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  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    NY
    Hammock
    SLD TL 1.6
    Tarp
    ThunderFly SP 20D
    Insulation
    SLD UQ, Costco TQ
    Suspension
    Becket
    Posts
    132

    What tarp suspension method do you use for quick mode switching?

    As I'm nearly halfway through my isolated 3-week stay on my own island in Canada I'm finding myself experimenting a bit with my setup and I'm doing some research on tarp suspension setups to be able to quickly switch between different modes. The modes I'm interested in are:

    - porch mode
    - tent/hex mode w/ no doors (not sure if it's called that)
    - tent mode + doors shut for nasty sideways rain/weather
    - lean-to mode (fold one end of hex and attach on backside)
    - furled mode (roll up tarp on ridgeline so it looks like furled up sail mast)

    I have a Superfly and tons of different cordage and fasteners including some Dutch hardware. To start, I put 1/8 paracord loops on all tieouts but I have 4 x 3/32 + tarp worms at my disposal. I'm not sure if 1/8 paracord is too strong but I don't think they work with tarp worms.

    For tie-outs to ground: I currently have various lengths of loop-end spliced lash-it that I MSH to a stick-stake and then using small biners to attach to the paracord loop tie-outs. I figured this way, I can quickly attach/detach lines to stakes for mode switching. I may consider swapping with the 3/32 + tarpworms but I'm not sure if 1/8 is preferred for heavier winds. I didn't like tarp worms before because I could never get a clean end on my lash-it but last night I read here that you can pull it over a lighter flame and get a tapered end, so now my cordage will work (just sucks that all my cordage have loop splices now!).

    For lean-to mode: I just fold over the front hex portion of the tarp and use a biner to clip to the other side tie-outs. What doesn't work here is if you are using your panel pulls! You would have to detach them first which is a bit annoying.

    For porch mode: I would detach the biner/tarp worm and then find a stick long enough and wrap the paracord tie-out around the stick then MSH some lash-it between the stick and stake to stabilize. If I want to go back to tent-mode, then I just unloop the paracord tie-out and clip to my ground stake tie-out that's already there. I would love to attach my porch tie-outs to a tree but I never seem to pick a location where there are trees in front of my setup within easy reach...

    Furled mode: I don't really know what to do about this one.. I used to larks-head my ground tie-outs which left me with tons of cordage dangling from each tie-out on my tarp but now with the biner/tarp-worm setup I don't have that issue. I thought about rolling the left side of the tarp clockwise around the ridgeline then the right side the other way then using the door tie-out hooks to secure it but it's a lot of winding involved and if I need to switch to tent mode if it suddenly starts raining, that's an issue. I thought about using the chameleon double-ended stuff sack as a faux snake but it's prob not long enough to keep the full tarp nearly packed. I guess I could bunch up the tarp and tie it but that would look messy. Perhaps rolling each end of the tarp up to the ridgeline then using a dogbone length of lashit to secure might work?

    The panel pullouts are great but it's a lot work setting up two long sticks for this plus the issue with switching to lean-to or furled mode. Any ideas on how to simplify this? I really like the extra room provided by the panel pull outs...
    Last edited by uninjured; 07-22-2020 at 09:05. Reason: Title

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Location
    old dirt
    Posts
    444
    Quote Originally Posted by uninjured View Post
    As I'm nearly halfway through my isolated 3-week stay on my own island in Canada
    i am just replying to say "i hate you". from a landlocked place in overpopulated europe. . joke aside, enjoy, send us pics.

    i've been working on a different kind of setup lately too, and some of the stuff i came up with solves some of the issues you describe. a few things i already posted about, a few i am working on and will hopefully post for feedback in the next few days. right now up are just: tieout tensioner (based on the VT hitch) , tarp to treestraps (aka levitating tarp) and a more versatile soft shackle to connect it all together. i'll work on describing one more thing, and then how it all fits together. very nice list of "meaningful things to improve" you put together here, thanks

    I'm finding myself experimenting a bit with my setup and I'm doing some research on tarp suspension setups to be able to quickly switch between different modes. The modes I'm interested in are:

    - porch mode
    - tent/hex mode w/ no doors (not sure if it's called that)
    - tent mode + doors shut for nasty sideways rain/weather
    - lean-to mode (fold one end of hex and attach on backside)
    - furled mode (roll up tarp on ridgeline so it looks like furled up sail mast)

    I have a Superfly and tons of different cordage and fasteners including some Dutch hardware
    (...)

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