Anyone using a rectangular tarp?

**Miguel** · 12-13-2006, 15:43

Tom Claytor is offering a rectangular tarp for his Jungle Hammock. I like the idea of the extra coverage in bad weather. I'm not concerned with the extra weight. Any opinions/experiences with rectangular tarps? Here's a link to his smaller one. The actual size of the new/larger one is 13' * 9'9".

http://www.mosquitohammock.com/rainfly.html

Miguel

**Arkwater** · 12-13-2006, 16:15

I have this one. About the same coverage as Tom's tarp, about $20 less, and you would get it a lot sooner.

**Certain** · 12-13-2006, 17:15

I don't know if this counts, buy my MacCat Delux wold be a rectangle if not for the catenary cut. I've been through really light snow, light rain, hard down pour, wind, and can't complain. I like having the option of more coverage and if it's nice, I can skin it or flip one side over.

**Perkolady** · 12-13-2006, 17:36

During one of my backyard experiments recently, I tried a rectangular tarp.

I will tell you, we had some MAJOR wind that night here in NE GA, and one thing I learned is that rectangulars make great winds SAILS

I bailed on that night's experiment, and it took me a good half hour to locate ALL 4 stakes the next day

Shortly after, I ordered a JRB tarp for Santa to give me...

I would say to go either with a MacCat type, or diamond shape or at least hang yours on the diagonal if it's very windy

Perkolady

**slowhike** · 12-13-2006, 18:16

i like a rectangle for the extra coverage. but taking the wind serious is important.

**chezrad** · 12-13-2006, 18:34

Well just out of curiosity could you have it both ways by getting a square tartp and changing the orientation depending on the expected weather? Campmor has a 10x10 that is 5 oz lighter than the 10x12. While not an exact square it is pretty darn close. Your staked ends would just be a little off kilter. Opinions?

**slowhike** · 12-13-2006, 19:40

seems like it would work. but you`d have a pretty long ridge line when you used it diagonally.
i guess the only potential problem w/ that would be that your trees would have to be far enough apart for it.

**chezrad** · 12-13-2006, 19:50

Let's see,
8x8 (JRB style) = 11.3137 ridge line
10x10 (campmor) = 14.1421 ridge line
12x12 (Neo style) = 16.9706

This doesn't look to bad. There is only about a six foot difference from 8 foot to 12 foot hung diagonally. If you hung these out in rectangular fashion there would be a 4 foot difference.

**slowhike** · 12-13-2006, 20:14

the only problem i would imagine is that sometimes when i find that perfect campsite, there may only be a couple or three good choices on trees to hang from.
i like a ridge line that`s longer than my hammock of course, but the longer it is, the more likely i`ll run into a situation where the "perfect trees" are just a little to close to accommodate the length of mt tarp.
but then if that`s the case, i guess you could just use the tarp a-frame style, giving you the shorter ridge line option.

**stoikurt** · 12-13-2006, 22:16

Originally Posted by slowhike

the only problem i would imagine is that sometimes when i find that perfect campsite, there may only be a couple or three good choices on trees to hang from.
i like a ridge line that`s longer than my hammock of course, but the longer it is, the more likely i`ll run into a situation where the "perfect trees" are just a little to close to accommodate the length of mt tarp.
but then if that`s the case, i guess you could just use the tarp a-frame style, giving you the shorter ridge line option.

That's kind of the problem I've had with the 9X9 GG on diagonal. It has a length of almost 13 feet. That's what has me thinking about making a McCat style with 11 foot ridge.