HH Tarp Blues

[Knotty]

Don't remember where, but recently read that the HH asym tarp should have it's sides tightened first then you snug up the ends which go to the trees. Just like BB58 says.

[KMACK]

maybe stretch it out flat on the ground. anchor the corners and see if it wrinkles in the middle. If it does that should tell you that the seams are keeping it from being taught. If it does lay flat then it's your rigging of it.

Good idea, lets see.....Yep lofty and wrinkles in the middle! Also when I pull on the opposing tie outs what should be the ridge actually dips down about an inch the entire length creating a gutter like channel.

FH, my ridge line is exactly like yours and even w/the tarp going over the RL I cant get the center of the tarp tight.

[packeagle]

I have the same issues with my HH 70D tarp. It is like there is a lot of slack in the center. I think it is in part to the lack of a ridge seam, and in part because of some slack in the center rectangle of the asym tarp. On mine it seems as if the side triangles are tight while the center kinda flops a bit.

[KMACK]

So I removed the factory hem but it still has an odd stretch/sag in the center. Plan "B" will be to make a DIY Grizz Beak, pannel pull outs for another tarp or maybe a pack cover out of it.

[G.L.P.]

KMACK.... sounds like you got a bad tarp

[BillyBob58]

KMACK.... sounds like you got a bad tarp

I'm starting to wonder about that myself. Look at these pics from today:
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...683#post408683

This is not even with a separate RL, but just tied to trees at the level of the HH hammock's RL. Actually looked pretty good to me, better than usual.

[Rhino]

KMACK.... sounds like you got a bad tarp

Its not just his, mine is pretty bad. It was my first rig and thought it was me, I still have it around somewhere Ill have to pull it out. Every tarp I've had since has not had a problem at all. I remember it was REALLY bad!

I'm starting to wonder about that myself. Look at these pics from today:
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...683#post408683

This is not even with a separate RL, but just tied to trees at the level of the HH hammock's RL. Actually looked pretty good to me, better than usual.

That actually looks pretty good, nothing like mine looked like which is exactly what KMACK is describing...

[packeagle]

I agree, my tarp doesn't look nearly as good as that one. I have gone to a separate CRL and I still have just as much issues. I thought it was me but am beginning to believe it may be more. Its odd how it can be as tight as i can get it and the edges are very tight but the center still flaps in the wind.

[KMACK]

BB58, yours is much better than mine, nice report too. Kinda glad to hear that I'm not the only one w/this problem. Never been an issue w/my MacCat or my basic 8x10 sil tarp getting nice and tight. Oh well, DIY time.

[zukiguy]

I had all but retired the stock tarp from my HH EULA in favor of my MacCat. I just picked up a lightly used Expedition for my son and figured I'd try to recycle the slightly larger/lighter tarp from the Explorer.

So I started tinkering in the back yard with it tied directly to the trees, with a ridgeline under, then finally made some klemheist knots for a connection directly to the whoopies. Even back when it was installed on my Explorer I never got a really good pitch but it worked.

Only with a ridgeline under the tarp did I get anything resembling a tight pitch. This required first staking out the sides pretty tight then pulling out the ends as indicated previously. I put a loop of 1/8" shock cord on the ends to apply constant but slight tension. The tarp was still a little "floppy" but it didn't have the huge trough along the ridge as with the other methods.

Just to make things simple for my son I'll stick with the connection to the whoopies but for flexibility I'll put together a nice zing-it ridgeline later. Any PIF folks out there feeling generous???