>>865594totally agree
I think it's pretty reckless to advise a newbie to go /out/ with a tarp for shelter. If camping anywhere other than some garden of Eden you'll have tics, spiders, biting insects, venomous snakes, nasty weather. In 1982 working fast food, I saved up $80 (adjust for inflation: $200 today) to buy a nylon backpacker tent. That small investment made all the difference in my formative years. Today I sometimes go out with just a tarp but pic related is usually a better option.