A stick... This is why I watch other peoples' techniques. I was in a situation yesterday that could've benefitted from a higher tarp tie-off point. Thanks for sharing!
Never mind all the trolls and their negative comments. I have camped since I was a Boyscout and have had many tents in various states being water tight. I actually have one like the one in the video which is tight as a drum still. We need more helpful videos like yours as not all are “experts”. Good video...
This video is exactly what I've been searching for. I've wondered how big a tarp I should get to go over my tent. With seeing your set - up, I can see "The bigger, the better" it will be for me. It's really a no - brainer to figure that out, but, sometimes we need a little nudge. TYSM for sharing this video with us. 👍
The most critical thing isn't the reason, it's the groundwater. Doesn't matter what kind of tarp you use if runoff creates a stream through your tent. Proper trenching is what matters.
Been doing this forever. Good advice. It doesn't matter if you have nice waterproof tent. You still need to roll it up and put it away. A dry tent is a lot easier and there's no need to hang it at home til it dries. Trapped water in a camp kit sucks. My ONLY criticism is this: A brown tarp is a lot easier on the eyes. In fact, humans don't even really notice brown unless they are looking directly at it. Blue Tarps are aesthetically non - compliant. ; )
Such a simple idea, I could kick myself for not thinking of it. Saves the hassle of having to pack away a wet tent and then drying it out back home, awesome.
Such a simple idea, never thought of it. I used this trick last weekend knowing Id go camp in stormy weather, kept me, my tent & my gear dry despite the rain pouring for a full day and night. Thank you.
As an added bonus, in the winter it also seems to help insulate your tent from wind and cold weather while helping hold in heat escaping from your tent. Might have to get the sides lower but it does help
Thank you so much for making this video! I live in Oregon, and am going tent camping for the first time this month. It rains all the time here, and this video is so informative and easy to understand, I'm confident that I'll be able to put up my own tent fly!! Thank you :)
oh great! I hope it worked out well. I have used this method many times and it works great. It can just take some time to get all the ropes adjusted so the tarp is high enough. Much easier with someone to help you.
Good idea's , everyone can learn from others experiences! I have a thirty year old large mountaineering tent that is also not as waterproof as it was and add a tarp to the setup but much closer to the original A frame shape adding a vestibule like extension off the front. With proper guide lines and knots it withstands 30 plus mph driving rain and bigger gusts! Pick your campsite wisely you need a slope and a wind break to sleep soundly thru a heavy storm and I do advise four season tents to stay dry!
car camping, I was a little arrogant when I started watching, but the stick thing. Duh-uh. How did I never learn that before? Seems so obvious. Demeanor was so generous and warm and helpful seeming I watched to the end. The stick trick, good gosh I can't believe how simple that is and yet somehow I never learned it... Thanks.
I really love this idea to keep the tent dry and provide extra shade. My daughter and I attempted to set this up for the first time this past weekend, since rain was expected one night. Our tent and medium duty tarp is similar size to the video. I used a long pole to get the rope up about 14’ onto the trees on one side and a couple feet lower on the other side where rain water would run off and away from the tent. I also used the same technique with the rope staked to the ground. The Walmart grommet saver cord kept pulling through the hole in the orange ball, so big fail there. I skipped the orange ball and threaded the elastic cord through the grommet, instead, hoping for a little flexibility. It wasn’t very windy, but a little gust came up and tore out one of the corner grommets. We reset the rope on the next grommet over and everything was fine the rest of the day. That night a little storm blew through that was preceded by a large gust of wind. We heard the tarp as it scraped over the top of the tent. The grommets holding the side on the lower corners and the rope staked to the ground all pulled away, sending the tarp over the tent and against the trees, which is where it stayed all night. Fortunately, there was no damage to the tent. We haven’t given up. We are repairing the tarp and will probably try an 8’ center pole in the middle on each end with lower poles on the corners.
I'm sorry that didn't work out as well as expected Marie. I've read in the comments that people put a ball under the tarp and then wrap the rope around it tightly. But I've never had issues with the Wal-Mart grommets either. Keep at it!
a great mod to this is to use a rope between 2 trees above the middle of your tent as the peak for the tarp and then have the edges of the tarp tied off low to the ground. the slope to your rain coat can be much steeper shedding water or snow much faster with much less chance of water pooling in low areas of the tarp.
That's a great idea Mike. I will have to try that one. If you don't have a tree in the middle, you could tie a rope between the two corner trees and tie your peak roof rope off of that.
True story... I put up our huge tarp over our tent and kitchen site on a blue sky and got laughed at, but on that eve it poured hard to where we had to gather and cool under our tarp for dinner and fun.. so it really pays to go a Lil further for comfort when least expected
Absolutely, good planning. I've also seen it where the whole weekend was nice, but we had several hours of hard rain one day. Still made it worthwhile to set it up.
@@AdventuresWithMe00 was in the scouts.. lived in Washington state now in Colorado.. I have a saying to pass on " " No such thing as bad weather, it's bad gear "...
Thank you! This was super helpful myself and my 6 year old are going camping for a few days and a ton if rain is to be expected. Unfortunately it will be raining during setup.
Absolutely love videos on the subject of STAYING DRY while camping. Good job man. This is what I consider an essential part of " bushcraft ". If you can't keep yourself dry you can't keep yourself safe.
Heading out this weekend. First big trip of the year 😬 thanks for the tips 👍👍 supposed to rain. Not stopping us now. Great video. And the best part straight to ever point and no music lol ✌️
Heaps of thanks for this video for camping in the rain ....... Fantastic advice ( 1:15 ) ....... TARP , GROMMET SAVERS , PARACORD ! ! ! This video helped me become a more PROFESSIONAL CAMPER ! ! THIS GUY ( KEITH ) IS A LEGEND ! !
Most test sites are relatively flat. But if yours is not, identify the lowest point and arrange your tarp so that water drains to that lowest point or collect that rain water for campsite use (washing, dishes, maybe drinking, etc).
Thanks bud. Appreciate the info! Going camping this weekend and supposed to be nothing but rain most of the time. Can't get my reservation fee refunded and would penalize me a day so this is going to help!
This gives me hope for my huge truck tent from Cabella's....that leaks! My daughters told me to toss it, but it was quite expensive, and hopefully this will work. Thanks!!!
I've hammock camped for more the 60 years and the 1st thing I do is to hang my rain fly ( Tarp ). In the summer it's a sun shade , rainy weather i can hang my hammock while staying dry. Packing to leave camp the last item taken down and packed is the rain fly especially in wet conditions. It also gives me a place protected from the weather to relax in. The times I have tent camped I still hang a rain fly ( Tarp ) over the tent ( single walled backpacking tent ) so it can remain open and ventilated no matter what the weather is.
A well ventilated tent under a tarp is the best way to tent camp! No condensation in the morning like with a rain fly. If you're winter camping lower the tarp to six inches above the tent and stake in the sides. Changed the way i camp forever!
I remember a camping trip when I was 5 and we had a canvas tent. It was a spring Saturday outside of Eugene, Oregon, and it was pouring rain. The tent leaked.
I camped in a tropical storm.. I had a tarp city going. Melted one. Lol. A little whiskey fueled camping might I add. I love camping in the rain. I always make a porch and cooking area in case of rain
Great video and a blue tarp works just as great on a very cheap tent also to keep you dry. Is it ugly? Yap, and some campsites won't allow them because of that. And they can LOUD when it rains, but again, better loud than wet.
I tried this method this season in the UK and in the morning, although it did not rain, the Coleman 3 person tent fly was wet through with condensation on the outside. Also the tarp was wet through on its underside.
We had old table cloth weights and clipped a few to one side, in the center. It pulled down just enough to invite the water to drain at that spot. Funny thing, we’ve had the wights for years and that’s the first time we’ve used them.
Thank you for info..i always wondered how people got their rope up so high on the trees lol...i have never set up a rain tarp before and your instructions were not complicated...going to practice some set ups before my next camping trip.
Great idea. BTW Use a Two Half Hitches knot (instead of square) like the white one you're standing in front of later in the video. Also, a nitpick, that wasn't a square knot, the second overhand was in the wrong direction.
Great tip. We just had to leave our campsite, on the first night, due to leaking at the seams during a severe thunderstorm. This was AFTER I waterproofed with spray. Thanks!
I'm sorry to hear that Laura! It's so sad to see after a rainstorm the folks who are completely soaked. I came up with this method after having some minor leaks in my tent during some rain. I hope this helps in the future. There's some trial and error to getting the tarp up high enough with enough coverage of the tents. But once it's up it works pretty well. I just had to do it again last weekend.
Did you just place the cord on the tree and then pull for tension? Or, did you hook the cord over a limb behind the tree? I couldn’t tell how you got the rope high in the tree.
Great tutorial. I'm going camping soon and my rain fly is missing, instead of purchasing a new tent we have decided to get a tarp, rope and poles and do this. Thanks for the tutorial!
THANK YOU. I have always wondered why tents have such flimsy "rain flys". Make them extend to the ground & they might actually protect you, but no. I'm going to make my own now.
Don't buy cord in the camping section. Go to the hardware section by all the house stuff. There should be a aisle with rope. You will see red and yellow cord way cheaper
Good idea for additional weather control without wrapping your tent w tarp and getting plenty of airflow... I see others have already offered options, so, have a good day!!! And happy camping!
Thanks Sam. Last time we went camping we saw a young couple put a large tarp completely over their tent. That really limits the airflow and we thought it might be dangerous because of the lack of oxygen.
I’m going on my first solo camping trip and it is 100% chance of rain. I’m not giving up and honestly this video helps. I was so nervous about the tarp and tree distance and height etc. Thank you! If you do end up seeing this, should I tarp under my tent to prevent a wet ground? There’s so many mixed responses to it.
Good luck Renata, I'm glad you found the video useful. Yes, I always place a second tarp under the tent. Besides adding an extra layer of insulation from the ground, it would provide some protection against runoff water saturating the bottom of your tent. The runoff would go under the tarp, not your tent.
I had a approx 26 foot long pop up camper. I used a tarp big enough to cover the camper up even before opening in a torrential down pour and nothing got wet. tarp was big enough to pull my motorcycle and car under it.
That's a good idea...I see similar set ups sometimes at the campground. This summer I had to put up this large tarp again and was glad I did. It was a lot of work for 1 person to set up and it required quite a few re-positions to get it right. But once the downpour happened in the middle of the night we stayed completely dry.
Hi there and don’t know if you’ll pick this message up as noticed it was so long ago you filmed it but here goes, I’m from England and me and my lovely wife both are not driving and we thought could we both camp comfortably in the rain with a tarp cover? I’m just curious about the size of the tarp folded up on my back . Is it doable, I’m in my 50s aged and my wife is under 50 yrs and well we’re not a supple as we used to be but we just want to get out into the countryside get a train or bus and camp out and enjoy the outdoors still and be prepared for the rain 🌧️ appreciate you showing us there’s a solution and we don’t need a car I hope, hope your well and god bless, cheers Steve
Hi Steve, thanks for the question. I would steer you towards a backpacker tarp, if you can find something like that. If you have to carry a tarp on your back, it will have to be small and light. For your situation I would probably just recommend a backpacking tent and ditch the tarp. People hike for months with these tents, in all kinds of weather, and they are generally very waterproof and light. If you don’t want to buy a new tent you could try to find a lightweight tarp that just covers the outline of your current tent.
@@AdventuresWithMe00really appreciate your advice and it’s really sound advice to get a good quality waterproof tent I guess and maybe a smaller tarp I agree to just double up on the protection and remembering your advice to angle the tarp to allow rain to not collect, thank you
I haven't used tarp poles in decades. I would think that you would still need to ultimately secure the ends of the tarp to some type of fixed object (tree) for stability. If you didn't have trees nearby (like in a field), maybe you could put two guy lines on either side of each pole to secure them with tent stakes. That would be my thought, but I haven't tried it.
I'd say just get a better tent if it leaks. The tarp is nice if your tent camping , I have taken the tarp and stretched across the picnic table, That way your not stuck in your tent the whole time.
Great video. I’d still use a folded over tarp under your tent, as the ground has a way of sneaking rocks and sticks under it, that you didn’t see or feel before you pitched your tent over it. Just in case.
When you demonstrated putting the rope up onto the tree, did you have it rest on a limb behind it? It's hard tell. Or maybe it's just grabbing onto the bark. I also wouldn't want the tarp resting on the tent, so that no unnecessary weight is applied and also it won't trap in heat in the tent and allow for ventilation.
I try to put the rope over a branch, if possible. If there isn’t one available, the bark is enough to hold the rope, though you may need to put some outward pressure on the rope initially to hold it against the trunk and keep it from slipping.
I'm not sure I understand the reasoning behind this. And I started camping in the 1970s, I have only ever had one tent leak when the taped seam sealer on a Swiss Gear tent leaked after 3 days of HEAVY tropical storm type rain. That was the first, and last time I trusted taped seams BTW.... Just curious if you are having leakage problems after waterproofer treating and seam sealing your tent, or is this your go to? This seems like a good way to extend the "rain fly" so you can open the windows in a downpour and not worry about leakage. There are of course other advantages of a tarp rig, In hot climates, it puts the tent in shade keeping the sun from heating up the inside of the tent and reducing the solar oven effect. And boy can that be nasty.
The tent I have I bought used...it's huge. The idea of going through it and seam sealing everything and waterproof treating seems too daunting. As much work as the tarp can be, it's not that bad and I don't have to do it every single time I camp. I do plan on buying a brand new tent in 2021 so I don't have to fool with it.
A tarp over your tent in cold weather keeps heat in a lot better too. The tarp doesn't need to be double your foot print, all it needs to do is wrap your tent from ground to ground. In the summer it is a good idea to keep the tarp above your "windows" for venting..tents get hot, but the tarp will make water boil..
In the cold months there is plenty of ventilation going on, I use propane heaters never had any issues of lack of oxygen.i don't run them all night either just get the tent warm and in the sleeping bag I go...
Not really, but if you don't want to hear the same pitter patter of rain I would elevate the tarp, other than that it's fine. I don't sit on flat ground either, I try and find a spot that is high, or higher than the rest of the ground, so the water does not run under the tent. In summer I would definitely have the tarp elevated and have as much ventilation as possible, mold likes damp and dark heat...winter months is fine,
Very often I've used golf balls,, wrap them in the corners and tie off from there,,, then u don't even need to use the grommets, , they tear in the wind anyways!😃
What tent do you have in this video? Great video by the way amazing stick technique I thought you were gonna throw a stone with the rope tied to it… much more control with a stick
It’s a Coleman WeatherMaster, 10 person tent. I’ve had it about 15 years and got it second hand. I believe Coleman still makes a version of this tent with the side door and the ability to stand up inside. I still use the rock to the rope technique if I don’t have a stick. It does allow you to get the rope higher in the tree so you can put a nice slope to the tarp. Thanks for the comment!
The tree bark is rough and scaley (sic) enough to hold the rope in place around the trunk of the tree until you can more securely tie it down. If you can find a small stubby section where a small branch broke off, that will work well too.
Does anyone remember when tents actually kept water out themselves? They were made of canvas. Polyester tents are light but worthless against the elements, which defeats the purpose of a tent.
maybe the manufacturers should just make a tent out of a tarp and save us the trouble. lol I do remember canvas tents, but I remember them being really heavy and difficult to set up. Thanks for the comment!
Yea but backpacking has definitely grown more and you won't find a single backpacker with a canvas tent. I have an REI Half Dome with the foot print and that withstood some serious rain storms just fine.
My first first tent from around 1970 was canvas with an external aluminum pole frame. Other tents blew down around us in northeast thunder storms, but ours stayed up. It stayed completely dry inside too except for humid air of course. Even then I would light a candle or better yet run my gas lantern and the dampness would go away. The last tent I got for emergency use last year has it's own fly. It'll be interesting to see how it works in rain.
🙂 I remember being soaked through in our old canvas tent. Everything, bedding, food, the lot. I have a good quality ‘polyester’ tent now which has seen me through severe storms without a drop of water inside. I still love the memories of that old canvas tent though.
I do that sometimes too. After I camp a few times I tend to grab whatever pre-cut rope is around and often have sections that are too long that I have to tie off to fit. Good advice Ginger.
@@AdventuresWithMe00 Update...we went on a miserable weather camping trip...tent was okay after discouraged waterproofing as per instructions was applied anyway. Woke up to a freezing Lakeside view but we were dry inside. The top of this cabin tent was so large that we just couldn't figure how to set up the tarp on this trip...too loaded out for such a big coverage but silicone seemed to work out at least on this awful trip, LOL.
Poor man tent pole (replacements or extra). PVC 3/4 or 1 inch precut to appropriate lengths. Supply of straight or angle connectors. Appropriate end caps with hole drilled and hex 1 1/2 to 2 inch bolt inserted with washer and nut on exterior. These are really inexpensive to make and take. Use with appropriate tarp and 550 cord and landscape spikes to hold all in place. Anal part: a little dab of different paint color, or permanent marker dot and dash system, to identify which part connects to which!
Good...I'm glad it helped! Coincidently, tomorrow I'm traveling to the same campground and staying at the next site over from where we shot this video. It looks like rain is in the forecast so I may be setting the tarp up once again.
![Megan Thee Stallion - Neva Play (feat. RM) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/TpYTyAaTRts/mqdefault.jpg)
A stick... This is why I watch other peoples' techniques. I was in a situation yesterday that could've benefitted from a higher tarp tie-off point. Thanks for sharing!
Glad to help Tyler! In New England we say Necessity is the Mother of Invention. A handy stick or a fishing pole will do.
I know right? I was impressed with that. These lil things make a massive difference
And here I am, dragging the tool box off my truck and around, to lean against the tree's..🤔
For the love of....a stick!! I've been climbing trees in flip flops and gashing legs/arms. I wish that I had seen this sooner. Thank you!
Glad to help Amanda! Over Memorial Day 2019 I was at the same camp site and did the same thing. Came out great and protected us from rain.
Never mind all the trolls and their negative comments. I have camped since I was a Boyscout and have had many tents in various states being water tight. I actually have one like the one in the video which is tight as a drum still. We need more helpful videos like yours as not all are “experts”.
Good video...
Thank you my friend! I appreciate the validation on the technique from an expert.
This video is exactly what I've been searching for. I've wondered how big a tarp I should get to go over my tent. With seeing your set - up, I can see "The bigger, the better" it will be for me. It's really a no - brainer to figure that out, but, sometimes we need a little nudge. TYSM for sharing this video with us. 👍
The most critical thing isn't the reason, it's the groundwater. Doesn't matter what kind of tarp you use if runoff creates a stream through your tent.
Proper trenching is what matters.
Been doing this forever. Good advice. It doesn't matter if you have nice waterproof tent. You still need to roll it up and put it away. A dry tent is a lot easier and there's no need to hang it at home til it dries. Trapped water in a camp kit sucks.
My ONLY criticism is this: A brown tarp is a lot easier on the eyes. In fact, humans don't even really notice brown unless they are looking directly at it. Blue Tarps are aesthetically non - compliant. ; )
Great tip and thanks for watching the video. I like the brown tarp idea!
Such a simple idea, I could kick myself for not thinking of it. Saves the hassle of having to pack away a wet tent and then drying it out back home, awesome.
Thanks Dave. It's worked for me a couple of times. The setup can be time consuming.
Such a simple idea, never thought of it. I used this trick last weekend knowing Id go camp in stormy weather, kept me, my tent & my gear dry despite the rain pouring for a full day and night. Thank you.
As an added bonus, in the winter it also seems to help insulate your tent from wind and cold weather while helping hold in heat escaping from your tent. Might have to get the sides lower but it does help
Thank you so much for making this video! I live in Oregon, and am going tent camping for the first time this month. It rains all the time here, and this video is so informative and easy to understand, I'm confident that I'll be able to put up my own tent fly!! Thank you :)
oh great! I hope it worked out well. I have used this method many times and it works great. It can just take some time to get all the ropes adjusted so the tarp is high enough. Much easier with someone to help you.
Also, make sure the angle of your tarp is low end facing down hill so water runs off away from your camp.
What do you doing your tarp is set up and it is flat - now it is raining hard and I need the weather to slope
Good idea's , everyone can learn from others experiences! I have a thirty year old large mountaineering tent that is also not as waterproof as it was and add a tarp to the setup but much closer to the original A frame shape adding a vestibule like extension off the front. With proper guide lines and knots it withstands 30 plus mph driving rain and bigger gusts! Pick your campsite wisely you need a slope and a wind break to sleep soundly thru a heavy storm and I do advise four season tents to stay dry!
Thanks Paul...great advice! A little bit of prep work will really help in keeping you dry.
car camping, I was a little arrogant when I started watching, but the stick thing. Duh-uh. How did I never learn that before? Seems so obvious. Demeanor was so generous and warm and helpful seeming I watched to the end. The stick trick, good gosh I can't believe how simple that is and yet somehow I never learned it... Thanks.
Thanks, glad you watched and got something from it!
I really love this idea to keep the tent dry and provide extra shade. My daughter and I attempted to set this up for the first time this past weekend, since rain was expected one night. Our tent and medium duty tarp is similar size to the video. I used a long pole to get the rope up about 14’ onto the trees on one side and a couple feet lower on the other side where rain water would run off and away from the tent. I also used the same technique with the rope staked to the ground.
The Walmart grommet saver cord kept pulling through the hole in the orange ball, so big fail there. I skipped the orange ball and threaded the elastic cord through the grommet, instead, hoping for a little flexibility.
It wasn’t very windy, but a little gust came up and tore out one of the corner grommets. We reset the rope on the next grommet over and everything was fine the rest of the day.
That night a little storm blew through that was preceded by a large gust of wind. We heard the tarp as it scraped over the top of the tent. The grommets holding the side on the lower corners and the rope staked to the ground all pulled away, sending the tarp over the tent and against the trees, which is where it stayed all night. Fortunately, there was no damage to the tent.
We haven’t given up. We are repairing the tarp and will probably try an 8’ center pole in the middle on each end with lower poles on the corners.
I'm sorry that didn't work out as well as expected Marie. I've read in the comments that people put a ball under the tarp and then wrap the rope around it tightly. But I've never had issues with the Wal-Mart grommets either. Keep at it!
What thickness tarp did you use? If it ripped that easily, perhaps you need something more heavy duty.
a great mod to this is to use a rope between 2 trees above the middle of your tent as the peak for the tarp and then have the edges of the tarp tied off low to the ground.
the slope to your rain coat can be much steeper shedding water or snow much faster
with much less chance of water pooling in low areas of the tarp.
That's a great idea Mike. I will have to try that one. If you don't have a tree in the middle, you could tie a rope between the two corner trees and tie your peak roof rope off of that.
certainly; yes i have used a line between 2 trees and a third from the first line to a third tree for really effective protection in rain and snow.
That's what I do. Works great
..I did that in the worst Arizona monsoon weather and it worked great...
So like a A Frame
True story... I put up our huge tarp over our tent and kitchen site on a blue sky and got laughed at, but on that eve it poured hard to where we had to gather and cool under our tarp for dinner and fun.. so it really pays to go a Lil further for comfort when least expected
Absolutely, good planning.
I've also seen it where the whole weekend was nice, but we had several hours of hard rain one day. Still made it worthwhile to set it up.
@@AdventuresWithMe00 was in the scouts.. lived in Washington state now in Colorado.. I have a saying to pass on " " No such thing as bad weather, it's bad gear "...
Thank you! This was super helpful myself and my 6 year old are going camping for a few days and a ton if rain is to be expected. Unfortunately it will be raining during setup.
Absolutely love videos on the subject of STAYING DRY while camping. Good job man. This is what I consider an essential part of " bushcraft ". If you can't keep yourself dry you can't keep yourself safe.
Heading out this weekend. First big trip of the year 😬 thanks for the tips 👍👍 supposed to rain. Not stopping us now. Great video. And the best part straight to ever point and no music lol ✌️
I also enjoy the lack of background music and unncessary distraction. Thanks, sincerly.
Heaps of thanks for this video for camping in the rain ....... Fantastic advice ( 1:15 ) ....... TARP , GROMMET SAVERS , PARACORD ! ! ! This video helped me become a more PROFESSIONAL CAMPER ! ! THIS GUY ( KEITH ) IS A LEGEND ! !
Thanks David!
Most test sites are relatively flat. But if yours is not, identify the lowest point and arrange your tarp so that water drains to that lowest point or collect that rain water for campsite use (washing, dishes, maybe drinking, etc).
More great advice! Thank you for that Dan!
( 3:35 ) Angle of your tarp, so the rain ( water ) does not pool. Excellent advice.
Thanks very much !
I think a huge tarp is the right way to do it !
Thanks a lot...yes, you just need a slight angle. The bigger tarp is easier to string up with two people, but you can actually sit under it.
Thanks bud. Appreciate the info! Going camping this weekend and supposed to be nothing but rain most of the time. Can't get my reservation fee refunded and would penalize me a day so this is going to help!
This gives me hope for my huge truck tent from Cabella's....that leaks! My daughters told me to toss it, but it was quite expensive, and hopefully this will work. Thanks!!!
I've hammock camped for more the 60 years and the 1st thing I do is to hang my rain fly ( Tarp ). In the summer it's a sun shade , rainy weather i can hang my hammock while staying dry. Packing to leave camp the last item taken down and packed is the rain fly especially in wet conditions. It also gives me a place protected from the weather to relax in. The times I have tent camped I still hang a rain fly ( Tarp ) over the tent ( single walled backpacking tent ) so it can remain open and ventilated no matter what the weather is.
Thanks for sharing that Chuck!
A well ventilated tent under a tarp is the best way to tent camp! No condensation in the morning like with a rain fly. If you're winter camping lower the tarp to six inches above the tent and stake in the sides. Changed the way i camp forever!
Really helpful. Planning a trip and there's heavy rain forecast whole we there. Hopefully don't get washed away.
thank you! I appreciate the feedback. I was hoping someone else could benefit from my experience!
I remember a camping trip when I was 5 and we had a canvas tent. It was a spring Saturday outside of Eugene, Oregon, and it was pouring rain. The tent leaked.
I'm heading out tonight for 4 nights and will be attempting my first Tarp set up. Many thanks for the tips. 👍
Great, I hope it worked out for you. Thanks for watching!
I camped in a tropical storm.. I had a tarp city going. Melted one. Lol. A little whiskey fueled camping might I add. I love camping in the rain. I always make a porch and cooking area in case of rain
That sounds like fun. We used this setup to camp in the rain last weekend. The tarp worked really well to keep everything dry.
Great video and a blue tarp works just as great on a very cheap tent also to keep you dry. Is it ugly? Yap, and some campsites won't allow them because of that. And they can LOUD when it rains, but again, better loud than wet.
I can say I've had a couple of occasions to break out the blue tarp this camping season and it makes the difference between tolerance and misery.
I tried this method this season in the UK and in the morning, although it did not rain, the Coleman 3 person tent fly was wet through with condensation on the outside. Also the tarp was wet through on its underside.
We had old table cloth weights and clipped a few to one side, in the center. It pulled down just enough to invite the water to drain at that spot.
Funny thing, we’ve had the wights for years and that’s the first time we’ve used them.
Good job thank you I was a Boy Scout and still have trouble with knots and are Rey important to know.
Thank you for info..i always wondered how people got their rope up so high on the trees lol...i have never set up a rain tarp before and your instructions were not complicated...going to practice some set ups before my next camping trip.
Good Heather, I hope it helps. Coincidently, I had this same campsite over July 4, 2019 and set up the tarp the same way. Worked perfectly all week.
@@AdventuresWithMe00 Thanks for the info...it always rains when I camp lol.
Great idea. BTW Use a Two Half Hitches knot (instead of square) like the white one you're standing in front of later in the video. Also, a nitpick, that wasn't a square knot, the second overhand was in the wrong direction.
Great tip. We just had to leave our campsite, on the first night, due to leaking at the seams during a severe thunderstorm. This was AFTER I waterproofed with spray. Thanks!
I'm sorry to hear that Laura! It's so sad to see after a rainstorm the folks who are completely soaked. I came up with this method after having some minor leaks in my tent during some rain. I hope this helps in the future. There's some trial and error to getting the tarp up high enough with enough coverage of the tents. But once it's up it works pretty well. I just had to do it again last weekend.
AdventureswithMe I'm determined to get it right. Thanks so much!
Did you just place the cord on the tree and then pull for tension? Or, did you hook the cord over a limb behind the tree? I couldn’t tell how you got the rope high in the tree.
Great tutorial. I'm going camping soon and my rain fly is missing, instead of purchasing a new tent we have decided to get a tarp, rope and poles and do this. Thanks for the tutorial!
We used his dads canopy this time but in october well be using the tarp system. The canopy was such a hassle.
THANK YOU. I have always wondered why tents have such flimsy "rain flys". Make them extend to the ground & they might actually protect you, but no. I'm going to make my own now.
Great, glad it could help. I still use this method and it works really well.
Don't buy cord in the camping section. Go to the hardware section by all the house stuff. There should be a aisle with rope. You will see red and yellow cord way cheaper
Thanks, good advice!
Good idea for additional weather control without wrapping your tent w tarp and getting plenty of airflow... I see others have already offered options, so, have a good day!!! And happy camping!
Thanks Sam. Last time we went camping we saw a young couple put a large tarp completely over their tent. That really limits the airflow and we thought it might be dangerous because of the lack of oxygen.
I was about 2 click off then heard the how 2 tie up high in try
GREAT idea
Thanks. I cringe now at the beginning of the video. It didn't need to be that long.
I’m going on my first solo camping trip and it is 100% chance of rain. I’m not giving up and honestly this video helps. I was so nervous about the tarp and tree distance and height etc. Thank you! If you do end up seeing this, should I tarp under my tent to prevent a wet ground? There’s so many mixed responses to it.
Good luck Renata, I'm glad you found the video useful.
Yes, I always place a second tarp under the tent. Besides adding an extra layer of insulation from the ground, it would provide some protection against runoff water saturating the bottom of your tent. The runoff would go under the tarp, not your tent.
@@AdventuresWithMe00 thank you so much!
I had a approx 26 foot long pop up camper. I used a tarp big enough to cover the camper up even before opening in a torrential down pour and nothing got wet. tarp was big enough to pull my motorcycle and car under it.
That's a good idea...I see similar set ups sometimes at the campground. This summer I had to put up this large tarp again and was glad I did. It was a lot of work for 1 person to set up and it required quite a few re-positions to get it right. But once the downpour happened in the middle of the night we stayed completely dry.
Thank you for sharing this. Say hi to little one who showed up at the end 😁
Thanks! I hope the video helped!
What the... there's things such as grommet savers.... learn every day...
You are very helpful I was ripped off by tarps warehouse online. Don't order nothing from them.
Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you Michael J Fox, i never knew you loved camping.
Awesome trick with the tree and the stick. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
What if there's no tree?
Great idea to use a stick. Creativity at its best!❤️🙌🏻🙏
Thanks Noreen! Happy camping.
Excellent information, help me last weekend in the rain, thanks
Thanks!
Hi there and don’t know if you’ll pick this message up as noticed it was so long ago you filmed it but here goes, I’m from England and me and my lovely wife both are not driving and we thought could we both camp comfortably in the rain with a tarp cover? I’m just curious about the size of the tarp folded up on my back . Is it doable, I’m in my 50s aged and my wife is under 50 yrs and well we’re not a supple as we used to be but we just want to get out into the countryside get a train or bus and camp out and enjoy the outdoors still and be prepared for the rain 🌧️ appreciate you showing us there’s a solution and we don’t need a car I hope, hope your well and god bless, cheers Steve
Hi Steve, thanks for the question. I would steer you towards a backpacker tarp, if you can find something like that. If you have to carry a tarp on your back, it will have to be small and light.
For your situation I would probably just recommend a backpacking tent and ditch the tarp. People hike for months with these tents, in all kinds of weather, and they are generally very waterproof and light. If you don’t want to buy a new tent you could try to find a lightweight tarp that just covers the outline of your current tent.
@@AdventuresWithMe00really appreciate your advice and it’s really sound advice to get a good quality waterproof tent I guess and maybe a smaller tarp I agree to just double up on the protection and remembering your advice to angle the tarp to allow rain to not collect, thank you
Great. Going to loch lomond next week. I think its gona be wet n wanted some extra cover over the tent. Now i know how. Thanks bud 👍
What a cool dad! great video thank you from Australia.
Thanks for the comment!
Good, informative video. We’re heading out today for the weekend and it’s supposed to rain 🌧 over night. Hope i can get it right
Good luck! I hope it works out. It's much easier to set up if you have help.
just member the angle down is where all the water goes so dont make it wher e ull be doing alot of things, has to be tight also slack isnt good
thanks Armando...if I wasn't clear in the video about that, I should have been. That's great advice.
Nice video Kieth! I love your explanations. I learned a lot. Thanks for posting it.
It has to be a light tent together with a tarp for bushcraft.
Bigger question. What keeps the tarp dry?
Thank you. Really well explained . Cheers
Thank you
You're welcome! Thanks for the comment!
Brilliant video. What's your advice in case of strong wind at such tarp setup?
Another thing but a large blue tarp I have discovered, they can be loud with rain and wind!!!! But better loud than wet.
Do you ever use tarp poles? Can you do a tutorial on that? In case there's no trees close enough?
I haven't used tarp poles in decades. I would think that you would still need to ultimately secure the ends of the tarp to some type of fixed object (tree) for stability. If you didn't have trees nearby (like in a field), maybe you could put two guy lines on either side of each pole to secure them with tent stakes. That would be my thought, but I haven't tried it.
If anything least in the south it’s a good way to keep the tent cooler an the brutal sun from beating it to death baking one inside
Simple but genius idea. Thank you.
Thanks...glad it was helpful!
You're a dad hero! Nice save.
Paul Meyers thank you Paul!
I'd say just get a better tent if it leaks. The tarp is nice if your tent camping , I have taken the tarp and stretched across the picnic table, That way your not stuck in your tent the whole time.
s now you have a line tied 10 feet up the tree. How do you untie it when you breeak camp?
Great video. I’d still use a folded over tarp under your tent, as the ground has a way of sneaking rocks and sticks under it, that you didn’t see or feel before you pitched your tent over it. Just in case.
yes, thanks, great tip. I always use a tarp under the tent too. Extra insulation and protection from rain and those rocks and sticks.
"Hi Dad... good" - sweet boy!
Thanks...he's a sweetheart.
Step one: tie down a 50’x50’ tarp.
Step two: *stays dry*
basically, yes
When you demonstrated putting the rope up onto the tree, did you have it rest on a limb behind it? It's hard tell. Or maybe it's just grabbing onto the bark. I also wouldn't want the tarp resting on the tent, so that no unnecessary weight is applied and also it won't trap in heat in the tent and allow for ventilation.
I try to put the rope over a branch, if possible. If there isn’t one available, the bark is enough to hold the rope, though you may need to put some outward pressure on the rope initially to hold it against the trunk and keep it from slipping.
How much thick the tarp should be? 4mil ? 10 mil?
I'm not sure I understand the reasoning behind this. And I started camping in the 1970s, I have only ever had one tent leak when the taped seam sealer on a Swiss Gear tent leaked after 3 days of HEAVY tropical storm type rain. That was the first, and last time I trusted taped seams BTW.... Just curious if you are having leakage problems after waterproofer treating and seam sealing your tent, or is this your go to? This seems like a good way to extend the "rain fly" so you can open the windows in a downpour and not worry about leakage. There are of course other advantages of a tarp rig, In hot climates, it puts the tent in shade keeping the sun from heating up the inside of the tent and reducing the solar oven effect. And boy can that be nasty.
The tent I have I bought used...it's huge. The idea of going through it and seam sealing everything and waterproof treating seems too daunting. As much work as the tarp can be, it's not that bad and I don't have to do it every single time I camp. I do plan on buying a brand new tent in 2021 so I don't have to fool with it.
A tarp over your tent in cold weather keeps heat in a lot better too. The tarp doesn't need to be double your foot print, all it needs to do is wrap your tent from ground to ground. In the summer it is a good idea to keep the tarp above your "windows" for venting..tents get hot, but the tarp will make water boil..
You'll need some type of separation between the tent and tarp though, won't you? I would be concerned about not getting enough oxygen inside the tent.
In the cold months there is plenty of ventilation going on, I use propane heaters never had any issues of lack of oxygen.i don't run them all night either just get the tent warm and in the sleeping bag I go...
Not really, but if you don't want to hear the same pitter patter of rain I would elevate the tarp, other than that it's fine. I don't sit on flat ground either, I try and find a spot that is high, or higher than the rest of the ground, so the water does not run under the tent. In summer I would definitely have the tarp elevated and have as much ventilation as possible, mold likes damp and dark heat...winter months is fine,
thanks for the reply. I've been camping and seen people just throw a tarp right over the tent and I felt like that could be asking for trouble.
Nah, it hold heat in better, and keeps it darker,
Great presentation
Thank you!
thanks for sharing the turp setup with us.
thanks for the comment! I really appreciate it. It makes it worthwhile to hear people say they found the video helpful.
Very often I've used golf balls,, wrap them in the corners and tie off from there,,, then u don't even need to use the grommets, , they tear in the wind anyways!😃
Thank you Jason. The golf balls are great advice!
"On this week's episode of McGyver"
My crew will benefit from this
oh good, glad to hear!
Ok....so how did that tarp stay up there? Is it hooked on a tree knot, or something? Maybe I missed something....
A rope is connected from a tree to the eyelet on the tarp
Good suggestions
What tent do you have in this video? Great video by the way amazing stick technique I thought you were gonna throw a stone with the rope tied to it… much more control with a stick
It’s a Coleman WeatherMaster, 10 person tent. I’ve had it about 15 years and got it second hand. I believe Coleman still makes a version of this tent with the side door and the ability to stand up inside.
I still use the rock to the rope technique if I don’t have a stick. It does allow you to get the rope higher in the tree so you can put a nice slope to the tarp.
Thanks for the comment!
Cool. I like the stick idea. Thanks!
Thanks, I hope it helps!
Thank you brother!!!
Great video. Practical and easy to follow
Thank you!
What held the rope up the tree when you used the stick, I didn't notice if you fed it thru a fork in the tree or what? Thanks for sharing.
The tree bark is rough and scaley (sic) enough to hold the rope in place around the trunk of the tree until you can more securely tie it down. If you can find a small stubby section where a small branch broke off, that will work well too.
Does anyone remember when tents actually kept water out themselves? They were made of canvas. Polyester tents are light but worthless against the elements, which defeats the purpose of a tent.
maybe the manufacturers should just make a tent out of a tarp and save us the trouble. lol I do remember canvas tents, but I remember them being really heavy and difficult to set up.
Thanks for the comment!
Yea but backpacking has definitely grown more and you won't find a single backpacker with a canvas tent.
I have an REI Half Dome with the foot print and that withstood some serious rain storms just fine.
My first first tent from around 1970 was canvas with an external aluminum pole frame. Other tents blew down around us in northeast thunder storms, but ours stayed up. It stayed completely dry inside too except for humid air of course. Even then I would light a candle or better yet run my gas lantern and the dampness would go away.
The last tent I got for emergency use last year has it's own fly. It'll be interesting to see how it works in rain.
🙂 I remember being soaked through in our old canvas tent. Everything, bedding, food, the lot.
I have a good quality ‘polyester’ tent now which has seen me through severe storms without a drop of water inside.
I still love the memories of that old canvas tent though.
and damp and moldy
Nice setup, great job!
Thanks!
Thanks for the tips! Much appreciated.
Thanks so much for sharing this helpful post!
Gives a nice extension ish on the tent as well.
yes, you can walk around a little bit under it and keep the rest of your stuff dry too.
I hate cutting lengths of rope. I try to use weird knots that don't involve cutting. It can be done.
I do that sometimes too. After I camp a few times I tend to grab whatever pre-cut rope is around and often have sections that are too long that I have to tie off to fit. Good advice Ginger.
Good tips, thanks a bunch for the idea.
You're welcome! Thanks for the comment Suzanne!
@@AdventuresWithMe00 Update...we went on a miserable weather camping trip...tent was okay after discouraged waterproofing as per instructions was applied anyway. Woke up to a freezing Lakeside view but we were dry inside. The top of this cabin tent was so large that we just couldn't figure how to set up the tarp on this trip...too loaded out for such a big coverage but silicone seemed to work out at least on this awful trip, LOL.
Poor man tent pole (replacements or extra). PVC 3/4 or 1 inch precut to appropriate lengths. Supply of straight or angle connectors. Appropriate end caps with hole drilled and hex 1 1/2 to 2 inch bolt inserted with washer and nut on exterior. These are really inexpensive to make and take. Use with appropriate tarp and 550 cord and landscape spikes to hold all in place. Anal part: a little dab of different paint color, or permanent marker dot and dash system, to identify which part connects to which!
Me canvas tents all the time but as we all know when it’s wet it’s like trying to move a dead weight but still prefer canvas
Flash flooding is a good sign to go home. Rain in it self is not. Just use a tarp 😀
Thank you for sharing your techniques ❤️
thanks for your comment. Glad it helped!
2020
First time doing tarp. I agree, take the time to set the tarp up.
Plus, you saved me many states & laughs with standing on my hood..😂🇺🇸
Good...I'm glad it helped! Coincidently, tomorrow I'm traveling to the same campground and staying at the next site over from where we shot this video. It looks like rain is in the forecast so I may be setting the tarp up once again.
Your the man cheers brother