Bought a $30 tarp instead of a $120 tent footprint, big mistake in the rain

Last weekend up near Ashland I skipped the brand-specific footprint for my tent and grabbed a cheap blue tarp from the hardware store. Cut it down to size, thought I was being smart. Three hours of steady rain later, water pooled under the tent floor because the tarp stuck out past the edges and funneled runoff right underneath. My sleeping bag got soaked through, had to pack up at 2 AM and sleep in the truck. Has anyone else tried the tarp shortcut and regretted it, or did I just cut it wrong?

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webb.jordan22d ago

Man that sounds brutal, 2 AM truck sleep over a tarp is rough.