>>2454453The bottom line is that a $70 dollar DD tarp has a higher waterproof rating than a lot of $150 tents.
Another big plus for tarps is their adaptability. With a setup like in OPs pic, in a torrential downpour the splash back will still get you wet. You'll survive the night, but you might be wetter than you imagine.
That's why something like a Holden setup appeals to me more than most of the other setups. If you angle the back side to the wind it should stay really dry on the inside. Furthermore, it only needs one pole, not two. You can set up a Holden with 4 stakes, 1 stick, and 1 guy line. That's simpler than a lot of actual tents.
However, one of the benefits of a tarp is setting it up so you can keep a lookout around you, which a Holden setup won't let you do. So a compromise is to do the setup in OPs pic in fair weather and do something like a Holden if the gods get angry. I think tarps are great because they provide so many options.
