Lawnboi
WKR
I have a tangential question on tarps. I've got the materials to make one for use this summer but I'm curious how often you have to re-rig them? I'd see myself getting it setup picture perfect for say a west wind and then a few hours later it would be blowing out of the north or east and I'd be SOL.
Easy enough. I'll preface by saying that I typically use the tarp if I'm going to be moving often. If I know I'll be camped in 1 spot, I'll eat he weight penalty of a tipi style shelter, for 360* coverage, especially when I'm not around camp.
The paratarp, tacked tight to the ground gives wind protection from 3 directions as is. Even with it raised a little, it still provides good coverage. The wind would have to switch 180* to be blowing into my tarp, and even then, it's not bad unless directly blowing in the door side. Typically I try to setup with my door toward a wind break, be it a rock, cliff, trees, back side of a mountain, whatever you can find. For this reason I really like the paratarp shape over a typical flat tarp. It can be raised in nice weather and provides great coverage tacked tight to the ground. That said, a tarp IMO is not suitable for all conditions, and if I know it's going to get nasty I'll likely take more shelter.
I also always run a bivy of some kind under the tarp.