Talk me out of buying a Zpacks Cuben Asym Diamond

[WaffleBox]

Check out the Hammock Gear Standard Cuben Tarp without doors. Excellent summer, spring and even fall tarp. Not as minimalist as a diamond but certainly provides more coverage. However people do use diamonds and are happy with them but their just not for me. To small for me but not for others YMMV

Yeah that is the other cuben I have been considering. At only ~1 oz more it is probably worth it for the extra protection.

[dakotaross]

[QUOTE=WaffleBox;1268345]...unless it is raining hard in which case I have historically just gotten into my tent (and would now just get in my hammock). So I don't think I need a tarp that acts as a full room...

...I will also most likely have a GoLite Poncho Tarp or similar to use as my primary rain gear, and when getting into the hammock I could rig it up to provide additional rain protection if necessary.[QUOTE]

Did you use a solo tent before? If so, then you probably don't mind not being able to move around in the hammock while the small tarp is pulled down tight for max rain protection.

But if you have a poncho tarp, why do you need the asym?

[WaffleBox]

Yeah I was in a solo tent and have a pretty high tolerance for just chillin without much movement. At 8'8" x 4'10" and a ~9'11" ridgeline, I don't think the poncho tarp is quite big enough to provide me my minimal level of protection. I'm not quite THAT hardcore (yet).

[Insaniac99]

Yeah I was in a solo tent and have a pretty high tolerance for just chillin without much movement. At 8'8" x 4'10" and a ~9'11" ridgeline, I don't think the poncho tarp is quite big enough to provide me my minimal level of protection. I'm not quite THAT hardcore (yet).

If you have an 11' or shorter hammock then the 9'11" ridgeline is decent coverage. An eleven foot hammock with 83% is ~9' 1.5" long. That gives you 9.5" or 4.75" on each side.

Before you spend a ton of money here are a few things to try in the backyard or local camp-ground so you can easily and safely bail if needed:

1. Try using the poncho tarp on a poor night.
2. If you need a bigger tarp than the poncho. buy a Blue walmart tarp (or Tyvekk) and fold it until it is the size of your planned diamond and try that
3. If that isn't big enough for the sideways rain (likely, IMO) then unfold it and try again. keep going until you have enough protection.
4. now that you know how big you actually need, buy a nice expensive tarp the size you want.

If you are trying to go lightweight without being stupid-light, that is what you should do. If the poncho works for you, that is what you want to use as taking 1 item that does many things is pretty much always going to be more size and weight efficient than getting multiple things.