Backpackers and Tyvek: A History

Our Cowboy Camping products are made of HDPE flashspun fabric, which is to Tyvek as tissue is to Kleenex. While it’s not Tyvek, we’re using the material for the same reasons backpackers love Tyvek - it’s inexpensive, it’s lightweight, and it’s durable. But one of the reasons we were drawn to it as a material is that Tyvek’s use in the backcountry isn’t something heavily advertised and it often takes some experience and time to learn about its use. By making a product range out of HDPE flashspun fabric, not only were we taking some DIY out of a beloved piece of outdoor gear, we were also hoping to make a really useful material way more accessible to the average backpacker. So to that average backpacker, we thought we’d take the time to explain - what is Tyvek’s role in outdoor gear and why do backpackers like it so much? 

The Humble Groundsheet

Tyvek’s origins in the outdoor gear world start alongside the ultralight movement that began in the late 1990s and early 2000s. As folks began looking for creative ways to cut weight from their packs, they began using offcuts of construction grade Tyvek as groundsheets. The material was much less expensive than commercially available options, while remaining lightweight and puncture resistant. While the material is crinkly and stiff off the shelf, a couple runs through a washing machine (without soap!) will make the material more soft and malleable without losing any of its durability. 

Expanded Uses

As it became common to use Tyvek as a groundsheet, creative folks started looking at other ways to use it. Folks have made Tyvek sit pads to make a dry place to sit or store gear, Tyvek gear organizers, even Tyvek bivy sacks or rain jackets. These use cases required more crafting ability and were limited to folks committed to inexpensive, DIY gear. 

Tyvek in 2026

While Polycro has grown in popularity as a cheap and ultralight groundsheet material over the last few years, many folks continue to prefer Tyvek due to its durability over Polycro, as well as its ability to be softened before use, written on (DIY hitching sign!), and its expanded DIY possibilities. 

HDPE Flashspun Fabric and Cowboy Camping

Many of the most common Tyvek outdoor gear DIYs are now off the shelf products available in our store now. By creating them in a manufacturing facility over an at home DIY, we’re able to:

• choose fabric weaves that aren’t commercially available for expanded accessory offerings, including zip cubes and an E-reader case. 

• Offer larger sheets of material for our two person groundsheet than currently offered by DuPont (the makers of Tyvek) commercially. 

• Create fun prints for gear that’s going to be seen vs construction material that will end up on the inside of a house! 

We encourage you to give HDPE Flashspun fabric a try in your gear kit - either by visiting a hardware store or our site! Got a cool Tyvek gear DIY? We’d love to hear it in the comments below!