Hammock and tarp setup

[dewi]

All being well I'll be in the woods on Friday night with my hammock and tarp... first time I'll have used them out and about properly.

Watched dozens of videos on hammock setups and practised in the garden a few times with knots etc, but my question is more about the tarp.

I was going to tie a line from tree to tree and drape the tarp over the top of the line, then peg it out... but watching videos and reading on here, people seem to use the hoops on top of the tarp (I have a DD 3x3).

There will probably be rain this weekend, so what is the best way to set the tarp up? Through the hoops, or drape it over a fixed line?

 

[GGTBod]

I always go fixed line through the hoops for my dd 3x3, the hoops are very strong and it takes the strain of the ridge line fold off the tarp

 

[Paulm]

Through the loops.

If you have the tarp itself on top of the ridge line instead you will get wear where the tarp rubs on the ridgeline that over time could damage the tarp, don't know how long that would take, could be so long it doesn't matter, but best avoided really.

The other more immediate problem would be water running down the ridge line and under the tarp and dripping on you and your hammock. Could try and reduce or prevent that by adding drip ;ines at either end just before the tarp, but if you use the hoops and the ridge line through those then you'll avoid that problem at source.

I leave the small DD or Alpkit karabiners clipped to the tarp hoops when stored in the bag, with that part of the tarp at the top of the bag, put up the ridge line first then just clip the karabiners over the line and pull the bag off. Nice and easy especially if a bit breezy! For the hoop at either end of the tarp I leave a short loop of line prussiked onto the ridge line and clip the end hoop to the prussiked loop and use that to tension the tarp along the length of the ridge line.

If it will be wet weather you want to make sure the head and foot end of the hammock are well inside the tarp coverage and also use a drip line arrangement of some sort at either end of the hammock suspension, something that allows water to run off the suspension and to ground rather than along and into your hammock ! Depending on your suspension set up you may already have rings or karabiners or something close to the hammock that will do that for you, but if in doubt just tie a bit of paracord or similar to the suspension a bit before the hammock ends and leave it dangling and any rain on the suspension will hit that and run downwards and drip off before reaching the hammock.

Hope that helps and have fun !

Cheers, Paul

 

[Philster]

I always put my tarps over the top of the line and use prussic loops on carabiners to tension and centre it over the hammock. Never had any wear issues.

 

[Paulm]

Any water issues Philly ?

Cheers, Paul

 

[Philster]

Nope - I do keep it pretty taut, though.

 

[ged]

With the tarp over the line, if you have heavy rain you might get water wicking along the line and dripping into the hammock, or into stuff you have suspended on the line.

If you want to use the tarp line to suspend stuff under the tarp (for example some hammocks have a built-in fly screen which needs some sort of suspension) you can put something like a couple of rings or carabiners in the line, near the edges of the tarp, so that rain wicking along the line will drip off there instead of into the hammock/kit. Even a bit of string tied round the line and dangling down might do the job if the rain isn't to heavy.

If you don't need to suspend stuff from the line, use the loops on the top of the tarp. That's what they're for. Then you won't need to worry about the drips.

 

[mick91]

If they're there use the loops, I don't but purely because I favour a different tarp setup (usually a diamond) and as has been said here use drop lines it'll save you a night of misery

 

[dewi]

Hadn't even thought about the hammock suspension... I have a frontline with the built in netting. Going to get it out again and look at it.

Thank you for the responses though gents, very much appreciated. Weird that I'll be dangling from a tree in 24 hours time.

 

[Paulm]

Or on the ground if you haven't done your suspension up right !!!

Have a great time, just remember to have the foot end of the hammock ever so slightly higher than the head end, will avoid you sliding down to the foot end during the night and getting cramped up.

Oh, and have a leak before you retire for the night or you'll be trying to wrestle your way out in a hurry, in the dark, at 2am, and then trying to get back in again !

Cheers, Paul

 

[mick91]

I find if you thread your tarp ridge through the rope for your hammock suspension and keep it low it makes for a better nights sleep in wind and rain. What kind of woodland are you camping in? I suggest if it's anything that's covered in resin like my spot cover your rope in fabric or something otherwise you'll have the unenviable task of trying to untie a set resin laden knot

 

[dewi]

Or on the ground if you haven't done your suspension up right !!!

That could well happen... I'm confident in my knot tying most of the time, but I've never had to rely on it to hold me to a couple of trees!

Thankfully I'm blessed with the bladder of a camal, unfortunately I have the face to match Not so worried about getting in and out, just waking up in a puddle.

Just set the hammock up again (single side) against a tree... and the bungee cord that holds up the net is supposed to go to the tree. Wondering... how would it be if I attached it to the tarp line?

Mick, no idea what the trees will be like until I get there, but I was going to take some rags with me, so I could use those to wrap around the tree. Good thinking though... hadn't even thought about that!

Paulm & Ged, was going to tie two pieces of paracord to the uncovered part of the line, hoping the rain pours into that and not me!

Going to try it through the hoops as that seems to the general consensus... see how it goes. Worst that can happen is I end up in a heap on the ground, second to worst I get a bit wet in the night... won't be the first time

 

[mick91]

I use a piece of hosepipe with my rope threaded through it, although it can slip an inch or 2. Nothing quite focuses your attention like a hammock lashing slipping a few inches at 2am!

 

[Paulm]

Tying the netting bungee to the tarp line will be fine mate, it's what I do usually, just don't tie it too tight as the hammock will give a bit when you climb in and pull on the net and bungee a bit, so leave some stretch in it for that.

If the hammock has the original webbing strapping for tying to the trees it will be fine without any other protection for the trees as the webbing is quite broad and won't bite into the bark. The tarp line won't generally move around on the tree bark once tied so shouldn't cause any problem with damaging the bark if you are reasonably careful in putting it on and taking it off.

Cheers, Paul

 

[dewi]

Compared to the webbing I've used in the past, the stuff supplied with the hammock is a little on the thin side if I'm honest, but the last thing I want to do is damage the tree/s. I have 100m of para cord to play with although I figure para cord could be more harm than good depending on the tree. Just nervous I guess, used to being on the ground.

Mick, after experiencing a half inch slip on a toilet whilst nursing a newly broken leg, any slip will be okay as long as my backside doesn't hit the ground

 

[mick91]

I use 550 para to suspend mine, im a big lad and it does little or no damage to the tree. If it's the 3mm 70kg stuff though use a good few layers of it to spread the load. If you learn to sleep in a hammock you'll never go back to the ground, if you get good and diagonal across them you can lie almost flat. Admittedly my first hammock expedition put me off, but I was using a God awful net hammock and layed in a v shape. Bad back and according to the missus "looked like a well wrapped joint of pork" with the marks. And aye I imagine that to be a terrifying moment!

 

[dewi]

Thats good to know... I'm a heavy boy on the sly... built for comfort, not speed

I'm having fuzziness round about now about the kit I'm taking... according to my wife I'm prepared for armageddon, but I keep looking at it and thinking there is something missing. I'm going to Dave Budds place for the weekend, so I should imagine even if I've forgotten something, its not going to be that big of a deal, but as you can probably tell, I like to make sure I know whats coming. If I set the hammock up in the garden again I fear my other half is going to insist I stay there!

It is kind of weird. I was lurking on the forum for a good long while and I've read time and time again about trips to here there and everywhere when it comes to those of the hammocking variety, but no amount of reading or youtube videos seem to settle me... does it feel like this for everyone the first time they go out or am I being a lily-livered sissy boy?

 

[mountainm]

Thats good to know... I'm a heavy boy on the sly... built for comfort, not speed

I'm having fuzziness round about now about the kit I'm taking... according to my wife I'm prepared for armageddon, but I keep looking at it and thinking there is something missing. I'm going to Dave Budds place for the weekend, so I should imagine even if I've forgotten something, its not going to be that big of a deal, but as you can probably tell, I like to make sure I know whats coming. If I set the hammock up in the garden again I fear my other half is going to insist I stay there!

It is kind of weird. I was lurking on the forum for a good long while and I've read time and time again about trips to here there and everywhere when it comes to those of the hammocking variety, but no amount of reading or youtube videos seem to settle me... does it feel like this for everyone the first time they go out or am I being a lily-livered sissy boy?

LOL - Practice somewhere before you go, even if it's in the back garden. Especially re. insulation in the hammock. Cold Bum Syndrome isn't pleasant.

You will forget something, also you will take a bunch of gear you don't use. But it doesn't matter as long as you have a good time. And you've mentioned Dave - so you must be up to something interesting.

 

[mick91]

We sound of similar ilk on the kit front mate. I live by the rule of I would rather be looking at it than for it. As for setting up in the garden you may find the other problem I encountered of the other half having a go and finding out how comfortable it is and not getting out of the bloody thing!
Totally understand your trepidation about hammocking the first time, I took am emergy bivvy the first few times but you have nothing to fear of you have a half decent hammock. In truth the one I use now was only a cheap Amazon one and is as good as my old DD that succumbed to a knife injury packing my bag. Getting in and out of them inside a sleeping bag can be entertaining mind so expect to have a few hairy moments!

 

[mick91]

LOL - Practice somewhere before you go, even if it's in the back garden. Especially re. insulation in the hammock. Cold Bum Syndrome isn't pleasant.

You will forget something, also you will take a bunch of gear you don't use. But it doesn't matter as long as you have a good time. And you've mentioned Dave - so you must be up to something interesting.

On insulation underblankets are ideal, but in my experience a piece of carpet underlay will work in a pinch and if you don't have an underblanket I reccomend it highly