Getting frustrated - Bridge Tarp Rigging - Pics?

[Waalkes]

Hi Everyone,

I have to admit I'm getting a little frustrated trying to get a tarp to work with by BMBH. I recently purchased an Old Man Winter tarp with Pole mod and this thing is huge! However, if I suspend the tarp at a height that will allow the bridge hammock bars to not touch, then it's way to high and I get a lot of wind potential around the bottom of the tarp. I'm using the stock strap suspension with the BMBH. Maybe there's too much stretch and I need to switch to whoopies? I have a lot invested in my tarps now (Spinn MJ, OMW, pole mods, etc.) and I don't want to damage them with the hammock spreader bars. I have a blackbird, traveler and HH, however, I sleep AMAZINGLY WELL in a bridge hammock! If I could just get a tarp to work with with it! If anyone has pictures of a successful setup it would be greatly appreciated!

[BrianWillan]

I would suggest looking at the setup video for the Warbonnet Ridgerunner

http://www.warbonnetoutdoors.com/setup.php

Brandon shows a method of getting into a bridge hammock that cause a minimum amount of spreader bar movement. Perhaps this method will work with you. The BMBH has shorter spreader bars than the Ridgerunner.

Cheers

Brian

[rip waverly]

A fellow hanger is adding a 2 pole mod to his superfly...

[Hulk]

I'm curious. There seems to be much concern of spreader bars damaging tarps. Has any actully sustained such damage? Pics?

[rip waverly]

one occurrence documented involved a cuben tarp - i think it was shug??

[Acer]

I damaged my cuben 4 season HG tarp with the BMBH UL spreader bars, and now just cover them with a piece of foam (1/2" ethafoam from a old pad) at each end with shock chord on them like scope covers on a rifle. Also one member had damaged a spinutarp by jamming the end of one of his spreader bars from a BMBH bridge hammock..so it can be done. the way I abused my tarp was by getting in it and letting it swing upward. The end of the spreader bar scraped the tarp in a 3-4 inch scrape that resulted in pin holes. Repair tape from Zpacks took care of the scrape by using it on the inside of the tarp. When it comes to a bridge hammock, your just going to have to hang the tarp alittle wider than a gathered end hammock by using the tie outs either with chord or spreader bars. Your ether going to have to leave the tarp hung witht the sides about 12-16 inches above the ground, or get used to hanging it "low rider" style with your butt a couple of inches off the ground. My suggestion is hang the tarp normally, and the bridge hammock normally and get a UQP for the bottom just in case of spraying rain or wind blockage as your only going to be packing an additional 4-6 ozs of added weight. Check out ZQ & 2Q as they have UQP for very low price made for the bridge hammocks as well as gathered end hammocks.

[cfi on the fly]

Hi Everyone,

I have to admit I'm getting a little frustrated trying to get a tarp to work with by BMBH. I recently purchased an Old Man Winter tarp with Pole mod and this thing is huge! However, if I suspend the tarp at a height that will allow the bridge hammock bars to not touch, then it's way to high and I get a lot of wind potential around the bottom of the tarp. I'm using the stock strap suspension with the BMBH. Maybe there's too much stretch and I need to switch to whoopies? I have a lot invested in my tarps now (Spinn MJ, OMW, pole mods, etc.) and I don't want to damage them with the hammock spreader bars. I have a blackbird, traveler and HH, however, I sleep AMAZINGLY WELL in a bridge hammock! If I could just get a tarp to work with with it! If anyone has pictures of a successful setup it would be greatly appreciated!

Welcome to the world of bridges and tarps! I have a huge tarp (hard rock winter tarp w poles) and I still run into the same issues you have - though its proved to be the best fit for my RR. The spreader bars help create more interior space but getting the edge of the tarp to ground level means a very tight fit trying to work your way into the tarp itself and the hammock. You better be fairly agile!

If I could find a gathered end that I feel as comfortable in I would be mighty happy to get rid of spreader bars, big tarps w pole mods. Looking forward to WBs new hammock to give it a shot.

[BillyBob58]

Grip Clips to pull the tarp out exactly where needed worked for me with the JRB 11X10 tarp:








This last pic shows end closed and no Grip Clip on the left, but GC on the right, for comparison.

Welcome to the world of bridges and tarps! I have a huge tarp (hard rock winter tarp w poles) and I still run into the same issues you have - though its proved to be the best fit for my RR. The spreader bars help create more interior space but getting the edge of the tarp to ground level means a very tight fit trying to work your way into the tarp itself and the hammock. You better be fairly agile!

If I could find a gathered end that I feel as comfortable in I would be mighty happy to get rid of spreader bars, big tarps w pole mods. Looking forward to WBs new hammock to give it a shot.

Well, finally some one is saying it! I was beginning to think other folks ( I have one also ) RRs had magic spreader bars or something, as I had seen so few comments about folks finding them to be a challenge with their tarps, or how they had to use quite big tarps, and maybe still a challenge. I knew I had always had trouble with by BMBH, a problem I had to solve and did, and those RR bars are a lot wider. So I couldn't figure out how they were not at least as much of a problem as the BMBH. I think I asked a few times, but complaints were about non-existent except for the BMBH. But that made no sense to me, so thanks for putting it out there!

[Waalkes]

I would suggest looking at the setup video for the Warbonnet Ridgerunner

http://www.warbonnetoutdoors.com/setup.php

Brandon shows a method of getting into a bridge hammock that cause a minimum amount of spreader bar movement. Perhaps this method will work with you. The BMBH has shorter spreader bars than the Ridgerunner.

Cheers

Brian

The tip for exiting the hammock is perfect!

[Waalkes]

A fellow hanger is adding a 2 pole mod to his superfly...

This would certainly make the OMW cavernous!