We bought a 20' x 30' tarp to use as our rain-fly and awning. The tarp will help protect our tent from UV rays and sparks coming out of the stove pipe. Also it has created a dry front porch for us. It is nice on rainy or snowy days to be able to come out of the tent without getting immediately wet.
We have had all kinds of weather up here. We have had heavy rain (no leaks), snow covering the ground, very cold nights and EXTREME wind. The tarp is really noisy and annoying in the wind, but everything about wind is annoying to me.
We are starting to cook more in our tent. The sink is working well for washing dishes. The wood stove is great for cooking eggs.
