Tent+Tarp=Warm and Dry!

In the past, we froze on cold nights even though we ran an electric space heater and used electric blankets. The giant vents on this tent as well as the other one we use occasionally (a Columbia Cougar Flats) just let too much heat out.

This year, thanks to lots of advice, we decided to put a tarp between the tent and the fly. We bought a tarp that covered the entire top and went almost to the ground on two sides. It worked beautifully! We used bungees to pull it taunt to the four corner stake loops and then put the fly over it. It not only held the heat in, it also kept us much dryer!

I say it kept us dryer not because our tent leaks, but because with five of us stacked in there, you just can't help being up against the sides in places. That extra layer of tarp created a barrier that kept our bedding dry.

How well did it work?? We had to turn the heat down inside when the temps outside were in the upper thirties! Yeah!! We'll definitely do this from now on when camping in colder weather.