New to hammock camping, need help with Warbonnet setup

[elstoked]

Hi everyone

I'm an experienced tent camper but now it's time to try hammock camping ... something new for me.

I ordered a lot of stuff from Warbonnet, this is what I got:
- Ridgerunner Hammock and Whoopies w/ Dynaweave Straps and attached fish hooks
- Diamondback topquilt (it's beautiful!)
- Lynx underquilt
- 13ft Superfly tarp with middle ground tieouts and panel pulls
- 10 tarp ticks
- 4 fish hooks

I also have this:
- 100 feet mini-spool guyline 1.75 mm single braid dyneema (Warbonnet)
- 50 feet 1.3 mm Z-Line Cord (Zpacks)
- 50 feet 2.0 mm Z-Line Cord (Zpacks)
- 50 feet EZC2 tarp guyline 1.7 mm (Gossamer Gear)
- 2 Micro Carabiners for door management for Superfly (Warbonnet)

I already seam sealed the tarp, that was easy. But now I'm lost. So here are my questions:

1) As far as I know the Ridgerunner doesn't need a continous ridgeline. Is this correct? Is there some advantage if I use one anyway or does it not make sense?

2) It looks like Warbonnet already attached the Whoopies to the Ridgerunner. So to connect the tree strap to the whoopie sling all I need to do is install another fish hook at the tree strap, right?

3) For the tarp I need 2 guylines with loops at the end to attach it to the tree. This may be a stupid question but how do I tie the loop? Over hand loop knot?

4) So I can install a tarp tick to the ring on the tarp and then attach the guyline directly to the tarp tick? Is that all I need to safely adjust the length of the guyline?

5) Should I attach the tarp ticks to the ground tie outs or the tent stakes?

6) Warbonnet recommends: tarp to tree 12 ft., ground corners 6 ft., doors 4-6 ft., panel pulls 12 ft. plus 6 ft. to the stake. What's your experience? Maybe longer lines make sense to have more options?

7) Should I use the 1.75 mm dyneema guyline I got from Warbonnet for everything or maybe the other guylines (1.3, 1.7, 2) from Zpacks and Gossamer Gear as well?

As you can see I'm a total noob when it comes to hammock camping. Thanks for your help!

[TrailSlug]

Hi everyone

I'm an experienced tent camper but now it's time to try hammock camping ... something new for me.

I ordered a lot of stuff from Warbonnet, this is what I got:
- Ridgerunner Hammock and Whoopies w/ Dynaweave Straps and attached fish hooks
- Diamondback topquilt (it's beautiful!)
- Lynx underquilt
- 13ft Superfly tarp with middle ground tieouts and panel pulls
- 10 tarp ticks
- 4 fish hooks

I also have this:
- 100 feet mini-spool guyline 1.75 mm single braid dyneema (Warbonnet)
- 50 feet 1.3 mm Z-Line Cord (Zpacks)
- 50 feet 2.0 mm Z-Line Cord (Zpacks)
- 50 feet EZC2 tarp guyline 1.7 mm (Gossamer Gear)
- 2 Micro Carabiners for door management for Superfly (Warbonnet)

I already seam sealed the tarp, that was easy. But now I'm lost. So here are my questions:

1) As far as I know the Ridgerunner doesn't need a continous ridgeline. Is this correct? Is there some advantage if I use one anyway or does it not make sense? Correct, the RR doesn't need nor use a ridge line.

2) It looks like Warbonnet already attached the Whoopies to the Ridgerunner. So to connect the tree strap to the whoopie sling all I need to do is install another fish hook at the tree strap, right? See Warbonnets video on this suspension option: https://youtu.be/Si6aRXDTqT0

3) For the tarp I need 2 guylines with loops at the end to attach it to the tree. This may be a stupid question but how do I tie the loop? Over hand loop knot?
It really doesn't matter as long as it holds. I use a slip knot but there are endless possibilities.

4) So I can install a tarp tick to the ring on the tarp and then attach the guyline directly to the tarp tick? Is that all I need to safely adjust the length of the guyline? I'd recommend checking out Warbonnets videos as he has plenty. https://www.warbonnetoutdoors.com/videos/

5) Should I attach the tarp ticks to the ground tie outs or the tent stakes?
I prefer to leave my string on the tarp.

6) Warbonnet recommends: tarp to tree 12 ft., ground corners 6 ft., doors 4-6 ft., panel pulls 12 ft. plus 6 ft. to the stake. What's your experience? Maybe longer lines make sense to have more options?
I use these guide lines and have tried others. These are good to start with

7) Should I use the 1.75 mm dyneema guyline I got from Warbonnet for everything or maybe the other guylines (1.3, 1.7, 2) from Zpacks and Gossamer Gear as well?
Again users choice. You can use what you like as you'll end up changing it over time.
As you can see I'm a total noob when it comes to hammock camping. Thanks for your help!

Your gear is top notch so you've at least got a good start.

[Watertooner]

Hope you have many happy hangs in your future with your new purchases.

Regarding Item #6, I added about a foot to the ground corner guylines and haven't ever wished I had made them shorter. There's been plenty of times when I needed that extra bit of length - not for staking into the ground, but for those situations when I wanted to pitch in porch mode and needed the longer guyline to reach a handy sapling.

Item #7: I use the 1.75 mm for all my lines and appreciate that even though I don't manage the lines with neat wrap-ups when stowing, I can easily untangle the lines if they do become snarled together. The slipperiness of the line prevents almost all knots from forming on their own. I haven't used any other types of lines so I can't speak to them. Other form members could post some comparisons - hopefully.

[ChacMool]

As TrailSlug notes in his thorough response, you got good stuff there. As for #3, Shug has a YouTube video about different ways to hang and adjust tarps ( maybe watch this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKW4SqJWgto , but he has some others that were really helpful for me...).

In my experience, a partially-inflated pad (~26" wide) widens the Ridgerunner a bit, which I prefer. The pad and your underquilt can be used together or separately. While I prefer to look at the stars (and meteors, comets, etc.) from the Ridgerunner and rarely unfurl my Superfly, if you store it in snakeskins your tarp can be quickly deployed when needed. Also, getting two small rods to expand the tarp can be real nice for shade or protection from wind and rain -- if you don't have this, Warbonnet sells a panel pull pole kit, as do other vendors.

[elstoked]

Guys, thanks for your comments! The videos from Warbonnet are pretty helpful.

So I rigged up my tarp. I ended up using bowline knots to make the loops in the guylines. I also attached 2 tarp ticks directly to the ring on the tarp. Not sure if that's a good idea because it might damage the tarp when packed up? I do have snakeskins though so the tarp ticks are outside of the pack and I'm not worried. I attached all the remaining guylines directly to the tarp. For the ground corners I went with 7 ft. I used three different guylines, all the ones mentioned except the 1.3 mm from Zpacks.

How do you guys avoid a mess with the guylines when storing the tarp in the snakeskins?

[Shug]

I did some Tarp Tutorials that may give you some insight if you care to watch.....https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...r4JzQgQ_iyB2RU
Tarping is an art form of sorts. Many ways to achieve the same thing.
Enjoy the quest.
Shug

[elstoked]

I did some Tarp Tutorials that may give you some insight if you care to watch.....https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...r4JzQgQ_iyB2RU

Thanks, Shug. I did extensive research before buying my gear and already discovered your channel. The best ressource on youtube for hammock camping. Will definitely watch more of your stuff.

Tarping is an art form of sorts. Many ways to achieve the same thing.

Yeah, it's DIY heaven and I love it!

[drsolarmolar]

#3...many ways to hang a tarp. Time for you to discover Dutchwaregear.com.

I used to use the 2 individual loops at each end of my tarp (with Dutchware Stingerz), but have since gone back to a single tarp ridgeline using a 30’ of Zingit, Dutch hook and Wasp, Prussiks, and soft shackles. I have found this configuration much easier to use.

As mentioned Youtube has a lot of good videos on hanging a tarp.

I’m a Ridgerunner user too. Great choice!

[HarveyM]

Congrats on your setup! I'd recommend Derek Hanson's book 'The Ultimate Hang' for a general guide. For tangles coil the line in a figure 8 between thumb and little finger, and then loop the end a few times around the midpoint.

[elstoked]

I haven't found time for my first hang yet but I played around with the whoopie slings. I noticed that often the tree is too wide to fully wrap the tree strap around it. Is there a solution to that or do I just need to find a new tree in this case?