Tarps (hammock addicts)

koyote

koyote

Joined
Mar 29, 2007
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Since August, I've been sleeping between 2 and 5 nights a week in a hammock on a mountainside. Working a construction job WAY the HELL out in the boonies, and it's full time camping for the crew.

Now this is a fantastic experience, and I decided to try a cheap nylon paracloth hammock from ye olde surplus place. Best sleep I've had since the back of a p3, no shit. I'm in love.

As it got a bit colder I went from my seriously low tech bug screen (3.5 yard of 6 foot wide skeeter net draped over a ridgeline) to putting a nice surplus wool blanket over 2/3 of the ridgeline, with a cheap castoff 50 degree sleeping bag as a liner under my real bag. Toasty and cozy, though we haven't been below 29F yet this fall. But I haven't pulled out the 0 degree bag yet, either.

We've had some rain, and a few real blustery storms, and once when my tarp ridge was too high about 2 inches of my hammock got damp. Not bad, yknow.

But the tarp is killing me! I've been using a 10x12 polytarp, and I've got it low enough and staked down well enough that I'm more waterproof than anyone else in their tents (two guys with wet bags this week past, out of 4 campers total, for example) but the polytarp is SERIOUSLY not packable. my hammock would fit in a large gear pocket on a coat! the tarp rolls down to something about 2 feet long and 7 inches in diameter. It bugs me a bit.

And I've been thinking about going with a bit longer hex tarp, too.

So the question is- is there anything to make a tarp out of that's STRONG enough and light enough to win me over?
 
AYI! Tyvek! only problem is it's too fragile and uv sensitive. Be awesome if I could make it work, though.
 
sil-cordura is pretty decent:

http://www.granitegear.com/products/tarps/white_lightnin/index.html

It will stand up well as a rain cover and is both light and packable. I wouldn't walk on it too much, though, and it can get loud in high winds. Cost is also high. Regular nylon would be cheaper and still more packable than your current polytarp.

Beyond that tyvek or 4 mil plastic would be cheap and lighter than the polytarp. They might be somewhat less durable, and you have to tie them down somehow. There are plastic clips that make tie down points, or you can put a small rock in the corner of the material and tie a rope around it with a clove hitch or similar knot.
 
Check out this guy. I used to work with him.

Cooke Custom Sewing


Check out his shelters.

He has made stuff that Wil Steger used on some of his expeditions.

His Mukluks are supposed to be prety nice.
 
One option would be a silicon impregnated nylon tarp. Campmor sells a pretty decent coated nylon tarp that is 10' x 10' for about $40. The Campmor is not silicone impregnated but I have one and find it works well and being square it is more versatile than a rectangular tarp. It also packs down a lot smaller than a poly tarp.
 
I use the 8x10 ft. for the last seven years only had to seam seal once upon purchase.Would get the larger size to give me more area for those rainy days.
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/s...6&storeId=226&catalogId=40000000226&langId=-1
195447310.jpg
 
Hilleberg make some pretty good tarps: the UL type being made out of the same Kerlon 1200 fabric as their tents. I have a Tarp 10 UL and it packs seriously small and light. Only downside is the price.
 
Tyvek is anything but fragile.

Give it a go, price is right. Been using mine for years.

Skam
 
I have been researching tarps for a feww weeks now and the best two that i have come up with are as follows. I dont think you need ultralight weight for your application so keep this in mind. I think either one of these will provide you with what your lookingfor.

One is the KELTY NOAH tarp. It is available in 3 different sizes and has plenty of point to tie off to.

The other is Hennesey hammock tarp. If you go to their website you can buy replacement tarps from them in a variety of material. It seems that they are a bit more expensive but they are designed for the purpose.

Hope this info. helps.

Paul
 
I use a Kelty's Noahs Tarp. 9x9, 12x12 or 16x16.

These guys have a catenary cut which is a plus for hammock flying because it'll go lenth of the hammock, and then two points will taper downward to deflect water.

This 9x9 tarp is extremely packable, roughly 4" by maybe 14-15" long. With a compression sack you can get it smaller than that. The best part is the amount of guy outs..to the tune of about 10 in total, with 4 of the corners being able to accomodate poles or hiking sticks.
 
lots of great suggestions (though I have put way too many holes in tyvek to trust it in the sierra), and I'm pricing them all out now. Guess I'm gonna get what I pay for...
 
Well, I haven't ordered anything yet :)

still debating making a hex catenary. Of course, *I* have to make it- since I taught my wife to sew she keeps super busy with baby mocs.
 
Lots of great suggestions on tarps.

What elevation are you? I lived in the Sierra's for many years and have camped through November. Past that, the temps dropped to -30 and even colder with windchill and the snows get deep.

What are you building so far out that you need to camp? What happens when heavy snows move in?
 
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