Tarp vs Tent (in the rain)

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

Hypnagog

Full Member
Nov 12, 2012
136
2
Essex
hotchpotchblog.wordpress.com
I'm off to Wales next month and have been debating whether to take a one / two man tent (probably the Vango Banshee 200) as I was wondering how a tarp would fare in heavy rain.

I know that it will shelter me from the falling rain but I was more concerned with rain washing underneath and thought that a tent with an inbuilt ground sheet would be a solution to this.

After seeing the excellent video in the thread that Shewie posted http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113632 I am pretty much set on taking a tarp again.

I'll probably rig it up like that or as I did a while ago like this and take a bivy bag.

img_5931-e1360579239650.jpg


I guess that if I rig it up somewhere on level ground and not at the bottom of a hill it'll stay pretty dry.

Has anyone had any trouble with being washed out with this type of set up?
 
Last edited:

Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
71
60
Mid Wales UK
A few points to clear up...

You have mentioned "Wales", "heavy rain" and "level ground" all in one post.

Your ultimate set-up will depend upon exactly where you intend to go, because here in the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains we have plenty of on one, but precious little of the other!

ATB

Ogri the trog
 

redandshane

Native
Oct 20, 2007
1,581
0
Batheaston
I think that length of stay and what you are planning to do in Wales will play a big part in the decision
For longer stays I think a tent may come into its own but its what you feel comfortable with
You will get washed out in any configuration if the weather Gods conspire though
 

ex-member BareThrills

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 5, 2011
4,461
3
United Kingdom
If you go down the tarp route a bathtub floor might help give you protection from any ground water. Very easy to knock up out of window film and weigh nowt
 

Hypnagog

Full Member
Nov 12, 2012
136
2
Essex
hotchpotchblog.wordpress.com
Ogri the trog
A few points to clear up...

You have mentioned "Wales", "heavy rain" and "level ground" all in one post.

It's tempting fate really isn't it :)


redandshane
I think that length of stay and what you are planning to do in Wales will play a big part in the decision
For longer stays I think a tent may come into its own but its what you feel comfortable with
You will get washed out in any configuration if the weather Gods conspire though

It'll be a two-nighter, some cooking and a bit of foraging.

I'll not be too far from the car, so I might take the tent and leave it in the car in case I feel like retreating.

I take your point about being washed out in any configuration - take a look at this in Wales with a tent!

[video=youtube;cm-LBH64zBQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm-LBH64zBQ[/video]

BareThrills
If you go down the tarp route a bathtub floor might help give you protection from any ground water. Very easy to knock up out of window film and weigh nowt

Thanks I'll take a look at that
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
24
69
south wales
A tent is by far the most weatherproof so take one. If your tarp is lightweight take that as well as a day/evening shelter.
 

Dave-the-rave

Settler
Feb 14, 2013
638
1
minsk
If you're using that smaller tarp a cheapo tarp cut to fit slightly larger than your bag/mat can be used as a groundsheet. Roll up the edges and tuck em underneath so the rain runs under not over, your sleeping kit. I'm talking about something like a do it yourself bath tub idea, if ya see what I mean.

Another alternative is a really big tarp, maybe 4x4 meters sorta thing, even bigger if that's your fancy, which you can sit under, stand under and even have a fire under. The problem with those small tents is they're only good for lying down in.

I've never been washed out using a tarp and I've been using small ones for 30 years. Like the small tent though they are limited to sleeping in, nothing else.
 

Hypnagog

Full Member
Nov 12, 2012
136
2
Essex
hotchpotchblog.wordpress.com
Thanks Rik and Dave.

The tarp that I'd use for my shelter / tent will be the DD 3x3 and I'll be taking a larger one to use as a group canopy for day shelter and a fire etc.

Tent will definitely be in the car.

I've never been washed out using a tarp and I've been using small ones for 30 years.

That's the sort of encouragement I needed :)
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,108
2,843
66
Pembrokeshire
I live in West Wales - some say it should be called "Wet" Wales and this is where I do most of my Bushcraft and camping.
In the past 8 years I have not used a tent as I find them too restrictive and even in the Preseli Mountains I use a tarp, sometimes with a hammock, sometimes on an IPK groundsheet with a bivibag.
I have yet to get wet in bed:)
 

Hypnagog

Full Member
Nov 12, 2012
136
2
Essex
hotchpotchblog.wordpress.com
I live in West Wales - some say it should be called "Wet" Wales and this is where I do most of my Bushcraft and camping.
In the past 8 years I have not used a tent as I find them too restrictive and even in the Preseli Mountains I use a tarp, sometimes with a hammock, sometimes on an IPK groundsheet with a bivibag.
I have yet to get wet in bed:)

Excellent stuff, thanks.

It's definitely the tarp then. Nearly definitely.
 
Nov 29, 2004
7,808
22
Scotland
Unless I'm out in the depths of winter I tend to use only a tarp, sometimes then too. For areas where heavy rain is expected beware of the 'splashing' from around about your tarp, I have sat under one, wholly protected from the rainfall or water run off and yet still found myself being covered in mud spray from the ground round about as the raindrops landed. :)

Keep all your gear in rubble/bin bags and you will have less to worry about.
 

salad

Full Member
Sep 24, 2008
1,779
133
51
In the Mountains
I say take a tent, if the weather gets out of hand then that will offer you better protection .
I love sleeping under a tarp in good conditions but I have to say I find something very nice and cosy about sleeping in a tent in bad weather, some of my best nights sleep have been in a tent in carp weather .

Ummmm warm sleeping bag, Ummmm nice cup of hot chocolate, ummmm nice book, ummmm rain beating down on the outside of the tent, ummmmm zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
 

Tony

White bear (Admin)
Admin
Apr 16, 2003
24,131
1
1,879
53
Wales
www.bushcraftuk.com
I always prefer to use a tarp, I don't sometimes because I want protection from biting things and other times I just want to be in one but for the most part it's tarp all the way. It's one of those things where you just need to get out and use it, if you can take both, one for security and one for trying out, pitch it in different configurations, see how it works with the land, a lot of how you pitch it will be dictated by the weather conditions, direction of wind etc, a bivi bag will always keep you dry even if some under gets under the edges or the wind turns and blows in the front, saying that I've been in some really rough weather with a tarp and been completely dry.

Go as big as you can to make you comfortable just remember that generally the bigger the tarp the harder it is to get it tensioned right and keep it tensioned when it gets wet.

Good luck with it, Wales is beautiful...
 

lannyman8

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 18, 2009
4,005
3
Dark side of the Moon
Tarp every time mate, again never been wet under one, apart from when i was on exercise, but i was in an 15 inch deep pit to get nice and full of water, ahhhhh the good old days...;)

take the tent if it makes you feel better, im sure you wont need it though, my tarp is an issue one under 3m so you will be fine mate, just dont set up in a dip.....;)

good luck and enjoy.

chris.
 
Aug 31, 2013
9
0
Minnesota, USA
Both. Small tarp under the tent with rainfly/tarp over. Keep moisture (from ground and from sky) off the tent fabric and you're good. Around here we use tents mostly to keep the biting insects off while sleeping in warm weather. Wet tent fabric drips if you touch it and you will touch it. But if biting insects aren't an issue, there is little need for the tent most of the year.

It takes a significant rainfall event to trump the rainfly/groundcloth barriers and intrude into the tent. Especially if you choose your tent location with an eye to drainage and wind. If you have the fly & groundcloth, you can forgo the tent until you feel the need.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE