Hammocking in high wind???

[Off-road]

I'm leaving in the morning for a couple of days of backpacking and upon reviewing the weather forecast i see 40mph winds tomorrow night.

I know to check for widow makers and perhaps hang on large diameter trees to limit sway but was wondering about my silnylon tarp.

If the skies are clear should i skip it? or can it handle it?
Any advice would be appreciated.

[Shug]

Go for it! Choose your site well .... find some wind block. Try and pitch with the end of your tarp at the wind. Get the wind end snug up to the tree for a block.
Have fun and hunker down.
Shug

[Cranky Bear]

Just what Shug said! Take it, and not worry! We want "PIC'S" when you get back!!!!

[Mustardman]

It also might be worth it to throw some grip clips in your pack - panel pulls can be a lifesaver when it's really windy.

In this picture, there was a solid 20 mph wind whipping up over the side of the mountain. Before adding the grip clip, the tarp was billowing constantly into my hammock.

Now, I could have re-pitched the hammock in a better orientation, to cut through the wind, but I was rather enjoying the wind block of the large tarp surface, because it was a very cold day, so I went with the grip clip instead. Worked very well.

[Oms]

Make sure your buttocks is above the bottom of your tarp. Lots of convective cooling going on down there. Also if your tarp is large enough to close off the ends, it will make all the difference.

[Doctari]

My sil nylon tarp routinely withstands 50 MPH Plus winds with no issue. When I know there is going to be a lot of wind, I rig the tarp flatter & lower, & when out hiking I try to pick a sheltered area, but I don't always know when the wind will blow & I don't always find a sheltered location. No worries!

[Off-road]

Thanks.....

Tarp "Speer" stood tall in 40+ mph winds but all the noise made it tough to fall asleep.

The unexpected 36 degs this morning along with the wind made me rush through breakfast.

[Just Jeff]

I'm different than Shug...I usually pitch broadside to the wind if I can. A tight pitch on a strong tarp can handle a lot. I had a MacCat in 100mph winds...the cords broke (I had somewhere to bail to) but the tarp came thru with flying colors...almost flying away! No damage to the tarp, except a small dent on the plastic D-ring from where it bent the carabiner. That kid produces some quality gear.

[Sweetpea]

I actually experienced high winds this weekend. Backpacked up Mt. Mitchell in NC (highest point in NC). Hiked 4.3 miles all up to commissary ridge to camp, scouted everywhere for a non windy campsite, and found nothing. Like Just Jeff, I set up broadside of the wind. Then hiked up the 1.6 miles to summit. When I came back, I had to re-adjust and tighten my tarp.

A cold front came in and dropped temps down considerably. It must of been 25-28 degrees Saturday night and the winds just got stronger. My winter speer tarp held up really well. In the middle of the night I woke up to some loud flapping, one of my stakes was ripped from the ground and I wasn't able to find it, luckily I had a spare aluminum stake. The winds whipped thru all night and you could actually hear it coming up on you. I just tightened up my tarps, and closed the door ends down tight. The tarp swayed back and forth, but my hammock did not move or swing inside. Thank goodness, cause any swinging gives me motion sickness. I slept warm and safe. Great hike too.

[Oms]

The tarp swayed back and forth, but my hammock did not move or swing inside. Thank goodness, cause any swinging gives me motion sickness. I slept warm and safe. Great hike too.

You wouldn't have liked the night I spent on a ridge above Lake In The Clouds. The short stubby wind swept trees should have been the first clue. I bounced from 9:00PM till 3:00AM because the trees were swaying so much. I am forever grateful that it didn't rain. I was using a stock Hennessy tarp which held up fine, but was pressed against the hammock all night.