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Thread: The Power of a Tarp Tent

  1. #1
    Woodsman Adventure Wolf's Avatar
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    Default The Power of a Tarp Tent

    A few years back, some buddies and I went on a week long hunting/camping/fishing/fooling-around-by-the-fire trip. I got made fun of, because my tent was composed of two camo tarps, mosquito net, paracord, several tent stakes and a hole in the ground I hollowed out with a shovel. I set the tent up in a low A configuration, for sturdiness, and found a nice section of ground between two large oak trees and behind bushes to help shield it from the elements. Then I put the second tarp in to act as a floor. I could take a clip, and fold the edge of the second tarp up, and clip it to the paracord to act as flaps. If you approached at certain ankles, it was well concealed and almost invisible. To hold down the sides, I packed the lose dirt that I shoveled out over the stakes.

    I didn't have a sleeping bag (I lost my previous sleeping bag and tent in an incident, which I will tell later - it's a real milk spewer), so I made a "swag", which is basically an outdoor blanket rolled up and secured with paracord.

    One of my buddies had an expensive snap together tent, which he didn't read the directions on and never learned how to put together. He left a few pieces off when he assembled it ("They are optional" he said). He made a point to make fun of my tarp tent every time he opened his mouth. He mocked it, made crude jokes about it, and laughed about it constantly. He and several of my camping buddies pitched their tents in an a clearing, as I picked a wooded spot fifteen yards away.

    One night there was 30-40 mile an hour winds and a lot of rain. His tent was obliterated and scattered everywhere. The other tents didn't make it either. Our entire group had to take shelter in the SUV, which meant hustling a mile in the rain.

    When we returned, my tarp tent weathered the storm. In the morning, not only was my tent still standing, but all of my gear was dry. I very bluntly and arrogantly declared victory.

    The guy that made fun of my tent ended up bunking with me for the rest of the trip. He never found all the pieces to his tent. I offered to show him how to build one from a tarp, but he didn't take me up on the offer. We lost a lot of gear that night...
    Last edited by Adventure Wolf; 05-27-2014 at 03:13 AM.


  2. #2
    Senior Member MrFixIt's Avatar
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    My very first tent was a tarp. My dad used to take me out in the woods with very little gear when I was young and he showed me many examples of living off of the land.
    I still carry a tarp or two in my pack.
    When all else fails, read the directions, and beware the Chihuahuacabra!

  3. #3
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    AW great story.....Generally the big mouths are to fit their feet.....

    Have to say that most all my 'real camping" has been with various types and kinds of tents, but will admit to having used a tarp over a cheapo tent as a "rain fly"....and now carry one on my pack and many in truck/trailer.

    Then there was the tarp over a picnic table that actually worked well in a pinch....won't go too far into that one.
    Last edited by hunter63; 05-27-2014 at 10:26 AM. Reason: splin
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  4. #4

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    In for finding out how you lost your tent and sleeping bag.

  5. #5
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by backpacker3 View Post
    In for finding out how you lost your tent and sleeping bag.
    LOL So am I.
    My hard luck stories generally start out ........"Here, Hold my beer and watch this....?
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
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  6. #6
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    For a very long time my "tent" was a poncho. I generally slept on the ground under the stars unless rain was in the forecast. Nothing wrong with a tarp at all. I'm way too old for that now and have to carry the mandatory sleeping pad and tent to fend of the skeeters.
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  7. #7
    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    Tarp Tents are great....if....you set them up correctly. If it is really windy, then site selection and pitch mean a whole lot. I generally use a tarp for backpacking. It is very versatile. The way you described your friend, I doubt a tarp would help him. He needs to learn humility and want to learn how to use a tarp. It sounds like he doesn't even want to set up his tent correctly.

    I think it is funny that you called his tent an "expensive snap together" tent. To me, that means it wasn't expensive. To me, if you need instructions to put it together, then it probably falls into the cheap, really big tent category. There are real tents out there that are designed for high winds and heavy rain. Some weigh over 40 lbs, and some are made to be less than 10. When you look at their price, you will see what expensive really is.
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