Tarps

[the4moores]

We have been camping for only a few years and usually only go for a weekend. We haven't got into hanging tarps yet. I've heard the the rain in Florida can be quite substantial. Should we be hanging tarps and if so any pointers?

 

[HuckFinn]

To hang or not to hang, that is the question. I can't give you a single answer that fits all camping situations, but I will try to answer as best I can. Properly hung tarps can really save you in a very rainy situation if you are in a tent or need cover for your picnic table. But they can also cause a lot of problems if there is a lot of wind, or if you hang them so that they bag water instead of shedding it. And the bigger the tarp, the harder it is to do it right. If you are using a tent or a pop-up, and want to cover the picnic table for meals, a screen tent or canopy is probably a better alternative.

 

[TWEEDLEDEE2]

i really don't know how many times we have disney camped, but i can tell you we have never used or needed a tarp. maybe it's just because we are never at the site??? but, i don't remember having any rain that ever effected us...

 

[Memph1s]

I think it really depends on when and what you are camping in. We used to use an old 9x11 cabin tent that I would set up a 12x16 tarp over the top of the tent and then attached a 12x12 dinning canopy to the front of the tarp giving us a 12 x 28 cover. This worked great for shade as well as giving us a dry place to sit and eat in the rain. However it is a lot of work for just a 1 or 2 night trip. But in the summer when you can count on it being hot and wet in Florida it was worth the work. We now have a popup that has a small awning about 7x 10 on one side so I don't hang tarps anymore. We do put up a screen room or the dinning canopy on longer trips. We were at FW this past weekend and almost every tent had a tarp setup over it. I think the best setup is to have a center pole or the top of your tent near the center of your tarp and to have corner poles about 18" to 24" shorter than the center pole with 2 ropes on each corner at about 45* to each other so you can keep the tarp tight so it will shed water fast. The biggest mistake people make with tarps is to not have the tarps tight so they will not flap in the wind or hold water. I have seen people have tarps over their tents that collect water and then break and release gallons of water all at once right on their tent that then collapses from all the weight! What a mess! That is the reason you see all the slanted awnings on campers in the campground so they will shed water and not have it collect and break the awning.

 

[Rhonda]

We've never put up tarps, and we've been in some doozy thunderstorms some nights!!

We always bring our screen tent and set it up over our picnic table. That way we always have a dry place to sit and play cards or something if it's raining. And, it keeps the coolers/kitchen stuff dry too.

We also lay out a tarp under our sleeping tent too, and leave it sticking out in front a few feet. This way, we can take our shoes off on something other than wet ground if need be.

 

[Sc00teR]

Of course, everyone's mileage varies, but...

When it comes to the tarp UNDERNEATH a tent, the general rule of thumb is to keep it entirely tucked under the tent. Usually none of it should extend outside the edge of the tent, otherwise you risk rain landing on the tarp and seeping under the tent. It's often better to have a separate mat for wiping feet, taking off shoes, etc.

As for the tarp ABOVE a tent, the tips about keeping it tight and keeping it angled are right on. Most modern tents -- especially the popular inexpensive, larger "dome" style tents by Coleman, Eddie Bauer, etc., have accompanying rain flies which are put on as part of the tent set up. (I'm a big fan of the Eddie Bauer series that have clear plastic windows in the rain fly that line up with the air vents in the top of the dome, making it possible to lay in the tent and look up at the stars, while still being protected by both a tent roof and a rain fly.) In settings where heavy rain is likely, it's still advantageous to string up another tarp to direct water way from the tent -- just be sure it is VERY taught and angled enough to prevent it from flapping in the wind and from water pooling up on it (nothing is worse than a saggy, sloppy, rain-filled tarp lurking above your sleeping place!).

One last tip: You get what you pay for. Thin tarps are usually cheaper, but it's often worth it to pay the higher price for a thicker tarp. They're much more durable, will withstand storms and fray less, have better grommets for running rope cord along the edges and tying up to trees, etc. Sales at camping supply stores are good bets, as are army surplus stores.