I’ve seen more tarps in crawlspaces than I care to admit, and honestly, both types have their “charm.” Canvas is great if you treat it right, but yeah, leave it damp and you’re basically growing a science experiment. The plastic ones? I swear they disintegrate if you look at them sideways. I’ve tried the “pro” versions too—sometimes they’re just thicker plastic, sometimes not even that. At this point, I just accept that every spring means a new round of tarp roulette.
Last summer I thought I was clever and doubled up, canvas over plastic, thinking I’d get the best of both worlds. Instead, I just trapped a ton of moisture between the layers and ended up with a weird mildewy sandwich. Lesson learned—sometimes “pro” just means more creative headaches.
I’ve done almost the exact same thing—thought I was being extra smart by layering a tarp under my old tent fly. Figured it’d keep everything dry and maybe help insulate a bit. Instead, the whole thing turned into a sauna by morning. Condensation everywhere, and that stale, funky smell you just can’t air out. Sometimes the more “pro” you try to get, the more complicated the mess.
Now when I’m checking used gear (tents, tarps, whatever), I always poke around for hidden damp spots or that telltale mildew funk. If something smells off or feels heavy in weird places, it’s usually a sign moisture got trapped somewhere. Honestly, simpler setups seem to breathe better and are way easier to keep clean. Lesson learned: sometimes low-tech is actually smarter... at least if you want your stuff to last more than one season.
