for Warbonnet

Hello. I sent an email last week asking what may be a dumb set of questions but the answer to these were what I was looking for before I buy a tarp. I have not had a reply, but I know how emails can get lost. I only have four more days before I order a tarp so I thought I'd post here in the hope of an answer before I buy a more expensive hilleberg tarp. As you can guess, I've not used a tarp before but would like to start and later perhaps add a hammock as well. My hennesay hammock experience almost turned me off hammocks for good, but I'd like to give it another shot, maybe.

My email:

Hello. I am interested in purchasing one of your superfly tarps but as a beginner am uncertain if it will suit my needs. My interest is not in Hammocking (well not right now) but rather to be able to put a tarp up over a mesh tent with the intention of sleeping cooler than with the tent cover in place but still safe from rain. I also like the idea of being able to put a tarp up so that I can set up our tents in the rain. I guess the question I have is if the Superfly is able to be set up using a hiking pole or some sort of tall tent pole so that it could be used when trees are not available or if I should focus on a tarp with eyelets such as the Hilleberg tarp.

I had tried a hammock last year but my lack of skill made it too frustrating to use and I often found that I was not able to hide the hammock away as I could hide a tent.( I cycle and do a lot of stealth camping) After this summers tour I plan to try hammocks again and thus hope to start with a tarp and tent and then add a Hammock later. That is what drew me to your tarps. I know they are designed well for their intended purpose along with hammocks, but I wonder if they can be made to work in the way I've described. Sorry for the amateurish question btw!
I wish I had known of your products before my first hammocking efforts. I certainly bought the wrong hennessy. Too small and that slit to get in with was awful! Oh well, the price of learning. :)
Thank you.

So ... awaiting an answer from Warbonnet ... can the superfly be set up as the Hilleberg tarp?

I see no reason you could not set up a Superfly with poles as you suggest. I does not have grommets in place but you could easily use some cord loops to attach your poles. Personally, I have never set up the Superfly this way.

I bike pack and stealth camp as well and find that I can hang in places that many tents could not go. The only time a tent might be better would be in a place with no trees or other means of support. Hasn't happened so far.

If hammocking is in your future, but you are a grounder now, you might contact Joe at Zpacks and let him know what you are trying to do. I am sure he can accommodate you and make something that will be custom/purpose built to meet your needs.

S

A rectangular tarp with a couple of Grizz Beaks from 2QZQ might be a good option.

I should have mentioned that my first foray into Hammocking was more than I was prepared for for several reasons but the most prominent one was the fact that I discovered I was an idiot with knots. I just could not seem to comprehend how to string that Hennesy. I didn't like the bottom entry, discovered that I am someone who can't sleep well unless I can also sleep on my stomach (or was it the short time at it?) and that with the small tarp over the hammock it was hot, yet I had rain come in the sides one night. Not an auspicious start, but somehow I am still drawn to the idea and will give it a more proper start.

I'm going on a nine week bike tour from NC to Texas this summer (and back in a north swing) and want a tarp set up over my tent. That would make cooking much more pleasant in the rain and it will also give me a chance to get passably proficient with knots and what Knot. :) I like the warbonnet hammocks and after almost buying another tarp I thought that it would be smarter to get the tarp that goes best with it - his own. That way after I come back I plan to buy a warbonnet to go with the warbonnet tarp.

can anyone be more specific about how to tie the loops and any tips that there may be? I was hoping that was the case, but just wanted to check before deciding that the grommets weren't important enough towards my intended use for this summer.

I'm going to check out Grizz beaks ... so, again, thanks!

When you say bike do you mean a bicycle or motorcycle

Clove hitch just beside the tie outs on the tarp should work as good as grommets. Simple knot to do and should have limited slip. If not just use a prussic to put a pin on your tie outs to plug into the top of a tent pole. Should also keep the tarp nice and tight for any tarp you might look at buying.

I stake out 2 of the side corners first, then focus on one of the ridge line tie outs.
Simply wrap your ridge line cordage around the handle of your trekking pole a few times near one of the ridge tie outs , and then stake it into the ground, pulling away from the tarp. go to the other end, and do the same. Finish up the other 2 corner tie outs, Make adjustments as necessarry. (think porch mode many hammockers set up in)

I've been practicing with my z packs hammock tarp as I plan to camp in some alpine meadows this season. It was actually quite natural and easy, having never done it before. By my 3rd attempt, I pretty much felt like a seasoned ground dweller.

Thanks everyone ... this is indeed looking better.

Bicycle, is what I ride. :)

A BB with adjustable webbing, cinch buckes and Dutch Clips and you don't need any knots.

Use the Dutch Hook and Dutch Tarp Flyz whoopie tarp line for the tarp and once again no knots needed.

Can't get much simpler than that.