Hot take: a cheap tarp setup worked better than my fancy tent in the rain last weekend

I was out at Red River Gorge last weekend and it poured for about 6 hours straight. My buddy had this basic blue tarp he rigged up with some paracord and carabiners, and he stayed bone dry while my $300 tent had water seeping through the floor by morning. I don't know if it was condensation or just bad waterproofing, but it got me thinking. Over the past 5 years, I've spent way more on 'upgraded' gear that fails in real conditions. Meanwhile, his cheap setup held up fine with zero issues. Am I wrong for thinking that simple gear sometimes beats the expensive stuff, or did I just buy a lemon? Has anyone else had a cheap piece of gear outlast or outperform their high-end stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

rowanharris11d ago

My first tarp shelter was this janky olive green one I found at a yard sale for like 3 bucks. Lasted me through three seasons before a squirrel literally chewed a hole in it.

wells.karen11d ago

Oh, that hurts. A squirrel tax on your tarp, what a shame.