Which tarps should I be considering?

[Spiguyver]

After looking around for a while, I had gone back and forth between a handful of hammocks. I am a long time backpacker, but haven't hung before, so this is something I'm looking forward to. I almost bought an ENO after watching some online videos, but I'm glad I was looking around on here and saw some posts about them and decided to keep looking. I was really thinking I was going to go with a Warbonnet Blackbird, even told some friends who were also looking that the WBBB was what I was going to end up in. But again, reading through here, I discovered the Dutch hammocks, and all the great things people had to say about them. So today I bit the bullet and purchased a double layer NylonD 1.0 hammock, along with all of the suspension equipment. I also purchased a bunch of Dutch gear for hanging a tarp.

But I don't have a tarp yet. I think I want the MamaJamba from Warbonnet, but would like to know what everyone else thinks of that tarp and if there are any other recommendations. So far this has been a very helpful forum for me! Thanks, looking forward to receiving my Dutch Hammock and getting my hang on!

[OneClick]

I started with a Superfly tarp, got frustrated with all the lines, then sold it.

Then I purchased a Mamajamba and really liked the simplicity.

But then I was worried about rain/wind blowing in, so I purchased the Mamajamba door kit. It's nice, but more to fiddle with.

So I purchased a Superfly again!

After all that, if I could do it over I would get both the Edge tarp for fair/showery weather, and the Superfly tarp for stormy, very rainy, or winter weather.

If you could absolutely only have one, the Superfly is a safe bet. But I hate to carry all that for a 97% dry and sunny trip with just a quick 15 minute shower.

I'm happy with my Mamajamba/Superfly combo, but keep thinking about the Edge. Check out the comparison pic on the warbonnet site (second to last pic on Edge tarp page)

[dakotaross]

I agree with markr6, and the Warbonnet tarps are about the best value out there. However, there's a lot to like about cuben tarps if you can make the $$ stretch. As mr6 explained, there is a conundrum with sil tarps in that you don't need doors most of the time, but they are sometimes essential to keeping warm, if not for privacy. And the additional material/weight/bulk of the sil doors is substantial - might not seem like it to someone new to tarps, but it is. Having the doors to cutoff wind in a packed pkg smaller than an Edge is pretty awesome. And the cuben material is not nearly as flimsy as I had imagined, plus it has other properties that add to overall value.

Between my original Toxaway tarp purchase (Arrowhead-Equipment.com) and the Superfly, I think I'd choose the Superfly. I say that because I added doors to my Tox. The Tox is a great value in a big hex tarp, and since I added cuben doors, it weighs less than most winter sil tarps and costs less than a cuben with doors. Though I love it, if doing it all over again I'd totally save for the HG cuben with doors.

[Mountain Gout]

I started with a Superfly tarp, got frustrated with all the lines, then sold it.

Then I purchased a Mamajamba and really liked the simplicity.

But then I was worried about rain/wind blowing in, so I purchased the Mamajamba door kit. It's nice, but more to fiddle with.

So I purchased a Superfly again!

After all that, if I could do it over I would get both the Edge tarp for fair/showery weather, and the Superfly tarp for stormy, very rainy, or winter weather.

If you could absolutely only have one, the Superfly is a safe bet. But I hate to carry all that for a 97% dry and sunny trip with just a quick 15 minute shower.

I'm happy with my Mamajamba/Superfly combo, but keep thinking about the Edge. Check out the comparison pic on the warbonnet site (second to last pic on Edge tarp page)

lol... Yep, probably another edge in my future as well..

[OneClick]

BTW, I don't want to sound like I only promote Warbonnet. It just happens to be the first brand I tried and didn't find a need to look any further. Same with HammockGear stuff. Lots of other great vendors out there, though.

[cataraftgirl]

Wilderness Logics has great tarps of all sizes. Lots of HF folks like the Tadpole. I own a Big Daddy and a Wild River group tarp myself and love them both. Marty usually has a tarp on sale most months, and his delivery times are fast.

[ShooTa]

mark - i currently own a Hennesy hex - and it covers most eventualies -HOWEVER....
if i did not already own it prior to hammocking, i would have saved my cash and shelled out for a cuben fibre tarp straight away, with doors for most ranges of camping.

[12trysomething]

My first tarp was a Tadpole, really love it. Since, a superfly and HG cuben have found their way to my home. I usually recommend the Tadpole at first. I hope this helps.

- Rob

[OneClick]

mark - i currently own a Hennesy hex - and it covers most eventualies -HOWEVER....
if i did not already own it prior to hammocking, i would have saved my cash and shelled out for a cuben fibre tarp straight away, with doors for most ranges of camping.

Cuben sounds pretty amazing. I wish it wasn't semi-transparent though. Even the half moon last weekend was too bright thru my Mamajamba tarp! I pulled the top quilt over my head though and I was out.

[Spiguyver]

Wilderness Logics has great tarps of all sizes. Lots of HF folks like the Tadpole. I own a Big Daddy and a Wild River group tarp myself and love them both. Marty usually has a tarp on sale most months, and his delivery times are fast.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Since there are so many great reviews on the Tadpole, and I've seen the name come up so many times, I figured that would be a safe bet. Plus the quick delivery time doesn't hurt. I'll probably use this one for summer/tame weather, and get a CF w/doors later on for cold/nasty weather.

I appreciate all the help!