Bought a $12 tarp in Missoula and it beat my $60 tent fly in a 3 hour rain
Last weekend I camped near Seeley Lake and the rain came in around 9pm and did not let up for 3 hours. My buddy's fancy tent started leaking at the seams about 45 minutes in, but my cheap blue tarp rigged over the picnic table kept everything dry. I tried the tarp because I read a review that said the grommets were weak, so I doubled up with paracord and it held fine. The rain fly on my tent collected a puddle on top and slowly dripped on my sleeping bag, so I moved under the tarp at midnight. Nothing fancy ever works as good as the reviews say, does it? What is your go-to cheap gear that has outlasted the pricey stuff?