Tinker
10-26-2009, 08:57
Well, I finally got to use the tarp in bad weather last weekend. We had a storm with 50+ mph. winds and heavy rain squalls. I had the tarp tied between two huge oaks just about 15 feet apart. It was staked down with MSR Groundhog stakes. The ridge line was 2mm nylon accessory cord and the guy lines were spectra light gauge (approx. 1mm). The tarp held up fine to the blasting winds (from the side, which was nice, otherwise I'm sure my head or feet would've gotten damp). Several times the tarp was pressed hard against my hammock, but it didn't buck up and down like many flat tarps (and ponchos) that I've used. After quite a while I noticed a mist underneath the tarp which proved to be water knocked off the inside of the tarp which was coming from a loop which I'd asked Brian to add for me (the one in the middle - the other two were on the ends and probably didn't add to the small amount of water on the inside of the tarp). In the morning the bottom of my sleeping bag (through which I run the hammock) was slightly damp, and the top of the bag where the main leak was had a small puddle which the Pertex fabric didn't allow to soak into the down. The spinnaker fabric was slightly noisier than silnylon but did not absorb as much water and, as far as I could tell, did not stretch nearly as much as sil. It should be noted that I had pitched the tarp right underneath a huge branch and got a lot of extra water from being in the "drip line" of said branch -sounded like having your ear next to a bongo at times.
If I had to do it again, I'd order the next size larger, but still the same material - so far it's much more impressive than silnylon. I forgot the exact price, but it was around $150.
The downside of using a small hammock tarp is that the bottom of your hammock may get damp if it's raining sideways like it was on my night out, your feet and legs will get wet if you have to get up and pee (again from the sideways rain), and you'll have to use a waterproof bag (I use a heavy duty trash bag) to keep things dry underneath it.
I'm thinking of ordering a 10x10 or 10x12 flat tarp from Brian in the Spinnaker fabric for winter use. A tarp of that size can form an enclosed tent.
If I had to do it again, I'd order the next size larger, but still the same material - so far it's much more impressive than silnylon. I forgot the exact price, but it was around $150.
The downside of using a small hammock tarp is that the bottom of your hammock may get damp if it's raining sideways like it was on my night out, your feet and legs will get wet if you have to get up and pee (again from the sideways rain), and you'll have to use a waterproof bag (I use a heavy duty trash bag) to keep things dry underneath it.
I'm thinking of ordering a 10x10 or 10x12 flat tarp from Brian in the Spinnaker fabric for winter use. A tarp of that size can form an enclosed tent.