Multi Hammock tarp setup

[lsylvain]

Just popped for 2 new hennessy hamocks and getting 2 more next week for the family assuming everyone likes them.

My question is regarding tarps. I kinda feel like it would be better to get 2 larger tarps or one really big tarp than 4 individual tarps. (another reason I only ordered two at a time, I might just get the hammocks without the fly on the second order.) What would be the best shape and size tarp to facilitate this? It seems in my mind that a tarp cut like a trapazoid would work good for a 3 tree hang, being wider at one end to accommodate the extra distance between the foot end.

I'm thinking that with individual flys hanging in close proximity to each other it might be a pain to deal with and also cause problems with water shedding off one fly into the hammock of the person next to them. And just a tangled mess of guy lines, at two in the morning to navigate through. Plus just a more social experience not being blocked off from each other by the fly.

What are peoples experiences with this? I know people do it all the time, I'm just looking at what would be the best tarp shape and size to do this regularly and leave as many single flys at home as possible.

thanks in advance.

[Theosus]

Their hex tarp might be wide enough if you can find trees in just the right position. You could stack two hammocks, one on top of the other. I have seen it done in campgrounds. I know back in the first week of october we did a newbie hike, and one of the guys forgot his tent fly. He pitched his tent just under and to the left of me, under my Hex tarp. There are many brands... You may want to get some dimensions and sacrifice a bed sheet or two and make a "stand in" tarp and check your hammocks in the yard, before plunking down a hundred bucks on something you might not be sure works.

[kayak karl]

The hex tarp is not big enough for two. Get a cheap blue plastic tarp and figure the size you need and also the positions of the trees geomeyricly work it out. If you make a flat area on top of tarp it will fill with water or snow. Good luck.

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[lsylvain]

Thanks for the idea with the bed sheets/ cheap tarps to figure it out. I was planning on doing some testing with my big blue tarp, but I like the idea of using the sheets, easier pin and play with.

[ocourse]

I think you would have a very hard time finding trees spaced and configured just right for 4 hammocks, or even 2. It often takes me a while to find just 2 trees that will work for a single hammock. You might end up with tree in the middle, or the above-mentioned low spots in the tarp(s) that would pool water. I am talking about setting up along trails but maybe you have a large tract in mind where you could pick out a suitable spot for repeated use.

[bigcranky]

I think you would have a very hard time finding trees spaced and configured just right for 4 hammocks, or even 2.

This.

We used hammocks for three people (me, partner, our daughter) for a couple of years. Finding a spot to hang one hammock is easy. Finding a spot to hang three close together is surprisingly difficult. I can't think of any single spot where we could have hung three hammocks and covered them with one tarp.

[T-Rx]

My wife and I sometimes use hammocks when backpacking. Finding trees to hang 2 hammocks side by side was not that difficult but 3 or 4 hammocks will make it more of a challenge. We have also learned that if the weather is good, 2 of us can easily hang under one tarp(Cuben fiber winter palace from hammock gear) but if bad weather is expected we each would hang under our own tarp to ensure we remained warm and dry. You need a method to tie/stake the tarp down low when blowing rain is in the forecast as it so often is in the mountains. Good luck!

[ocourse]

There's some good info above. I would like to add a little; for years I had a backpacking buddy and we hiked along the A.T. as much as possible. We always found suitable trees for our 2 hammocks, but it very often took some looking. Sometimes we hung over poison oak or boulders, sometimes we shared 1 tree, and sometimes we were hanging with quite a distance between us. One huge benefit of hammocking is not having to find a level spot! I think perhaps your terrain is a little different, and maybe it will be easier for you.