Sweet, Sweet Cuben & Soft Shackles instead of Snakeskins Trial

**Twigs** · 02-28-2017, 18:12

Not sure if this would technically belong in the Hammock Gear subforum (I'm new 'round these parts) but here goes...

I got my b-e-a-utiful green cuben 11' Hammock Gear tarp with doors and the door management system from Gravity a few days ago, and got out to the local park today to set 'er up for the first time and fiddle. My is this thing light! It adds considerable weather coverage to what I had in my silpoly tarp at half the weight, and a simpler setup... just what a thru hiker needs. Not too shabby color wise either, transparent enough I don't feel like I'm in a cave but stealthy enough also - it ain't scorching Tyvek white. It was an overcast day (but didn't rain! I was hoping for a real trial) so I haven't yet seen the sun bleed-through some complain about the cuben.

I wanted to show everyone the system I plan on using. The cordage may change as I'm finding the more I use the unbranded z-line the more the casing frays and gives me trouble... possibly going to invest in some Speer No-Tangle. Here is how I contain my tarp pre setup with soft shackles as a few others have shown:

That Dutch bling...

And general look-y-see

And the thing I perhaps like most about this tarp, as far as details go, are the little clips that are essential to the door management system... they have holes in them (despite being teeny-tiny) which are the perfect size for a Titanium stake:

Happy Hangin'

**TrailSlug** · 02-28-2017, 18:22

That sure is pretty but be sure to take some good ear plugs in case it does rain

**goobie** · 03-10-2017, 17:00

You could give Lawson glowire or guywire a try? Good stuff and made in the USA!!

Have fun with those clips! I found them to be a big hassle, especially with gloves on in the cold. I took them off my tarp and put on mitten hooks.

**poorboystooge** · 03-11-2017, 20:41

I tried using soft shackles to keep my tarp rolled up. They work well but I switched to just shock cord continuous loops. I like the shock cord a bit more. I use 3 loops to keep the tarp together.

**SilvrSurfr** · 03-11-2017, 20:47

I tried soft shackles on my cuben tarp for a few trips - it basically requires three hands. You roll the tarp up, then reach for the soft shackle, then the tarp unrolls, so you do it again, and again, and again. And if the wind is blowing, forget it. I switched back to snakeskins in a hurry!

**somniferous** · 03-14-2017, 16:47

Instead of soft shackles, I just have 5 lengths of paracord outer sleeve larks headed to my continuous ridge line. This way I just roll the tarp up and I can wrap the line around and tie a bow, no need to worry about opening the eye of the shackle. This only works with a continuous ridge line though.