It is not consistent but if you don't need it, you can skip setting up the tarp either partially or totally. If I am out in the middle of a run of dry weather and the forecast is clear I have totally skipped the tarp and then packing up and teardown are super quick. When the forecast is just clear maybe I run my line but leave the tarp in the skin and don't bother doing stakes.
1. That's a problem right there. The guylines and ridgeline should be permanently attached to the tarp. With snakeskins, you just disconnect the stakes, roll the tarp (and guylines and ridgeline) up, and you're done.Originally Posted by litetrek
At Fall MAHHA a few years ago, I watched a guy breaking down his gear. I leisurely broke down my setup in about 15 minutes, but this guy was nowhere near finished at 45 minutes. I finally had to go see what he was doing that took so long. Well, he had a plastic baggie for each guyline, and after wrapping each guyline in a figure 8, he wrapped each one with a rubber band. And then he had shock cord on each guyline and these stupid little line locs, each of which had to go inside its own little plastic baggie. And the ridgeline had to be stored separately, for some reason. I couldn't imagine how someone could come up with something that complex and time-consuming, just for a tarp. But if you want complicated, some cottage vendor will sell you that, and it's only a few ounces more, right?
2. Stuff sacks - Another slowdown is stuff sacks. I've personally never been able to break the habit of using stuff sacks - mine are all Dyneema/cuben fiber, which is not cheap, but there's hardly a weight penalty. My preference for waterproof stuff sacks is because me and my backpack have been submerged about five times in the last ten years. Two were canoe mishaps, but three were having to swim across a creek/river in March weather. Not once did my clothing, hammock or insulation get wet. I had everything in its stuff sack and all the stuff sacks were inside a 2mm garbage bag. Everything stayed dry as a bone. Let me tell you, after swimming across a river in March, there was nothing more comforting than knowing my gear was dry.
3. UQP/Topcover - these two baffle me - why add the weight when you can just get a 4-season tarp and avoid all the issues with UQPs and topcovers? A UQP is a way to compensate for an inadequate tarp. A topcover is just a way to trap moisture into your sleeping environment. I keep experimenting with topcovers, but I just can't see any advantage. I wanna wake up dry in the morning!
4. Frostbib - cool little thing - nice to wake up in the morning and see all the condensation concentrated on a minimal piece of fleece.
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson
The key to packing up quickly is to keep things simple, both in terms of the simplicity of the sleep/shelter system itself and in getting it into its designated place in your pack.
I totally concur with SS about the needless complexity of tarp ridge- and guy-line systems and especially the practice of removing them from the tarp when packing them away, only to have to reattach them again when pitching the tarp again later in the day or evening. I've never removed the lines from my tarp and I've yet to find a downside to this. For quickly taking down and compactly storing a tarp, I came up with this method which I've been using for several years now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45hKn8ctloQ
In the morning, my process is simple. I take down the tarp using the method in the video above. I then unclip the UQ and stuff it straight into the bottom of the pack, followed by exactly the same thing with the TQ. For my hammock, one end of the bishop bag is permanently attached to the foot end of the hammock with the CL sticking out. So when taking down the hammock I release the Lapp hitch at the foot end and start stuffing the hammock into the bishop bag, working my way to the head end of the hammock, then a quick tug on the Lapp hitch on that end and it's all in the bag. Suspension straps are attached to the trees with slipped buntline hitches, so a couple of quick tugs and those are free. I wad them up and stick them in with the hammock. If the straps are damp, or even wet, this is not a problem many people think it is. Tree sap is another matter and in that instance I'll put the straps in a ziploc bag.
The whole process takes about 5 minutes, 10 minutes tops. What you figure out over time is that the various bits don't have to be bone dry and clean when putting them away, and you realize that some practices create a lot of unnecessary work.
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
Lots of great advice. I have been on some hangs and noticed that some hangers are faster at packing up than I am, and some slower. I try and NOT be too rushed based on others. I don't want to hurt my gear, or myself!
I hiked with a guy who has hiked so many trails, I think he forgets some of them. One thru on the AT and one section hike on it, all using a hammock set up. He and I had different orders to packing up, but we were within a few minutes of each other going "Ready to go yet?". On the AT, simply converse about where a snack or lunch break will be and where the ending point is and leave it at that. If you hiking buddy packs up 15 minutes before you, OK. They might get an extra 15 minutes at the first break point (If they wait for you there).
Call me Junior
Pirating – Corporate Takeover without the paperwork
"For a couple of bucks, get a weird haircut and waste your life away" Bryan Adams....
"Hammock hangs are where you go into the woods to meet men you've only known on the internet so you can sit around a campfire to swap sewing tips and recipes." - sargevining on HF
You can see how "breaking down" and analyzing each step of the process is helpful.
For me, I use two separate Zing-It lines for the tarp ridgeline. No fumbling and sorting of continuous ridgelines for me, thank you. Just pull one line out, secure around tree, pull the tarp to the center, and attach the other ridgeline. Pull tight, maybe a minute to do this. Two minutes top. It is helpful to distinguish the "Head" and "Footend" with different colors of 1.75 Zing-It.
On one side is the Dutchware Titanium Stingerz, just throw around tree and clip in, might take 15-seconds. https://dutchwaregear.com/wp-content...tinger-Web.jpg
On the other side of the tarp ridgeline I use Dutchware Wasps. Just loop the Wasp around the other tree, and cinch it up on the Zing-It.
https://dutchwaregear.com/wp-content...int-1-jpg.webp
The Tarp tieouts have Glow-In-The-Dark shockcord, so no tie-outs are attached to get soaked with water when you pack it up, a good shake and you are good to go.
I use Dutchware Ringworms with Zing-It and secure these to the stakes with Zing-It. When the tarp is positioned and the ridgeline is taut, just pull a stake and attach the Ringworm to the shock corded tarp tie-out. Walk away from the tarp corners at 45-degrees and let the Zing-It come off the stake, when you are in the position you want, then drive the stake in the ground, do this on all four corners. Do the same for any middle tie-outs on the tarps perimeter and angle accordingly. Now all you have to do is go around and pull the line from the stake at the Wasp end and, then wrap the snug the line. Bonus is that you can adjust the tension from the inside of the tarp for all of those who still use Nylon tarps.
Easton Stakes with Zing-It.jpg
To breakdown the tarp simply go around and unhook the Ringworms from the shockcords, toss the line on the ground at the stake, and your tarp is free. Slide into the Mesh snakeskin, and finally disengage the Stingerz carabiner.
Now, pull each stake, wiping down the dirt, slide the Ringworm on and spin the stake in your hand while gripping the Wasp, the Zing-It coils nicely, and place the stakes Head Side down, pointy end up in your stake bag. No tangles, and you are good to go.
Make sure yu have enough line on the stakes that you can tie out the tarp to other branches and limbs by wrapping and then the slide the stake into the limb tieout upside down so the wrapped stake does not fall out.
Only downside of the stake set-up is during nasty muddy wind driven rain, but the stakes and the line go into stake bags, when you find some time, take each stake and swish it around in some Dr Bronner's Liquid Peppermint Castle soap. Everything is clean again, and no need to wrap up muddy lines when the tarp is staked down low for nasty conditions, because the tie outs are on the stakes, and not the tarps.
Breakdown each and every item of gear you have to get similar results.
Watch a good variety of faster hammock campers break camp and stuff their gear in their packs.
You might learn some techniques from each of them. You might even duplicate their gear, and specific steps of their packing routine.
There are lots of YouTube clips showing hammock camp setup. But few if any show rapid camp breakdown and stuffing pack.
Use the KISS method and your speed will accelerate!
Simpler gear both hardware and knots. Any knots you tie should hold without fail, and be quick release by pulling the ripcord!
Stuff sacks if used should be roomy enough to make packing fun—instead of a wrestling match.
I don’t use stuff sacks for my quilts.
All cords stay attached to tarp.
When I backpack with friends, I’m usually That Guy, last to be ready for trail. But I’m improving a few minutes here and there!
A catch all sack makes a huge difference for me on multi day hikes. With a split ridgeline and my guylines permanently tied to my tarp and a catch all I can have my hammock broken down and in my pack in under 5 minutes.
I use a continuous tarp ridgeline for a reason. I can always change what I do but I use the continuous line because some of the trees I tie off of are huge and there's no choice but to use them. Last time I went backpacking I had to tie off to a tree that was about 2.5 feet in diameter (huge pine - very common here). The circumference of it used up almost all of my tree strap. I carry 50 feet of cord for the continuous tarp ridgeline because I will always have enough. When I've tried to use cord permanently on the tarp (non-continuous) ridgeline I frequently don't have enough to wrap around a huge tree. I don't have a better solution but maybe there is one I don't know about. The continuous ridgeline is where I waste most of my time.
I think focus really helps. Also just get to it in the morn after you've eaten and had coffee. Take note of logical steps to get it packed. Complete one task then the next. Stage it all around your pack and be efficient in loading the pack. We all do it the same yet differently.
Not so much about the gear but how you use it and work with it. Be familiar with it.
Otherwise tell you bud to hike on and you'll meet up later.
Enjoy the AT adventure.
Shug
Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven
I've only had that come up once (on the Pinhotitrail very near the largest tree in GA), but this was what I did. I believe I've got 12' on each ridgeline tie-out for the split ridgeline which is more than enough 99% of the time.
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