milarodriguez•1mo agoProlific Poster

Ditched my fancy tent for a tarp shelter after 3 rainy nights in the Sierras

I was dead set on using my $400 ultralight tent for years, thought it was the only way to go. Then I got stuck in a 3-day downpour on the Rae Lakes Loop and spent hours fighting with wet condensation inside it. A guy camped next to me showed me his simple tarp setup, no condensation at all, and he was bone dry. I tried a cheap 8x10 tarp last weekend on a quick trip near Shasta and I'm really impressed. Has anyone else made the switch away from tents and found it works better for them?

3 comments

3 Comments

quinna891mo ago

Yeah I had the same problem with condensation in my tent up in the Trinity Alps. Switched to a 10x12 flat tarp and never looked back. You just gotta find a spot with good wind flow through it and pitch it low on stormy nights. Saves weight and space too, which matters on longer trips.

kimr741mo ago

Used to be a tarp skeptic honestly lol. Thought it was just for the ultralight crowd who didn't mind getting wet. But last summer on a rainy trip near the Trinity River I saw a buddy set his up with a high pitch for airflow and it was bone dry inside while my tent had puddles everywhere. Switched to a 9x12 myself now and the weight savings are real, plus I sleep way better with the breeze coming through on warm nights.

riley_wood841mo ago

Wait, so you're telling me I carried a 6 pound tent through the Sierras for years when I could've just slept under a glorified rain fly? That's fine. Totally fine. No regrets at all about all those nights waking up in a puddle because my "breathable" tent trapped every drop of moisture inside like a bad relationship. Good thing I only spent hundreds of dollars on fancy gear when a $40 tarp would've done the trick. But hey, at least my tent looks cool in the REI parking lot.