Tarp too wide? Tarp ridgeline too short?

[Snow Leopard]

Depends on the size of your pack.

PCT Oregon 1974
Attachment 189306

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.

Wow, that photo is classic! Nice! It’s amazing how much smaller our packs are now (and equipment).

So, an UQP helps keep underquilt in place better, or rather, closer the hammock body. That sounds good if you’re at the lower threshold of quilt’s temperature rating for some assurance of warmth.

And I try to be vigilant about internal condensation under the tarp, since they have a huge advantage over tents in terms of air flow. I love that free feeling and not being sealed in.
Also, condensation inside the tarp is not fun!

[TominMN]

...

So, an UQP helps keep underquilt in place better, or rather, closer the hammock body. That sounds good if you’re at the lower threshold of quilt’s temperature rating for some assurance of warmth.

...

An UQP can help to keep the UQ clean and dry from splashes below. And, I guess, from accidental touching of the ground during set-up or take-down. It also can serve to keep down heat loss when it's windy. You'd want it to be fairly snug along the perimeter for that reason, but you don't want it pushing up the UQ. That could compress the UQ and reduce its r-value.

[OverTheHill]

Rain will always follow your suspension under the tarp, I'm wondering if you managed to get the drip lines under the tarp as much as possible to make them as effective as possible. I target around a foot inside, but, I've got a 12' tarp ridgeline.

[Snow Leopard]

An UQP can help to keep the UQ clean and dry from splashes below. And, I guess, from accidental touching of the ground during set-up or take-down. It also can serve to keep down heat loss when it's windy. You'd want it to be fairly snug along the perimeter for that reason, but you don't want it pushing up the UQ. That could compress the UQ and reduce its r-value.

Ah, I see. So not too tight, but not too loose either. Snug enough to seal any gaps around perimeter to prevent convective heat loss.

Sounds like an interesting piece of gear. I’d like to know how often people use them and if they find them effective, but I’ll just browse the forum for other threads about UQP.

Thanks everybody for information.

[Snow Leopard]

Rain will always follow your suspension under the tarp, I'm wondering if you managed to get the drip lines under the tarp as much as possible to make them as effective as possible. I target around a foot inside, but, I've got a 12' tarp ridgeline.

I probably could have placed drip lines a bit further under tarp, but that’s a good point. I will set up two per side for redundancy next time, if I am expecting a heavy rainstorm, and place them well under the tarp.

[TominMN]

Ah, I see. So not too tight, but not too loose either. Snug enough to seal any gaps around perimeter to prevent convective heat loss.

Sounds like an interesting piece of gear. I’d like to know how often people use them and if they find them effective, but I’ll just browse the forum for other threads about UQP.

Thanks everybody for information.

Yup. But heat lost to wind and heat lost to convection are somewhat different animals. But that's a discussion for another time...

[cougarmeat]

There are different schools about UQ fit. It used to be, "cinch the ends up tight", then some suggested that when the ends are tight, a diagonal lie pushes out near those endpoints creating a gap. The suggestion was to keep the end cinch loose so the UQ can more easily conform to whatever shape forms at the hammock ends. Note that keeping that end cinch loose is not the same as keeping the UQ itself loose. That is, it should still be snug up against the bottom of the hammock. Shug has a video where he suggests that the tension of the UQ's side bungees should lift the hammock a bit when no one is in it.

That assumes you have a UQ with a differential cut - one that has a specific top and bottom side, with the bottom side cut fuller. That way the top side can be snug against the hammock while not compressing the loft below it. Most, but not all, UQ's are made that way.

Some people find a ¾ UQ keeps them a little warmer than full size because the quilt more snugly covers the critical body area, even if the lower legs just have the TQ (and maybe a small pad) for insulation.

I don't worry too much about the fit of the UQP (unless it's hanging way low) - just having it attached is usually enough for me. Remember that it's job is to cover the UQ, so you may find it doesn't cover the whole length of the hammock.

About that water following the tarp (?) suspension under the tarp ... I've only heard of that when running the tarp ridgeline under the tarp. Don't do that

The only time I run the tarp ridgeline under the tarp is during winter IF I'm concerned about heavy snowfall. I run a ridgeline over the tarp that is connected with Nama Claws. So there is no pathway from the trap suspension to travel under the tarp. Hammock suspension is another matter.

A line under the tarp can be handy for hanging things and DutchWare has some models with an "under the tarp" connection sewn back from the tarp end - independent from the tarp suspension itself.

But with the comment, that the water flows from the suspension under the tarp, you might be talking about hammock suspension. If you use webbing, I've seen comments that twisting the webbing - so it doesn't run flat - creates a water break. And daisy chain, with its loops and carabiner, seems like it would have its own water break. So maybe you are using Whoopie slings. I gave them up, long ago. Maybe if I wanted to put together "the lightest kit possible", I'd add them. But generally, they aren't worth the trouble for me.

[Derch]

This isn't my picture, saw it on the hammock forums Facebook page, but it shows what I was saying how to close the doors on the dutchware tarp.FB_IMG_1663072884839.jpg

[Snow Leopard]

There are different schools about UQ fit. It used to be, "cinch the ends up tight", then some suggested that when the ends are tight, a diagonal lie pushes out near those endpoints creating a gap. The suggestion was to keep the end cinch loose so the UQ can more easily conform to whatever shape forms at the hammock ends. Note that keeping that end cinch loose is not the same as keeping the UQ itself loose. That is, it should still be snug up against the bottom of the hammock. Shug has a video where he suggests that the tension of the UQ's side bungees should lift the hammock a bit when no one is in it.

That makes sense. Allow the underquilt to conform to hammock, which means that we must experiment with the amount of tension necessary to achieve a snug fit around the critical areas of the backside. I know that I hade to experiment plenty when I first started using my Incubator UQ.
And you're right about "over-tensioning" the ends. I did that once or twice and it was not a pleasant experience. I couldn't lay diagonally comfortably and it caused my feet to slide out of UQ.

I don't worry too much about the fit of the UQP (unless it's hanging way low) - just having it attached is usually enough for me. Remember that it's job is to cover the UQ, so you may find it doesn't cover the whole length of the hammock.

Good to know. So UQP should be hung relaxed.

A line under the tarp can be handy for hanging things and DutchWare has some models with an "under the tarp" connection sewn back from the tarp end - independent from the tarp suspension itself.

Yeah, my wide tarp has an internal ridgeline. Its main purpose is for the shock cord Prusik loops to attach internal pole mods, I believe.
The internal ridgeline hasn't become wet from rainwater yet, so that's good!

[Snow Leopard]

This isn't my picture, saw it on the hammock forums Facebook page, but it shows what I was saying how to close the doors on the dutchware tarp.FB_IMG_1663072884839.jpg

Yeah, I think that I have closed the doors that way before. For me, the problem arises when using the internal pole mods, which expands the footprint of the tarp drastically, making it more difficult to close the doors. I suppose that I could just one internal pole mod on one end and then close the other end of tarp completely.