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My buddy swore by a $20 tarp for years and I finally get it...
He kept telling me to ditch the fancy rainfly and just use a basic poly tarp over my tent. After a crazy storm in the Smokies where my expensive gear soaked through, I tried his way. Who else has a cheap piece of gear that actually works better?
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hart.mark1mo ago
Honestly, what kind of poly tarp are we talking about? Like the super thin blue ones from the hardware store, or something a bit thicker? I've had the cheap ones shred on me in high wind, but a heavier duty one might be the real move.
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logan2051mo ago
Yeah, the thin blue ones are basically trash bags with grommets. Hart.mark is right, they tear if you look at them wrong. I go for the heavier 6-mil contractor grade tarps, the kind that feel like stiff plastic. They're still cheap, like maybe 30 bucks for a big one, but they don't flap themselves to death. The key is tying them down right with real rope, not those little bungee cords, and keeping the pitch slack so it can move a bit in the wind without pulling the grommets out.
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Consider using old billboard vinyl, that stuff is basically indestructible.
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