3 mil plastic tarp?

[compman2]

Why couldn't you sew a couple of simple seams on the tie outs to keep everything in tact. As long as you have duct tape on both sides and a significant margin of duct tape before there is only plastic, I don't think you would have any problems with tear out.

I second the use of the sheet bend on the corners this works amazingly well. You just have to remember how to tie the knot if it comes loose. I have been doing this on a poly tarp for a number of years. The pebble idea also works well, I have used this in conjunction with a continuous ridgeline to keep the ridgeline taunt and to provide extra tie out points on long edges. Simple, cheap, effective and surprisingly durable.

[Fancy Ramen]

I made one with a 4 mil drop cloth and gorilla tape. Haven't tested it yet though.

[Tuck]

I tried making both a 4 mil and two clear shower curtains out of gorilla tape. The two shower curtain tarp, although a lot heavier, held up for at least a year and a half of monthly outings. I ended up giving it away. Can't say that about the 4 mil tarp.

[Syrrka]

The heat shrink tarp lasted through a couple of flash flood thunderstorms with lots of wind. I had it up for a week. When I have the time I want to make the shower curtain tarp in the double diamond formation. It seems there is less guy lines to bother with. I wonder if I could cut out the section where the two curtains overlap. I would make sure the cut out bit was on the underside too.

I'll have to learn how to do that sheet bend knot. The idea of not using a lot of heavy, stiff, Gorilla tape is quite appealing. Thanks.

[Syrrka]

So I took both the polycryo and the PEVA plastic tarps out for a spin on the trail. They both worked well. I like the simplicity of the PEVA double diamond as there are only 4 tie outs and the ridge line, bit it was a bit more bulky to pack and use as the plastic is thicker. The PolyCryo one is way easier to pack and pretty tough. It rained buckets, thunder and lightning too, while we were on the trail so we holed up under a huge old fir tree and spread out the polycryo tarp on the lower branches and waited. We stayed dry and the tarp took a beating being pulled over those old, dead bottom branches. It was really nice as it didn't block any light. I'm really pleased with it and want to make another in a hex shape. They both weighed out at just a couple of ounces over a pound.