Overheard a guy at REI say his $12 tarp setup worked better than his $400 tent

I was in the checkout line at the REI in Denver last Saturday and this older guy behind me was telling his friend how he ditched his fancy tent for a simple poly tarp and some paracord. He said he saved 3 pounds of pack weight and slept better under the stars than in his cramped tent. It got me thinking about how we all get sucked into buying the expensive stuff when sometimes the simple gear does the job just fine. Has anyone else tried switching to a tarp setup and found it actually worked for real camping, not just fair weather trips?

3 comments

3 Comments

daniel4701mo ago

Ha, reminds me of the time I tried using a bedsheet as a rainfly...

scott.drew21d ago

That bedsheet story hits close to home. I once used a shower curtain liner figuring it would work great until I woke up in a literal pool of my own condensation.

jenkins.reese1mo ago

daniel470 you got me laughing with that one. I actually just read about someone online who tried using a trash bag as a rainfly and ended up soaked by morning. That bedsheet must have been a real swamp after the first hour. At least you probably got a good story out of it, maybe even a new respect for real rain gear. I bet that sheet held water like a bucket and dumped it right on your face when you moved.