to pack it up it compresses to the size of a pop can, literally. A very smart purchase in my opinion.