Tarp length for hammock

[Woody girl]

A point there, a difference between a one night stand and camping. My probable usage would be one night only at any one place.

Then a 3x3 would be the best choice for you. Anything smaller will not give adequate protection in bad weather, and it can always be opened up as in my first photo in good weather with a couple of poles or tied to trees.
Must admit since getting the 4x4 I love it more. Love the cammo much more than the green or coyote brown too.

 

[C_Claycomb]

3.35m ridge length

Basically if you limit yourself to even multiples of the metre, you will either have too short a tarp, or too long.

The 3 x 1.5 is definitely going to be small on the rectangle, and a little small on the diagonal. 3 x 2 would be better on the diagonal.

We are really short of good hammock tarps in the UK. Maybe it is the lack of good hanging sites, but most tarp makers don't offer the 3.35 - 3.65 range of sizes that works so well with hammocks.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Using the Moot as an example, the use of big tarps with hammocks can be misleading when talking about hammocking tarps. You folk are not using hammocking tarps, you are using camping tarps under which you happen to have hung a hammock. You could just as readily have had a camp cot to go with the chairs, tables and other assorted camp furniture.

There is a spectrum, with skimpy diamond shape asym adventure racer flies at one end, and Moot sitter 4x4 or 5x5 monsters at the other. They all have their place, but they are aimed at different things.

 

[Nice65]

Using the Moot as an example, the use of big tarps with hammocks can be misleading when talking about hammocking tarps. You folk are not using hammocking tarps, you are using camping tarps under which you happen to have hung a hammock. You could just as readily have had a camp cot to go with the chairs, tables and other assorted camp furniture.

There is a spectrum, with skimpy diamond shape asym adventure racer flies at one end, and Moot sitter 4x4 or 5x5 monsters at the other. They all have their place, but they are aimed at different things.

Very true, hence my ideal hammock tarp being the Mosquito Hammock diamond fly. Cheap at $30 too. After using the DD for a bit, I replaced my fly.

http://www.mosquitohammock.com/

 

[John Fenna]

Ah Chris - you have a point - but there are also different types of hammock...
Mine all have spreaders that make them too wide for teensy diamond flys and two are approx 8'x4' being made from bashas sewn in half....
Ergo - my hammocking tarp needs to be larger than a "hammocking" tarp
Even when I used one of those nasty "sausage skinning" single end point hammock types (Ray Mears hammock system) I found the tarp too small for wet and windy weather. The extra space under a big tarp payed dividends in jungle downpours! I would still choose a 4x4 ( in super light weight fabric) even for one night stays - with no other furniture!

 

[C_Claycomb]

It is really interesting how the use of the metric system effects the choice of hammock tarps!

Well, the metric system, and the type of hammocks (Mr Fenna) and uses people are putting them to, but mostly the metric system

There have been a lot of quotes of tarps that are 3m, or 4m, or on the diagonal of one of those. A one metre jump is a BIG difference. What is needed is to use something measured as X point Y metres...or maybe to use a smaller and handier unit of measure...Like "Feet"!

I know that the metric system makes far more sense and works far better for a great many things, but dimensioning hammock tarps isn't one of them.

If you look at the US cottage industry sites and the bigger businesses that sell a LOT of tarps aimed at hammock hangers, you find that:

• Hennessey Hex Fly - 12' x 10' (3.65 x 3.05m)
• Hennessey Asym flies - ridge line length 11' give or take a couple inches (3.35m)
• Warbonnet Cloudburst rectangular - 11' x 10' (3.35 x 3.05m)
• Warbonnet Mamajamba (hex) - ridge 11' x 9.3' (3.35 x 2.85m)
• Jacks R Better rectangular - 11' x 10'
• Jacks R Better Hex - Ridge 11' x 8 feet (3.35 x 2.44m)
• Dutchware Asym Wide - Ridge adjusts 11.5, 12 and 12.5 foot (3.5 to 3.8 ridge, rectangular fabric is 11' x 70")
• Dutchware Hex - 11' or 12' ridge, 11.5' wide ( 3.35 or 3.65 x 3.5m)

There are certainly bigger tarps, tarps with doors in particular, that are meant for winter use, but those listed above are the middle ground sizes. The ones that are considered to give a decent and adequate amount of cover while still being small enough to pack, and set up.

In the US they have a huge choice of sources for gear like this, and lots of sources for really premium fabric for the large number of DIY makers. We don't have any of those in the UK, and we tend to make do with what we can get. I think that if the best middle of the road dimensions were indeed some even multiple of the metre, those chaps in the US would me making tarps with ridge lines rounded to 13, or 9.75 fee x 6.5 foot wide.

 

[C_Claycomb]

John,

Big tarps are nice for giving a lot of dry space, but there is a very valid counter argument that in jungle a) the rain generally falls straight down so less need for big tarp to deal with blown rain, and b) smaller tarps don't require you to fell and clear so much ground.

I offered to make Stuart a tarp for use in Borneo. He has a Jacks R Better 11x10, but what he really liked was the Hennessey Explorer Asym, which could be stored in Snake Skins, attached to the 1" webbing suspension straps, guyed out with just two cords, and could fit almost anywhere the hammock could.

Your hammock is quite a special case. Not many folk use full size ratchet straps to tension their hammocks.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Here is something for the big-tarp folk to get envious over

 

[TLM]

Gentle folks, sorry to be slightly pedantic but the SI system does allow for smaller units of distance than 1 full metre. It can be divided by 10 up to infinity. Building industry uses mm, ordinary people tend to use cm. Physicists use whatever.

But there is a point as it is highly unlikely that the meter resolution offers a satisfying solution. It seems like few manufacturers have tried to tailor their products..

I have been in a tent sauna quite a few times, surprisingly useful things.

 

[John Fenna]

John,

Big tarps are nice for giving a lot of dry space, but there is a very valid counter argument that in jungle a) the rain generally falls straight down so less need for big tarp to deal with blown rain, and b) smaller tarps don't require you to fell and clear so much ground.

I offered to make Stuart a tarp for use in Borneo. He has a Jacks R Better 11x10, but what he really liked was the Hennessey Explorer Asym, which could be stored in Snake Skins, attached to the 1" webbing suspension straps, guyed out with just two cords, and could fit almost anywhere the hammock could.

Your hammock is quite a special case. Not many folk use full size ratchet straps to tension their hammocks.

No ratchets - just cam buckles
I go "belt and braces" with my suspension after the tat used by Ray Mears and Snugpak hammocks failed in use - OK I was near 17 stone at the time, but even so....
My home made gear favours strength over lightness....
As to rain in the jungle - in Thailand in secondary jungle the rain still came from all angles - even below as it bounced off every surface around!
I hate the jungle!
I have seen Stuart's jungle set up - a months kit fits in something I would think of as a day-pack!
At 62 I need more comfort!
The smallest tarp I have made and use with a hammock is 4x3 which is just enough in any kind of rain - with my comfy, strong, secure hammock

 

[TLM]

In Finland the amount of rain we get is about that in eastern UK, nothing like the deluge in the west. Then again I once holidayed in Wales for 10 days with one rainy day and otherwise trying to escape the sun.

Normally high winds and rain would not be a problem here, thunder showers do occur but not too often.

By the way how do you cope with the water dripping down the fastening lines?

 

[C_Claycomb]

... sorry to be slightly pedantic but the SI system does allow for smaller units of distance than 1 full metre...

Sorry my humour was lost in translation.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Water dripping down the hammock lines? Install drip lines.
I like to use two per suspension line, and use cotton since it will pull water from my suspension cord better than polyester.

https://theultimatehang.com/2014/05/07/hammock-water-breaks-and-drip-lines/

 

[TLM]

No, it did not but I have actually met that belief.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Well, I am an engineer, working aerospace, so we use microns, mil, thou, mm, fractions of inches, cm (rarely), inches and metres. And engineers' humour can sometimes be a little odd!

 

[TLM]

Nice to meet, now retired but previously an aerospace structural engineer out of Helsinki University of Technology.

 

[TLM]

No, engineering humour is only odd to the outsiders!