Printable View
Hi All,
In watching a lot of the videos (Shug's videos, mostly), I've noticed that the tarp is always used at night. I was wondering if this is necessary on really clear nights, or does the tarp serve other purposes besides keeping the rain out?
I have a solid tarp from Hennessy, and it would block my view of the moon. :-)
I leave mine up regardless due to the local bird life having their morning constitution. But if it is clear and you know there are no local nests you all good.
My humble newbie suggestion would be to at least hang the tarp, but roll it up/snake skin it. That way it´s easily accesible if you suddenly need it.
I have hung sans tarp for unhindered view, and have got up in a hurry to deploy the tarp as well. Postal makes a good point about ABMs (Aerial Bowel Manouevers). The best compromise is probably pitching your tarp in porch mode. One of these days I plan to use some super six (vapour barrier) as a see through tarp for maximum view and protection from birds and rain.
My nightly hang makes porch mode easy to achieve, and glad I have otherwise too-long guy lines -- they're long enough to reach branches on other trees.
Real tarp skins would be nice, But, truth is, one surplus tube sock cut into several bands that are spaced across the tarp achieves much of that to hold the tarp out of the way.
Another truth is that if you'll let symmetry be violated and will hang the tarp off-center of mid-lines to the trees, both sides of the tarp can hang to one side of the hammock until you wish to deploy the loose half fully.
The first few nights I spent outdoors in a hammock was in my backyard. I did not have a hammocking tarp and rain was not expected. The skeeters were out so I used a bug net. I was comfortable and everything was going well until after midnight. That is when the dew started to form. By the time the sun rose, my bugnet was saturated and dripping, as was my suspension. I never thought much about it before then but my neighborhood here in SC often has dew or frost depending on the season. So I adapted and started using a tarp full time whenever "testing" in the backyard. I suppose there will be times where there is enough breeze or low humidity where I can do without but a properly rigged tarp not only removes those issues from the list of possible problems, it rules out other problems and can make things quite cozy.
=Sarge
The long and short of it is, no its not necessary, but yes the tarp serves other purposes. Between wind, falling leaves/twigs/small limbs, ABMs (lol), or like this last fall in my area SAP, the tarp just generally serves as a protective barrier.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheSaxMan
I always pitch my tarp, usually high and wide if rain isn't expexted, I find it faster/easier to move a stake in a hurry/in the dark than to stake everything out.
As for watching the moon, I'm grateful for my cuben fiber.
The times I have hung without a tarp I woke up with dew on everything, not good. For me the views at night are a non issue, I go to sleep pretty quick.
Huh. There have been a many nights I have slept with the tarp rolled up above me so that I can look at the stars. Everything from 18*-50* and have never had a problem with ABM's or dew. I have had leaves fall in but that was about it. It is on of my favorite ways to sleep when I can.
Its nice without a tarp, but it seams like whenever I don't hang it I always get rained or snowed on and wake up in the middle of the night to my face getting wet. I Tri now to hang it most nights at least in porch mode. The tarp also helps keep warmth in by preventing wind from blowing around you.
The answer, as you might've guessed from all of the above responses is, "It depends."
If you expect heavy dew or frost, a tarp will help to create a microclimate for you that limits those on your hammock. If you expect aerial bombardment of the nasty kind, it'll help prevent that.
But, if neither of those is a particular concern for you (and most times, it's not for me, and I live in an area where there're always birds and humidity), you can most definitely go topless. I prefer to leave mine set up in the Velcro keeper straps I use for it (serves the same function as snakeskins), with the stakes for it planted at pre-positioned spots, so that--should the skies decide to open up at 3:00 AM--I can have the tarp covering me in less than sixty seconds.
That being said, make your own assessment of conditions where you're sleeping. Being wet (or worse) is less than fun...
And to add to the list in a group camp it adds an element of privacy some folks like for various reasons including obscuring moons. ;-)
Same for me. I'm good for about five minutes and then I'm a log in a bag. I do, however, set up in porch mode to see the sunrise. One of my favorite parts or the experience.Quote:
Originally Posted by old4hats
:shades:
I sometimes sleep with mine just in snakeskin's or one side deployed and pulled over. Just depends. Many a night without though.....Quote:
Originally Posted by TheSaxMan
No tarp used on video below. though in the morning my hammock was full of spruce needles.
Shug
Twas a long time ago, but I remember it well. It was a different time back in 2007; winter tarps were still an experiment and those traveling down the new path beaten in place by partial length underquilts were scorned and accused heretics. They were dark days, but they built tough hangers.
December in the Rockies can be stunning. A mile high and still on the ground allows a humble hanger to see parts of the cosmos previously unknown, even surrounded by the lights of civilization. On this night, the Eve of that fat elf's visit, the stars were shining brightly as I went outside with my shameful new partial length underquilt. As I climbed into my hammock to test its hang, I could not help but be distracted by the beauty above me. No clouds, beautiful moon, and a plethora of stars visible to my weary eyes.
The tarp lay but a stone throw away. It was there, at the ready, but what need of a tarp on a night such as the one I was enjoying. It was to be cold, but the sky was as clear as Caribbean waters. "Nay", I say to a tarp. Maybe I'll even catch a peek of that chubby dude in the red suit as he makes approach to the roof if I leave the tarp where it lay. I slumbered away that night as comfortable as could be, even when the thermometer registered a blustery eleven degree.
What did I learn?
I was new, so a few things were learned.
But what I learned best, is one of those things that have to be learned the hard way.
I rediscovered what a sneaky bad-word Mama Nature can be.
But what did I learn?
https://www.hammockforums.net/galler...5/img_0680.jpg
Put up the tarp stupid!
That's what I learned. :D
It's pretty nice without the tarp or with the tarp pulled back ... but unless you have a little breeze there's a good chance of waking up with a soaking from the morning dew in warmer weather. So mostly I'll just put it in a high porch mode. But if you have a cuben tarp ... that see through effect is mighty nice on a moon lit night! :woot:
Just my opinion ... not necessarily the correct one :lol:
I spent this weekend out, the night sky clear, woke up with my tarp soaked, the dew was present everywhere, inside and out.
Yeah, I'm in porch mode most all of the time. There are very few times when I'm hanging from trees that I have a real good view of the sky anyway, but I have done it occasionally where I just left the tarp in the skin. Good practice to set it up and stake it out beforehand, then put it back in the skin, leaving the stakes in a good position to simply slide the lines on them if/when the need arrives in the middle of the night.
However, its this very thought of being able to lay back in my hammock and enjoy the full night sky that has me considering a Handy Hammock.
@Cannibal... I haven't hung in CO yet, but from the last time I camped in RMNP, I can vouch for the amazing brightness of the sky there... in fact, I would've probably needed a tarp to shield my eyes from the burning brightness of the full moon!
I won't take my tarp out of my pack if I don't really feel like I will need it. I may need it for rain or wind or shade...so it gets hung up more than I like. But if it's calm and clear and I don't need the shade during the day then I really don't care to bother with a tarp. I like the open feel of going tarp less. I like to lay awake and watch the stars and try to spot satellites while comfortably reclined until I drift off. A bright full moon can hinder this some but I usually have a buff or my Black Rock hat to pull down over my eyes.
Here in Florida dew is an almost constant issue. Besides that most of what we have to hang from is pine so the tarp keeps the sap from ruining the rest of your gear.
Sometimes I will leave the tarp suspended in the snakeskins above the hammock and lay there to look at the moon& stars. But as soon as I feel sleepy (which isn't long) I deploy the tarp for all the reasons listed previously.
I generally do porch mode on clear nights, but I've also pulled both sides of the tarp to one side and staked it out that way... Making kind of a 'wind ramp' just to keep the wind off my face. This worked well and if it had started raining it would have taken less than two minutes to get the tarp fully deployed.
'Enjoying the view' when in the hammock is a moot point for me, as others have said; I fall right asleep the minute I lay down. I do LOVE waking up to see the woods sleeping softly beside me in the middle of the night, which porch mode is great for. My last hang I had a couple moments of 'oh crap, I'm in the woods... Oh nevermind, back to sleep.' I kinda like that moment of panic when you wake up and remember that you're out in the wild. :D
I enjoy the differences in how I "feel" when I'm under a tarp and when I'm not. I've never had a problem with either choice (so far the weatherman has been correct).
However, another advantage to setting a tarp (in addition to all those mentioned above) is that it can create a microclimate underneath. What I mean is that in cool or cold temperatures, heat from the ground, the sun, or your body (including breathing) can be somewhat trapped under the tarp, making it a couple degrees warmer depending on how you have your tarp pitched. This can be nice when you're near the bottom of your insulation's ratings.
The main reason I like having my tarp up... so the morning sun doesn't wake me up too early. :shades:
But, a couple weekends ago, it was supposed to be no rain, highs in the mid 70's, lows in the upper 40's. I decided to go the first night without a tarp and woke up covered in dew.
Now I have the thought of nocturnal ABMs too. :scared:
I always tarp it at night. Nothin worse than having to get out in the rain and deploy the tarp. I'm asleep minutes after snuggling in for the night anyway, no stargazing from the hammock for me. I will do porch mode though, and fall asleep to the dying glow of the fire (where permitted of course)...Bush
Ditto on the porch mode.
I absolutely love going no tarp when its clear. I like looking for shooting stars, and the moon can sometimes be a good clock (location/season pending).
Thanks everybody! Cannibal, thanks for illustrating with your pic - you . I had to look up porch mode. Looks like something new I will have to learn. I will leave the tarp up till I am more comfortable with judging the conditions.
Shug, I guess I missed your comment in the video. By the way, I wish you had ratings enabled in more of your videos. They are really good.
I have to say I love how people chime in with all sorts of useful info. Google just became my second choice for finding good info.