That cheap Amazon tarp cost me $60 in ruined gear

I bought a $15 tarp off Amazon last spring thinking it would save me money. First rainstorm in June and the water pooled right through the seams. Ruined my sleeping bag and a down jacket I had stored underneath. Total loss was about $60 for the gear plus the tarp. Should have just spent the $40 on a real waterproof one from the start. Anyone else have luck with budget tarps or is it always a gamble?

2 comments

2 Comments

ryanhayes3d ago

Man, that tarp basically charged you a $45 convenience fee to learn a lesson the hard way. That's a rough way to find out your "waterproof" gear was just water-tolerant at best. At least your sleeping bag went out with a splash instead of just slowly getting damp and sad. Pretty sure that tarp is now living its best life as a glorified squirrel blanket in someone else's garage.

wright.michael2d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, once a tarp takes off in a gust like that, you're better off chasing it for the exercise than actually expecting to get it back. @ryanhayes, after my first flyaway I started running a couple of long stakes through the grommets at an angle before tying the guylines. They hold way better than those little plastic pegs they give you. That ratchet strap trick someone mentioned earlier is gold too, keeps everything tight even when the wind picks up. You ever try pitching the tarp lower on windy nights? Saves a lot of headaches.