To Door, Or not to Door, that is the question

[John Henry]

Hey guys, noob here. Buying my first tarp for my freshly ordered hammock. I am normally a tent backpacker out of my SMD solo. I haven't tarped camped yet and want to know in the Sierras and maybe some NW packing if I should go ahead and spend the money to have doors or not. I like the idea of sleeping in an open tarp, maybe even in porch mode, but fear it at the same time. I don't typically look for rainy days to go backpacking but cant avoid thunderstorms and the unplanned wet days. What do you all think?

[Shug]

Doors are very handy for blocking wind as much as rain.
Can always tie them back or roll them up.
Sounds to me like you kinda want them.
Shug

[Rex Clifton]

If your are new to hammock camping, I recommend you NOT get a tarp with doors. One of the more daunting parts of hammocking is setting up your tarp. It takes some practice to get it right and the fiddle factor for a tarp with doors is much greater than one without.The additional weight and cost are also a factor. Very few times have I had the wind blowing in from the end that caused water to get in. Even in those cases, I was able to wrap my rain jacket around the end of the hammock to alleviate most of the problem That being said, I have a tarp with doors that I use in the spring and fall but, in the summer months, when I do most of my backpacking, always use a standard tarp.

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[MAD777]

Doors... yes!
See Shug's post above

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[Gregori]

Doors give you security and options. I like doors. I like to have the ends closed in windy conditions, let alone rainy conditions. Weather is not a variable you can control, unless you don't go camping.

Unless you are counting grams and want 30 sec faster setups, go with doors. As Shug says, tie them back or roll them up and they mostly go away.

In the end, I think most hammock campers have several tarps, depending on time of year and conditions and type of camping. Buy one with doors first. Just a suggestion.

Good Luck!!

G

[unionmanbirch]

I vote yes for doors. I have a regular hex tarp then bought one with doors a year or so ago. I never use the hex tarp any more. If I don't need the doors I just tie them back, but they're nice to have if wind and rain kick up. Or if you just want a little more privacy.

[Clisbyclark]

I agree with what others have said regarding: 1)No doors is simpler and less expensive-simpler is better when starting out. 2) Doors can be very handy in wind/rain. 3) Doors give you options.
4) Most people have multiple tarps IF they stick with hammocks.

For all the above reasons, I feel that the absolute best tarps for someone to start out with are the "partial door" Mini/Thunder/Mountain Fly series from Warbonnet. I'm not sure if other vendors sell this style, but Warbonnet was the first I remember. They are not terribly expensive (should you decide later that the hammock life isn't for you, it would be easy to recoup most of your money by reselling them), they offer most of the benefits of tarps with "full" doors, they are easier to setup than full doored tarps IMO, and they are top quality gear you'd want to hang on to even if you try other tarps later.

[chromedome]

My vote is for a tarp with doors. I dont use them most of the time, but am thankful i have them when they are needed.

[michigandave]

There's no right answer...some will say yes to doors and some will say no to doors. It all depends on where you're located and what season your hanging in.

Personally, I've got multiple tarps in various configurations/size/features including a hot tent and choose whatever is appropriate for the weather conditions and season.

There's lots of threads in the vendor subforums discussing the various tarps they offer and people's experiences with them.

[cougarmeat]

In addition to offering more protection in wind/rain - and giving you more flexibility on direction of your setup, doors also give you more privacy and the added warmth potential means you can hang longer in the fall/winter season before going full on winter gear. There is a penalty in increased price and a slight penalty in weight/bulk - very slight in my opinion.

One recommendation was to attach about a foot and a half of light bungee cord, with a mitten hook at the end, to the doors. Then “tie” them back by joining the mitten hooks. Tied back, you have your familiar Hex. Deployed, you have greater weather protection.