Considerations when going from a DCF tarp to sil

[Shrewd]

Hey folks,

My only tarp thus far has been a cuben/dcf HG hex - I carried it for the entire AT and it served me well. I got splash up on my underquilt during any heavy rain, but it never affected my warmth.

Anywho I’m investing in a setup for myself and my pup so that splash up isn’t ok anymore. I picked up a larger winter tarp with doors and am excited to play with it but had some questions.

With the cuben, I always had to get the ridge line tight; always close to parallel to the ground (if the ground was flat). Always under the tree straps for my hammock

With sil tarps I see people often have lots of sag there and it seems to let them get the tarp much closer to the hammock. I like that.

Can you fine folk perhaps give me some pointers or other things to be aware of when pitching a sil poly tarp for the first few times as opposed to cuben?

[johnspenn]

I've never had a DCF/Cuben tarp so I'm missing half of the experience in this equation.

That said, I have hung several different types of silnylon/poly tarps. I ALWAYS get the tarp ridgeline as taught as possible.

I know a lot of times it looks like there is sag, especially when using a split ridgeline or when your CRL is running over and not under your tarp (a whole different conversation, and there are no wrong answers).

You can always adjust how close your tarp is to your hammock by changing the location of the tarp ridgeline on the trees. If I'm not expecting rain I like mine pretty high, and of course low and tight for more adverse conditions- but as a veteran AT thru hiker you probably already know all that.

Ridgeline to ground coverage will certainly help alleviate the splash-up!

Good luck to you and your pup out on the trail!

[Loonatic]

Silnylon stretches overnight, which is why people put tensioners on their guy lines. Does anyone really want sag on their tarp?

[somniferous]

Other than having some shockcord on the guylines, I hang all my tarps the same. I will crank down a bit more on the sil stuff to get a tight pitch, but it's mostly so it won't flap all night.

[chapinb]

Due to stretch as mentioned. I usually tighten it pretty taught, causing the sag even with my under the tarp ridgeline. Will usually give it a quick snuggling before bed too as it continues to loosen a small bit.

It's hardly a problem, just different.