How Do Harbor Freight Tarps Stack Up Against The Competition? This Test Found
In addition to hand tools, power tools, and other equipment, Harbor Freight sells tilers with various job ratings. Tiles are useful for many DIY projects. They can act as a barrier against the elements, protecting equipment and supplies from rain, snow, wind and ultraviolet light.
Tarps are one of those things you’ll want to have when you’re going off the grid for camping or extended living, but deciding which one offers the most value can be a challenge. Options range from inexpensive tiles like Harbor Freight’s $3.49 5.5-by-7.5-foot HFT all-weather standard to waterproof canvas tarps that can cost about $100 for the same size.
Project Farm, a popular YouTube channel with 3.78 million subscribers, has begun a year-long trial involving 14 different 9-by-11-foot tarps against the elements and themselves starting in July of 2024. Tarps from Harbor Freight, Vevor, Amazon Basics, Rugged Rhino, and Campmac are just a few Harbor Freight prices starting at $99 from Harbor9 Freight. a light-duty blue tarp, to $18 Harbor Freight Extreme, and a heavy-duty Campmac canvas tarp not currently available on Amazon but reportedly selling for about $50 at the time of test purchase.
After performing strength and protection tests and assessing damage from 12 months of exposure wrapped in hay bales outside, both Harbor Freight tarps stacked up well against the competition. The trip-duty Harbor Freight tarp ranked higher in Project Farm’s test than four high-priced competitors, and the Harbor Freight Extreme placed mid-pack, ahead of at least one tarp that costs more than twice as much.
Harbor Freight’s light-duty tarp
According to Project Farm’s reported prices, the five tarps tested are within $5 of the $8 Harbor Freight light-duty tarp. Listed in order from lowest to highest, these are: Vevor $12, Vevor Cut $13, Foremost Dry Top $9, Harbor Freight light-duty $8, Cartman $13, and Rugged Rhino $13. Harbor Freight begins the description of its all-purpose weatherproof tarp with the words “A super-tough waterproof tarp that won’t crack under freezing temperatures.” To paraphrase Robert Duvall in the 1969 classic “True Grit,” that’s bold talk.
Project Farm weighs each tarp before tying it to the hay bales. A light Harbor Freight tile weighs 1,048 grams (2.3 pounds), which is the same as Harbor Freight’s stated shipping weight. Harbor Freight’s specifications indicate that the blue all-purpose tarp is 4 millimeters thick and made of polyethylene, a widely used plastic found in many common household items. Also the material used to make Yeti coolers.
The Harbor Freight low-duty tile began to show some signs of sun damage on the sunniest south side of the hay bale after five months in the field. The north side, which received strong winds, remained strong throughout the year, while the south side began to tear at the end of the trial. However, tests performed on tarps one year after testing show the inexpensive Harbor Freight tarp outperforms the $16 Grizzly tarp in all areas except for waterproofing and puncture resistance, where they tied.
Harbor Freight’s extremely weather resistant tile
Project Farm paid $18 for the Harbor Freight weatherproof tile used in their trial. Although it ranked ahead of the most expensive Zuperia tarp ($45), it fell far behind other mid-$5 prices, including Amazon Basics $23, King-A-Ma-Jigs $20, Rugged Rhino $13, and the overall runner-up, Campmac HD $22.
Harbor Freight is no longer listing the $18 9×11-foot oversize tarp for sale. The closest comparable tarp is a 10×12-foot cylinder and extremely dark weather-resistant tarp for $19.99. Like the light-duty version, the extra-duty tarp is made of polyethylene, but is three times thicker at 12 mils and has a listed shipping weight of 4.74 pounds.
During Project Farm testing, the high-performance asphalt began to show signs of sun damage after four months in the field. At the end of the year, the host estimated that it had more sun damage than its light-operated cheap store, but the shaded side still looked unscathed. The only cheap sail that was put up was the Rugged Rhino. Although both tarps had very high wind resistance scores, the Harbor Freight-duty tarp had tighter eyes and required more strength to puncture and tear when new. However, those same tests favored the Rugged Rhino after a year of UV exposure.
