That cheap tarp shelter I set up last weekend nearly ripped my tent apart

I bought a 10x12 blue tarp for 8 bucks at a hardware store near Lake Placid, thinking I'd rig it as a rain fly over my tent. I used some paracord and cheap stakes I had laying around, but I didn't secure it tight enough. A gust of wind came through around 2 AM and the tarp started flapping like crazy, then it tore loose and slammed into my tent poles. One of the grommets ripped right out and the pole bent a little. I learned that you really need to buy the heavier duty tarps with reinforced edges, plus take time to tie them down right with proper knots. Anyone else had a cheap tarp fail on them in rough weather?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_drew1d ago

My buddy used a tarp as a slip-n-slide last summer.

jackson.max1d ago

Started thinking tarps were fine but after reading this and @the_drew's slip-n-slide story, I'm buying the heavy duty ones now.

alex8201d ago

The heavy duty tarps with reinforced edges are worth every penny. I picked up one from a farm supply store for like 20 bucks and it's held up through a couple nasty storms without a single grommet pulling out. I also started using those screw-in tent stakes instead of the cheap wire ones for the tarp lines, makes a HUGE difference in holding tension. Just takes a few extra minutes to set it up right and you wont be chasing your tarp through the woods at 2 AM.