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Started camoing last year with a little Vango Alpha 400 and have now also got an Icarus 300.

With both, we have the same problem of cooking when it rains and have seen the adventure tarp which might be the solution.

Any one have any experience of these and know if they are any good?  Am assuming it would be something to put up and take down as and when needed as can't imagine it would stand up to stormy conditions and be suitable to be left up all the time.  Also, is it possible to pitch in isolation from the tent to use as a shelter for other occasions? 

Or am I better just trying to fashion something stand alone from a cheap tarp and my king poles?

We've used the Vango Adventure Tarp with all our tents, from the low dome to our large Vango Columbia 600 over the last 3 seasons. It is ideal for the tents you have. It comes with 1 pole, sufficient guys and pegs. We have a longer set of guys with ready tied loops in the end that we interchange with the ones it comes with for the taller tents. The elasticated side fits over the front pole of the tent and you guy taught, inclined towards the rear of the tent. This stops the elasticated side popping off, although it is designed to do so in windy weather. The front pole is 160cm tall, but you can add a taller king pole if desired. We only put ours up as needed. Only takes a couple of minutes. Saves worrying about it if the wind picks up. Will give you overhead and side on shelter for a lower tent so ideal to cook under.

Our friends are so impressed with ours - they are getting one now for the same purpose as yourself.

If you want to use it standalone then you will need an extra pole or you can use it with walking poles (saving on packing space for hiking). Alternatively you can peg the rear to the ground. We've even used ours as a BBQ shelter at home tied to objects in the garden.

I personally would go for the Quechua Tarp from Decathlon it's a lot bigger than the Vango Tarp and it comes with 2 poles which i still use along with my Vango 210 cm king poles.

Quote: Originally posted by Catie74 on 23/8/2011

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Can you stand under the tarp.  I have the outwell fusion 300 tent and want to extend the space.  would I get a table and chair under it so I can cook?

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The pole for the Vango Adventure Tarp is 1.6m tall, so the height will be a slope between this and the height of the front of the tent. The Fusion is a pop-up, isn't it? - I am not sure that the pole strength of the tent would hold back the elasticated side of the Vango Tarp and you'd probably have to use low level furniture and a backpacker type table.

The quechua tarp is 2.85m x 2.9m I believe, so is slightly narrower than the narrowest part of the Vango Tarp but 0.9m longer. The wings of the Vango tarp extend to 3.75m wide adding greater protection towards the front of the tarp. The quechua also comes with 2 poles. It does not have an elasticated side so without using the rear pole you should be able to guy it over the top of the tent. Some of the extra length will be used up to cover the tent, but you will get additional length overall. Your height will again be determined by the height of the tent and the poles of the tarp.

There is another option - the Khyam Atrium for tents ideally between 1.3 and 1.5cm high (although I expect can be a little more flexible). The arch of the poles can make the area covered wider or taller. I have seen photos where someone has put a standard chair and roll up table underneath it.