tents and tarps?

[mmiller711]

We leave tomorrow for 8 nights at the Fort in tents. I have noticed many people write about putting tarps over their tents, do you all have shorter dome tents or how would you go about doing it with a taller cabin type tent? Both or our tents are appx. 12 x 16 and tall enough for me to standup in easily, so at least 6' tall. We are taking a portable air conditioner and hope to make it bearable for sleeping at night. The top is well vented and covered with a rain fly. I camped years ago but not with all this new nylon stuff! We had big old canvas army tents when I used to go.

 

[clkelley]

I don't use tarps over my tents. I waterproof my tent thoroughly with seam sealer, then spray the fabric with a Scotch Guard equivalent. If you do that and make sure you set up/stake down your tent correctly (Stretch it out completely and stake all points required and set all guy wires out) you should be fine. Depending on frequency of use, repeat about every 6 months.

I do put awnings/shelters at the entrance of my tent so I have a place to sit in my chair in the dry/shade and can enter and exit my tent in the dry and leave my wet shoes/raingear outside.

 

[mmiller711]

thanks, that should make my DH who is now in a panic about a tarp feel better. lol

 

[ctpooh]

We use a tarp for the rain yes, but the most important reason why is to keep the sun directly off the tent. It keeps the tent cooler then it would be with the sun beating down on it. We stand on a table and tie it to trees and we also have adjustable poles.

 

[mmiller711]

Don't they frown on you tying it to the trees?

 

[clkelley]

Actually, no they don't. I don't they they would want you to put hooks in the trees, but ropes/straps, christmas lights, you name it, folks use their sites to the max.