I’ve got a liteaf dcf with doors and a UGQ hex tarp. I really don’t see any need for a 2nd with the liteaf. It’s perfect for everything I need.
That makes sense to me, too. If I had to pick one I'd probably go for the middle one (which I don't own), but having acquired the Palace first, adding the standard with doors didn't seem as meaningful as the regular hex for a significant shaving of weight and, more importantly to me, bulk for times when the Palace is overkill. The regular DCF hex is a good match for a smaller pack.
My first was the standard with doors. I've used it through the winter without issue. Added the Palace next, which I use only once or twice a year. While it is still lighter than any of the sil-nylon or sil-poly options i have had, its' larger pack size means I have to pay more attention to my load-out.
Last was the standard after numerous trips where the standards' doors never got deployed. That thing is tiny when packed, even in a mesh skin and a DCF sack.
Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
Bob's brother-in-law
If money were no object:
DCF Winter Palace
DCF Hex
For the weekend warrior like myself who has a budget:
Superfly
Thunderfly or MiniFly
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I have only been seriously hammock camping for the past couple of months. Started over 10 years ago, but never got it dialed in. Been a tarp or tipi user most of my life.
Said all that to say that I have been trying to figure out which hammock specific tarps to go with for the past couple of months. Been using my old ground dweller tarps, either a 8X8 or a 10X10. They are not set up as well for hammocking, but they are usable.
Bought an Asym tarp from SLD the other day, to try out and use as my minimalist shelter. Looking at the HG Hex's with and w/o doors as my 2nd option. Following this thread closely to see what trends emerge. A tiny lightweight option for some of my use makes sense, and a larger winter option for most of my camping. Since winter is, unfortunately far away, I have some time.
Those of you with cuban tarps, do you find folding them annoying? I really like stuffing my nylon tarps, and the extra bulk and care that a cuban demands has made me hold off. Anything else about cuban you dislike, other than the price?
I think a lot of people do stuff DCF tarps. I try to fold/roll when possible because they are a lot less bulky that way, besides possibly being better for the longevity of material.
Tarp sleeves or snakeskins are also fairly popular. They can make storing and deploying the tarp easier, especially in windy conditions. I don't have a ton of experience using them, but I have one from SLD and one from HG, and I'd say a DCF tarp in sleeves tends to fall between folded/rolled and stuffed, in terms of packed volume.
While you're looking into larger hammock tarps, all these non DCF options are worth a look.
HG Journey
Warbonnet Superfly
UGQ Winterdream (penny pincher version is a fantastic value)
SLD Winter Haven
Thank you!
If using skins on a cuban, do you then stuff the skins into a sack, or what? When I saw someone use skins on their cuban, I thought it was closer to stuffing than folding. Makes me wonder about the longevity of the tarp. If you then stuff it into a sack, I suppose that is really just stuffing. Do you fold the skins up and then slide them into a sack?
Is rolling the tarp just as good as folding? Maybe a combo of the two?
I say it's in between stuffed and folded/rolled, because you can fold or coil up the sleeved tarp and then wrap ridgeline or guylines around it and it will take up less than the full volume of the stuff sack. If it's just stuffed, it will fill the volume of the the stuff sack, but then that package will be a little more compressible. If you're keeping the tarp on the outside of your pack, then maybe bulk isn't that important. It comes down to trying different things and seeing what works best for you, and of course not everyone packs the same way.
I like to fold the DCF tarp along the ridge a few times until it's about 8-10" long, then roll from the ridge seam toward the bottom edge. Not always practical in the field.
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