View Full Version : Looking for UL Hammock Tarp/Fly Advice
I've been a fair-weather hammock camper for ages, but I'm looking to do some more backpacking with my ENO doublenest this season. I had an ENO dryfly, but I want something simpler/lighter. I've been looking at Hennessy, Warbonnet, the OES MacCat, JRB...but I'm not sure of what will work with my hammock since it seems to be a bit longer than a fair number of others. Not looking for a palace - just something that'll keep the hammock dry for sleeping.
Thanks!
Walkintom
04-16-2015, 14:04
Have you checked out Eno's Profly?
Yeah, I actually just got them to update the inventory on the ProFly SilNylon. Looking for something >1 lb. Might go with that, but want to hear if folks have other preferences that work with ENOs!
GTStricky
04-16-2015, 14:20
http://www.hammockgear.com/cuben-fiber-hammock-hex-tarp/
Perfect trap.
Flounder940
04-16-2015, 14:24
OES makes great tarps, but their customer service has been less than stellar the last couple years. Other than getting a ridiculously light weight cuben fiber tarp from hammock gear which will set you back a lot of money, you can't beat a Mamajamba (no doors) or a Superfly (doors) from Warbonnet.
But such a steep price tag on the cuben fibre!
Flounder940
04-16-2015, 14:37
I haven't personally used an Edge. I just like the additional coverage that the bigger tarps provide in bad weather. Yep, cuben is expensive, but hammock gears tarps are great, if you can get past the sticker shock.
Actually your ENO is shorter than many others on the market.
Do you prefer a tarp with or without doors? For fair weather, I would second the Edge as a great choice. For more severe weather, (think wind and rain) consider the Superfly.
http://www.warbonnetoutdoors.com/tarps/
Good Luck
Without doors. Glad to hear you like the Edge. Am mostly between the WB Edge and ENO ProFly SilNylon right now. Going for a simple, light, compact design.
Thanks for all the input!
fastfoxengineering
04-16-2015, 15:30
cuben for ultralight
wilderness logics as the industry standard for lightweight sil tarps
ENO is typically not what I think when I'm thinking lightweight hammock systems, all though they have made some lighter stuff recently
swisscross
04-16-2015, 15:43
Grand Trunk Nano 7
Z packs hammock tarp with doors
Whoopie slings
alum. toggles
1" tree savers
Should be around a pound.
brancher
04-16-2015, 16:29
I would do the research before I buy anything from OES. He's had a lot of customer complaints over the past few years. I think he may be getting better, but I'd still go to Hammockforums and read about OES service first.
BTW, the Mamajama is a great tarp, as are th CF tarps from HG and Zpacks. Wilderness Logics also makes some outstanding gear, and Jared over at Simply Light Designs (SLD) is now building tarps out of sil-poly upon request. Word is that sil poly does not sag like silnylon does, is just as light, and easier to work with. Also, I hear silpoly needs no catenary cuts to ensure tautness. My next diy tarp will be out of silpoly.
:)
Without doors. Glad to hear you like the Edge. Am mostly between the WB Edge and ENO ProFly SilNylon right now. Going for a simple, light, compact design.
Thanks for all the input!
I have owned both the ProFly and the Edge. If you start with the ProFly eventually you will likely own both as well. You could take the cheaper option, buy the Edge first and skip the ProFly entirely.
Good to know. Thanks!
I have owned both the ProFly and the Edge. If you start with the ProFly eventually you will likely own both as well. You could take the cheaper option, buy the Edge first and skip the ProFly entirely.
yeah, wasn't thinking UL when i bought the hammock years ago, but it's treated me well so I don't see a need to replace it yet. we're going more-light-weight before UL. I'm a poor grad student, so replacing all my gear isn't terribly feasible!
cuben for ultralight
wilderness logics as the industry standard for lightweight sil tarps
ENO is typically not what I think when I'm thinking lightweight hammock systems, all though they have made some lighter stuff recently
For the price it's hard to beat the Wilderness Logic's Big Daddy. Lot's of coverage. I hiked the AT with it and never got wet.
fastfoxengineering
04-17-2015, 05:40
yeah, wasn't thinking UL when i bought the hammock years ago, but it's treated me well so I don't see a need to replace it yet. we're going more-light-weight before UL. I'm a poor grad student, so replacing all my gear isn't terribly feasible!
the beauty of hammocks are they are cheap and even cheaper to DIY. The ENO doublenest is very comfy, all though bulk and pretty hefty for lightweight hikers. If your trying to shave some weight on the cheap, may I suggest trying ew hammock? Dutch at dutchware.com is well respected. He sells argon, nylon, and poly hammocks in 10' and 11' lengths for less than 10oz with a real nice double sided stuff sack. I have a 10ft nylon d and it weighs like 8.5oz with stuff sack, two continuous loops, and a fixed structural ridgeline. Packs very small as well. All for $40. Then maybe go for a wilderness logics tadpole tarp. Roughly 12oz. Add some tree huggers and whoopie slings and you good to go at around 24-26oz. Fair price, lightweight, and quality. I know you said you weren't looking to change everything. Just some food for thought. Have fun hanging! If you want to really lighten up your suspension system, Dutch offers Kevlar tree straps and huggers. They are a little more money but insanely light and pack so small. I love mine. Kevlar huggers or straps, whoopie slings, and a set of Dutch whoopie hooks are a fantastic ul suspension. He's also working on a revised version of his speed hooks. If all this is jargin to you, head over to hammockforums.net or pm me. I'd be glad to help
fastfoxengineering
04-17-2015, 06:11
Furthermore, on the topic of tarps. If you have a 10' hammock. Its typically best to go with a tarp with an 11' ridgeline. An 11' gets a 12' tarp etc.. I'm a convert to cuben and to me its worth the coin. But that's just me as I'm a thru hiker and an ultralight mindsetted gear head. But your talking 3-4x the cost over silnylon. If you want a really sweet simple lightweight tarp setup the following be my recommendation. I apologize if its out of your budget. You can always check the used market for a tarp! Here goes.
wilderness logics tadpole tarp
mesh snake skins
dutchware continuous ridgeline
shock cord guyline tensioners
zing it guy lines
Dutch tarp worms
Lawson titanium stakes
would be a pretty slick setup once you understand how it all works
if going lighter is an all around goal of yours. As I mentioned before, it may be best to use the tarp you have for a bit longer, and lighten up on its hardware and your hammock suspension first. Would be a cheaper upgrade until you get a greater feel for what you want out of your hammock/tarp.
sorry if it sounds like I'm trying to rid you of your beloved doublenest. My first was a singlenest. I thought it was the cats meow a few years ago. Then after handling and playing with some warbonnet/dutch/buttinasling gear, I learned a few things.
Still got those heavy carabiners on your doublenest? Continous loops will feel weightless compared to em;)
lo siento for derailing the thread
Gray Bear
04-17-2015, 06:55
Hey FFE, I see you're in my neck of the woods do I'm gonna shoot you a pm to avoid hijacking this thread
Dochartaigh
04-17-2015, 09:33
Furthermore, on the topic of tarps. If you have a 10' hammock. Its typically best to go with a tarp with an 11' ridgeline. An 11' gets a 12' tarp etc..
This is not what most people do. Most hammocks are hung with the curve making them about 83% of the hammock's straight length (especially if they have a ridgeline which is set right around that 83% mark for most setups).
That means an 11' hammock is only 110" long or 9'2". Most people get an 11' tarp with an 11' hammock for this reason. The OP will find an 11' tarp absolutely spacious with his much shorter ENO hammock.
fastfoxengineering
04-17-2015, 17:39
This is not what most people do. Most hammocks are hung with the curve making them about 83% of the hammock's straight length (especially if they have a ridgeline which is set right around that 83% mark for most setups).
That means an 11' hammock is only 110" long or 9'2". Most people get an 11' tarp with an 11' hammock for this reason. The OP will find an 11' tarp absolutely spacious with his much shorter ENO hammock.
Can you explain why most cottage manufacturers who make tarps usually offer an 11 foot or a 12 foot tarp then? I'm curious. 9-11 foot hammocks are from what I've seen the standard for backpacking hammocks. the singlenest and doublenest a 9'4" . dutch's are 10 feet and 11 feet. BIAS go up to 11 feet. blackbirds are ten feet. Hennessy's can be quite small.
I don't really see why anyone after a lightweight hammock would need something greater than 11 feet long. Hence why all the cottage shops make their longest hammocks at 11 feet. With that said, why do so many offer a 12 foot tarp if the 11 footer provides plenty of coverage? Wouldn't it make sense for tarp makers to offer a 10 foot tarp when ALOT of backpacking hammocks are less than 10 feet in length.
Is it for the crowd not using a structural ridgeline? Not saying your wrong at all, I just always went up +1 foot on my tarp for plenty of coverage. My ten foot hammock is about 100inches long when hung. With an 11 foot tarp I get 16 inches on each side. I can't say I ever wanted any less, maybe that's just me.
In the end, if the op uses his ENO, and 11 footer would provide plenty of coverage.
Can you explain why most cottage manufacturers who make tarps usually offer an 11 foot or a 12 foot tarp then? I'm curious. 9-11 foot hammocks are from what I've seen the standard for backpacking hammocks. the singlenest and doublenest a 9'4" . dutch's are 10 feet and 11 feet. BIAS go up to 11 feet. blackbirds are ten feet. Hennessy's can be quite small.
I don't really see why anyone after a lightweight hammock would need something greater than 11 feet long. Hence why all the cottage shops make their longest hammocks at 11 feet. With that said, why do so many offer a 12 foot tarp if the 11 footer provides plenty of coverage? Wouldn't it make sense for tarp makers to offer a 10 foot tarp when ALOT of backpacking hammocks are less than 10 feet in length.
Is it for the crowd not using a structural ridgeline? Not saying your wrong at all, I just always went up +1 foot on my tarp for plenty of coverage. My ten foot hammock is about 100inches long when hung. With an 11 foot tarp I get 16 inches on each side. I can't say I ever wanted any less, maybe that's just me.
In the end, if the op uses his ENO, and 11 footer would provide plenty of coverage.
When I began hammocking years ago the rule of thumb seemed to be 1.5' of coverage past the ends when the hammock was hung. I use a 12 footer and thats about what it gives me. I've never been wet. In my opinion if you are going to err, it's better to err on the long side. The old adage of better to not need it and have it than need it and not have it seems to apply here. I've never regretted the extra coverage but have been nervous when using shorter tarps.
I am no Hammock expert. However, the biggest selling point of a hammock is not weight but comfort of sleep. That comfort requires a hammock length of 10 - 11 feet for most hangers. Once the hammock length is determined then the Tarp coverage become the second consideration. The ends of the hammock must be covered to stop water from being pulled down the lenght of the sil nylon hammock material. One foot longer tarp means as little as 6 inches longer coverage on each hammock end (without any sag and tight ridgline = your reason for getting 16 inches on each side). Therefore, a Tarp will start at one foot more than the hammock length and become a personal choice as to more footage, doors, cat cut, cuben fiber, tarp skins... etc. Most of the cottage industries have analyzed the variables and therefore, they know that most purchases will be 9-11 foot hammocks and matching 10-12 foot tarps. I also beleive that most hammock cottage industries are original DIY hangers that discovered a business product and cooresponding customers and continually adjust to meet the need of their customers and or self.
Since you indicate you want lighter, shop around for cuben. Be patient and catch it on sale. I picked up 2 from Mountain Laurel Designs a few years back for less than comparable silnylons from CampMor.
While you are at it, if you haven't already, replace those boat anchor carabiners that come with most Enos with some lightweight climbing gear carabiners.