Tell me about tarps - what to buy and how to pitch

[MollieO]

If it hadn't been for MrsDoolittle's hugenormous tent this weekend I would have got very wet. Until I sort out a tent with a porch area what tarp should I get to keep me dry whilst I cook and lounge around on my arse chair?

We have a tatonka Tarp (recomendation from ukcs.)

This w/e we had it set up a bit like a ridge tent (second picture in the link), but I have also had it up like the 2nd piccie here, up on 4 poles for a sun shade. I've also had it with two poles on one side and the other side angled dawn and pegged so it's more like a windshield iyswim.

The tatonka is really small and comes in a dinky little bag. I pinched the poles from a crapperama tarp I got from aldi last year. The tatonka telescopic poles look fab (but are expensive I think)

I think Obelink do reasonably priced polycotton tarps too.

The quechua tarp is pretty good value too.

I saw this on the beach a couple of weeks ago, pitched over the top of one of their beach pop ups. It looked great, really snug inside even if it did take all 4 members of the family about 45mins to attach it to the ground in the high winds.

Thx Slubber. I like the one you've got. I need something for when it rains as our current tent doesn't have anywhere to sit (other than on the sleeping bags).

We have an Outwell one, great for very still weather, but blows down with depressing regularity in anything approaching a stiff breeze. Now that we have a reasonable sized tent with a canopy, we don't bother with it.