Yeah, the water was running down the suspension, which eventually saturated the webbing. So I was left with soaked drip lines and damp foot end of hammock and UQ.Originally Posted by TominMN
I guess that I was just curious as to how others have managed to remain "bone dry" in heavy rain with their tarp setup, but now I see that dry is all relative and very contextual.
The drip lines SHOULD be soaked! It means they were (somewhat) working. Obviously the goal is to keep the suspension beyond them as dry as possible.
Nobody stays dry when it's foggy. In fact, fog is worse than rain, and moisture ends up permeating everything... no respite under the tarp.
The water on this tarp all came from fog condensing on tree leaves and dripping onto the tarp, and all other gear except the top quilt was wet. The top quilt outer was damp but body heat kept it from getting totally soaked.
hammock_harriman_fog_01.jpg hammock_harriman_fog_tarp_02.jpg
Last edited by cmoulder; 09-09-2022 at 08:36.
Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton
Yeah, that's a good point, anything airborne (mist or fog) is much more culpable. Even with doors, mist finds a way inside the tarp. I've camped next to mountain streams and quickly discovered how efficiently water vapor travels.
It's really about managing one's expectations and staying comfortable while wet/damp. When people say "bone dry", they are really alluding to being comfortable in the relative dampness.
Nice photo of hammock in the fog, by the way. Colors are crisp!
My first time dealing with mist was on the north side of Vargas Island. We saw it coming in before bedtime and by the morning, everything - EVERYTHING - outside the tent was covered with a wet film. That made an impression. So when I moved into hammocks, my first quilt purchases were synthetics.
I've been fortunate never to have that mist situation again. If I had just a tarp/hammock/TQ/UQ, I'd expect the TQ/UQ to be wet because you can't shut a tarp like a tent. But a UQP might protect the UQ and a bug net the TQ as the mist would form on the outside of the UQP and net.
The photos below show the mist in the distance, and one of our clothes/tent under a tarp - everything outside was wet. If I were going to be in that kind of weather often, I'd be rethinking the whole shelter thing.
IncomingMist.jpg
HangingMist.jpg
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
Yeah, an underquilt protector might help in that situation, but I haven’t used one personally. I really wonder how effective it would be at keeping UQ dry from mist or even water traveling down suspension lines.
Moisture eventually finds a way into everything, I am sure.
I thought that if you could seal a tarp with doors well enough, pitch it low, an UQP wouldn’t be necessary, right?
I’ve never tried one, but I am curious about them. Not sure if I would use one or when I should use it.
UQ Protector does help with keeping moisture like mist and fog off the UQ...to a certain extent. Really good for keeping the wind from robbing the heat out of your UQ.
Won't keep water from coming down suspension.
Part of the fun (if you can call it that) of hammocks is working out all these bits.
Shug
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Thanks Shug
I’m with you on that: part of the fun is definitely tinkering and fine tuning, perfecting one’s skills!
UQP is on my (growing) list of gear that I would like to use one day. Seems practical when you want the “views” on cooler, breezier days (especially with a narrower tarp).
I wonder if an UQP could have any other uses…maybe a pack cover? Probably way too big.
Depends on the size of your pack.
PCT Oregon 1974
paulsPack.jpg
Another use for mine is sometimes things slip. it's not unusual for your hammock, with UQ attached, to find its way to the ground during setup or takedown. The UQP protects that UQ from said ground/dirt/tiny things crawling in the grass.
Also, because I switch out hammocks and UQ's, I don't have one "golden" setup. And I often have to set up alone. I can't see the end of the hammock and be in the hammock at the same time (I suppose I could load it with a pack inside or full drybags). Using a UQP, I can be a little sloppy with the UQ fit.
Do know that if you seal that tarp up too much, your next post will be asking about how to handle the consdensation build up.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
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