Custom HG Tarp for my Warbonnet Ridgerunner

[mad goat]

I have had this for a couple weeks now, but chose to remain quiet until I had pictures.... (that seems to be important around here )

Adam at HG was very helpful with some suggestions when I first contacted him regarding this tarp. I initially was only going to do a hex tarp with some modified dimensions, but he put a bug in my head about only doing doors on one end. So here is what we ended up with.

-10'10" cat cut ridgeline
-8' straight cut baselines (with 3 tieout locations instead of 2)
(straight cut is to maximize tarp width for bad weather)
-side panel pull outs located at 6'8" apart
-doors only on one end to allow for blocking directional bad weather.
-bug net loops on the bottom side of the ridgeline for attaching the RR bugnet

Weights:
tarp only - 6.5oz
stuff sack - 0.3 oz

The dimensions of the tarp seemed to work out really well. My plan is to use the end with the doors as the foot end of the hammock, since the foot end spreader bar is much narrower than the head end. I also plan on greatly reducing the foot end dogbones on the Ridgerunner so I can easily shut the foot end doors. In inclement or windy weather, I will point the foot end into the wind and shut the doors tight.

My first setup with the ridgeline loops for the RR bugnet didn't go so well though. The loops are spaced right above the tieout points on the RR, and they hook on there just fine, but the RR bugnet seems to be made in such a way that it needs to be pulled up and out diagonally to pull it tight. As is, the net had lots of sag in it. Further, if I tried to cinch it tighter to take out the sag, it started to pull the tarp ridgeline down too much and made little dimples in the ridgeline that would turn into little ponds in the rain. No big deal though.... I can easily clip this off the RR net to the D rings at the ends of the tarp ridgeline. If I had it to do all over again, I would have asked Adam to make these loops right next to the ridgeline ends under the tarp like on the warbonnet cloudburst, or just would have done without them. I guess I will use them as bling loops for chili pepper lights or something....

I am very happy with how this tarp turned out, so big thanks to HG for making a great product. As a side note, when I was working with Adam on this tarp, he said that he loves his Ridgerunners (all 3 of them). So, if you were wondering if one of his tarps would work for your RR, then give him a call because he has lots of experience with the RR.

Here's the pics

[hairbear]

Very cool set up.

[ferret]

Looking to do something similar soon. Are the panel pulls setup to be right at the spreader bars?

[Acer]

I did mine similiar to yours but with a 12' length RL tarp for more coverage inside with Adam for the RR and love it. I know you will love yours the more you use it as there is nothing like cuben. Enjoy the moments! And the sweet tarp!

[mad goat]

Hairbear:
Thanks. I think it will work out well. Next on my list is figuring out what to do about the spreader bars. My older black diamond contour trekking poles have the bent handles... Are you still using your trekking poles as your spreader bars? I seem to recall that you had an issue with that....

Ferret:
Yeah, the panel pulls are spaced for the spreader bars at 6'8" apart. Adam from HG said that he felt you only needed the head end spreader bar with the pullouts. But with the pullouts spaced properly at both ends, I can use either end as the head or the foot end.

Acer:
I have been paying lots of attention to your posts over the last couple months as I have been rigging my ridgerunner that I got for Christmas. Thanks for the video that you put up with your 12' tarp. That gave me the idea to do the straight cut on the baselines for more coverage, instead of a cat cut. I really wanted to go with cuben to save weight, but I was worried that the 8.5' wide tarp wouldn't have enough coverage, but your comments and Adam's assurance convinced me that the standard width cuben would be enough. Now that I have seen it all set up.... I'm pretty happy with the width.

I wasn't planning on getting doors because of the monster suspension triangle on the ridgerunner, but Adam mentioned how he liked having doors on one end... Now I am pretty glad he convinced me about this. If I reduce the suspension triangle on the foot end, I think I will be able to get the doors shut with no problems. I'm not going to be too brave on the head end though.... I'm a big boy.

[louisfb]

That looks pretty cool. I will remember this when i go to order my tarp. Anyone thought about using a CF Griz Beak instead of doors? I have been kicking that idea around for a couple of days.

--louis

[mad goat]

Thanks louisfb. I got a chance to use my tarp again last weekend in the smokies for a couple nights. It worked out pretty well.

I shortened the suspension triangle on the foot end of my ridgerunner to 30" dogbones, instead of the stock 42" dogbones. I put the end of the tarp with doors at the foot end of the tarp. If I pitch the tarp tight to the hammock, I am able to get the doors closed. But if the weather is nice, I pitch the tarp high above the hammock and roll back the doors.

[8Daddy]

How do the shortened dogbones affect your hang? Do you notice a difference?

[mad goat]

How do the shortened dogbones affect your hang? Do you notice a difference?

I have not noticed a difference on the foot end. No difference in stability or hang comfort.

I used the same ratio of spreader bar length to dogbone length as on the head end and came out with a roughly 30" calculated dogbone length. Since this is the same ratio as the head end, there should be no undue stress on the foot spreader bar.

I have not messed with the dogbone length on the head end yet though. While I would love to shorten the minimum hang distance between trees, I am already pushing the weight limit on the hammock.

Some others have reported the hammock getting a bit too tippy when shortening the head end dogbones....

[hairbear]

Hairbear:
Thanks. I think it will work out well. Next on my list is figuring out what to do about the spreader bars. My older black diamond contour trekking poles have the bent handles... Are you still using your trekking poles as your spreader bars? I seem to recall that you had an issue with that....

Ferret:
Yeah, the panel pulls are spaced for the spreader bars at 6'8" apart. Adam from HG said that he felt you only needed the head end spreader bar with the pullouts. But with the pullouts spaced properly at both ends, I can use either end as the head or the foot end.

Acer:
I have been paying lots of attention to your posts over the last couple months as I have been rigging my ridgerunner that I got for Christmas. Thanks for the video that you put up with your 12' tarp. That gave me the idea to do the straight cut on the baselines for more coverage, instead of a cat cut. I really wanted to go with cuben to save weight, but I was worried that the 8.5' wide tarp wouldn't have enough coverage, but your comments and Adam's assurance convinced me that the standard width cuben would be enough. Now that I have seen it all set up.... I'm pretty happy with the width.

I wasn't planning on getting doors because of the monster suspension triangle on the ridgerunner, but Adam mentioned how he liked having doors on one end... Now I am pretty glad he convinced me about this. If I reduce the suspension triangle on the foot end, I think I will be able to get the doors shut with no problems. I'm not going to be too brave on the head end though.... I'm a big boy.

Im still using mine ,the problem came from damage to the plastic tip being cracked while hiking. Since I replaced the tips no issues at all.
Keep a close eye on the plastic tips right where the last section of pole goes into them.