Advice for silnylon newbie.

[BigMonster]

I'm about to buy a silnylon tarp (RAB siltarp 3). It's a bit bigger for when I'm hammocking (3,6m long) and a bit lighter. But I have some questions:

1. Ridgeline, This one have only 3 hanging loops (one in the middle and one on each end) compared to 5 loops on the DD. Should I run the ridge line under the tarp? What about wear on the tarp from rubbing? What about water going in along the line (I will be using 2mm dynema cord)?
2. Can I just have two "halfs" of the ridge line on each side from tree to the tie out or should I run the line the whole lenght?
3. This one is actually impregnated with silicone and not coated so it should be really peel proof. Better to stuff it or fold it?
4. Using walking poles as poles, internet says that over a long time silnylon will strech in that one spot...

Any advice/opinion/experience on silnylon is wery welcome.
PS. I'm not that enthusiastic towards cuben fiber so I think silnylon should be a good upgrade for me from DD and snugpack tarps.

 

[copper_head]

Regarding the ridgeline I've found a continuous line works best for me. I prefer the ridgeline above as I find you can get more tension in the tarp this way.

I make mine up like this (copied from one I saw on Ebay) the toggle on the right goes into the loop round the first tree, the two toggles in the middle attach to the tarp and tensioned by the prussik loops and the Figure 9 provides the tension on the second tree. I have a couple of ridgelines like this and you can loose the figure 9 and use a truckers hitch or just wrap round the tree.

 

[ozzy1977]

Neat idea on the ridge line

 

[Chiseller]

I like that Kit :thumbup:

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

To be honest i dont think it matters, i pitch my warbonnet on each side rather than a continuous but thats mainly cos i got two free sets of dutchware with my order so why not. It goes really tight.

 

[raskusdrotti]

It all depends on the way the tarp is made, the warbonnets have a grosgrain central stripe that allows you to pitch ends only. Even so, I use a continuous ridge with mine. I personally hang a regular tarp shape below a continuous ridge, and in silnylon I feel that this is probably the best way to protect the material.

 

[copper_head]

Neat idea on the ridge line

I like that Kit :thumbup:

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Cheers, not my idea sadly but it's an efficient way of doing things.

 

[Dutchie]

@BigMonster: I have been using a 3x3m DD hammocks tarp for about 3 years now and have ordered a Rab Siltarp 3 recently for the same reason you provide: it is longer, so more coverage when hammocking. Besides that I am going lightweight which also made me reconsider the kind of cordage I am using. (see below)

My way of suspension will be same as with my DD tarp: ridgeline above the tarp, run through the loops except the outer ones. I attached a 40cm piece of cord to each of the outer 2 loops that I connect to the ridgeline with a taut line hitch (quick release version). This has been working fab with the DD tarp and allows you to easily adjust the position of the tarp on the ridgeline and its tension without undoing the ridgeline. Tie-outs are done with quick release taut line hitches as well.

The Rab tarp however only has 3 ridge loops, so I might decide to run the ridgeline through the outer 2 loops anyway, but the tensioning system will be the same (2 small pieces or cord, hitched to the ridgeline). I don't do hardware, just use knots: lighter and less prone to error, might take a couple of minutes longer to setup though. Ridgeline I do like option 1 of this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB3fRQW3tR8

Upto now I have been using 550 paracord, but I am upgrading to 2mm diameter Dyneema core with polyester cover. Much lighter than paracord and strong enough.
http://www.extremtextil.de/catalog/Dyneema-Polyester-cord-2mm-three-coloured::515.html

Tie-outs will be of the same cordage, but the 1,5mm version.

Don't get me wrong though: I'm a huge fan of Paracord, but it is just too heavy, stretchy and sucks up water (creating even more mass). It may only be 130g on the entire setup (11m ridgeline, 4x4m tie-outs), but an easy way to save some weight. After all it's all those little things that add up.

Regarding silnylon experience: not much upto now, tarpwise. I do have 2 Hilleberg tents that are really robust and made of silnylon as well, never had any problems with those (apart from my first Nallo 3GT ripping to shreds in 110mile/hr winds on the slopes of Ben MacDui in the Cairngorms. But hey: what kind of idiot pitches his tent in an unsheltered terrain with a hurricane forecast?). I rebought the 3GT after that accident, because I still consider it a great winter tent for use above the treeline.