"Fred Klingener" wrote in message m...

AFAICFigure it, no commercial wing gets 2.) right. If you do get it right,
the thing won't lie flat on the ground, and it's troublesome to fold, but
once it's up, it's a marvel of set-it-and-forget-it comfort even in some
pretty terrible conditions.

I'm feeling pretty good about having bought a relatively inexpensive
($80) no-name Campmor wing 4 or 5 years ago. Campmor doesn't seem to
sell that 'wing anymore (I don't see it in their catelogue anyway);
too bad, 'cause I believe they got it right.

The one we have is a simple 16x16 and it does everything you say about
a correctly designed parawing. It's drum tight when erected properly,
ain't no way it'll lay flat on the ground (it is more or less
impossible to fold up; we usually fold it about half way and then just
kinda crunch and stuff).

I'm sold on the functionality of a parawing though, and can't imagine
going back to a flat tarp*. The only downside I've found to a parawing
is the reduction of covered space due to the shape and necessity to
have two corners set low - I find our 16x16 provides just enough space
for four people, a kitchen area and a small bit of gear.

* Although we still carry a blue poly 8x10 piece of junk for rough
uses I wouldn't subject our 'wing to, using the poly job as a cover
for the woodpile, or ground tarp for staging gear when packing or
unpacking, or set up vertically as a windbreak...