Newbie with tarps

[troutalope]

Hey Everyone,

I have really enjoyed lounging around in my 11ft Dream Hammock Freebird. I have decided to leave the tent at home for this summer/fall and take out the hammock. This means I need a tarp. I have been doing research like crazy and basically found out that most cottage manufactures make their version of the same tarp....can't go wrong with any of them for the most part.

My question is what are your thoughts on the Kelty Noah's Tarp in the 9x9 (or should I go 12x12??) option. This tarp caught my eye because of price. I realize that there are lighter options out there, but for a first go around with a tarp this one has caught my eye. The other tarp that I have been looking at is the Toxaway Tarp by Arrowhead Equipment or the UGQ Hanger series.

Curious is the Kelty would make a decent first tarp, or if you suggest spending about double for one of the cottage vendors. I also was wondering how important doors are on a tarp and if I should bypass all of these and get ones with doors.

Steven

[Bullhed78]

Kelty Noah's tarps are set up for a corner to corner ridge line. I bought a 12x12 before I knew this. With the Noah's 12 tarp your ridge line ends up being like 17 feet. I'm sure it could be set up as an A frame but I just returned it and bought a BCUSA 10x12 because they are made for an A frame ridge line. They can be hard to find in stock but I believe Etowah tarps are the same thing.

Edit: I just looked on Etowah's website and I don't think they offer a 10x12

[Rolloff]

Not sure what the length on the 9x9 is in diamond configuration, but for an 11' hammock it could be a bit short.

The Kelty Noah series are decent tarps for what they are, but they are not hammock tarps. They can work but there is a difference. Car and Yak campers find use in the larger sizes for group and cooking flys, when weight is not so much of an issue.

I kind of like the idea of doing with what you have, or grab a cheap WW blue tarp until you can afford to spend the 90-110 dollars or so, for something Silnylon and more packable if you intend on hiking with it on your back.

The next step up is CF, so for backpackers it's quickly becoming a market of,

The Cheap low or lower priced PU coated tarps,

The Medium priced Silnylon so many of us already carry on our backs, versus

The feather weight Top End Pricing Cuben Fiber.

That puts the slightly higher priced PU tarps like Gear Guide and Kelty almost in a grey zone. Not the cheapest you can get by with, and not the step up it might have been in some minds in the past.

The bottom line is if it works for you it's all fine. Once you leave the parking lots, the developed campgrounds, and pass that Trail Head Marker, all the rest comes into better focus, concerning what you need, can afford, can put up with.

[troutalope]

I may then go with the Arrowhead Toxaway Tarp.....also was just turned on to the Warbonnet Edge tarp as well.

[Tom18C]

I would look at a Superfly, or something like that. Buy once cry once, don't skimp on quality. The tarp will pay dividends over the years. Check out some Shug videos..... Good luck my friend!

[Lastczarnian]

I have used the Kelty Noah 9 and 12 in diamond and A frame style. No problems setting them up either way so far.

[dkurfiss]

I have the 12x12 and use it A Frame and make sort of doors on the ends. I use it in colder months and in the summer when I know I am going to be camping a heavy or blowing rains. Nothing wrong with the Kelty 12x12 except it is heavy and bulky for hiking.

9x9 set up diamond will work on a 10' hammock but I don't know about an 11' hammock.

[Chris K]

Kelty Noah 12 was my first tarp and I still use it from time to time. It's a bit heavy but it has a ton of tie outs and it can be pitched numerous ways. I tend to use it in doors configuration but have also used it as a single tarp over two hammocks.

[sargevining]

Not sure what the length on the 9x9 is in diamond configuration, but for an 11' hammock it could be a bit short.

The Kelty Noah series are decent tarps for what they are, but they are not hammock tarps. They can work but there is a difference. Car and Yak campers find use in the larger sizes for group and cooking flys, when weight is not so much of an issue.

I kind of like the idea of doing with what you have, or grab a cheap WW blue tarp until you can afford to spend the 90-110 dollars or so, for something Silnylon and more packable if you intend on hiking with it on your back.

The next step up is CF, so for backpackers it's quickly becoming a market of,

The Cheap low or lower priced PU coated tarps,

The Medium priced Silnylon so many of us already carry on our backs, versus

The feather weight Top End Pricing Cuben Fiber.

That puts the slightly higher priced PU tarps like Gear Guide and Kelty almost in a grey zone. Not the cheapest you can get by with, and not the step up it might have been in some minds in the past.

The bottom line is if it works for you it's all fine. Once you leave the parking lots, the developed campgrounds, and pass that Trail Head Marker, all the rest comes into better focus, concerning what you need, can afford, can put up with.

The length of the diagonal on a 9 foot square is 12'-8 3/4"

[Monkeyboy42]

The length of the diagonal on a 9 foot square is 12'-8 3/4"

The problem is the keltys aren't actually square. It's called a 9x9 because it covers 81sq'. They've calculated that coverage with the catcuts, so that from middle of catcut to middle of catcut is less then 9', but the corners make up for lost coverage becauses they are longer then 9' from corner to corner. I figured this out on my Noah 12 when I realized it had a wierd length ridge in a-frame.

That said the 12 is a fine tarp. It kept me dry on a seven day canoe trip last summer in which in rained the entire time. As said it is bulky for backpacking though. I built a silpoly replacement pretty cheaply for backpacking.