5 x 9 rectangular tarp

[DemostiX]

User's height matters. We are all used to chair and seat heights of 16". At 5'7", I don't have the problem with a narrow tarp someone 7" taller would have.

Figure that for the feeling before getting under the tarp and into the hammock that person would want a peak 7" higher, and therefor a tarp to still provide same coverage from side-blow side that would be a full 2' wider.

With tents, tarps, and bricks and mortar or stick construction: high ceiling are costly. That's why the tapers of AHE's tarps and the tilted hang that used to be pictured for Clark tapered rain flys are good ways to save weight.

[Kestrel]

A lot of guys here use the Maccat Micro, which is 120 x 60, or 10 x 5.

Look up those threads if you want a good look at what the tarps will look like. They're doable with some thinking and very ultralight, but not great for nasty weather given the obvious lack of protection. Utilizing the surroundings helps a lot when setting up a tarp like that.

The 9x5 design is tempting, because you can just buy three cheap yards of sil, throw an edge all around, and be done with it. Honestly, that extra one yard of sil would go a long way. 10ft is much more doable when it comes to end-to-end coverage, and the extra sil could possibly be used for other projects.

Anyway, look up the Micro if you want actual photos.