Printable View
I'm trying to decide between the HG and the Zpacks hex tarps for hammocks. The z packs offers a bit more coverage, but my main question is the stitching. HG boasts no sewn ridgeline while zpacks boasts about their sewn and taped ridgeline. Which is actually better? I can imagine you might get a little more strength with the sewn, but might save some grams without the stitching..
Any thoughts?
I can comment on the better ridge line but I remember the general consensus when compared was the Hammock Gear CF Tarp was better because of the cat cut which provided a taut pitch.
The cat cut is a good point, I didn't really notice that but it looks like both the sides, and the ridgeline are angled on the HG.
I purchased a ridgeline from arrowhead that runs the entire length of the ridgeline, so in theory I could run it under the cuben fiber and use it to support the tarp, so I'm not sure if the cat cut is necessary. Plus, wouldn't avoiding the cat cut make it easier in case I have to camp on the ground and pitch the tarp?
I've owned both tarps Zpacks, Standard HG Cuben, and the HG Winter Palace, and my preference is the HG tarps. My Zpacks one was a couple years ago, but the pictures on the website look the same as my tarp I owned. In addition to the cat cut ridgeline of the HG tarp with doors (and WP), the bottom edge of the tarp also has a cat cut whereas the Zpacks one does not. It is straight. The one gripe I had was no matter how taut I seemed to pitch the Zpacks, the bottom edge always seemed loose, and was especially noticeable with high winds. The sewn and taped ridgeline on Zpacks seems like overkill at this point as I never had any issues or concerns with just the bonded ridgeline of the HG tarp. As far as coverage is concerned, I felt the opposite. I felt the standard HG tarp had the better coverage compared to the Zpacks tarp. I don't recall if the tarp dimensions were exactly the same, but perhaps my perception is from the bottom edge of each side of the tarp being loose and always being blown in a bit by the wind. When I ordered the Zpacks tarp, it was a custom tarp based on specs someone on this forum had previously ordered. It wasn't until a few months later, after a handful of people ordering the same spec'd tarp, that he added it as an everyday item. Whichever tarp you choose will serve you well though.
Another note: If you are considering the Winter Palace from Hammock Gear, the pictures on the website are not accurate. The sides in the picture don't have any cat cuts, but in reality, they make them with cat cuts now. I ordered a Winter Palace two summers ago, and thought they had sent me the wrong tarp because there were cat cuts on the side when the pictures on the website don't have them. I had to break out the tape measure and see that the tarp was 10ft 4in wide...then I breathed a sigh of relief.
Flounder, do you have any experience with the HG hex tarp? It still has all of the cat cuts, just no doors. I'm thinking it should be plenty of coverage, especially compared to my current tarp which is the hennessy hyperlite.
I've owned that one briefly as well. It's the same tarp without doors. Good tarp. I'd be sure and get it with side pullouts as that is not a standard option I don't think. At any rate, I don't own it anymore, sold it. Just found that I like having doors. I may not always use them, but I like having them. I've never used Grizzbeaks, but I don't like the idea of separate doors. It's just one more thing I have in my pack that I have the potential to either not remember to pack, or lose along the way.