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Park hosts in Yosemite are pushing cheap gear and it bugs me
I was up in Yosemite Valley last weekend and noticed the camp hosts handing out these tiny blue tarps to beginners... not even thick enough for a drizzle. My tent got soaked through one night and I had to sleep in the car. Why don't they just point folks to a solid 10x12 tarp from a real outdoor store instead of pushing flimsy junk? Anyone else run into this at national parks?
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michael_coleman101mo ago
Hold up, I gotta push back on this one. Honestly, those little blue tarps are fine if you set them up right, and they're way easier to carry on a hike than a heavy 10x12 from REI. @lunaf67 got a good deal, but not everyone wants to drop $25 on a tarp they might only use once. Ngl, if your tent got soaked, that sounds more like a setup problem than a tarp problem. I've seen people rig those cheap tarps over their tents with a few paracord knots and stay bone dry all night. They're not junk, they're just meant for quick shelter not a full campsite.
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lunaf671mo ago
Last summer I picked up a 10x12 tarp at REI for like $25 and it's still going strong after 40 nights out. Those little blue emergency tarps are fine for a day trip but not for sleeping under, total false sense of security.
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emma_dixon701mo ago
Nah, I gotta disagree. Those cheap blue tarps are a gamble, and for a beginner who doesn't know the tricks, they're more trouble than they're worth. A heavier tarp might cost more but it gives you actual peace of mind when the weather turns.
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