My cheap $8 tarp shredded after one night of heavy rain, soaked all my gear

Last month I set up camp with a no-name blue tarp from a hardware store, figured it would hold up like any other. By morning there were three rips along the seam and my sleeping bag was completely waterlogged. Has anyone tried the heavier woven tarps from a brand like Kelty or is that overkill for weekend trips?

2 comments

2 Comments

willow67215d ago

oh man that sucks, I feel your pain lol. honestly that $8 tarp was always gonna be a gamble, the seam tape on those things is basically just sticker material. a woven tarp like Kelty or even the heavier poly ones from like a hardware store with the reinforced corners would be way better for weekend trips. you don't need a super heavy duty one unless you're planning on using it as a tent footprint every single month or something. the key is to look for one that says "ripstop" or "heavy duty" on the package, the cheap ones are basically glorified trash bags.

garcia.casey15d ago

Wow, you're really making a whole thing out of a soggy sleeping bag, huh? I get that it sucks waking up wet, but for eight bucks you basically bought a disposable poncho. @willow672 is right about reinforced corners being better, but honestly for weekend trips you could also just pack a spare trash bag or two for under ten dollars and call it good. Unless you're camping in a hurricane, a mid-range tarp is like buying a brand new car for a grocery run. Did you at least try patching it with duct tape before writing it off?