Snakeskins for tarp?

[BrianWillan]

Get a bath Lufa from the pharmacie. If you carefully untie the knot holding it all together you will find that it is a long tube of mesh. They work perfectly and are extremely cheap. If you end up not liking them you just wasted 2-3$ which is not that big of a deal.

Now that is interesting. I didn't know that a Lufa was a mesh tube. I will see if I can find a couple at the local Dollar Store and test this out.

Cheers

Brian

[cougarmeat]

I understand the question about the rigging vs tube set up as I've come across this too. In my setup, I have a mini-biner on one end of the cord and a figure 9 on the other end of the tarp. The cord biners to the tarp, goes around the tree, goes though the D-rings at both ends of the tarp (I used to use micro-biners to hold the cord to the D-Rings but going through the D-Rings is tighter), around the other tree and back to the figure-9 for tensioning. I tried to use a HH snakeskin on a HH Hex but I didn't roll the hex first - so it got too bunched up in the middle. Also, I put figure-9's at the guy points because I found it easier to adjust the tension at the tarp rather than at the stake.

But I can see that if I pack the tarp with the line already through the D-rings and coming out the end of the snake skin, that to deploy, I'd just have to go around the tree with the biner end, pull the snakeskin back on that line and attach the biner to the D-Ring. On the other side, I'd do the same but attach to the figure-9. I'm guessing that if I spent just a little time rolling the tarp first, that it would snug inside the skins, no problem.

I have three kinds of skins: traditional HH skins, some mesh skins, and the Bliss tube - one long tube with plenty of room (but you pay for it in weight and extra nylon). The Bliss tube is designed to be a UV protection for hammocks left up a long time - no so much a backpacking item.

[brohawk]

I use HG Cuban fiber skins. My tarp is a HG Cuban fiber as well with doors. I run a continuous ridge line with Dutch hook on one side and wasp on the other. I start at either end and roll towards the center capturing all doors and guylines. When skins are together at the center I take down the tarp "tube". I then fold it in halves until I have it bundled to about 14" long; This fits in the mesh pouch outside my ULA Circuit. As far as the loose ridge line ends go; I neatly wrap them around the folded tarp which holds it tightly and makes it easy to deploy when ready.

[OSU_Matthew]

Get a bath Lufa from the pharmacie. If you carefully untie the knot holding it all together you will find that it is a long tube of mesh. They work perfectly and are extremely cheap. If you end up not liking them you just wasted 2-3$ which is not that big of a deal.

Yes, this is very easily doable, BUT it's not very durable. I've managed to get about 3-4 uses out of mine before it completely fell apart from many rips and tears. It's a great and easy idea to see if you like the concept, but just be prepared to shell out for the mountain goat ones after your second or third trip if you like using them.

Hennessy also makes some, and they sell it at REI. But they're made from solid nylon material, and given how wet these things get, it just seems like a recipe for mold and shortened tarp lifespan.

[ampersand]

Snakeskins are pretty much the only nonessential piece of gear I've purchased for my hammock, and I'm glad I did. If you've got any dollars to spare, buy the mesh ones from MountainGoat. DIY is easy enough, but MG's are made to order and you can feel good about supporting a top-notch cottage vendor.

[kquest]

single or double for a 12' tarp?

[DutchConch]

I have a double on one and a single on the other. I like the single. With the double I tend to get bunched up material in the middle as I'm bringing the two together. Not so with the single one. Or course it could just be operater error.

[Shug]

single or double for a 12' tarp?

Depends more on the Width of tarp than the Length.

[kquest]

Aprox. 12' X 10"

5' from center to longest corner.IMG_20190929_181453316.jpg

[MikekiM]

Started using a Black Bishop Bag..

Switched to silnylon two piece snake skins.. wasn't so happy with them.

Made two sets of two piece mesh snake skins.. like the mesh more than the silnylon.

Got a two piece snake skin and a one piece skin, both in cuben fiber. Still didn't like the two piece, really liked the one piece.. but didn't like cuben for this application.

Switched to once piece mesh from HammockGear.. very happy with them. That said, I still put the skinned tarp in a cuben stuff sack. Keeps the mesh from getting snagged on trail and keeps things clean if the tarp and skins are wet.