Tried to double hang.....

[Demeter]

....and it didn't go too well. Went to 'survival camp' with my daughter this week. One tree for the head, two for the feet. One hex tarp.

I put the tarp on her trees, since she was slightly higher. Problem wasn't apparent until we got in for night. Waaayyyy too close together. She was literally on top of me.

Next night I hung more underneath her. I have side- zip, she has a bottom entry Hennessy. In order for her to get into the hammock, I could only hang it so high. In turn I had to hang my hammock so low that my butt touched the ground.

Fortunately I needn't worry about CBS since it's 1000 degrees right now in the Mid-Atlantic (slight exaggeration ), and I definitely see another tarp in my immediate future so we don't go through this again.

What did I do wrong?

[Pipsissewa]

Well, my instinct would be to put your heads on two trees and your feet share one tree. Also, since your daughter has the bottom entry, I would have put her on the bottom. But, I wasn't there, so I don't know the exact circumstances. But since you weren't comfortable, I would have tried that.

You don't say how big your hex tarp is, but you didn't say getting wet was a problem, so I assume you were okay in terms of coverage. A hex tarp may have trouble covering two hammocks, especially one on top of the other.

Oh well, chalk it up to experience. The next time will be better!

[Rob In AL]

What Pipsissewa said. Heads on separate trees, feet share. In addition, if it's possible, work a "spreader bar" in your suspension to hold your feet apart and hang at the same level. If the head end trees are too close together, put a spreader in there too. The down side (structural concerns aside), if either of you move around a lot, the other will know.

The tarp issue is a little harder since it's as wide as it's going to get.

[bayoubomber]

....and it didn't go too well. Went to 'survival camp' with my daughter this week. One tree for the head, two for the feet. One hex tarp.

I put the tarp on her trees, since she was slightly higher. Problem wasn't apparent until we got in for night. Waaayyyy too close together. She was literally on top of me.

Next night I hung more underneath her. I have side- zip, she has a bottom entry Hennessy. In order for her to get into the hammock, I could only hang it so high. In turn I had to hang my hammock so low that my butt touched the ground.

Fortunately I needn't worry about CBS since it's 1000 degrees right now in the Mid-Atlantic (slight exaggeration ), and I definitely see another tarp in my immediate future so we don't go through this again.

What did I do wrong?

I had the same problem on my first hang with my 7 year old. We had to go head to feet and I had her lay parallel to me in my WBBB.
Oh and you didn't do anything wrong, you did a great thing by spending time with your daughter. You just need practice and pick trees a little further apart.

[AtHomeDad]

I've done this many times with my son on the same trees (separate suspension) but used old golf shafts as a spreader bar. We both lay the same way the hammock so we were parallel.

I am, however, making him his own tarp. We were camping at Cub camp a few weeks ago during torrential rain (Noah sailed through camp). We both fit under the Hex tarp, but I couldn't pull it close enough to close the doors to keep rain from blowing in. Putting a garbage bag over the exposed end of the hammocks took care of that problem for the trip.

While we made it through relatively unscathed, it was interesting to note that the ground dwellers got soaked and many of them blew down during the nights. We just snored through it all.

[Oper8or]

I had the same problem on my first hang with my 7 year old. We had to go head to feet and I had her lay parallel to me in my WBBB.
Oh and you didn't do anything wrong, you did a great thing by spending time with your daughter. You just need practice and pick trees a little further apart.

Spending time is definately worth it. Maybe look at the Kelty Noah tarp if your going to do two under one like that.

[Funkyleebasick]

try a really big rain fly

[Demeter]

Thanks for the answers! I am so happy she wants to get out with me that I am okay with the issues.

Btw, i have the large Hennessy Hex tarp. If we go out again before I get the new tarp, I will definitely try the spreader bars.

How do you keep the bars in place?

[Rob In AL]

Thanks for the answers! I am so happy she wants to get out with me that I am okay with the issues.

Btw, i have the large Hennessy Hex tarp. If we go out again before I get the new tarp, I will definitely try the spreader bars.

How do you keep the bars in place?

Depending on the material, a clove hitch will probably suffice however, solutions are as varied as the potential materials. What do you want to use?

[oldgringo]

Anyone that wants to do this regularly really should look into the Honeymoon Suite built by forum member Smokehouse. It has to be seen to be appreciated.