Help with Tarp pitch on a Towns End Bridge

[Peppy]

Wanting some tips and help on how to get a good tarp pitch on a towns end bridge. I realize it may all be in my head, but I can never get the tarp set up to where I feel comfortable about protection. I am fidgeting with a Medium Bridge of Bill's, and know several of you have been testing/using his equipment much longer than I have. This is roughly 2' shorter than the Luxury bridge. It seems to get good clearance, I have to set the edges up high enough that I feel like the bridge is really exposed. I HAD a Squidbilly superfly clone, but it had too much going on for my preferences. I currently have a SLD Trail Duster, and a UGQ Hanger Widebody. Both are 11' hammocks. Just Bill has offered some help and advice, but before I go that route, I wanted to see what you fine folks could add. Thank you for your time.

This is the most comfortable hammock I own, but have been frustrated because of the tarp thing.

[gargoyle]

Bridges are tough to cover, in comparison to a gathered end hammock.
The spreader bars, the swing that happens as you enter/exit the hammock, and the suspension triangles, all need to be considered.
For me, a long tarp RL is needed to get good coverage on a bridge. I like my tarp to cover all of the suspension triangle(s) with the ability to seal off the ends. Depending on your hammocks full distance between triangles, you may need a 12' RL tarp, or longer?

Best advice- Set up your hammock, get it where you are comfortable...then measure the span, from tip to tip. Then order or make a tarp to that RL length, leaving an extra few inches at both ends.

You may also need a tarp mod that uses poles or tie outs to add width?

[Slugger]

I've had really good luck with my UGQ Winterdream 12 tarp. I purchased it with the double internal pole mod which opens up the tarp fantastically for the Towns End bridge. The bridge doesn't even come close to the sides. Used it in pouring rain a few weekends ago & stayed nice and dry...BUT...you need to make sure to add drip lines to everything to prevent seepage down to the hammock. The 13 foot model would be even better. The Winterdream has doors on the ends you can close.

DSCF5510.jpgPA270013.jpg

[Just Bill]

Bridges are tough to cover, in comparison to a gathered end hammock.
The spreader bars, the swing that happens as you enter/exit the hammock, and the suspension triangles, all need to be considered.
For me, a long tarp RL is needed to get good coverage on a bridge. I like my tarp to cover all of the suspension triangle(s) with the ability to seal off the ends. Depending on your hammocks full distance between triangles, you may need a 12' RL tarp, or longer?

Best advice- Set up your hammock, get it where you are comfortable...then measure the span, from tip to tip. Then order or make a tarp to that RL length, leaving an extra few inches at both ends.

You may also need a tarp mod that uses poles or tie outs to add width?

Well said...


Simplest way I explain it-
A GE, including the diagonal lay is a much more like a circle to cover.
A bridge is more of a rectangle.

A diamond shape tarp, covers a circle very well. Chop off the excess and you have a hex tarp, which is just an UL diamond.
So to cover a bridge; you either need a hex shape so oversized it gets silly... or a rectangle.

The Medium bridge is designed to be a 9'6" Ridgeline... to work with a 10' tarp.
The Luxury and Big Guy are designed to be a 11'6" Ridgeline... to work with a 12' tarp.

That said... I realize my background and use of tarps is much different than a typical hanger.
I use a loose pitch tarp system with the tarp attached to the hammock.
Most folks use a fixed pitch tarp system with the hammock hanging under the tarp.

Basically- most folks hang up a roof and sleep under it.
With that method... an extra foot or so beyond what I intended seems to make more sense (the 13' tarp slugger mentioned for the Big Guy).
As he's finding... 12' is the bare minimum and drip lines are an issue.
For my stuff- a 12' encloses the carabiners and no drip lines are needed.

The issue with many standard hammock tarps is that they are still rooted in ground based designs, or to cover a relatively small circle with steeply pitch sides.
To cover a bridge hammock with these you need to pitch much flatter in terms of the sides... which then brings up the pole tip issues.

Again with the roof analogy:
An A frame pitch tarp is like a 12 pitch roof. It's a perfect combo of headroom and sidewall coverage for a smaller footprint.
But add in poles and extra width, plus some room to get out of the way of the pole tips... and you need to take the same tarp and reduce the pitch of the sides to a 3 pitch or so (relatively flat).
This then opens up all the sides to leave you feeling exposed. Forcing you into a porch mode type pitch with your whole tarp and not being able to batten down the hatches like you normally would.

There are really only two good solutions:

1-A full rectangle or even expanded rectangle such as the Winter Dream design. This gives you even more options for porch and storm modes.
The double pole mod solves the pole tip issues because now you don't have a single pitch roof- you have a curved dome shape... or an umbrella.
Really to be perfectly blunt... this is a really sweet system. If you are not backpacking with it and/or basecamping having a big old roof and bomber tarp over your head is a good way to be living!
The only good reason to chase other solutions is to keep things compact and/or lighter for foot travel.

2-The other solution is the one I use. A hybrid of a diamond and rectangle with a loose pitch system.

It's not that I'm a genius who discovered some magical tarp here. Or that I am knocking other tarp systems. The tarp needs to be designed to cover the hammock; and I have a different hammock.

I have a recessed bar bridge that I really like I am building the tarps around. In addition I have recessed bar bridges I worked very hard to design around a compact pitch (short ridgeline) design.
An end bar bridge has amsteel dog bones and does not require (and often benefits) from not having a RL to increase comfort.
A few driplines solves that issue, but it also limits what you can do with the ends of your tarp.

A recessed bar design, and mine in particular creates an opportunity to design a tarp that works differently because it doesn't have to fight with the suspension.
Because I have a relatively fixed RL distance, I can hang a tarp in conjunction with that RL. And because the bridge suspension is designed the way it is, it hangs closer to a GE in terms of tarps.
Basically- you are not limited to 'setting up a roof' to hang under.

As a result; I can get the same 'door' effect as the winter dream in a basic rectangle without the triangle shaped extensions that tarp uses. (Sealing up the edges as Gargoyle mentioned)

When used as a stakeless system with no pole mods... the tarp can move with the bridge- so instead of the bridge rocking up and into the roof when you enter... the roof just rocks along with the bridge and that is a non-issue.

By adding some diamond extensions to the middle of the rectangle and adding a pole mod option... I can then turn the whole thing into more of an umbrella so that I create a porch type area but still maintain good coverage. In terms of roofs- this is like designing a plus sign shaped roof with gable ends on all four sides. Or adding some dormers to a 12 pitch gable roof if you prefer.

ALL THAT SAID, lol.

I've mentioned before... it's both a blessing and a curse at times to be relatively new to hammocks. So by all means don't let me ramble on or speak as if I have it all figured out.
I'm very interested in solutions others have and don't mean to drown them out.

I'm chiming in to hear others feedback... not to dismiss it.
Yar, I'm selling these, but to an extent the Big Guy Bridge in particular has been a group effort beyond my typical design or personal use experience. So since this gear is truly not for me but for others to use... I'm trying to stay as open minded as possible on solutions that fit the user's style.

The UGQ winter dream with double pole mod looks like a very solid option for many big fellas. So to be blunt, my tarp system has been on the backburner as this option is a very solid one for many.

But for a more backpacking minded solution... I do think more can be done. So I feel your pain here Peppy, lol.

[Just Bill]

Found a slightly better set of pics to share- https://1drv.ms/f/s!Apygyt54yYPwgv9bKdqS4fFAh5oUXA

This is my 'winter tarp' for the micro bridge.

Peppy- with 11' RL tarps in your possession and a 9'6" RL Medium bridge...

I'd suggest trying my direct to suspension method on the tarps you have. I'll see if I can find a cleaner picture of that for you.

Nothing super new here really-
On the micro I typically kept one end fixed for quick pitching... so you will see a picture where the tarp and suspension all basically come together at the tree strap side.

The head end was the adjustable portion of the system... There is a prussic loop on the adjustable loop of the whoopie sling that controlled the RL tension of the tarp. This allows the tarp to cover each end of the suspension.

To be fair... This is the modified rectangle/diamond hybrid I mentioned above.

The green strips on the tarp actually extend the width and create the widest point in the center of the bridge.

What is being used here is an umbrella in lieu of a pole mod. I find the umbrella nice in this type of weather to keep the snow, sleet or freezing rain off me when walking. At night it gives some shape to the tarp.

There are no stakes, nor is this tarp pitched under any real tension.
This means- easy piesy setup, lighter tarp (no jacked up reinforcements), and a flexible tarp that moves with the bridges.

It can be fully opened up into a porch mode, or a hybrid porch. Or fully opened and tied out to some trees.

It rarely needs more than a stake or two even in the other modes.
Personally- when it was nice out, I just flipped it over the RL for "porch mode'. If it rained I just flipped it back closed and could seal it up fairly well without getting out of bed to do it.

At their heart... Speed hikers are lazy, lol.

[Just Bill]

Here is the summer tarp with center pole mod- https://1drv.ms/i/s!Apygyt54yYPwg5hu8AlOGY_CNPHUmg

The pole was used like a bow is strung to shape it.
This allows you to rest the 'bowstring' on the RL of the hammock- giving you this high popped up fair weather canopy.

In moderate rain- you set the pole on the RL of the hammock for better coverage.

In nasty mode- you remove the pole and close it up almost like a sock in the center.

This tarp also has ends that open and close as needed and does not require stakes to use.

This is my 'Summer tarp' or UL minded model.

[Peppy]

At some point I'm really interested in giving one of these a try. Gonna spend some time fiddling with the ones I have. My UGQ has pull puts but I need to get some poles for it. My SLD is cat cut in the bottom, but more rectangular, so I'll run through them again and see if I can get anything I'm reasonably comfortable with. Thanks everyone, and thank you Bill!

[Just Bill]

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Apygyt54yYPwg6EbuReMkesqrWFlBw

There's a few pics that show some critical dimensions-
Call it 9'8" if you wanted to cover the biners... on the RL.
More important for the hex tarp is the 5'2" bar to bar distance.

Looking at the HG WB... I assume you have the 11' RL?
The dimension they list for the side is 72" So that's only 10" to spare as far as getting coverage on the hex shape along the pole tips.

It does have the width you'd need to cover the bridge but I suspect that the side of the hex was the bigger number leaving you feeling exposed.

Also- with the 11' RL you're probably having to pitch a good 6"+ above the RL of the bridge itself- so likely when you are in the hammock your sight lines are probably below the edges of the tarp?
Ironically the 11' RL may be a disadvantage here with the hex for that reason. At a 12/12 pitch (45* relative to the RL) you should clear the bridge poles easily- but if you are pulling the tarp at a steeper pitch then to get side wall coverage you would definitely end up feeling pinched when trying to block the wind.

SLD trail duster 2.0 I suspect (the 1.0 is a backpacker ground tarp)... if so it looks like it's about the same width of tarp.

That with a pole mod would get you closer but again the RL length may force you to hang the tarp higher to clear the suspension so it might feel too short as well.

Only way to find out is try them... One quick though with the longer RL would be to put the foot end pretty close to the point the apex of the bridge meets the tree suspension and run the RL of the tarp at an angle instead of dead level.
That should allow you to drop the elevation of the tarp a bit tighter to the RL of the bridge.

One thing too... more of a Big Guy/Luxury issue but just tossing this out there:

There is a physiological issue with my bridge for some people. Being flatter and more open than other bridges some folks feel more exposed mentally too.
It's not all mental- as the bridge is flatter so you feel any breeze that drifts through more readily. I think they do sleep colder for this reason as well.
Compared to a GE... one of the complaints GE folks have about bridges in general is that they miss the walls and enclosure of the GE. Even a more open GE hammock without a lot of 'wall' fabric you still end up 'in it' a pretty good bit.

Overall point-
Physically- you are more exposed to wind in a bridge, especially my bridges. So you will feel more exposed as a result.
Mentally- being more exposed may lead you to believe your tarp is pitched wrong if you're used to being all sealed up.

Personally- I like the 'cowboy camping' or floating cot type feel quite a bit. I like feeling like I'm just out in the open air or tarp camping. I don't like being sealed up in a tent or hammock unless it's winter time.
But I can very much envision this throwing you off and feeling like it's 'wrong'. So you may have the tarp pitched just fine for rain coverage, just not great for wind or security.

Not exactly the time of year to risk testing in the rain though to verify that, lol.

[Johnny Gunz]

I recently returned from a 4 night trip spent in my buggy deluxe. I used my Superfly with a double inside pole mod. It rained the first night so I lowered the doors. I had the tarp spread out since I didn't expect rain, so the doors didn't "close". I had no issue with the rain. I have also used a double outer pole mod in the past. It did not rain during that trip, but the coverage was great. I haven't tried any small Edge or Tadpole sized tarps but the SF is plenty big in all aspects. For car camping the SF/pole mod is going to be hard to beat.

I really like that hanging tarp idea Bill. For hiking it seems perfect.

[Peppy]

What y'all are saying makes a lot of sense for me. I'm sure it's a mental issue more than anything. I'm goi to add the poles to my Hanger WB (yes my tarps are 11'), and depending on how that goes I may reach out to Jared about adding something to my Trail Duster 2. With the 9'6" ridgeline of the medium, these seem plenty long, my mental block is on how wide I feel like I'm setting up. Several test days coming the next couple month. I may be begging Bill for a tarp by then, or maybe figure mine out, or get my stinking head examined!