Tarp recommendations for high winds?

**Erayd** · 12-29-2015, 20:54

I'm looking to make a tarp that can handle higher winds than my current DIY one, but unsure of the best shape / pitch to go for. It needs to be able to cope with simultaneous 60mph gusts and heavy, driving rain, sustained over a period of several days, without the tarp failing or moving in ways that expose the hammock to the rain.

I would like to avoid cuben fiber - it's too expensive.

My current tarp is a 12 x 10 DIY with a catenary ridgeline and edges.

I have one of Dutch's socks, but would prefer to avoid relying on this for weather protection, as sitting or getting out of the hammock requires pushing the sock halfway down the hammock and exposing the underquilt - if I was relying on it, then the UQ would get soaked.

Lightweight is important, but it's more important that the tarp not break in high winds.

What sort of thing would you guys suggest for this?

**BrianWillan** · 12-29-2015, 21:28

Perhaps doing a pole mod on your tarp to give it more structure would work for you. As for the conditions you are trying to deal with, I take it you've already pick the best site location to minimize the wind you have to deal with. Your ground stakes would need to have sufficient surface area to hold in the soil conditions for your camp location.

Cheers

Brian

**Erayd** · 12-29-2015, 22:14

Originally Posted by BrianWillan

Perhaps doing a pole mod on your tarp to give it more structure would work for you.

Thanks - could you expand on this?

Note that I'm looking to make a new tarp, rather than mod my current one - the current one isn't really suitable for the kind of wind I would like this one to handle.

As for the conditions you are trying to deal with, I take it you've already pick the best site location to minimize the wind you have to deal with.

Unfortunately I can't do much with site-selection; my intended location is a fairly barren coastal area - there simply aren't many suitable places to hang from, and they're all rather exposed. Add local spring weather into the equation, and dealing with the wind becomes a huge issue.

Your ground stakes would need to have sufficient surface area to hold in the soil conditions for your camp location.

The soil is junk - I'm intending to make some biggish sandbags as a lightweight alternative to stakes. Once those are filled up, they won't be going anywhere.

**zukiguy** · 12-29-2015, 22:22

I'm no engineer and there are lot of variables to consider but this primer talking about banners indicates you're looking at nearly a ton of wind load once you hit 75mph. http://www.ehow.com/how_8790297_calc...e-banners.html

Maybe it's time to look at an RV?

**Erayd** · 12-29-2015, 22:33

Originally Posted by zukiguy

Maybe it's time to look at an RV?

I can't carry an RV in my pack :-(. An RV also requires roads.

**sidvicious** · 12-29-2015, 22:37

the problem with that kind of wind is bad enough on the fabric. but modern fabrics are darn tough.

the bigger problem is the tie outs. i know from my own experience that, when i do encounter issues, its usually the tie outs and/or stakes. the wind creates so much back and forth that it's really tough to stake in a tarp that'll withstand gusting wind all day long. i also think tensioners are a waste of time in those circumstances.

hmmmmm.........

other than cuben, the toughest tarp i have is an eno profly. it's heavy ripstop nylon. it's handled some tough winds over the years. but i doubt its withstood what you're encountering on an extended basis.

have you the diy skills to slap together a heavy ripnyl tarp? and the time, of course?

how heavy is tyvek? [thinking out loud.....]

**SilvrSurfr** · 12-29-2015, 22:54

They don't make tarps like that, to my knowledge. There are so many failure points that it's not funny. Extended 60 mph winds would wreck any shelter.

I've been in 40 mph winds and my cuben fiber tarp was none the worse for wear, but I just don't see any fabric holding up well in extended 60 mph winds.

**lubbockhammockguy** · 12-29-2015, 23:05

The only thing that I could think of that would survive that amount of winds would be a canvas tarp. But what you gain in rigidity you lose in weight

**swankfly** · 12-29-2015, 23:10

That's called Force 10 wind. It is 2 stages over gale, associated wind damage is structural and uprooted trees. You have bigger concerns if the trees your are hanging from are getting uprooted. In Louisiana, we start boarding up windows when the wind reaches those speeds.