My $20 tarp turned out better than my $120 tent footprint

I've always bought the brand-name footprint for my tent, figured the custom cut and grommets were worth it. Last month in Olympic National Park, I forgot it at home and grabbed a generic blue tarp from the gas station outside Port Angeles. Cut it to size with scissors, used some tent stakes to hold it down, and honestly it worked just as well. No sliding, no water pooling, and it packed way flatter than the fancy one. Now I'm wondering if I've been overpaying for tent accessories this whole time, like what else is just a marked-up version of a basic tarp? Anyone else swap out their tent footprint for something homemade and never look back?

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jasonf1724d ago

Isn't it funny how "outdoor gear" is just basic stuff with a bigger price tag?