Tarp w/doors for double-hammock spreader bar and external poles

**sqidmark** · 02-08-2016, 14:20

This past week I made up a crude test using a cheap HF blue tarp. I based it on RBTR's winter tarp plans but made it 11' not 12. Our hammocks are 11'+. I'm also using a pair Dutch's external poles, with the head end tie out nearest the doors. Overall, I can't say that I'm all that pleased. Just glad I mocked it up with cheap material before the xenon.

For this application, are doors at the head end just a waste of weight and better off eliminated? Should the spreader bar be inside or outside? I don't like the idea of it rubbing on onion skin thin material. As of right now, I can set up my spreader bar at 25" or 30". I may eventually cut down to about 28".

Do any of the vendors make a silpoly tarp that works well with this setup?

Since this is for backpacking, I'm now considering individual tarps and/or shorter hammocks.

**Snowball** · 02-09-2016, 16:29

I don’t know anything about this kind of set up but I would not recommend to go down in hammock seize unless you know for sure you can be comfortable in shorter hammocks. If you’re not well rested you won’t be able to continue the day after. A good night’s sleep is everything.

**sqidmark** · 02-09-2016, 16:56

Shorter hammocks would be a last resort, especially since we already have four 11+ footers. Being only 5' 4", a 10+ footer would be livable though.

**ocnlogan** · 02-09-2016, 18:29

What exactly are you unsatisfied with? I see that you said you weren't happy with it, but I'm not sure what exactly the problem is.

**boulderv7** · 02-10-2016, 18:50

You should check this design out:
honeymoon suite

This design sews a wedge of material down the ridgeline to make room on one end for the spreader bar. If you used a lightweight spreader bar for the tarp, this design could work on only two trees, instead of the three it shows in the original thread.

**Monkeyboy42** · 02-10-2016, 21:27

Two things come to mind. Spreader bar bumpers from arrowhead equipment. They're designed for a bridge hammock, but I bet the could be made to work on a gathered end:

http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/s...t_of_4%29.html

Second suggestion is a pole mod to give more interior space. It turns the tarp into a tunnel.

For double hanging I'd also look at a 12' tarp if your hammocks are 11'+. It also seems unlikely that you'll get the doors closed in my experience. I could be wrong, but when I do a double hang I can't get the doors closed on either my 11x10 or my Noah 12. They're smaller than a winter tarp, but not that much smaller.

**sqidmark** · 02-11-2016, 07:39

Originally Posted by boulderv7

You should check this design out:
honeymoon suite

This design sews a wedge of material down the ridgeline to make room on one end for the spreader bar. If you used a lightweight spreader bar for the tarp, this design could work on only two trees, instead of the three it shows in the original thread.

Wow! Thanks for the link. I had been thinking that this may be the only practical way and it's great to see it in photos. Will strongly study this. Thanks!

**sqidmark** · 02-11-2016, 09:03

Originally Posted by Monkeyboy42

Two things come to mind. Spreader bar bumpers from arrowhead equipment. They're designed for a bridge hammock, but I bet the could be made to work on a gathered end:

http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/s...t_of_4%29.html

Second suggestion is a pole mod to give more interior space. It turns the tarp into a tunnel.

For double hanging I'd also look at a 12' tarp if your hammocks are 11'+. It also seems unlikely that you'll get the doors closed in my experience. I could be wrong, but when I do a double hang I can't get the doors closed on either my 11x10 or my Noah 12. They're smaller than a winter tarp, but not that much smaller.

We already have a set of poles. I'll look into the bumpers, thanks for the suggestion.

I've been debating about the 11' vs 12' tarp because of the length of the hammocks. I've read so many say that they've had issues with not be able to lower a 12' tarp close enough to the hammock for heavy wind/rain. However, with the long hammocks the distance from the hammock to the SRL is considerable so this may seem like a moot point, unless it only exacerbates the issue. I've also considered making shorter CL's that will keep the spreader bar very close to the hammock and thus inside the tarp. Although CL's with double fisherman's may be necessary rather than shorter bury's.

The Honeymoon Suite a couple posts up looks to have promise. My only concern is that it's making an already big tarp bigger and heavier. I just received an arc haul customized with a mariposa style tall left side pocket for carrying the tarp. If it fits in there with the stakes, tarp and hammock suspension and perhaps the spreader bar, I should be ok. My wife can carry the tarp poles, but I'm afraid I have to be very careful not to overload her (back and hip issues).

I have the xenon ridgeline sewn together at 12' and then suddenly thought I may want to cut it down to 11'. THAT's when I decided it would be better to stop there and work with the blue tarp. It's great because I can just use packaging tape to try things out and peel it off if I need to change something. It'll never actually be used, other than back yard experimenting. That said, I did buy enough xenon that I could use the drop to expand it like the honeymoon suite. Much experimenting to do this weekend but it's gonna be really cold out so...

The only two hangable trees I have in my back yard are not the best, 2'+ dia, 19' apart, one with large branches and knots at exactly the wrong location. I had to use a step ladder to get the tiedowns high enough to hang from. Not the best setup when numerous adjustments are warranted. The house next door has been abandoned for years now, so I think I'm going over there to try things out.

**Levi Tate** · 02-11-2016, 10:18

" I've also considered making shorter CL's that will keep the spreader bar very close to the hammock and thus inside the tarp. Although CL's with double fisherman's may be necessary rather than shorter bury's. "

What I do is just run the CL thru the hammock channel twice, before larksheading it. That helps to shorten it a bit. If you larkshead around the outside of hammock material, same thing. Go around twice before the larkshead.