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View Full Version : Hennessy fly -- quick question



Patrick
08-24-2005, 10:23
I was pitching my HH ULB Asym stock tarp last night in my living room. I attached separate cords so I can pitch it independant of the hammock itself and wanted to check them out.

I noticed when I did that the "ridgeline" of the tarp was sort of doubled up, not one crisp fold. I tried every variation I could think of in terms of tautness, where and how tight I set the side guy-outs, etc, but nothing seemed to change it. I'm not super worried about it; I doubt it will pose any practical problem, but I was just wondering if anyone else had this happen or knew of a method for a tauter pitch. Thanks.

dougmeredith
08-24-2005, 10:30
If you don't hook the side tie-outs up at all do you still have this problem?

Doug

Patrick
08-24-2005, 10:33
Fast response, thanks.

Yeah, same thing with tie-outs, no tie-outs, or tie-outs set at all angles, distances from the tarp, and levels of tautness.

I can't see how it would make any difference, but I cut all the plastic doo-dads off of all the tie-outs and just rigged my lines directly to the sewn-on loops.

Just Jeff
08-24-2005, 12:07
It's a design issue and I don't think it'll change...has to do with the weave and weft of the fabric and the stretch of the silnylon vs the grosgrain, and the fact that the ridgeline isn't sewn, I think. Mine does that whenever I attach it separately. I switched to a JRB so I never had any problems in the short time I used the HH fly.

Patrick
08-24-2005, 12:23
Thanks, Jeff. I thought it might have been the fact that it was on a diagonal. I tried setting up a separate cord as a ridgeline, mostly out of curiosity. Didn't seem to help.

Does the JRB have a diagonal ridgeline or seam? I keep almost getting one, but I'm so keen to keep my weight under 2lbs and I have this bizarre love for how understated the HH brown is.

I know both of these are monumentally stupid reasons not to get a tarp with more coverage and useable space when the hammock is folded aside. It's not like I build rockets all day, though.

dougmeredith
08-24-2005, 12:54
Does the JRB have a diagonal ridgeline or seam?
Yes, a diagonal seam. It hangs nicely and seems to be well made.

Doug

Hammock Hanger
08-24-2005, 13:23
I had the same thing. While it didn't really pose a huge problem, I always seemed to stay dry in the rain, it did bother me. I recently purchased a JRB, slightly larger and cut differently. I love it. So taut, crisp and clean. (kind of like hospital corners on a bed.) Sue

Patrick
08-24-2005, 15:45
I had the same thing. While it didn't really pose a huge problem, I always seemed to stay dry in the rain, it did bother me. I recently purchased a JRB, slightly larger and cut differently. I love it. So taut, crisp and clean. (kind of like hospital corners on a bed.) SueThanks for the responses. Since this morning, I've had a financial epiphany and am going to start putting some serious money toward a thru-hike fund. So, I'm going to keep what I have at least until it proves that it needs replacing.

$500 down, $2,500 to go...

Plus, I do love that brown.

Footslogger
08-24-2005, 15:55
I had the same thing. While it didn't really pose a huge problem, I always seemed to stay dry in the rain, it did bother me. I recently purchased a JRB, slightly larger and cut differently. I love it. So taut, crisp and clean. (kind of like hospital corners on a bed.) Sue==================================
Ditto here and I had all but given up on the hammock thing. But, like others here I recently bought the JRB 8x8 tarp and set it up last weekend in the yard. What a difference !!

'Slogger

Patrick
08-24-2005, 15:57
Slogger, you mean you had almost given up on the hammock thing because of the stock tarp?

Footslogger
08-24-2005, 16:25
Slogger, you mean you had almost given up on the hammock thing because of the stock tarp?=======================================
Yup ...sure did (almost). Mine is the original ultralight (pre-asym) and the diamond shaped fly barely covered the hammock end-to-end. After several wet/cold nights during my thru in 2003 I decided to shelf the whole thing. I did go back to using it after my AT hike in the warmer months but was never happy with the fly coverage. Almost went with the HH hex tarp but then I began hearing about the JRB 8x8. Saw several pics and read a lot of user testimonials before buying one.

I'm still not a cold weather tree dweller but armed with my new tarp I will definitely be using it again in the warmer months.

'Slogger

Patrick
08-24-2005, 16:39
Yeah, I'm not 100% sold on the stock tarp's coverage. I figure if it proves no good in the field, I can resort to another, larger tarp either from Jacks or somewhere else (I'd love to find camo, but no one seems to have it in sil-nylon).

Having not tried it yet, I'm very excited to find out about the cold weather performance. I have an over-quilt (or will in two days when the sewing is done) and a 3/8" thick 27" wide foam pad. I'm going on a ten-day in Massachussets/Connecticut in a couple weeks. Weather there has been in the fifties at night. I expect to be plenty comfortable, but who knows.

I like the underquilt idea quite a bit. I think I'd actually prefer them to the pad just because there's no shifting, positioning, etc. I figure I'll see how the pad does before making that time/$ investment, though.

Thanks again for all of the feedback. I've really enjoyed being a member of this forum. You guys are the sole reason I'm a hammock man for life now, and I still haven't even slept in the thing.

Just so I can keep rambling and avoiding work...

One of my best friends is a Marine who served a year in Iraq. We've gone on a bunch of week-long river trips. I finally got to show him my HH yesterday. I set it up in my living room at lunch (I'm still recovering from the wicked poison ivy I got from testing it in the small woods out front). I had him get in, showed him how to use it as a chair, with the hammock staked out of the way for cooking, etc. He's now as sold as I am.

mohara43
09-20-2005, 21:12
Don't try tying the tarp to the trees you are hanging the hammock from (with the small stock tarp). You will get wet. I know I did. My friend with the same setup as mine set his up correctly and stayed dry.

Patrick
09-20-2005, 22:55
Mohara,

Are you saying that because the hammock sags down once you get in? I noticed that on the last night I was out on my trip. I was trying to set up extra warm because it was about 40 out. I wanted the tarp super close to help keep the heat in. Wasn't thinking at all about the sag, though, and noticed in the morning that the tarp was pretty high up.

I figured I'd set it up lower next time, but am a little concerned about being able to tension it correctly while it's pressed down on the empty hammock.

What do the rest of you guys who tie the tarp separately do in this situation?

Just Jeff
09-20-2005, 23:07
Tie the tarp below the hammock supports on the tree. The tarp can push down on the hammock a bit...as long as you tension it enough it'll stay tight when the hammock sags.

I have a picture on my tarp page if it's confusing:
http://www.geocities.com/jwj32542/HammockCampingDry.html

Patrick
09-20-2005, 23:19
Jeff, thanks for the pictures. I did actually tie below, but it still wound up too high. I'm sure a few set-up sessions with this stuff all in mind will quickly solve the problem.

Related to the snakeskin discussion, it's interesting to see them set up on a separate tarp and hammock rig like you have in the photo there. I didn't think that was possible. I'm starting to get interested in these things.

I like those MacCats quite a bit. I contacted him and he said he'd make me one in brown if I sent him the fabric. I guess he's had problems with the brown, so doesn't offer it. Thru-hiker has it pretty cheap, though.

Just Jeff
09-20-2005, 23:31
I like my stuff in Olive Drab (like the military green), but it's pretty hard to find ultralight stuff in that color.

That MacCat tarp is pretty awesome...can't wait until rainy season to test it!

Patrick
09-20-2005, 23:34
I like that, too. I don't know what's with me lately, but I can't be stealthy enough. I went on a wild chase for camo silnylon last month, but every manufacturer turned me down. I plan on using breathable camo nylon for my next underquilt, though. I'm psyched about that.

Just Jeff
09-21-2005, 01:14
Have you looked at the BLUE TIGER STRIPE CAMO the AF was going to make its uniforms from?!

HAHAHA...I think you should try that. We were about to all look like little camoflauge Smurfs going to combat. Bad mofo's...don't Smurf with us!

They're changing it to gray tiger stripe, which is a little better. Not that tiger stripe is suited to either of the two major theaters of operation (Iraq and AFG)...

peter_pan
09-21-2005, 08:41
Stealth issue.

Seems the issue on stealth color is over rated....

Stealth, like wind and weather protection, stems first from site selection....Sites are everywhere for the hammocker, especially on the AT...Get off the trail, over a ridge, in a ravine ( runoff is not an issue to hammocks), beyond some bolders, far side of a thicket.

When you are in sight of the trail you will be seen, even in camo...

While we are on this subject, consider this old hunting advice....hunters frequently teach/train others that the wood are an environment of primarily vertical lines, to spot deer and other large game search for horizontal lines... Fallen trees are horizontal, and a distraction normally seen....Hammocks are horizontal and not an every day occurance to the hunter... brown is the color of a deer...camo may make it harder to see, but the horizontal silhoutte will attract attention, esp to a hunter searching and squinting to spot the trophy.

You can have stealth ( privacy, LNT, ) and visability (better safety) with site selection....select a stealth site...don't try to be stealthy next to the trail.

Pan

titanium_hiker
09-21-2005, 08:47
oooh: "hammocker shot by hunter: mistaken for deer" I hope that one doesn't ever happen.

there is nothing worse than seeing that your stuff is all wet because of a sucky tarp.

titanium

Patrick
09-21-2005, 09:25
Perhaps the tiger stripe is for our new mission: reclaiming escaped zoo animals after hurricanes.

This stealth obsession of mine lately isn't literally about not being seen (although, given a choice, I'd rather not be). I usually wind up camping near a shelter anyway when on the AT. I just get some satisfaction out of not making a "splash". Makes me feel lower impact or something.

I hear you and agree about site selection. Site selection is definitely the primary factor for being stealthy. However, of the two guys that pick the same site, the one with the brown and drab is going to get seen less than the guy with the light blue and orange.

Anyway, it's just my kooky taste lately. Blending in seems to make me feel more comfortable.

Fiddleback
09-21-2005, 09:39
Much of camouglage deals with pattern...hence stripes, mottles, etc. It's fine to have a khaki-colored BDU in the desert but without the pattern disruption gained from stripes/mottles one becomes a big, tan lump may stand out from the rest of the surroundings. Color has its role but it's no longer considered sufficient to present just one color. Three-color camouflage long ago took the lead from the old, single color uniforms and paint jobs. FYI, in WW II they found color-blind personnel had particularly good ability in spotting camouflaged troops/equipment. Sometimes the same benefit results from changing a color photograph to black and white.

Of course, camouflage is dependent upon the surroundings and all the above varies depending on the season, ecosystem, light, etc. (and that's just in the visible frequency:D ). It was pretty sad to see all the 'green' and 'woodland camo' uniforms deploy to the desert in 90-91.

With regards to 'camping', back in the 80's everybody was touting earth tones for equipment, especially tents. The issue then was not stealth but to prevent 'visual pollution' and to not disrupt other camper's enjoyment of the natural landscape.

Me? I like the concept of stealth campsites...but as Pan posted, color alone is not sufficient if you don't want to be seen.

FB

Patrick
09-21-2005, 09:48
How ironic that the 80s gave us earth toned camping equipment and hot pink, tiger-striped stretch pants on men.

"Visual pollution". I like that. I think that's my main reason for liking them, too. I agree about the patterns. I'd buy camo silnylon by the mile if anyone sold it. Until then, though, the brown seems to do it for me.

One thing I noticed is that the muted look REALLY works at night. When walking with no light, I could easily see people's blue and green (bright) tents. The only thing I could see on my hammock set-up, though, was the white lettering on the HH stuff sack I had tied to my line. I was very impressed with how much the hammock and fly disappeared once the sun went down.

Fiddleback
09-21-2005, 19:40
Hey Patrick!

Silver Spring was my long-time stomping ground in the 60's. While I was a 9th grade freshman waiting to enter Montgomery Blair H.S. that school had Ben Stein, Goldie Hawn, and Connie Chung walking the halls. But Fiddleback is the only one of the four on WhiteBlaze:D

FB

Smee
09-21-2005, 21:31
Patrick,

Outdoor Wilderness sells 1.1 oz. Polyurethane coated rip-stop nylon for $5.00 a yard.

www.owfinc.com

Patrick
09-21-2005, 23:17
Smee, awesome, thanks. I had seen some heavier stuff on Seattle Fabrics, but forgot to check owfinc. I'm ordering miles.

Fiddleback, that's cool. I pray to God I can follow in your illustrious footsteps and wind up in Montana some day. I was there last year for work and loved it. I'm a Richard Montgomery boy myself.

Fiddleback
09-22-2005, 10:14
Patrick --


Yeah...big All 60's Class Reunion next month. I'm not going to make it but, just based on his personality and frequent reference to the school, I'd expect Ben to be there. And Connie is still nearby. Maybe there could be a Reunion AT hike!:banana

FB