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  1. #1
    New Member
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    just an ENO doublenest right now
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    Tips for staying dry hammocking in a heavy rain

    One of the nice things about life in the Southeast is how plentiful the water is most years. Unfortunately for those of us who like to do things outdoors, the water often comes in the form of torrential rainfall as half the Gulf of Mexico dumps on your head. The type of rain where you have to pull your car over because you can't see to drive and the wipers at high don't even matter. While we try to plan around the weather, weather happens when you're camping.

    Two questions: 1) Tips for hammocking in torrential rain/bad storms? (Hammock/tarp camping specific - I've tent camped plenty and know about widowmakers, not camping in a flood plain when it's gonna rain, etc.)

    2) For myself, I have a Noah's 12 that I plan to batten down in bad weather, but hubby is now interested in ditching his tent and swaying to sleep. (Yay!) He seems most interested in a hex tarp, (neither of us thinks a tiny diamond tarp would work in our weather,) but I'm unconvinced that he can stay dry under anything without something door-like. Opinions, experience, etc?

  2. #2
    Member
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    Jul 2013
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    Fremont, CA
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    Water break on straps.
    A good tarp works great and you just stake it closer to the ground.

    When it rains more a lager tarp is really nice. Porch mode during the day. But at sleep time stake the sides steeper.

    I like some of the hammock tie outs. They dampen the swing. And I find in large rain storms you are less likely to end up sleeping in a puddle or a river.

    A never did get used to integrated tarp and hammock. I prefer separate ridge line tarp, and hammock.


    I have often done even an extra tarp on a dome tent to shelter from rain to direct extra water away and also to provide vestibule before you go into tent.



    Dreaming of camping or aquaponics and the pond.

  3. #3
    Member hollabi's Avatar
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    Mar 2017
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    Kansas City
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    Grand Truck Skeeter Beater
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    Kelty 12ft
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    Hi Bluefen,
    I also have a 12ft kelty and camped a few weeks ago during a 3inch deluge in a single night. It's definitely possible to stay dry during a pouring rain but trick is in understanding where the wind is coming from and setting up your tarp appropriately. For hammocking, it's also important to make sure your suspension is set up so that you have a "break" from where your suspension meets your hammock. This keeps the water from running down your suspension into the ends of your hammock.
    Hope that this helps and have an awesome time!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
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    Jul 2011
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    Jersey Shore, NJ
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    Four-season tarp with doors - it's nice to not worry about the weather, no matter how bad it gets. I consider a hex tarp to be better than fair weather, but by no means a four-season tarp.

    I always hang my backpack on the hammock ridgeline in foul weather - torrential rains can wash a backpack (and your ground sheet) away.

    The Kelty Noah 12 gets great reviews and I know plenty of people who own them - they claim to have stayed dry in some big storms. However, I just don't like the way the tarp hangs, especially in foul-weather mode - it seems a very hard tarp to pull taut, and can get saggy. For the price, though, a Kelty 12 is great.

    If I didn't already own an HG Winter Palace cuben fiber tarp, I'd be looking at something like a Warbonnet Superfly.
    Last edited by SilvrSurfr; 05-10-2017 at 00:21.
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  5. #5
    Senior Member GadgetUK437's Avatar
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    • A UQP to protect from splashback?
    • A gear hammock to get stuff out of the mud?
    • A small footprint/welcome mat to keep yourself off the dirty stuff when you are out of the hammock?

    HTH

  6. #6
    Senior Member
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    Mar 2016
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    Slovakia
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    Well, I know this is not for you, you just need a big tarp. But let me share my experience with the very simple rectangular tarp from one piece of fabric 10feet long, hung from corner to corner:


    On my recent trip to peruvian amazon rainforest, I had to try this out. There was a really rich rain, just as you describe. But no wind. I hang my hammock and tarp with no insulation, just mosquito net. During the heavy rain I fall asleep, woke up midnight due to really noisy continuous rain. It was like 3 hours of nonstop downpour on my setup. Me and my hammock dry !!! It was just vertical waterfall without wind, but I was very surprised how well the tarp held. Later I found out that my fronkey net is dirty from mud and sand as the water drops jump from the ground. So the very small lightweight tarp caused the problem to appear from below.

    Just grab a nice large rectangular tarp and you will be safe. Everybody is crazy about the door here I know, you can close any rectangular tarp if its large enough. 4x3 meters rectangular tarp closed enough to be ok in this freezing hell with really strong winds.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Big Sweets's Avatar
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    My Wilderness Logics Bullfrog kept me 100% dry 3 weeks ago durring torrential thunder and lightning storms in the Shawnee National Forest. The thunder was so loud it woke me up several times and it was a bit scary.
    20170420_185636.jpg
    Formerly McBlaster
    The Tent is a Lie

  8. #8
    Senior Member TrailSlug's Avatar
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    Bottom line - the bigger the tarp in both directions the better you can protect yourself. Now you have to decide what size you are willing to carry.

  9. #9
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    Larger tarp. Personally I use the Kelty 12x12 and am happy with it.
    Extra tarp. When I am camping in bad weather I have a BCUSA 10x10 that I carry along. I have found it very useful as a place to hang out in instead of with my hammock all day.
    Water break lines: IMO these are required on my suspension and they live there.
    2QZQ UQP: I did not pay a small fortune for my down UQ not to protect it. Yes, I know about site selection and hanging the tarp lower but for the few$ a UQP costs and the light weight of it, I am going to use one. Of course the fact that I am 5'2" and lie to get that tall, means that my UQ is closer to the ground than some folks are.
    Last edited by dkurfiss; 05-10-2017 at 07:39.
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  10. #10
    Senior Member JmBoh's Avatar
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    Now THAT is a proper winter hang!! Great photo!
    Quote Originally Posted by kardinal_emilus View Post
    “I am losing precious days. I am degenerating into a machine for making money. I am learning nothing in this trivial world of men. I must break away and get out into the mountains to learn the news”
    ― John Muir

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