OK, this is yet another test with a different variety of rain than the big storm we had the other day, when I tested the Claytor No Net covered by an 11 foot JRB tarp.
This time, I had advance notice of the supposedly approaching rain. So, I set up my Claytor JH last night, covered by the 13 foot long diamond Claytor tarp, instaed of the 11 foot JRB. The suspension was identical to the other day: on the head end, a short piece of Spyder line throgh the channel, then attached to a cinch buckle on the hammock end, which then is attached to webbing and then to/around the stand upright. Though in this case it is Speer webbing rather than Harbor Freight yellow. On the foot end, it is once again stock Claytor webbing, which is famous for wicking water. Once again I have added a knot just a couple of inches out from the hammock on the left side of the channel, with a carabiner through a bowline on the other side of the channel.
Oh, I almost forgot: I also had a line running from the Mossy net spreader bar out to the uprights on each end. I was worried about water also running down this line to the hammock. So I also put a knot in these lines, and made sure the knots were covered by the tarp.
It started a slow steady rain last night, and has rained a couple of inches over the last 18 hours or so, rarely letting up. I checked the hammock at various times through out the day, laying in it a few times during occasionally heavy rain for 30-45 minute periods.
This time, the test went even better, as the hammock remained bone dry on both ends. So going by the two tests, it appears that adding a knot to the stock webbing will suffice to keep rain from wicking and running down the webbing into the fabric. YMMV.
Results were good and more than adequate last time, but were better this time.I guess I can think of a couple of reasons for the dif:
1: There was no wind with this rain, and the tarp was hung correctly to start with, with elastics on the tie outs to keep things snug. So, some of the slight dampness observed on the hammock ends before may have been due to a small amount sideways rain blowing into the ends of the tarp or under the sides which was, at first, severely flapping in the wind due to poor set up.
2: It could be because the Claytor tarp's extra length covered more of the webbing, allowing less water over time to run down the line and possibly overwhelm the knot which is blocking water flow.
On a side note, I did wonder how I would do under the Claytor diamond in sideways blowing rain, as I did not have as much coverage on the side as I did with the JRB. Though I felt a good bit better covered than with the stock HH diamond, I did still wonder about the sides. But, at least with the JH, it has a waterproof bottom I think, so some water blown under the tarp would be of little effect, IF there was any. Also, I worried that the water proof double bottom would be uncomfortable, but so far it has not been. But I think maybe it is not as cool on the bottom as the No Net.
So, under a storm blowing in nearly 3" in about 2 or 3 hours, and in a long soaking overnight plus all day rain, both the cinch buckle approach plus stock Claytor webbing with some knots added, more than adequately kept the hammocks dry. Or, at least it did for me. This info is is for any body who has purchased, or is about to purchase, a Claytor but does not want to change the suspension, and just prefers to use what came with the hammock. For whatever reason.
It sure has been nice hanging out there in the 74*F highs and lows in the high 60s, with a breeze and the sound of the rain coming down. Nice and cool even with the netting up. Nice and cool! In August in MS? Almost unheard of.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks