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I have heard of ground dwellers using their ponchos as tarps. I thought about making one 9'x9' either out of sil or tyvek. I would love the sil better, but it is hard for me to find, and I have TONS of tyvek.
Would this idea be worthwhile for hammocks?
What would be the best material all around?
Am I just wasting my time?
I plan on putting grommets on each corner and setting it up on the diagonal, tying the hood shut. Thanks
I've seen a couple of ideas using ponchos as tarps. They seem to do OK, but require a lot of attention to detail.
If you're looking for sil, call the Speers. I got my order less than 48 hours after ordering it!:cool: :D
Wow I had no idea that Ed was that fast!, thanks a lot. As far as detail goes, that is all my wife, I plan it and tell her what I need and she does the rest. Its like she loves it, or me that is. :)
i'd read up on that idea a little more before investing to much time & money into it.
the people that seem to like that approach are the serious gram weeny, ultra lighters (UL) & super ultra lighters (SUL).
for one thing i like a little more coverage than i believe a poncho tarp would give.
and another thing, what if you need to take care of some camp chore after you've set up camp & it's raining... like go get water.
i guess most of the complications can be thought out & worked around, but it just don't fit my style.
just some thing to think about. ...tim
Every now and then, you've just gotta love the postal service. I called him in the morning and he had it in stock and said it would go out that day since he was going to the post already. The next day it was on my doorstep!
The detail I was referring to is in the set-up. You don't get quite the coverage as you would with some other tarp set-ups. Just means you have to be a little more careful setting-up. But, dual-use sure is a handy thing.:)
Tim, thanks for the advice, I never thought about being stuck under it for all that time if I needed it. I like things light, but I still want to be prepared. I have tons of Tyvek, so I might experiment with coverage and lengths. Again, thanks
Dwight
I use a Golite poncho tarp as my rain gear. It's lighter than most rain jacket/pants setups plus it protects my whole pack. I don't use it as a tarp over my hammock because I don't think it would provide adequate coverage. A poncho/tarp would also provide a good ground setup in case of catastrophic hammock failure while on the trail.
I have been thinking about using the poncho tarp in my hammock setup as a blowing rain and wind blocker by setting it up as a "wall". I haven't tested it this way yet.
now that's a good idea. plays right in w/ the extra attachment points i have on my tarp.Quote:
Originally Posted by headchange4u
I have to admit the idea came from the discussion of your tarp. I figure I can setup my cat cut tarp as normal and then use the poncho tarp in a lean-to configuration under the cat cut tarp. It would give me a nice area that would be sheltered from the weather where I could cook or just chill out.Quote:
Originally Posted by slowhike
I just saw a thread on BPL about using the Go Lite poncho tarp as a hammock tarp. One person stated that the poncho tarp worked well while another person said their hammock got soaked and they had to bail out to a friends tent. Here's the thread:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...571/index.html
There are some pics posted by food in the HF gallery of a Go Lite Ponch Tarp used as a hammock tarp:
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...&imageuser=127
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...&imageuser=127
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...&imageuser=127
I am the person that uses a poncho for a fly. It works, but there are compromises. I also carry a double Spinnsheet and a rain jacket. The Spinsheet (3.3oz.) is used to block wind and/or windblown rain. The jacket is used to protect one end of the hammock where the poncho coverage is narrow.Quote:
Originally Posted by headchange4u
I suspect that moisture migrated down the hammock lines and got the hammock damp. That may have been the cause of the other guys problems.
I hike in arid Colorado. I have used the poncho fly for probably 100 nights over 4 years. I may never have experienced the conditions that caused him to bail.
There are a few pics of poncho tarps over hammock here. As Tim said, I don't like the idea of not having raingear after I set up camp.
Also, shelter is a no-fail item in some situations...and I've slipped and ripped a hole in my jacket before. I wouldn't want to slip and ruin both my raingear AND shelter in one fall. I can fix the raingear with duct tape...can't really fix a tarp under tension with duct tape...so I don't wear my shelter. But in summer where it doesn't really matter if you get wet, I'd be more likely to use something like this.
If you're going to make one, look at the slit head hole on the MLD tarps...makes for a nice straight ridgeline w/o the bunching of a traditional head hole.
of course if someone liked wearing a poncho instead of a rain jacket, it would be nice to know that in the unlikely event that you had a catastrophic failure of your tarp, the poncho could be used instead.
A hammock will not suit all hiking styles. When I used a tent I would roll up my pad, stuff my bag, change clothes and leave the tent organized in the morning. I miss that with the hammock and that is the reason that I carry the Spinnsheet (3.3 oz.) as a packing/unpacking staging area. The Spinnsheet protects the head end of the hammock where coverage is narrow. The Spinnsheet has many other uses.
Few people prefer ponchos. Me and the 75 year old guy that I often hike with are the only people that I know that use ponchos. Ponchos have strengths and weaknesses. The goal is to match the tool to the job. I also carry a wind shirt/jacket. For bushwhacking it is a Sierra Designs Anorka (9.1 oz.). In wet weather it is a DriDucks jacket (6.0 oz.) For wind and cold it is a GoLite Ether (3.5 oz.) The jacket is for camp/breaks and also protects the foot end of the hammock where coverage is narrow.
A poncho/fly will only fit a few peoples' style, but it will keep you dry. I hiked a six night trip last year and we had our ponchos on at some time every day. One day we stopped at 2:30 so we could pitch camp before the rain. I was very happy with the performance of the poncho/fly. I have a lot of shelter choices, but the HH with poncho/fly is my most used.
Thank you for all the great suggestions. I just got back camping with the family and my webbing broke @ 2:30 am. I HATE sleeping on the ground!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will keep experimenting and let yall know. :D
What kind of webbing? Nylon?Quote:
Originally Posted by Preacha Man
yes! I was hanging around 25' between trees, and woke up on the ground. So, sleepy I retied the webbing and got it tighter and that did me in. I have tried polypro tubing but it is heavy, I am trying to find 1.5" poly
Poly...as in polypro or polyester?Quote:
Originally Posted by Preacha Man
I've had good luck with 1" polyester. Strapworks carries polyester in 1", 1.5", and 2".
yep, the polyester should take better care of you, especially if you're going to be hanging between trees that far apart.
the farther apart the trees, the stronger support you're going to need.
Thanks Angrysparrow for the link to strapworks. I cannot find polyester anywhere near me, and yes polyester is what I meant by poly, thanks again guys.
I'm your huckleberry! I'm the one who posted my results of the GoLite poncho/tarp as a rainfly on Backpackinglight.com. I tested it out a month ago in the foothills of the Appalachians in a heavy thunderstorm with blowing rain. It was one of those tornado like storms where the trees blow in circles and look like they could blow over any minute. I found that the right hand side at the head and left hand side at the foot does not have adequate coverage with just the poncho as a rainfly if it is pitched asymmetrically. Food's solution to use his spinnaker and rain jacket to help cover the ends would likely work in this situation so long as your fly is pitched low and tight and your hammock is strung high and tight with very little sag. Another issue is that the hood acts as a funnel if it's not either tied up or placed on the downward slope. I'm kicking around the idea of making my own poncho/rainfly that would more adequately cover. I'm thinking that if you made it longer and pitched it like a tarp shelter with the four corners guyed, it would offer better coverage. Or maybe even a hex rainfly design with a hood in the center.
Admittedly, I did not read every single post, so hopefully no one said this already. A diamond shaped poncho tarp would be best, something like the SMD Gatewood Cape. However, that cape is probably a bit too small.
Wamytiepen, et al,Quote:
Originally Posted by wamyteipen
Use of a rectangular poncho will have the same + and - as the standard asym fly of the HH, plus the hood issues.... When hung on the diagonal it will have two strong side coverages, over your head and over your feet.... It will also have two weak side coverages on the other sides caused by the long shallow angle.... There is also no true ridgeline and the cross bias pitch will result in pocket(s) in the ridge are, especially if on a shallow pitch.... When full, these pockets dump, and the water normally flows over the side of least resistance (the weak sides)... It may or may not wet that side of the hammock....a rain jacket over one of the two week sides and lower pitches will help.... many folk simply eliminate this potential issue by using symetrical tarps..... so if you intend to make one, make it wider so as to be a square as a minimum....consider putting the seam on the ridgeline.... there are cape mods for tarps that allow them to be used as rain gear also, recognize that separate brimmed hats are used when this approach is taken.
Post some pics when done.
Pan