What are experiences with assym hex tarps? The idea of better covering diagonal lay with smallest area (thus weight and bulk) seems ok to me, but how it works in reality? What are cons with that design? ugqoutdoor.com used to make some, but I don't see them anymore, so there must be a reason they quit producing assymetrical hex quilts? What I am missing here?
I have one for sale (since have purchased a cuben and might be transitioning to bridge) and have used it a couple times. Paul told me it was his go to tarp. I had no issues with it in the rain and dew, but I only had it out once in that so... Mine has 4 tie outs though. If interested I'm only asking $110 with lines, Dutch worms and skins, cheaper than building your own. Ha.
THE SHORT VERSIONOriginally Posted by Birdman100
A properly pitched and sized standard-width parallelogram asym tarp can keep you quite dry, but it's primary area of vulnerability is always on the long edges toward the ends opposite the side-tie outs, e,g., the left side of the foot end and the right side of the head end for a typical right-lay hanger. In essence, an asymmetrical hex tarp with two-piece construction is really a lot like a widebody rectangular asym tarp (similar to what Dutch currently sells) with storm flaps and a highly optimized shape, offering better protection form blown precipitation in these most troublesome areas. The advent of wide waterproof fabrics like Dutch's Xenon Wide and RBTR Silpoly XL have made producing a two-piece asym hex (either commercially or DIY) somewhat less attractive.
THE LONG VERSION
I spend a lot of nights under standard (parallelogram and wide (rectangular) asym tarps about 6 months out of the year, sometimes in tragically crappy rainy weather that can last for a week or more at a time without ever letting up.
One of the things I noticed very early on about standard-width asym tarps in particular is that effective tarp ridge line length has to be proportionate to the hammock ridge line length with a lot less variance than when deploying a hex tarp. If you're wed to the idea that your hammock suspension has to thread up through the "V" on your tarp ridge line tie-outs, it's certainly easy to hang your asym tarp too high relative to the hammock ridge line if you happen to hang the hammock suspension even slightly steeper than 30 degrees; if you have an overly long ridge line length on your asym tarp, this tendency is exacerbated, and whatever protection you get from increasing the overhang distance at the tie-outs is abated by increased exposure to the elements (especially under the long edges) due to the increased distance between the tarp ridge line and the hammock ridge line. (I usually pitch my asym tarp as low as I can get it above the hammock ridge line and let the hammock suspension touch the tarp on the short edges (i.e., not threading the V) when the hammock is unloaded to cheat the tarp down lower by an extra inch or two and get slightly better coverage.)
The big advantage I see to wide rectangular asym tarps like Dutch's (or my DIY K.I.S.S. tarp) is that you can get adequate (diagonal) ridge line lengths and better from shorter runs of fabric, taking even better advantage of the wide right-angle corners at the RL tie-outs, 90 degrees instead of the 75 degrees typical of most parallelogram asyms, which present the unfortunate opportunity for exposure if the standard-width tarps aren't pitched precisely. I have had fantastic luck staying dry in 11-foot hammocks with a 110" ridge line under my K.I.S.S. wide asym tarps, which are just a rectangular 6' x 9' piece of Xenon Wide or Silpoly XL hung on the 130" diagonal; the end overhang requires precise centering with only 10" or so extending past the gathered ends, but the coverage is fantastic because of the wide corners at the ridge line; the tarp's "wingspan" is very wide and really protects the gathered ends, even without storm flaps. If the the ridge line length were to be extended, you would get more overhang past the ends of the hammock, but the tarp would be forced higher and the long edges would present more and more exposure as they get more parallel to the hammock ridge line. (FWIW my K.I.S.S. tarps have ranged from 230 to 275 grams depending upon exact finished dimensions and the number and size of the tie-outs (sometimes up to 8).)
Any asym tarp -- parallelogram, rectangle, or hex -- has to do two things: keep you sufficiently dry and weigh relatively little. I'll add to this list of features the consideration of packed size. I like to carry an asym tarp (even a standard-width one) because in the summer months when rain is unlikely and extreme conditions are even less likely, I can carry a lightweight tarp that not only weighs less than my hex but also packs down much smaller and lets me carry half as many stakes and guylines. (Personally, I find frequently that I have no problem hitting my target base weight for a trip (usually around 15 pounds for 3 seasons) but I often struggle to have all the gear fit comfortably into my backpack, especially when I'm using a lighter-weight pack with reduced volume; an asym tarp can make a noticeable difference with about half the volume of some of my hexes.
So a simple 6' x 10' rectangular asym tarp made from wide fabric would have an approximate 12-foot ridge line length when hung on the diagonal; with only the four corner tie-outs, weight is kept to a minimum and you get a nice middle ground of ease in pitching thanks to generous end overhangs while still allowing for a low pitch over the hammock ridge line. If you added a pair of reinforced tie-outs 6" inboard from each corner on the two short edges -- similar to what Dutch does on his Wide Asym Tarp -- you'd maintain the reversible lay direction with a minimum of added weight and gain an alternative adjustable ridge line length shorter ridge line length of approximately 11 feet, along with narrow storm flaps for extra protection along the long edges. With this modification, the coverage and shape start to look very much like what the UGQ Asym Hex offered -- but you can construct it without having to sew a ridge line seam.
If you look at the original dimensions of the UGQ Asym Hex, doing the math you could superimpose a 6' x 11" rectangle of wide waterproof fabric on top of it (simulating an asym hang) and cover about 90% of the same area. If you were to alter the shape very slightly, you could use a single run of wide fabric trimmed into a cat-cut asym hex with the same ridge line length that would be easier to construct than a two-piece tarp and save about an ounce of weight in fabric, depending upon the details.
The biggest downside to the asym hex is that while you are theoretically sacrificing a bit of weather protection to save some weight, you are essentially only deleting fabric compared to a standard hex, which doesn't save that much weight. In making it directional, you reduce its versatility somewhat and also compromise its porch mode and wind-blocking capabilities, making it a less attractive trade-off. Regardless, I still have to give Paul at UGQ a great deal of credit for devising such an innovative tarp design and for bringing it to market to give people more choices; the asym hex concept is still a viable one for anyone who wants to reduce pack size, tread a reasonable middle ground with regard to weather protection, and not make gram-shaving the top priority.
HTH...
Last edited by kitsapcowboy; 03-13-2018 at 09:47.
Smart graphic design for all your needs by BGD
I have four hammocks and the asym is fine for three of them. I've run into issues with the asym and my bridge hammock. I want gear that works in any combination with all of my stuff.
No bridge hammock - no worries.
Wow! Thanks for all the insights on asym living. I modified a 4 ounce asym tarp and agree that close or even closer to the hammock provides the best coverage. I do not normally deploy any tarp unless I have to.THE SHORT VERSION
A properly pitched and sized standard-width parallelogram asym tarp can keep you quite dry, but it's primary area of vulnerability is always on the long edges toward the ends opposite the side-tie outs, e,g., the left side of the foot end and the right side of the head end for a typical right-lay hanger. In essence, an asymmetrical hex tarp with two-piece construction is really a lot like a widebody rectangular asym tarp (similar to what Dutch currently sells) with storm flaps and a highly optimized shape, offering better protection form blown precipitation in these most troublesome areas. The advent of wide waterproof fabrics like Dutch's Xenon Wide and RBTR Silpoly XL have made producing a two-piece asym hex (either commercially or DIY) somewhat less attractive.
THE LONG VERSION
I spend a lot of nights under standard (parallelogram and wide (rectangular) asym tarps about 6 months out of the year, sometimes in tragically crappy rainy weather that can last for a week or more at a time without ever letting up.
One of the things I noticed very early on about standard-width asym tarps in particular is that effective tarp ridge line length has to be proportionate to the hammock ridge line length with a lot less variance than when deploying a hex tarp. If you're wed to the idea that your hammock suspension has to thread up through the "V" on your tarp ridge line tie-outs, it's certainly easy to hang your asym tarp too high relative to the hammock ridge line if you happen to hang the hammock suspension even slightly steeper than 30 degrees; if you have an overly long ridge line length on your asym tarp, this tendency is exacerbated, and whatever protection you get from increasing the overhang distance at the tie-outs is abated by increased exposure to the elements (especially under the long edges) due to the increased distance between the tarp ridge line and the hammock ridge line. (I usually pitch my asym tarp as low as I can get it above the hammock ridge line and let the hammock suspension touch the tarp on the short edges (i.e., not threading the V) when the hammock is unloaded to cheat the tarp down lower by an extra inch or two and get slightly better coverage.)
The big advantage I see to wide rectangular asym tarps like Dutch's (or my DIY K.I.S.S. tarp) is that you can get adequate (diagonal) ridge line lengths and better from shorter runs of fabric, taking even better advantage of the wide right-angle corners at the RL tie-outs, 90 degrees instead of the 75 degrees typical of most parallelogram asyms, which present the unfortunate opportunity for exposure if the standard-width tarps aren't pitched precisely. I have had fantastic luck staying dry in 11-foot hammocks with a 110" ridge line under my K.I.S.S. wide asym tarps, which are just a rectangular 6' x 9' piece of Xenon Wide or Silpoly XL hung on the 130" diagonal; the end overhang requires precise centering with only 10" or so extending past the gathered ends, but the coverage is fantastic because of the wide corners at the ridge line; the tarp's "wingspan" is very wide and really protects the gathered ends, even without storm flaps. If the the ridge line length were to be extended, you would get more overhang past the ends of the hammock, but the tarp would be forced higher and the long edges would present more and more exposure as they get more parallel to the hammock ridge line. (FWIW my K.I.S.S. tarps have ranged from 230 to 275 grams depending upon exact finished dimensions and the number and size of the tie-outs (sometimes up to 8).)
Any asym tarp -- parallelogram, rectangle, or hex -- has to do two things: keep you sufficiently dry and weigh relatively little. I'll add to this list of features the consideration of packed size. I like to carry an asym tarp (even a standard-width one) because in the summer months when rain is unlikely and extreme conditions are even less likely, I can carry a lightweight tarp that not only weighs less than my hex but also packs down much smaller and lets me carry half as many stakes and guylines. (Personally, I find frequently that I have no problem hitting my target base weight for a trip (usually around 15 pounds for 3 seasons) but I often struggle to have all the gear fit comfortably into my backpack, especially when I'm using a lighter-weight pack with reduced volume; an asym tarp can make a noticeable difference with about half the volume of some of my hexes.
So a simple 6' x 10' rectangular asym tarp made from wide fabric would have an approximate 12-foot ridge line length when hung on the diagonal; with only the four corner tie-outs, weight is kept to a minimum and you get a nice middle ground of ease in pitching thanks to generous end overhangs while still allowing for a low pitch over the hammock ridge line. If you added a pair of reinforced tie-outs 6" inboard from each corner on the two short edges -- similar to what Dutch does on his Wide Asym Tarp -- you'd maintain the reversible lay direction with a minimum of added weight and gain an alternative adjustable ridge line length shorter ridge line length of approximately 11 feet, along with narrow storm flaps for extra protection along the long edges. With this modification, the coverage and shape start to look very much like what the UGQ Asym Hex offered -- but you can construct it without having to sew a ridge line seam.
If you look at the original dimensions of the UGQ Asym Hex, doing the math you could superimpose a 6' x 11" rectangle of wide waterproof fabric on top of it (simulating an asym hang) and cover about 90% of the same area. If you were to alter the shape very slightly, you could use a single run of wide fabric trimmed into a cat-cut asym hex with the same ridge line length that would be easier to construct than a two-piece tarp and save about an ounce of weight in fabric, depending upon the details.
The biggest downside to the asym hex is that while you are theoretically sacrificing a bit of weather protection to save some weight, you are essentially only deleting fabric compared to a standard hex, which doesn't save that much weight. In making it directional, you reduce its versatility somewhat and also compromise its porch mode and wind-blocking capabilities, making it a less attractive trade-off. Regardless, I still have to give Paul at UGQ a great deal of credit for devising such an innovative tarp design and for bringing it to market to give people more choices; the asym hex concept is still a viable one for anyone who wants to reduce pack size, tread a reasonable middle ground with regard to weather protection, and not make gram-shaving the top priority.
HTH...
I like refried beans. That's why I wanna try fried beans, because maybe they're just as good and we're just wasting time. You don't have to fry them again after all.
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