Upgrade to Hex Tarp from Asym Tarp?

**uninjured** · 07-07-2019, 19:51

Hello, I'll be doing 4 nights then a week later 6 nights in my hammock during a portage. Last year when I did the same thing I brought my Chameleon with my asym tarp. I found that the asym tarp did a pretty good job but if it wasn't centered right or was too high up from the hammock then I got water in my hammock. I fixed this (sometimes in the middle of the night) by lowering it and really angling down and pulling on the tie-outs.

I portage with a waterproof motorcycle duffel bag but it's kind of nice to be able to keep it dry under my hammock instead of out in the rain. I also just ordered a sidecar sling for extra storage so I imagine my hammock footprint will get a bit wider now.

Would upgrading to a hex tarp really be worth the $160-180 cost? Hammockgear sells them for a bit cheaper but unsure of the quality vs Dutchware. I notice people generally tie down their hex tarps quite steeply and one the reason I ordered the asym tarp was to not feel like I'm in a tent as much. Any advice is appreciated. I'm sure I can get by again with the asym since I'll be in quite thick forest that doesn't have so much horizontal rain but if it's something I'm really missing out on then I'd rather get it sooner than later.

**cmc4free** · 07-07-2019, 21:17

I think asym tarps used to be more popular than they are now. Hex tarps have surpassed them in popularity, and more and more it seems like tarps with doors (or partial doors like the Warbonnet Minifly, Mountainfly, and Thunderfly) have become the most popular option. I'd venture to guess the Warbonnet Superfly is nowadays the #1 most popular tarp among hammock enthusiasts. The simple asym still has its fans, but they generally don't get the love around here that larger tarps do.

It's up to you how much tarp you want, but I'll point out that upgrading to a hex tarp doesn't have to be a $160-$180 investment. The Hammock Gear Quest tarp has a lead time of about a week and comes in at $100. If you can wait a little longer (2-3 weeks), check out the UGQ Penny Pincher Hanger11 which comes in at $85 (or $80 without a stuff sack). Dutchware sells the Xenon hex tarp for $110 for a 11 footer, and those are probably in stock and ready to ship (at least most colors).

https://ugqoutdoor.com/tarps/penny-pincher-tarps/

https://www.hammockgear.com/the-quest/

https://dutchwaregear.com/product/xe...rp/#size-color

**Skytow** · 07-07-2019, 21:36

The Dutware hex tarp mentioned above for $ 110 is really nice for the money. I find it has great protection and is really compact when in my snake skins. Great tarp.

**uninjured** · 07-07-2019, 21:41

Thanks for your reply. I just spent the whole time since my post researching hex tarps and I think I really like them - especially setting up "porch mode" (I don't have hiking poles but I think I can probably rig something up with sticks). I checked up on ripstopbytheroll for a DIY as it was cheapest but I don't think I have the skill or patience to follow through. I use the econo underquilt by hammockgear and love it which also brought me to their Quest tarp which I see you mentioned and it seems really nice.

Regarding hardware, I have the tarpworms and stingerz (or fleaz? Can't remember all this terminology) on my asym, I assume I should be able to just buy whichever hex tarp and transfer them over. I see there is also Line Loc3. I'm curious what you and others like for attaching your tarps? The problem I sometimes had with my asym was getting around big trees with the lashit.

Another question is, since my hammock is 11', should I opt for the 12'? I imagine if I'm upgrading in size I might as well get that extra coverage?

**uninjured** · 07-07-2019, 22:14

OK I at least settled on a 11' tarp. Still a lot of options to choose from though... The superfly looks interesting but I'm not sure I really need doors.

**cmc4free** · 07-07-2019, 23:07

The Stingerz for the ridgeline can be transferred over, as can the Tarp Worms, but coming from an asym tarp, I assume you only have 2 of them? You'd need 4 for the ground corner tie outs of a hex tarp.

The Hammock Gear Quest can be ordered with D-rings at the corners or Lineloc 3 tensioners. The Dutchware tarp will have D-rings and the UGQ tarp will have split rings. There are other vendors also, and not all use the same hardware at the corners and not all offer a choice.

I have more than one tarp, and have experience with Lineloc 3's, Dutch Tarp Worms, Dutch Hook Worms, Dutch Fleaz, and a few other gizmos, as well as good-old-fashioned simple knots and hitches. Tinkering around with options is something a lot of hammock users enjoy, myself included. I don't really dislike any of those choices, but I'd say the Tarp Worms or Hook Worms are hard to beat when it comes to hardware options. Generally speaking, if you want to leave the guylines attached to the tarp, Tarp Worms are a better choice; if you'd prefer to leave the guylines attached to the stakes, Hook Worms are a better choice.

If you purchase a tarp with Lineloc 3's, your options for experimenting with other hardware are a little limited, and the range of diameter guylines that work with the Lineloc 3's is also a little limited. That's not to say they're a bad choice though - they work well and are very simple to use.

**cmc4free** · 07-07-2019, 23:18

An 11' tarp is plenty long enough for an 11' hammock. Typically an 11' hammock has a structural ridgeline length of just over 9'. Along with the trend for larger tarps with doors, the trend also seems to be for longer tarps. 12' are common and even 13' in some cases - cavernous winter tarps or tarps for use with bridge hammocks being a couple examples.

I personally think 11' is plenty for a typical gathered end hammock. Downsides of choosing a 12' tarp are that it can be that much harder sometimes to find trees spaced far enough apart for it to fit, and that it has to be pitched higher above the hammock in order to avoid the tarp's ridgeline corners interfering with the hammock suspension. If you have to pitch it higher, you're more susceptible to windblown rain, which starts to negate the reasons you're upgrading from an asym tarp.

All just my opinions...

**uninjured** · 07-07-2019, 23:21

Thanks for your reply. I think I will transfer the tarp worms over and I think I will use the fleaz or whatever for the ridgeline but may also experiment with some knots instead for practice and also because I'm sort of a minimalist.

I think you might be right about the superfly, at $114 it has a ton of features although it's a bit heavier than the other options you mentioned. So far the UGQ comes out at $85, HG Quest $99 with 10% discount, and Hex is $110. Perhaps I should just go with the superfly given it's versatility? I still don't really see me using the doors given that everywhere I've camped as been pretty sheltered in the thick of the woods but perhaps someday I might find myself in Arizona or somewhere more open. I won't need the tarp until mid August so I can handle a bit of a backorder.

**uninjured** · 07-07-2019, 23:22

Completely agree regarding 11' tarp coupled with my 11' Chameleon.

**cmc4free** · 07-07-2019, 23:24

That price on the Superfly is a 15% off sale that ends tonight, I believe. As for the doors, if you don't want to use them, it's simple to tie them back. No biggie.