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  1. #1
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    minor mod for widening tarp near the top

    One of the challenges of hanging with a bridge hammock is that the spreader bars are wider at their customary height than a gathered end hammock typically is. A normal tarp has to be pitched higher and flatter above a bridge hammock than it is above a gathered end hammock, to avoid having its walls close in on the spreader bars.

    A variety of solutions have been bandied about this last year, and I can now offer another, fresh back from field testing.

    I bought lightweight tent poles from questoutfitters. 0.344" diameter nanolights. Two sections that make up one 36" pole weigh together 1.15 oz. The pair cost $5.15. I sewed in special tabs on the edge of my JRB 11'x10' tarp, that create a pocket for the pole end. The tabs are 20" on either side of the center pull-out tab. The new tabs both create a pocket for a pole end (by a little sewing on the grosgrain) and work as ordinary pull-out tabs as well.

    A pole is slipped into opposing tabs on one end of the hammock.

    Cord is tied to the tie-out loops, looped back and around the tree, and tensioned up on both ends. This creates a sort of ridge, so that the tarp slopes at a more shallow angle up high (and this angle is fixed) and then can slope at a sharper angle to bring the tarp sides down to give better side coverage to the hammock. Here's the result.

    Even with a gathered end hammock this technique will create a bit more head-room. It's a keeper for me.

    Grizz

  2. #2
    Senior Member Gailainne's Avatar
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    Thumbs up

    I like that, I was thinking of a similar shape but I was going to use grip-clips, which would need either long poles or trees in the right place, I wonder if the grip clips would allow me to fit a spreader pole on the inside ? that would also allow me to change the shape.

    One thing that struck me tho, with the length of the tarp, is sag in the middle, I noticed yours is nicely taut, so perhaps not so much.

    Great stuff, next time I'm out for the weekend, I'll have to try it.

    Regards

    Stephen

  3. #3
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gailainne View Post
    ...I wonder if the grip clips would allow me to fit a spreader pole on the inside ? that would also allow me to change the shape.
    I missed this sentence this morning. Dutch has done a mod like this, maybe he will chime in and explain how. When I was fooling around with trying to push out the tarp from the inside with poles this winter, I was very concerned about the tips of the pole pushing into the side of the tarp. So the tips would have to be outside, I can see that it would be worth a try with grip clips to hold them. Let us know what you come up with.

    Grizz

  4. #4
    Senior Member Kanguru's Avatar
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    Nice Grizz! As usual, of course. Just finished placing order with Quest. That is a lot easier to setup and carry than the quanson hut rig you had at Mt. Rogers. You should submit to The Jacks to include those special tieouts as standard equipment...with proper royalties!
    Gentle raindrops and mighty oceans...neither can exist without the other.
    Time heals all wounds...but it usually leaves a pretty big scar.

  5. #5
    Senior Member FanaticFringer's Avatar
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    Great idea Grizz. I'll have to give it a try with mine.
    "Every day above ground is a good day"

  6. #6
    Senior Member FanaticFringer's Avatar
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    What item number or size grosgrain do you recommend from Quest?
    Also, what kind of knot are you using to tie the cords around the tree?
    "Every day above ground is a good day"

  7. #7
    Senior Member fin's Avatar
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    Yep, saw this mod this weekend, and it's a keeper. It widened the tarp just enough so that the hammock spreader bars weren't rubbing on the tarp. Nice work again, Grizz.

  8. #8
    Senior Member fin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rstms View Post
    Nice Grizz! As usual, of course. Just finished placing order with Quest. That is a lot easier to setup and carry than the quanson hut rig you had at Mt. Rogers. You should submit to The Jacks to include those special tieouts as standard equipment...with proper royalties!
    I'll bet the Jacks would add the aforementioned "Pole Pockets" for anyone who asked for them. Just point them to this post.

    p.s. Grizz, what were we just talking about with the tags. Bad Boy! I added a couple for you.

  9. #9
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    tarp poles

    Gailainne-I tried the grip clips last winter. They work fine, but you need a really large footprint for the tarp because the lines come off the tarp at a shallow angle. Can be shorter of course if there is cooperating vegetation in the area so you can tie it off rather than stack it in. There is no sag in the tarp middle because there is a lot of tension pulling those spreader bars towards the trees. I belatedly realized that the photos don't capture the line that goes from each corner of the spreader tab, straight back to the tree.

    The trees I used this last week were close enough so that the line would go from the tab, straight to the tree, around, back to the opposing tab and through it, then tied off with a taut hitch. I was then able to pull both ends tautly and get the sag out of the middle.

    FanaticFringer- I have 1" grosgrain. Item #2032 from Quest.

    FishinFinn, on tags. My bad. But hey. Yesterday I was busy for 19 miles on the Brule trying to stay ahead of you, then an 8.5 hour drive home, and THEN the post. I wonder if I used the spell checker.... (thanks for putting the tags there!)

    Grizz

  10. #10
    Senior Member schrochem's Avatar
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    Wonderful Grizz!
    I'm so far behind on the cutting edge of Bridgeology I need to set aside a whole weekend to catch up....
    Scott

    "Man is a stream whose source is hidden."
    RWE

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