The Perils of Paulin

[John Joseph]

Or rather Tarpaulin, which is a Paulin made waterproof with the application of tar.
These used to be canvas but now the universally accepted standard is plastic, especially the ubiquitous blue plastic ones from the big box outfits.

Tarpaulins, or tarps, are useful in camp. It is all up to your creativity, really.
Need a footprint for a tent? Tarpaulin to the rescue!
How about a dining canopy? A privacy screen in a crowded camp ground? A fly for a tent? Or something to keep your firewood dry in a storm? How about an extra tent?
Again, it's Tarpaulin to the rescue.

My concern these days is that those cheap blue (they come in other colors, too) plastic tarps aren't that cheap anymore.
I had sticker shock the last time I was at a Harbor Freight!
There are alternatives.
Canvas tarps are still available---there's painter's tarps and plastic sheeting and other materials as well----all at different price points.
The issue is cost effectiveness and longevity. A reasonably thick mil plastic sheet might last several seasons as a ground cloth and costs pennies per square foot.
For a fly, or dining canopy a blue plastic tarp might last only a season or two, but a good canvas tarp will hold up for a decade with care although the initial cost will be higher.
Let's not forget painter's drop cloths, either. You can add grommets along the edges with a grommet kit and a hammer for tying down (or up) While lighter duty than canvas duck,
the white color makes for a wonderful dining canopy----you'll feel less like you're in a cave under a lighter color fly than a blue tarp.

I thought this might be a good place to discuss experiences with various tarps and camping.

[toedtoes]

I can't say much on this subject. I have a couple tarps in each camper in case I get a leak while camping. Otherwise, I don't use them. I prefer to keep my campsite minimal and setting up a tarp to sit under is more work than I want to do. I just find shady campsites.

I will say that tarps with a reflective surface can help keep the RV cooler if the sun hits it. With the trailer, I actually attach a reflective windshield screen on the outside wall where the fridge is (being sure not to block the vents). This really helps the fridge keep cool. A reflective tarp could be used in the same way to refect sun and heat off a tent wall, etc.

[John Joseph]

I like the option of having a dining fly to cook under if rain is threatening.
Plastic tarps I find worthless on windy days though---those cheap grommets will pull out and once you loose tension a good storm will noisily rip 'em to shreds in short order.
Another issue to consider is, if it rains, where will the run off from the tarp go? I certainly don't want it running back into camp.

[MacGyver]

There are plenty of online companies that sell poly tarps that are way more durable then the cheap blue and brown ones you find just about anywhere. I have 12 mil tarps that are years old with no sign of wearing out. The color itself plays into just how durable a tarp is. Darker colors absorb sunlight which leads to faster degradation from UV light. That's why I always opt for tan and silver - they reflect the sun better. But the best thing I've come up with to keep 'em going is to put bungee cords on every tieout. (Picture of DIY bungee/paracord combo below) That takes the strain off the grommets when the wind kicks up.

As far as the rain going back into the site, I figure everything not covered by the tarp is going to be wet anyway, so I always just channel it with a V configuration in the front and back of the tarp. (Picture 2) In a light rain, the water will actually wick down the front guyline, even farther away from the tent.

Edit: Of course, since the issue of rain coming back towards the tent has been raised, now I'm going to have to figure out how to make an easily stowable gutter/diverter for the leading edge of a tarp.

[Happy Joe]

Here's another vote for heavy (they come in several weights) silver tarps; I mostly use them for ground cloths...

Enjoy!