ENO Pro Fly, Dry Fly, Or SJK Gear Satellite - Advice for Tarp

[FishHuntCampDad]

Good Day,

Noob trying to get my kit together. Trying to decide between tarps; ENO Pro Fly(10' 6"L x 6' 4"W), Dry Fly(10'6" L x 5'2" W), Or SJK Gear Satellite(10'4"L x 8'7"W) for pack hunts, backpack trips, camping in the high Sierra.
Do I go for the lighter ones(ENO) and just decide between the two? The SJK seems more versitile, but is it overkill for a hammock tarp? Space and weight are a deciding factor, but not the end all be all.
Anyone out there have some advice for me? They are in the $80-90 range and seem decent.
Any other brands you could steer me too in the same price range and why?

All positive feedback is welcome.

Adrian

[SilvrSurfr]

All very heavy polyester choices.

SJK Gear Satellite 26 oz.
ENO Profly 22 ounces
ENO DryFly 22 ounces

I'd nix the DryFly right off the bat - that tarp's configuration just makes no sense, and is exceedingly skimpy. I've never heard of the the SJK Gear Satellite, but it's going to be heavy and bulky. The ProFly is going to be a little short if you ever go to an 11 ft. hammock, and since it's only 6'4" wide you'll find that it is really good only for straight down rain. You'll have just 3 ft. 2 inches per side of coverage and that is not a lot.

Personally I wouldn't advise any of those tarps. You're better off with an HH Hex, which is in the same price range, or a Kelty Noah 12 x 12. If you're going to buy heavy, you may as well have at least an 11 ft. ridgeline, and longer sides.

[SoaknWet]

I own both those ENO tarps and I'll say this if there is going to be any hammocks in your future other than ENO don't waste your money!

[DelayedNeutron]

I have the ENO one-link system, and the Pro Fly comes with that. For what it is, and with that setup, it's fine. I've had it in a real frog choker southern thunderstorm, read my book for an hour or so with wind and rain coming in all directions, and I was completely dry and happy, though I had to "tighten up" the sides a bit and make them steeper, not leaving a lot of room to maneuver underneath it.

And no, it's not "heavy". I'm not certain when 22 oz became "heavy", but yes it is "heavier" than other tarps that cost much more. For example, the "Superfly" from Warbonnet costs $60 more and weighs in at 19 oz (only 3 oz less). The "Cloudburst" has no doors, and yet is still 18 oz. So, as you can see, compared to some other popular ones on the market, it's a real lead balloon.

That said, I do have my issues with it--I'm wanting to get a 11 ft hammock to try, but that means buying another tarp now. So suddenly a $50 Dutch hammock turns into a $200 spend. That's my only real gripe with it.

[FishHuntCampDad]

Thx SilvrSurfr/SoaknWet - I have a GT Double that is 10.5' so still trying to nail down my ideal ridgeline length(I'm 5"8"). I notce both of the suggested ones are around the same weight you call heavy. Are there light ones with the suggested length I should be looking for? With the HH Hex, I will not be able to make "tarp doors", is this not important?

[SilvrSurfr]

Thx SilvrSurfr/SoaknWet - I have a GT Double that is 10.5' so still trying to nail down my ideal ridgeline length(I'm 5"8"). I notce both of the suggested ones are around the same weight you call heavy. Are there light ones with the suggested length I should be looking for? With the HH Hex, I will not be able to make "tarp doors", is this not important?

The HH Hex and Kelty Noah 12 x 12 are in the same price and weight range. However, they offer better coverage than the tarps you listed. Also, none of the tarps you listed have tarp doors.

I am a big fan of tarp doors. You can skip the black art of "site selection" with doors. That's what the Kelty Noah 12 x 12 has going for it that none of the other tarps discussed have. You can configure it to have doors. However, it's a polyester tarp that weighs 2 lbs. 3 oz. (35 ounces). I don't particularly like the Kelty 12 x 12 (it seems very difficult to get taut, every time I've seen them in the field), but it is in your price range and people say it's pretty bombproof.

If I didn't own an HG Winter Palace cuben fiber tarp (8.6 ounces), I'd get a Warbonnet Superfly. It's the most popular tarp on HF, has doors, 11' x 10' coverage, and only 19 ounces for a 4-season silnylon tarp. Silnylon is the lightest fabric you can get (next to cuben fiber).

A lot of people don't think they need doors. However, I find that most of those people live in areas with highly predictable wind direction, or low precipitation (such as California). I live in a coastal area with unpredictable winds and blowing precipitation, and also hike and camp at elevation on the AT. Experience has taught me that I want and need doors. You may find that you don't need them in California.

[SoaknWet]

I'm not one of the gram people so weight isn't an issue it's just the ENO tarps are made for ENO hammocks and do a great job but for the 11' hammock they were too short. Outfitters.com has the 11' tarp I bought for $70 and I like it a lot. I was I could afford some off the cottage vender's tarp but money's tight right now.

[FishHuntCampDad]

Thanks all for the feedback. Much appreciated.

[BigVillage]

I have an ENO Profly too. That's why I bought a Warbonnet Superfly.
The Profly is heavy considering it doesn't have doors and doesn't cover much.

[SoaknWet]

Couldn't agree more! I definitely see a Superfly in my future! One tarp for all hammocks!