How to pitch a tarp that stays tight in wind and rain
By AquaQuest. Published October 22, 2026. Updated October 22, 2026.
Pitch a tarp in this order: run a tight ridgeline between two anchors, hang the tarp from its ridgeline points, stake the corners out and down at a low angle, then use the edge tie-outs so nothing flaps. Three pitches cover almost every night out: the A-frame (ridgeline down the middle), the lean-to (one edge high, one edge low) and the plow point (one corner staked down, the opposite corner lifted). Every AquaQuest tarp pitches all three, with 13 to 47 reinforced webbing tie-outs depending on model and size.
Before anything: the site and the ridgeline
Pick the site for shelter, not the view. Look at where the wind is coming from and where water will run if it rains hard, and stay out of both. Two trees 12 to 20 feet apart, on ground that drains, are what you want.
Then the ridgeline. Tie a cord between the two anchors at the height you want the roof and tension it hard before the tarp goes near it. A sagging ridgeline makes a sagging tarp, and a sagging tarp pools water. The Safari has three attachment points along its center ridgeline and the Guide has a center loop, so both hang from the cord itself instead of only from the two end loops. The Defender and Survivor have webbing-reinforced ridgelines and tie-outs at the corners and edges.
The A-frame
Drape the tarp over the ridgeline, centered, and stake the four corners out and down. This is the pitch to learn first, because every decision in it is visible: steep walls shed rain and wind and give less floor; flat walls give headroom and let rain in at the ends. In rain, pitch steep. In wind, pitch low and put the closed end into the weather. The ends are open, so a longer tarp (13 x 10 feet rather than 10 x 7) is what keeps the packs dry at the ends.
The lean-to
Fix one long edge high on the ridgeline and stake the opposite edge to the ground. You get a sloped roof with one open side, which is the bushcraft pitch for sitting in front of a fire, well back from it. Stake every edge tie-out along the low side so the wind cannot get under.
The plow point
Stake one corner to the ground and lift the opposite corner to the ridgeline or a pole, then stake the two remaining corners down. You get a closed back and a pointed, open front. It is the pitch for wind, because the closed back takes the gust and spreads it across many tie-outs instead of a few.
Tie-outs: how many, and how to use them
Wind rarely tears fabric. It works on the attachment points and the stakes. A tarp fails in a storm when a few points carry the whole load, the fabric flogs, and something gives. So the two things that matter are how many points you can spread the load across and how you use them.
AquaQuest tie-outs are reinforced webbing loops, 3/4 inch wide. The counts: Defender 21 on the 10 x 7, 19 on the 10 x 10, 25 on the 13 x 10, 37 on the 15 x 15 and 47 on the 20 x 13; Safari 15, 19, 19, 29 and 25 in the same order; Guide 13, 17, 17, 23 and 21; Survivor 19 on the 10 x 10 and 29 on the 15 x 15.
Three habits that make every pitch hold:
- Use guy lines on the perimeter points rather than clipping stakes straight to the loops. A length of cord lets the tarp move a little instead of shock-loading one point.
- Stake at a low angle, leaning away from the tarp, and bury the stake to the head.
- Re-tension after the first rain or gust. Wet fabric and wet cord both stretch a little.
Pitching for wind
- Go low. Drop the windward edge to the ground, or stake it directly. A low pitch gives the wind nothing to get under.
- Face the closed side into the wind. A plow point or a low lean-to with its back to the weather sheds gusts; an open A-frame end facing the wind fills like a sail.
- Use every tie-out, not just the corners. A big tarp with only four corners staked flogs, and flogging is what breaks things. The edge points along each side are there to kill the flap.
- Pitch a big tarp lower and smaller than it can go. A 15 x 15 or 20 x 13 pitched as a low, closed lean-to is far stronger than the same tarp pitched as a high roof.
- Check the ridgeline after the first gust and take the slack out.
Pitching for rain
- Pitch the roof steep. Water runs off a steep A-frame and pools on a flat one.
- Turn the closed side to the weather. In driving rain, drop the windward wall to the ground, or use a plow point so the back is sealed.
- Size up. Rain comes in at the ends, so a 13 x 10 over two people keeps the packs dry where a 10 x 7 will not.
- Tie a drip line. A short cord tied on the ridgeline just inside each end breaks the surface tension, so water running along the cord drips off before it reaches the tarp.
Pitching in snow
- Pitch steep so snow slides off, and knock snow off before it builds. Wet snow sitting on a roof puts far more pressure on the fabric than rain.
- Pitch low on the windward side, or bank snow against the edge to seal it.
- Stakes do not hold in deep snow. Fill a stuff sack with snow and bury it, or bury a stick sideways, and tie the guy line to that.
- Keep the tarp well back from open flame. Nylon melts.
Over a hammock
Run the ridgeline tight between the trees first, then hang the tarp from its center points: the Safari's three ridgeline points or the Guide's center loop. Stake the four corners out and down; in calm weather pitch them high for airflow, in rain and wind bring them down so the sides block the weather. The ends have to reach past your head and your feet, which is why a 13 x 10 or a 10 x 10 pitched on the diagonal works better over a hammock than a 10 x 7. Drip lines on the ridgeline, just inside each end, stop water running along the cord into the tarp. A Survivor owner on aquaquest.com: "I have used it as a shelter by itself which was fantastic but also as a hammock fly ..." (Lewis O.)
Off a vehicle
Run a ridgeline from the roof rack to a tree or a pole and hang the tarp from its center points. Slope the roof so water runs away from the doors. Use every tie-out along the free edges; a big tarp with one edge fixed to a vehicle catches wind like a sail, and in a real blow drop the far edge to the ground. Tie to rack bars or recovery points, never to paint or trim.
Taking it down
Take it down between trips. Shake the water off, dry it at home before it goes away, and pack it loosely. AquaQuest tarps are made for years of trips, not for standing as a season-long shelter, and a tarp that is dried between trips keeps its coating and its tape.
Spec table
| Model | Attachment points by size (10 x 7, 10 x 10, 13 x 10, 15 x 15, 20 x 13) | Ridgeline attachment | Tie-out webbing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defender | 21, 19, 25, 37, 47 | Webbing-reinforced ridgelines; tie-outs at the corners and edges | 3/4 inch polypro |
| Safari | 15, 19, 19, 29, 25 | 3 points along the center ridgeline | 3/4 inch grosgrain |
| Guide | 13, 17, 17, 23, 21 | A center loop for overhead hanging | 3/4 inch grosgrain |
| Survivor | 19 (10 x 10), 29 (15 x 15) | Webbing-reinforced ridgelines | 3/4 inch grosgrain with reflective |
FAQs
What is the easiest tarp pitch for beginners?
The A-frame: a tight ridgeline between two trees, the tarp draped over it and centered, and the four corners staked out and down.
What is the best tarp pitch in high wind?
A low plow point or a low lean-to with the closed side to the wind, every edge tie-out staked, and guy lines on the perimeter points so no single loop takes a shock load.
How tight should a tarp ridgeline be?
As tight as you can make it before the tarp goes on; a sagging ridgeline makes a sagging tarp that pools water.
Can one person pitch a 20 x 13 tarp?
Yes: ridgeline first, then the corners, then the edge points, though in wind a second pair of hands makes it much easier.
Can I leave a tarp pitched between trips?
No. Pitch it for the trip, dry it and pack it; AquaQuest tarps are camping tarps, not standing shelters, and drying between trips is what keeps the coating and seam tape in good shape.
Related: Which AquaQuest tarp should I buy? | What size tarp do I need? | Tarp specs explained | About AquaQuest | Waterproof Tarps | Bushcraft Tarp
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