20D Silpoly with a Ridgerunner

[Billcole]

I am thinking about buying a 13' tarp out of 20d silpoly for my Ridgerunner. Anyone have issues with damaging a silpoly tarp with the spreader bars?

[Canadark]

I have not had any issues with my silpoly tarps when used with a Ridgerunner. And I am not especially careful about how I enter/exit the hammock and I just let the bars hit the tarp. I have recently invested $15 per set in these:
https://www.fugal-innovations.com/pr...ridge-buttons/

...and installed them on all my Ridgerunners, so now I don't worry about the tarp at all.

[cougarmeat]

Billcole, there are a few “if’s” - does your RidgeRunner have “bumpers” on the spreader pole points. If they don’t you may have issues. Will the 13’ tarp have panel pull-outs and if so, will they be spaced so they line up with the spreader bars (WarBonnet does that with their 13 ft tarps and other vendors may if you ask them). If not, you may have issues. I’m not familiar with the camping weather is Michigan but around here, when I’m camping, I seldom have to “button down the hatches” for sever blowing rain. So I can guy my tarps out a little wider. I used an 11 ft tarp for several years with the RR and now have a 13 ft SuperFly. I just make sure 1) the spreaders bumpers are in place. 2) the tarp is guyed out wide enough that there is not rub.

As far as damage, I did punch a whole through a SpinDrift sock because I was too lazy to check the poles in their hardware. I assumed they were in proper position. One side popped out and the tension on those support lines is so tight that it put a hole in the sock, continued to a fence 5 feet away, hit the fence and bounced back to the hammock. I am so glad this happened on the “away from the house windows” side of the sock.

Apparently, rubbing against the spreader poles can be an issue if your tarp pitch is such that they come in contact with the fabric. Bob Newhart has an answer for that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow0lr63y4Mw

[old4hats]

I’ve been using. WBRR for years. I have never damaged my Cuban fiber tarp, nor my sil nylon tarp, nor my sil poly tarps. I do however, set my tarp higher than some do.

[Billcole]

I’ve been using. WBRR for years. I have never damaged my Cuban fiber tarp, nor my sil nylon tarp, nor my sil poly tarps. I do however, set my tarp higher than some do.

Thanks, I have a 11' HG palace tarp right now and I am looking at the silpoly Thunderfly as something to reduce my risk in the Ridgerunner. I have set it up really high, but have some concerns with coverage with trips I take on Lake Superior in the UP.

[Billcole]

I have not had any issues with my silpoly tarps when used with a Ridgerunner. And I am not especially careful about how I enter/exit the hammock and I just let the bars hit the tarp. I have recently invested $15 per set in these:
https://www.fugal-innovations.com/pr...ridge-buttons/

...and installed them on all my Ridgerunners, so now I don't worry about the tarp at all.

I planned on ordering these, but my current spreader bars are the larger OD. I could drill them out, but I plan on buying the carbon fiber bars in the future.