I thought a $20 tarp was a waste of money until a storm in the Smokies

For years, I just used my tent's rainfly and thought a separate ground tarp was extra stuff to carry. Last fall, I got caught in a heavy rain for two days straight near Gatlinburg. My tent floor stayed totally dry, but the ground under it turned into a soaked sponge. A friend had a cheap blue tarp under his tent, and his setup was bone dry when we packed up. Now I see the point, but I still hate the extra bulk. Is a ground tarp really needed, or is a good tent floor enough for most trips?

3 comments

3 Comments

hunt.rowan2mo ago

Honestly, it feels like one of those things where if you never have a problem, you feel like a genius for skipping it. A good tent floor is usually enough, right? Most of my trips are just a night or two, and I've never had a real issue. That extra bulk is annoying for sure. It seems like it only becomes a must-have item during those rare, really bad weather situations. I'd rather pack the space with something I'll use every time.

aarons362mo ago

Oh, the classic "I don't need that" lesson! It's right up there with not bringing a rain jacket because the sky was blue when you left the car. A tent floor is good until you're basically camping on a wet diaper. That cheap tarp is like insurance, you grumble about paying for it right up until you need to use it.

the_luna1mo ago

Yeah, that "feel like a genius for skipping it" part is so real. What kind of trips are you doing where the tent floor has actually held up?