Is 5 x 9 too small for a tarp? I have a couple of 5 x 7 asyms but I'm looking for a bit more coverage and think a rectangular hang might provide it. Thoughts? Critiques? Dire warnings?
Is 5 x 9 too small for a tarp? I have a couple of 5 x 7 asyms but I'm looking for a bit more coverage and think a rectangular hang might provide it. Thoughts? Critiques? Dire warnings?
"A bore is a man who deprives you of solitude without providing you with company." Gian Vincenzo Gravina (1664 - 1718)
If you figure 102 " for a hammock ridgeline which is what I use on my DIYs then 9' (108") will only just barely cover the length. But it will cover it. 5' width gives you 2.5 feet on each side. It's doable I suppose. Beyond that it really depends on what your comfort level is. I personally would not want to use that small a tarp. But if you don't mind the added risk of exposure knock yourself out. I think you would find more reliable coverage with your asym tarps than you would with a 5 X 9. Unless you hang the 5 x 9 on the diagonal. That would change everything.
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Except for a spire of fabric coming out of the middle of the ENO Dry Fly, on both sides it is just 5' wide. Clark for years made its standard fly for 8' long hammocks just 6 feet wide at the widest and just over 8' long. I was comfortable under one last night under heavy (for NJ) rainfall.
Remember that an 8' = 96" hammock sags to 5/6 that or 7'. And the old Clark standard fly includes velcro at both ends. Angle the tarp down toward the foot end and seal it, where no vision is needed, and the Clark work's as a lightweight solution.
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It may fit, it may not! For example my custom hammock has a ridgeline length of 89", add 2" for the gathered ends, then couple that with a extra 2" per side and I have 97" that needs covering, so a 9ft tarp (or 108") would cover me very well with proper placement!
One thing that should be re-stated is "Proper Placement" of the tarp! When using minimal tarps proper placement is essential to staying dry.
So with all this said what is the length of your hammock ridgleline, then is there anything (extension of fabric, ie..gathered end) past the ridgeline that needs to be under the cover of the tarp, measure this and then for my own purposes I add 2" to each end, YMMV
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It's always best if your an early riser!
Considering that you're using a Nano-7, it should cover the hammock at the ends. I don't know how good the side coverage is going to be, though; that's 2.5 ft on either side. You'd pretty much have to have the tarp in your face to cover the low point where your butt is in the hammock from side-blown rain.
Fair weather, with straight-down showers? Sure, it'd work. Monsoon weather (or a summer afternoon t-storm down here)? I'd be worried--and probably wet--if I tried it with that hammock.
Still, if you do decide to go with it, let us know how it works out!
Not the same size, but this may help visualize different sizes. Some images on pg 2
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I made a 5x10 tarp once and it was very small because I didn't put very much asym in it.
Too small if if I hung it as an A frame rectangle, 2.5 sides are too small period.
On the diagonal, not enough coverage because I didnt put enough asym. The tips were way too pointy.
I have some tyvek kite fabric on order, just to play with. I thought that might be the consensus. I have a few asym tarps and always feel like I don't have good coverage at my head and feet. I THINK 9 ft long will work with my Nano (I'll try to test it this weekend). I suppose I should think more along the lines of 9 x 6 or even 10 x 7?
"A bore is a man who deprives you of solitude without providing you with company." Gian Vincenzo Gravina (1664 - 1718)
FWIW my standard tarp is a 8x10 (hung on the 10ft ridge) and I pretty much use this all year round! My hammock is a custom, same length as a Nano7, but wider.. And I always have great coverage, but if I wanted too I could go smaller, I have used very small diamond tarps before and have weathered some very nasty storms, it's all about pitch, placement, and using your surroundings to your advantage (bushes, trees, brush, etc...) to block or deflect some wind/rain! JMO, YMMV
"yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift---thats why its called a present" - Master Oogway
It's always best if your an early riser!
You will find that you want a couple inches wiggle room on the length of your tarp vs your hammock ridgeline because otherwise you need to center the tarp perfectly which is a really pain. The side length of 2.5 is probably doable, but you might want a little longer esp. if your storing your other gear under it. just me .2
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