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I finally tried tarp camping instead of a tent on my last trip
Honestly, I got sick of lugging my 6-pound tent up hills in the Smokies last fall. So I grabbed a cheap 8x10 tarp and some paracord, figured I'd save weight. Worked great until a storm rolled in at 3am and I realized my pitch was terrible at keeping rain off my bag. Now I'm debating: is the weight savings worth the hassle of learning proper tarp setups, or should I just stick with my tent? Anyone else made the switch and stuck with it?
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lilykelly6d ago
My first tarp bivy attempt ended with me waking up face to face with a raccoon at 4am because my setup was so bad lol. I spent like 45 minutes the next day watching YouTube videos and practicing in my backyard, felt like a total dork. For me the weight savings is huge, especially on longer trips where every ounce counts, but you gotta respect the learning curve or you'll just be sleeping in a puddle.
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the_thomas6d ago
...and here's the thing nobody's bringing up, tarp camping is actually way better for gear storage in wet weather. With a tent you're either cramming your wet pack inside with you or leaving it out in the rain. With a decent tarp pitch you can keep your sleeping area dry but also have a covered vestibule spot for your bag and boots without them dripping on your face all night. I've had nights where I could actually sit up and cook under my tarp while it was pouring, which is something you just can't do in most tents. That extra covered space changes the whole game for me, way more than just saving a couple pounds.
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