A tarp question for the Pacific Northwest

[OCDave]

...I’ve never used the panel pullouts in any tarp - is the superfly so big that I have to? ...

The only use my panel pull out have seen is as a tie-back point for my doors. I double over the shock cord attached to the door, slide it through the panel pull out and throw in a half-hitch.

Regarding knots: I have experiemented with a lot of gizmos. I have also seen people develop elaborate hardware based alternatives to simple knots. If you choose your cord wisely, a taught-line hitch can be faster and easier than hardware. I still prefer Stingerz to knots for my ridgeline, mostly because I favor the strength of Lash-it for securing my tarp to trees. I also use Dutch clips for my tree straps so, I am not opposed to hardware. However, there are a handfull of knots I use consitently and learning them has made a difference in my outdoors experience.

Consider mastering:
The taught-line hitch
The Siberian hitch
The Alpine Butterfly loop + Alpine Butterfly bend variation
Sheet bend and
Bowline

With these knots in my tool kit I consider a lot of hardware to be not worth "fussing with" .

Good Luck

[gregsplett]

Another note would be the length of your tree straps.The trees over here are pretty big.I have been put on the ground with fifteen-foot straps off trail in the Olympics.Thats extreme but i would bring no less than twelve.Have fun!

[leiavoia]

Another note would be the length of your tree straps.The trees over here are pretty big.I have been put on the ground with fifteen-foot straps off trail in the Olympics.Thats extreme but i would bring no less than twelve.Have fun!

Great point and totally agree. I carry 12' straps and whoopies and that puts me out of some locations.

[Hiker Boy]

Another note would be the length of your tree straps.The trees over here are pretty big.I have been put on the ground with fifteen-foot straps off trail in the Olympics.Thats extreme but i would bring no less than twelve.Have fun!

This will be probably needed from when he reaches the Ross Lake Recreation Area and travels along the Skagit River. Longer straps will come in handy if he finds he needs to hang from some ponderosa pines on the dry side(the Okanogan highlands section).

[Shrewd]

Interesting - I currently have a pair of 15 footers


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[MoldyFrog]

Yeah I pack a 12' and a 14' strap and our last trip out I needed my 3' dogbone to hang from what was in our picked out spot. It was either that or move a fair bit away from the group to hang in a spot that worked with what I brought. The dogbone is just a bit lighter than longer straps, glad I spent the morning before the hike making one. Tree's can be massive here. My next round of fabric purchases will include more webbing so I can make a longer one to start packing.

While it does rain a lot here, in terms of crazy raining sideways I don't think we are worse than any other place. We just seem to get more wet days and drizzling rain overall. I bring a winter tarp personally cause I want as much wind and rain protection I can. My hiking buddy usually brings a generic rectangular tarp and seems fine. The tree canopy goes a long way to knocking down the rain so you just end up with fewer fat drops.

[Shrewd]

How exactly does one use a dog one to extend a strap?
Using Dutch cinch bugs, in this case


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[MoldyFrog]

I have only have a loop on one end of my huggers. I larkshead the dogbone through the loop and bring the other raw strap edge through the second loop on the other end of the dogbone. Then what little I had left was enough to make the usual Marlin Spike Hitch. Dont see why cinch gear wouldn't work. It's not different than using a continuous loop to get a little extra distance.

Not ideal with regards to general use due to bark damage with such thin straps but I wasn't too concerned considering I could hug the tree twice. Figured it's bark could take a few hours of hanging.

[JHarbin]

I debated between the HG standard with doors and the winter palace, I ended up going with the standard with doors used it twice didn't like the coverage and ended up getting the winter palace. I only wish I had gone with the camouflage instead of the green, maybe someday I'll sell both and get a camo winter palace.
I did pick up a 12' UGQ xl winter dream that has great coverage but only use it for overnights or car camping.

[Two Speed]

Howdy folks

There’s a very small chance I may be attempting the Pacific Northwest Trail this summer.

I carried a hammockgear hex tarp on the AT but I’ve heard the weather in the northwest can be crazy.

I don’t have the funds for what I’d like, an HG winter palace, alas, so I’m looking at the warbonnet superfly and possibly the thunder fly.

I like that the thunder fly has the doors but the SF is sooooo wide I covet it. No splash up....so spacious....

What are your thoughts, gang?

Sell the hex and maybe just get the standard HG tarp with doors?

Screw the weight and get the Superfly?
I’m kinda leaning this way but because the PNT has some pretty long food carries between towns and I may have to carry camera gear I’m thinking I’ll already want a beefier pack (my Circuit kinda stops being comfy around 30 plus pounds

Just looking for thoughts and experiences


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I love my HG tarp with doors. That being said the SF looks so luxurious and i was jealous of all the ones I saw on the AT. If it were me I'd get the super fly. If I had to go buy a not CF tarp today it would be the super fly hands down.