>>2038506umbrellas are a god send in some places. portable shade. they are also actually really good for rain, again in some places.
I've hiked with just a wind jacket and umbrella in raining, humid areas and it beats a rainjacket any day.
I get what your saying though. The guy who took that pic was trying out the tarp, he said it was great but if he were to return to that area he would take a fully enclosed shelter.
>isn't the purpose of a tarp to avoid having to pack the weight of a support structure?I don't know about this. Tarps are just shelters. They are flexible, pack small, and fun. I wouldn't say their purpose is to avoid carry poles. You can get plenty of very storm worth tents that pitch with trekking poles.
But to circle back. If you're hiking somewhere with strong sun and little shade then an umrbella will be your best friend. And if you happen to have a mother of a storm on said hike and you're also carrying a tarp, why not use the umbrella as a door? In that image the umbrellas primary purpose was not to be a door for the tarp.
