If you need any convincing that a tarp – or a few – should accompany you on your next camping trip, this article gives further proof about how necessary this material is. In the description at the beginning, the author details the amount of campsites he saw that were saturated by water from the rain, particularly as most tents expand when exposed to water. Because you want to keep your tent in good condition – and you also want to stay dry – one of the author’s main suggestions to campers is to bring at least one tarp for the trip. This can be attached to trees above the tent to keep out any water from above. Otherwise, you may need to stay inside the tent for the entire trip. Other suggestions made by the article for creating a “bomb-proof camp” include:
• Using a waterproof plastic ground cloth inside the tent. This could also be a tarp that is cut to fit along the floor inside. Similar suggestions include putting this sized piece of plastic (or tarp) directly below the floor of the tent in winter to prevent freezing.
• Bring twice as many stakes, with a variety of sizes. When rain hits, the structure may need more support.
• Have some bungee cords on hand. As mentioned before and in the article, tents expand from the rain and attaching these to the tent keep it contracted.
• Bring at least one 10 by 12 square feet tarp to tie above the tent.
The article gives some other suggestions for camping, although the most significant point here – and that we’ve seen before – is that you can’t be too protected in case rain hits. Why ruin your camping trip by staying inside a tent? Be prepared with the necessary supplies, and this most often includes tarps, rope, and stakes.
