If I had only one tarp, it would definitely be with doors. The doors on my favorite tarp have come in handy more than a few times and allowed for a more restful night.
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If I had only one tarp, it would definitely be with doors. The doors on my favorite tarp have come in handy more than a few times and allowed for a more restful night.
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"Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."
—John Muir
You guys are awesome. Thanks for the perspectives to consider.
It sounds like either you want doors (and should get them, then) or you haven't seen the right tarp yet. You can get a tarp with removable doors and Hex tarps with "beaks" If you like a hex tarp but want more end coverage. Even those seemingly tiny diamond tarps have kept me bone dry through a PA Thunder/hail storm. Warbonnet covers most of the range https://www.warbonnetoutdoors.com/pr...ategory/tarps/
For car camping, I have a 10x12 rectangular tarp and making the ends into doors is very uncomplicated: I tie 1/8 shock cord from door bottom out to the "corner" stake. Max privacy, near complete wind blocking, and in "Porch mode", I can get a great shady spot to lounge in my chair or cover most of a picnic table. Or I tie the doors out of the way with the shock cord.
For walking in the woods, I have added a hex tarp from warbonnet with a little more end coverage, but a lot more visibility around me.
Johnv,
Just a simple, inexpensive suggestion. If you are unsure of what you need/want, go buy a simple, blue, poly tarp, at Walmart. Get like an 8 X 12 or 10 X 14. I bought a 10 X 14 blue poly tarp about 3 years ago, to experiment with, as I was unsure if I really needed/wanted doors. Ultimately, this showed me that I did want doors, for my hammock tarp.
Go to the Ultimate Hang website and find the section showing how to deploy a tarp. Mr. Hansen diagrams about a dozen variations, on how to deploy the simple. rectangular tarp, one of which is a configuration creating doors. This is the configuration I have been using for the last 3 years.
Ive since bought a Hammock Gear Journey Tarp, in the 12 foot length. My simple Blue Poly Tarp is still going strong, I backpack or car camp with it at least 3 or 4 times a year. I also loan it out to people to give it a try.
In addition, with some duct tape and 2 "D" Rings, on each side of the tarp, I've created side pullouts. These significantly increased the room under the tarp. As a result of using these, I concluded that I also wanted pullouts for my dedicated, professionally made, tarp.
Total cost for my redneck, hammock tarp was under 18 dollars. This thing is bompproof having survived heavy winds and rain. Snow just skitters off the thing.
Be safe and be well.
Bob
That’s a great idea, Bob! Great way to experiment on the cheap and really figure out your preferences!
Thanks for sharing!
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509 you are welcome. Its pretty much the Scotch in me.
When I was young in the 1970's I needed no doors.
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Great picture! Unfortunately it exposes my ignorance... I had no idea people were sleeping outdoors in hammocks that long ago!Originally Posted by OutandBack
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Holy Cow!! I used to camp with one of those during my stint in the Boy Scouts (during the mid 80's). I had NO idea what I was doing. I had no tarp, only a cheap sleeping bag and my best friend convinced me that the hammock should be strung up guitar-string tight. Which made for some uncomfortable nights.
But I have only good memories of those times. Including the time we decided to "spin" a kid in his hammock. A buddy and I got on each end of his hammock and started swinging him with the intent of eventually swinging him a full 360°. We had to abandon that idea when the clews started snapping (and leaving painful welts across the back of my hand!)
Oh, to be young again...
It just occurred to me when you mentioned the clews that it’s one of those fishnet hammocks. We always had those when camping as a kid in the 80s. Lots of great memories. But no one ever thought to sleep in one overnight... weird.
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