Poncho Tarp Suggestions

[schwieb]

I know this has been touched on a bit in the past, but I wanted to get some fresh opinions on the subject.

I would not consider myself an ultra light hiker (more of a lightweight hiker) but I do hate carrying too much extra gear, especially if it is redundant. To this end, I occasionally consider getting a few campmor/golite poncho tarps to use as a cover for my hammocks. I think the idea has surfaced again for me since I recently got a couple hammocks for my twin girls to use.

So what are your thoughts?

[angrysparrow]

Ponchos that are long enough for good hammock coverage are too big to wear while hiking. And ponchos that are the right size to wear are too minimal for use as a hammock tarp.

JMO

[schwieb]

Even if hung diagonally in an asym fashion?

[Ramblinrev]

Probably the best answer to that question would be to give it a try with a poncho you already have. Only you can tell whether something would perform to your satisfaction or not. It has been done. I prefer a bigger tarp so that I have some real estate to move around in.

[bdpalace]

I know this has been touched on a bit in the past, but I wanted to get some fresh opinions on the subject.

I would not consider myself an ultra light hiker (more of a lightweight hiker) but I do hate carrying too much extra gear, especially if it is redundant. To this end, I occasionally consider getting a few campmor/golite poncho tarps to use as a cover for my hammocks. I think the idea has surfaced again for me since I recently got a couple hammocks for my twin girls to use.

So what are your thoughts?

I think you need to consider the comfort of your twins as the primary deciding factor. A sub-standard tarp system that doesn't perform when needed could have a negative impact on their desire to continue hammocking. I use big tarps with my boys so they have somewhere to pass the time during a rain storm and not be confined to the hammock. YMMV.

[Hawk-eye]

Me personally ... saving the weight of the tarp to use the poncho wouldn't be worth it. First of all if it's raining ... you can't much get out from under your tarp/poncho ... because it's tied to your trees/hammock. I like a little larger coverage than I'd ever get from a poncho for cooking ... lolly gagging or just enjoying the rain. But I like to walk around in the rain on occasion ... so anyway ...

My suggestion is use a tarp and get a PACKA ... rain gear and pack cover. Not to mention the power of the PACKA

[WV]

I've made one of Roy Robinson's poncho-tarptents and hung it diagonally over my hammock. The hood is not centered lengthwise in the poncho, so the back is longer than the front. When wearing the poncho without a pack, you fold up 18" of the back (fastened with velco) so it doesn't drag on the ground. When wearing a pack the extra length gives coverage for you and the pack. This is a workable light-weight solution. As a hammock tarp, it gives better coverage than a HH stock tarp, but not much protection from the side. This can be partially offset by choosing protected campsites and planning trips in moderate weather. The diagonal of this tarp is 128", which is longer than my ridgeline.
I found the hood can be sealed off okay when using the poncho as a tarp. I modified mine a bit: (1) the head opening wasn't as big as I like - it snagged my glasses - so I added a gusset, and (2) I used some GripClips to add a rectangle of bungee inside the back to snug it around my pack - makes it into a poor man's Packa. This is a great mod.

http://royrobinson.homestead.com/PonchoPlans.html

The idea for the bungee drawcord mod came from this thread.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...t=packa+poncho
The drawcord is the only part that I used, not the added fabric for the pack cover. My poncho stores snugged around the pack as a pack cover, with the rest tucked under the drawcord at the edges. It's easy to deploy without taking off the pack - much like the Packa.

[ringtail-THFKAfood]

The answer is maybe. It depends on your style. I use a poncho when hiking solo, but I do not spend a lot of time in camp. I generally start moving at first light and stop for breakfast, hike until time to stop for dinner, then hike another couple of hours after dinner. This is not a good style for hiking with kids.

Once I did a six night trip with a ground dwelling buddy. We had our ponchos on at least once a day on all seven days. I hiked in the poncho and took a MacCat Deluxe for my hammock fy. After the first night I set the MacCat up as a dining fly that I shared with my buddy and used the poncho on my hammock. That would be useful for hiking with the kids.

[SGT Rock]

I've used one - it is the minimal coverage as stated. Mine is about as big as the Hennessy Asym tarp is. Here is a pic of them together


You have less room for error, and in a bad storm you have to play with where and how you hang.

[plowhorse]

Not to mention the power of the PACKA

I can not belive I missed that video I laughed through the whole thing.
Grizz love the mel brooks hommage.