DD Tarp, ripped on it's second time out.

[Aussiepom]

Shewie,

The wind was nothing more than moderate. Not 'storm' weather anyway. The 2 of mine that were trashed were plain, not cammo.

 

[Darkside]

anyone else had problems?
do we think its a bad batch

My Camo one tore on it's first outing this weekend - again on the middle tie out rather than the corner. I mailed DD and Penny couldn't have been more helpful, sending it back today for a full replacement plus refund of Postage. Big +1 for DD customer service.

PS I have used the standard 3x3 green one for over a year with no probs at all.

 

[Wayland]

I have not read the whole thread so sorry if this has already been said.

I usually include a loop of bungee cord into my guys and ridgelines to move the stress points from the tarp, which can rip in strong gusts, to the lines which can then stretch instead.

It also reduces "flapping" in the wind which aids good sleep.

 

[Noodoo]

Didn't know it would reduce 'windflap' Wayland, I'll definately try that next time I'm out!

And I also got a camo tarp from the group buy, but no rips or anything bad to report (fingers crossed!)

I think I might take a spare out with me next time, just in case.......

 

[ged]

I wonder if the current trend to high strength lines like might have something to do with the problems people have seen. They're very strong, but they don't stretch as much as something like nylon, which I much prefer for use as guy lines because it is its own bungee. It's worth considering the lengths of each line too. In a gust, if a line or lines is/are much shorter than the others there will be a tendency to increase the load on short lines because a short lines can't stretch so far as a longer one. The same would go for pegging the tarp directly to the ground, especially using the edge tapes on a DD which aren't reinforced so much as the corners.

 

[Aussiepom]

Hi Ged,

I don't know if you've read all of the posts in detail, so I'll just recap/add to some of my earlier comments:

Both of my 3x3 DD tarps that have ripped, (plain, not cammo), were rigged with 'hootchie cord' for the tie-outs. This cord is purpose made for the job - hence the name. I'd estimate it at about 1.5 to 2mm thick. It's nylon and it definitely does have some stretch in it. I use it on all my tarps for exactly the reason that you have suggested i.e. I'd rather replace a piece of cord than rip a tarp. It is fairly strong, but it has served its purpose for me in the past on other brands of tarp and snapped in strong gusts, before the tarp was damaged.

I also agree with your point about shorter lines. However, in both cases where my DD's ripped the STOP THE PRESS!! I was going to say that the tarps were configured as 'lean-tos' and the lines were at the high side and of a decent length, but, I've just realised that although the corner tie-outs were of hootchie cord, the tarps were each configured as a lean-to with a small beak. This means that the points at which the tarp's 'intermediate' tie-outs failed were actually attached to a dyneema ridgeline. This stuff has no stretch and, as you say, could easily have contributed to the failures.

The only thing that still troubles me is the question of why have I never had any problems with other tarps when using the same configurations, (or others, for that matter) and the same dyneema ridgelines?

Food for thought.

 

[backwoodsman]

me too,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[chris_irwin]

I'm another victim of the dreaded rip... Mine ripped in a slightly different place as the one below though. It just below one of the centre loops, where the stitches run through the fabric. It wasn't in windy conditions, I was just pegging out the centre loops whilst trying out different tarp designs. As I pulled the tarp taught, I heard it tear.

I bought mine from a retailer on Amazon, so it probably isn't a batch issue.

Here are the pics,


http://www.flickr.com/photos/16741019@N07/5682730039

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16741019@N07/5683296442

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16741019@N07/5683296022

Southey, It was rigged with a ridge line down the center loops, with prussikcs, and then the corners guyed down to trees or pegged. I only got it last month.

 

[backwoodsman]

Dd are good customer service types I exchanged my for something completely different was not taking risk with multicam tarp I have a green one anyway and it's spot on, I do like the look of the new mtp army basha though! To pricey just now on eBay, makes you wonder how these people get this stuff before the troops

 

[DD Hammocks]

Nick from DD Hammocks here. As some of you know I've been looking into the cause of this and I'm really not sure why it has happened. Our Tarp MC's are the same design, made in the same way and with the same materials as our 3x3 olive tarps (the only difference being the colour / pattern). We've sold a good number of our olive 3x3 tarps over the last few years and they've proven themselves to be strong and work well in extreme conditions. I'm still trying to gauge the extent of the problem – and if it affects different batches of them. We've heard from a number of people who have reported using their Tarp MC's in strong winds and which have performed as designed – it's certainly a limited problem.

However, as we obviously don't want any problems with any of our products we are taking the precaution of adding reinforcement patches to all 16 side attachment points on all of our future tarps. This change will be present on our new 3x3 olive tarps, some of which should be available late next month.

 

[SussexRob]

Thanks for taking the time to respond Nick.

As has already been mentioned many times, we cannot fault your customer service. You have been very helpful indeed. I have yet to try the replacement I was sent, hopefully it's a good un though.

Re-inforcement patches on the side attachments is a very smart move, and will improve the tarp no end.

 

[chris_irwin]

Thanks for taking the time to respond Nick.

As has already been mentioned many times, we cannot fault your customer service. You have been very helpful indeed. I have yet to try the replacement I was sent, hopefully it's a good un though.

Re-inforcement patches on the side attachments is a very smart move, and will improve the tarp no end.

Agreed, excellent customer service. Still a happy customer despite the problem.

 

[Linker]

aww so nice to find this thread! i had posted a video on hammockforums yesterday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q7qYj8DTMY and showed my new ripped and taped together DD tarp that i had used in an a-frame set-up on it's last and first outting and received a message about this thread -i'm not alone! thx for the info and i will also be contacting DD

 

[Linker]

aww so nice to find this thread! i had posted a video on hammockforums yesterday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q7qYj8DTMY and showed my new ripped and taped together DD tarp that i had used in an a-frame set-up on it's last and first outting and received a message about this thread -i'm not alone! thx for the info and i will also be contacting DD

contacted DD and a new tarp is in the mail -thx for the info guys

 

[Qwerty]

Just a heads up to say that their improved tarps are now in stock (no connection etc. etc.)

 

[tiger stacker]

Guess am sending mine off to DD, similar rip after pegging down.