That $12 tarp I bought at Walmart saved my whole trip last weekend

I was up at Lake Ouachita last Saturday with a buddy and a storm rolled in around 3am. We had our tents but the rain was coming sideways and water started pooling under our gear. I grabbed this cheap blue tarp I threw in the truck on a whim, ran a paracord ridge line between two trees, and staked the corners out at an angle. It kept our cooking area and firewood dry for the rest of the downpour. My friend's expensive branded tent ended up with a wet floor anyway while my old Coleman stayed bone dry under the tarp. I guess sometimes the simplest stuff works best. Anyone else got a piece of gear under $20 that saved a trip for you?

2 comments

2 Comments

alice9285d ago

Your buddy paid good money for a branded tent that leaked while your old Coleman stayed dry under a Walmart tarp? That is just about the best argument I have seen for not spending a fortune on gear. I have a ten dollar tarp in my truck that has saved me more times than I can count. It may not look pretty, but it keeps the rain off and that is all that matters.

charlies375d ago

My buddy Mike spent $80 on a fancy tarp once. First gust of wind and it shredded like wet paper. His cheap Walmart tarp he had as a backup? That thing is still in his trunk five years later.