I often use my GoLite Poncho Tarp with my hammock. Worked great even during a long rain shower in Virginia.
In Virginia:
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...5/img_2160.jpg
In Arizona:
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...k-hammocks.jpg
Printable View
I often use my GoLite Poncho Tarp with my hammock. Worked great even during a long rain shower in Virginia.
In Virginia:
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...5/img_2160.jpg
In Arizona:
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...k-hammocks.jpg
My poncho serves double duty as a weathershield for underneath my hammock. It also provides some additional insulation as it blocks the wind. If needed, I can use it as a ground sheet for going to ground (oh the horror!). Fortunately I have never had to do that.
I heard about Rook's poncho/tarp and loved the idea so much I am in the process of working with Joe (zpacks.com) on making me a poncho tarp as well. I am going with a 9 long x 6 wide x 5 base hex. The caveats being I set my ridgeline to 80-85 inches, and I'm 5' 3". Someone bigger than me might want a bigger tarp. A regular 9x6 was going to be too baggy on my short body, so making it into a hex cuts out the bagginess of such a big poncho without losing too much coverage in tarp mode. I'm also planning on making some GrizzBeaks for it that only add an ounce at most. I think the key will be wearing my wind gear under it all. That way if I do have any issue with the poncho, I have a bit of a backup and like others have said, it will give me enough of a barrier to get the tarp set up without soaking me. Match a rain skirt that doubles as a place to sit/stand under my hammock and I'll be set!
In all honesty, the only reason I'm even going this route is because I can have something custom made. I looked, and if I had to try and do it with one of the poncho/tarps on the market, I wouldn't.
Edit: Oh and if you're still undecided by then, I should have my tarp in hand and a review up on my blog by mid to late February.
I've been using DIYed poncho over my hammock. None of the budget ponchos were long enough. First tests were in quite heavy weather - strong wind and torrential rain combined with an old pine forest (trees far apart, no real cover against elements, wet moss underneath). It worked out well enough, so I keep on using that setup.
Poncho is 150x270cm, hammock body is by coincidence made out of same sized-cloth (5x9 ft if you're from the Empire) and that's as big/small, as I can wear/sleep in comfortably.
My personal conclusions are as follows:
Poncho is small, but may be just enough not to put me in survival mode every time when the weather breaks.
Rain, even torrential, is not a big problem. Ugly stuff happens with strong wind. I had a piece of my hammock sprayed with the water that was dripping along the longer edge of the poncho. Also it does not shield the lowest part of the hammock against the wind. I probably could improve my situation - move things around, check and re-check if it's ok. However - the wet part was mostly under the foam, so I just ignored that, things dried later.
It looks like the poncho is not wide enough to use it as an A-frame roof (maybe if you like to feel wind blowing through you), diamond configuration (or a-sym if you like) is much better. You can still not tie the poncho to the ridgeline, and fiddle individually with ever corner to create exactly the kind of shelter that you need - anywhere you want between lean-to, a-sym and A-frame. It can be ugly and labor-intensive, but that's how turning **** into gold looks like if you're going that light.
I started out using my poncho as my tarp. But found I was stuck under it in fowl weather.
I now carry a hammock tarp and to save weight I use a light weight rain jacket with chaps and find life is much more comfortable in bad weather.
hth
Photo taken 1976
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/p...ictureid=12642
So how did you go with that ZPacks Custom job?
Any photos?
Ive been looking at this for a while and I think it's going to have to be a custom job. I'm 6'2" so the dimensions will be a little different.
I live out in Far North Queensland in Australia. A lot of my hanging will be very unlikely to get rained on and this sort of solution is very attractive. I'd love to hear how it worked out for you.
I don't think it has any PRACTICAL application unless you are POSITIVE it's not going to rain and you really only want to keep a light dew off the majority of you and your gear.
I use a G.I. poncho over my youngest's kids hammock and it works well, but the hammock is only 6' long.