Tarp recommendations for high winds?

[MattK]

I know this isn't popular, but I will echo what MonkeyBoy42 said: pyramid shelter. I have sat out blizzards and feet of snow in mine. They were originally designed and used (on polar expiditions for example) because of the way they shed high winds.

If you are dead set on the hammock though, I would start out with a winter style (full doors on each end), and make it as small as possible. Meaning, figure out what the minimal room you will need is, and cut it down to that size: shorter ridge line, less side coverage, etc. The more fabric you use, the more force those brutal winds will exert. If it were me building the tarp, I would use 1.0oz/sqyd cuben fiber. The fabric was originally designed for racing yachts, so it is a good place to look for extreme wind. It is also absurdly strong in tension, which is what you would be dealing with. Make the tie out reinforcements oversized, like 6" high triangles on ridgelines. I would make at least 4 ground tie outs per side. Basically, the more stake out points you have, the less force you have going into each one, and therefore they will be less likely to pull out. It also makes it easier to tension your tarp perfectly; drum tight with no wrinkles. In high winds, it isn't just a matter of making a nice looking pitch. Those wrinkles are the visible indication of how force is transferring thru the tensile structure of your tarp. No wrinkles = even distribution.

Next, when you set up, set up as absolutely low as you possibly can. Like, your UQ is inches from the ground. Wind speed drops dramatically as you get closer to the ground. Which, incidentally, is why a ground shelter might be the best option for you. I know Hilleberg tents in particular are designed for use in high winds. This is an interesting video. Again, if you are set on the hammock, I would suggest adding 3 or more panel pull outs to each side. Again, lots and oversized ones for good force distribution.

I speak from experience in pitching my tarp in the alpine (~12,000+ft) a good number of times. I have ridden out thunderstorms that lasted hours and included hail and brutal winds. Definitely not sustained 60mph winds, but pretty brutal. If I am bracing for such a storm, I will use at least 14 stakes. And if I have a little extra time, I will usually find some rocks to make use of 2 more of my panel tie-outs, and role some big rocks on the primary stakes (corners and ridgelines). After riding out a few such storms, my tarp (of 0.74oz/sqyd cuben) hasn't failed and honestly, looks no worse for wear. Which is to say, I think your tarp could be built and used. However, I know when I ride out those storms, I don't really sleep too much. Do you have confidence that you could get enough sleep under your expected conditions to make a multi-day trek worthwhile? At the very least, I would say you are in for a serious helping of type 2 fun.

All that to say, I would suggest a pyramid shelter (check out mountain laurel designs; they are a fantastic cottage manufacturer). If you are going to go for a hammock, don't skimp on tarp materials, make the reinforcements double or more the normal size, and double or more the number of tie-outs. Hang low, use lots of stakes, and every time you get gale force winds, practice in your backyard.

Good luck!

[Erayd]

Thanks very much everyone - lots of really good feedback there. I think, on the balance, it might be safer / more sensible to find another location for my coastal ramblings, and stick with forested spots for the local stuff.

I had hoped that a suitable tarp would be possible, but the impression I'm getting from the above is that, while there's a chance I could scrape something together that might do the trick, it isn't something that I could rely on and I'd be taking a bit of a risk with it.

Really appreciate everyone who chipped in with advice - thanks again :-).

[cougarmeat]

Erayd, I'm glad you are considering an alternative. As others have said, it is not just "the tarp". If you are tied to trees, those trees also have to withstand the 60 mph winds. So does your staking. I've been in a ... a... tent (I guess I can still say it) in high winds - but no where near 60 mph an woke to find some stakes bent at 45 degrees. So just not the tarp, but everything in the system has to deal with the load. And if it doesn't, a Plan B might be difficult to come by.

That said, I can appreciate your desire to be in the weather - feeling nature and all. So I hope you don't give that up. Mountaineers have to deal with high winds a lot and they usually don't have trees at the elevation of their playground. So their solution might be your solution.

Also, maybe you can find some natural shelter in your play area - Something you could duck under/behind so your additional (man made) coverage requirement would be quite small - I'm thinking of a small roof over a ditch.

Once I tried to camp at the top of a hill - for the view - and the wind made everything (camp set up, cooking, etc.) extra work. The next time I just dropped down off the ridge, out of the wind blast, and camping was much better. And I could still walk 20 meters to the top of the hill for the view.

[BigE94]

Maybe the key is pitching as low as possible. Set the hammock as close to the ground as possible without touching it and then pitch the tarp low and the sides out flat. Let the wind move over you . Sounds good in my head.

[wisenber]

The higher the wind is, the lower the tarp should be. With a lower ridgeline, you will be exposed to less windforce. That being said, if there is any terrain available, a berm or thicket will help alot more than your tarp. And trees do fall at 60 mph.

[nommon8]

I know this is an old thread, but these threads still show up in search results and the similar threads section, and I can offer some suggestions that may help. I don't have much experience with tarps, but have used several ultralight mountaineering tents during high winds. I've also started to use tarps for locations where there is no space for a tent. 60mph isn't really out of the ordinary in many places. Patagonia regularly sees 80mph winds. It's certainly possible for the OP to venture on a multi-day trek where he's at.

As others have said the ultralight tent stakes such as the MSR groundhog aren't really going to do much for you. Using thin cord (2.0mm) as guy lines I've had the guy lines break the upper portion of the stake off of the rest of the stake during high winds. It's much better to use natural anchors such as heavy rocks, stacks of rocks, trees, or deadman bags which would probably work great in sand. You'd probably want a stake to be able to hold 60-70 lbs in those conditions. If your area *regularly* sees 60mph winds then any trees that have withstood those winds for over a decade probably aren't going to topple over the next time 60mph winds come around. The trees in high wind areas are strong, but carefully inspect the tree for signs of rot etc. If you want to use stakes I've used the SMC 7075 T-6 aluminum stakes and they're bomber, although they are on the heavy side. When I've used them I've only brought a few, and planned on finding natural anchors for the rest of the guy lines.

Sag is your enemy. If you sleep through the night and you're using something like silnylon it will sag and slowly increase the amount of force the tent is enduring. If the winds are high, you'll need to be vigilant.

I have the most experience with 30d silnylon, and haven't used a cuben fiber shelter in high winds. I would worry about the seams and tie outs unless I had time to extensively test them first. The main reason being my experience with a hybrid cuben pack. The tape on the cuben fiber side didn't hold up very well. I have experienced pole damage in a silnylon tent, but never to the fabric seams or attachment points. The fabric has held up without fail even after breaking a pole.

Once you're in around 40mph winds it's best not to be completely exposed. I would search for ideas on how to protect your camp site. You mentioned sand. Would it be possible to build a sand wall to protect your camp site? Or dig a spot for your tent? When camping on snow often there are no trees or rocks to offer protection, but it's common to dig a hole for the tent, or build a wall with snow. If there are rocks around you can build a wall out of rocks. If there is dirt you can dig, or build a wall with dirt. These methods usually add a considerable amount of time to setting up camp, and it'd be a good idea to bring a packable shovel like you'd find in a mountaineering store.

Hopefully the OP can use these ideas to get out there!