Hennesy stock tarp???

[Kerry]

Hi all,

I'm quite new to hanging, but not to tarp camping. My wife and I have Hennessy Ultralight Backpackers, but haven't used them on the trail yet.

Has anyone actually been able to use the stock HULB tarp in REAL rain with wind??? Seems almost impossible to me. But, if so, would you mind sharing your thoughts and methods, perhaps suspension angles (a 'tighter' hang, with less than 30deg lowers the tarp, I noticed, but strains the ridge line...).

The stock tarp seems pretty small, particularly on the short asym sides-- seems nearly impossible to get enough coverage in those spots that even gently blowing rain wouldn't pass the edge and collect in the hammock top, particularly if the hang uses the suggested 30deg angle, which puts the stock tarp quite a ways above the hammock, creating a large space for even gently angled rain.

While I already have JRB 8x8 replacements, and am aware of rigging the tarp separately and all the benefits of that, I like the idea of the stock Hennessy tarp rig, where the tarp attaches to the main suspension directly, not to mention the slight weight savings of the smaller tarp.

I'm particularly concerned because of the need to keep the down insulation dry.

Kerry

[bluejeans]

Kerry,
For what it is worth. I bought a HH Deep Jungle, confusing name; it is just a double wall hammock, and had the same apprehension for tarp coverage in rain. Recently both my son and I were on a 5 day hike and spent most of one day holed up in our hammocks enduring heavy rain and both of us were dry and comfy. He has the same type of hammock, so two folks dry using the same style of tarp. I have recently ordered a Hammock Gear Cuban tarp but not because the HH tarp failed to keep me dry. Just wanted more versatility and wind protection that this new tarp will provide. Hope this sheds some light.

[packeagle]

I have used it on its own ridge line with success. I prefer more coverage for chores and the like. So i up tarped. The stock tarp was sufficient in keep sleep system dry as designed.

[Two Tents]

It will work. There is just a learning curve that you can get through in your back yard. Hang and play. Change the angles and ridge line tightness, the tarp tie outs, close to the hammock body, far away ect.- Play with it till you can lock it down. It is all I had when I first started hanging and I stayed dry. Are there better alternatives? Yes, but it will work as designed once you get used to how to button it down.

[Kerry]

Do most of you rig your tarps on a separate line, abandoning the stock attachment?

Kerry

[Two Tents]

No. I used it as is. When I up tarped ( I like that new word combo ) to an OES McCat Deluxe I still used the bungy cord to the hook and basically had the same system cept for a different tarp. That's just me. I'm sure others did it different. I just got a Wilderness Logics Tad Pole tarp that I put on my Hennessy the other night for a back yard quilt test. It worked great and stayed tight all night, Actually it was like that tarp was made for it!

[Two Tents]

A bit of design and thought went into the original Hennessy design. I figure smarter folks than me decided that was the way to go to make it work as a system. It really does work, I must say. I never had no troubles. Site selection IS important. I been in some storms that I was concerned about but came out fine.

[UncleMJM]

It will work. There is just a learning curve that you can get through in your back yard. Hang and play. Change the angles and ridge line tightness, the tarp tie outs, close to the hammock body, far away ect.- Play with it till you can lock it down. It is all I had when I first started hanging and I stayed dry. Are there better alternatives? Yes, but it will work as designed once you get used to how to button it down.

+1 on all of the above.

I've had success both with the tarp rigged on the suspension lines and tied separately.

When on the suspension lines and anticipating rain, l stake it almost vertically and nearly on the netting for bad weather. The bottom entry makes this work.

My preferred way is hang tarp on a different line tied to the tree lower than the tree huggers, one side down and the other in porch mode. If the weather turns bad, just batten down the porch side as above and nap through the storm.

Bottom line is the system works but there is a learning curve and like many others, I've gone to a larger tarp for more ground coverage, not more hammock coverage.

[Jsaults]

Early on in my hammocking life I experienced a torrential downpour without wind, and came through dry. But I got soaked during a different storm when wind was a factor.

As has been pointed out already, using a separate line to rig your tarp will allow you to keep it closer to the hammock and make maximum use of the coverage. But this is not pleasant in humid conditions. I now have a Warbonnet Superfly and just took delivery of a McCat Deluxe so I will be leaving my HH standard at home.

JIm

[BillyBob58]

+1 on all of the above.

I've had success both with the tarp rigged on the suspension lines and tied separately.

When on the suspension lines and anticipating rain, l stake it almost vertically and nearly on the netting for bad weather. The bottom entry makes this work.

My preferred way is hang tarp on a different line tied to the tree lower than the tree huggers, one side down and the other in porch mode. If the weather turns bad, just batten down the porch side as above and nap through the storm.

Bottom line is the system works but there is a learning curve and like many others, I've gone to a larger tarp for more ground coverage, not more hammock coverage.

As you see, there are many stories experiences here where people have stayed dry in considerable rain. The most famous from the old days is Sgt.Rock, who reported riding out a "hurricane" near the gulf coast. Of course he was not actually on the coast in the worse of the storm, but he was close enough and it was a blowing deluge. I think he was also the only one in his camp of fellow soldiers(on the ground) not soaked.

Still, I have always thought it nearly impossible for that tarp to keep me dry in a windy storm, and there have been a few folks over the years reporting getting wet. I think without question the pitch has to be perfect. Though I personally have never put it to the test while sleeping in it- light rains only.

However, with the addition of a HH Super Shelter, I hung mine in the back yars one night in a storm that turned out so severe that I was wishing I hadn't, because I was certain something was going to be torn from high winds. I did have the tarp in a storm pitch with really secure stakes, with tarp attached to HH suspension Prussiks.. And I was not in it. I was dying to run out and take it all down, but no way was I going out in that lightning and deluge. There were tornadoes reported nearby. So I just wrote it off for destruction. Also, it was totally exposed to the west winds and every thing else. The only 2 trees in the back yard- which it was attached to- were on a north south line and were about 21 ft apart. Other than that, badly exposed.

After the storm settled down and continued raining lightly all night, I checked the next morning. I was shocked to see that nothing was damaged, and everything was in place. In the low point of the SS sil-nylon undercover, there were about 1 or 2 tablespoons of water, plus some drops on the UC itself. No doubt some slash up from the ground as well. Everything else appeared bone dry. I though every thing would be soaked. But the UC did work to keep at least some water off of the hammock, how wet it would have gotten without that UC hard to say. Probably at least a little.

Keep in mind that if you tie the tarp to the trees- to get a nice tight pitch- when you get in the hammock it will sink towards the ground and away from the tarp ridgeline, and you will be more exposed to sideways rain. You will have to try various tricks to minimize that ( tying the hammock suspension higher on the trees than the tarp line). If you attache to the hammock suspension Prussicks as designed, you will have much better coverage as both will sink lower together. But then you will have a very noisy, floppy tarp, and will have to learn tricks to lessen that miserable effect. (weighted stuff sacks attached to tarp side mitten hooks, elastics, etc)