Making a Squall Stormproof?

[Lucinda]

I love the Squall tarptent but I have an older model which doesn't have the extended beak. I think that looks like a great feature and I wish it was available when I ordered mine. I haven't had any severe storm conditions to put the tarptent through...yet. I was wondering what the key is to making the Squall really stormproof without the extended beak? It just seems like a lot of water could get in the front if the wind and rain really kicked up. Is there some way to modify the tarptent? Maybe I could send back to have it upgraded somehow?

[C-Stepper]

On another website last week, Henry Shires posted a list of updates on his tents. He mentioned that current owners can get the updates as well. Call him for upgrades; it sounded like he was willing to work things out for his customers. (his website is www.tarptent.com)

[chris]

You'll want to work on getting the tarp pitched in a good place and keeping it taut. Silnylon stretches a bit as it gets wet. So, what was a taut tarp when you went to bed might be saggy in the morning. I didn't have that much of a problem with this on the AT, but on the GDT I did (bigger temperature changes?) If you are using a groundcloth, cut it extra large. When it rains, you can then make a bath tub floor with it. That is, put bits of gear around the edges of the ground cloth, and then put the ground cloth up and over them. If it rains and you have a sub optimal campsite, you can get rivers running into your tarp. The bathtubbing helps.