Saggy HH Tarp

**goatman** · 07-15-2007, 13:43

I'm a newbie to hammocking and maybe should have RTFM for my Hyperlight but I can't seem to get this stock HH tarp to pull out nice and flat w/o a ripply ridge line ...photos: top bottom?

I know the advice of some here is to ditch the stock HH tarp for a larger one which is in the plan. But in the meantime I'm wondering if this a quality issue w/mine or all HH tarps have this ridgeline ripple? (Albeit I did purchase a 'demo' hammock)

I've tired all combos of tightness of both the hammock/tarp ridge lines and their pullouts. Didn't see anything in the instructions how to resolve this either? It's annoying at night cause it flaps in the slightest breeze and wakes me up!!!

Suggestions? TKS!

**Dutch** · 07-15-2007, 13:53

I think if there is one design flaw in the HH is that the tarp attatches to the support lines. To get rid of the sag you must tie the tarp to the tree.

Peace Dutch

**goatman** · 07-15-2007, 14:36

Originally Posted by Dutch

I think if there is one design flaw in the HH is that the tarp attatches to the support lines. To get rid of the sag you must tie the tarp to the tree.

Peace Dutch

TKS Dutch but I just tried separating them and got the same result as before????

Blasted RIPPLES!

**angrysparrow** · 07-15-2007, 14:40

Originally Posted by goatman

TKS Dutch but I just tried separating them and got the same result as before????

Blasted RIPPLES!

You probably won't ever get it as tight as some of the pictures you see on this board of MacCats and BlackCats because it doesn't have a ridgeline seam. It's just not made to hang as taut as those are. But, with some practice, you can get an acceptably taut hang.

**goatman** · 07-15-2007, 15:22

Originally Posted by angrysparrow

You probably won't ever get it as tight as some of the pictures you see on this board of MacCats and BlackCats because it doesn't have a ridgeline seam. It's just not made to hang as taut as those are. But, with some practice, you can get an acceptably taut hang.

hmm, I must need a lot practice cuz no matter how I hang it I get the bloody ripples?

It's like something heavy hung in the tarp like a hammock and stretched the middle out? sigh, ...oh well.

I'll be looking at a new tarp sooner than I expected.

Thanks ...S

**lvleph** · 07-20-2007, 13:28

Originally Posted by angrysparrow

You probably won't ever get it as tight as some of the pictures you see on this board of MacCats and BlackCats because it doesn't have a ridgeline seam. It's just not made to hang as taut as those are. But, with some practice, you can get an acceptably taut hang.

It is not the ridgeline seem that makes a MacCat so taut. If you look at the MacCat micro it is still very taut and has no ridgeline seem. It is the catenary cut on the edges.

**angrysparrow** · 07-20-2007, 13:54

Originally Posted by lvleph

It is not the ridgeline seem that makes a MacCat so taut. If you look at the MacCat micro it is still very taut and has no ridgeline seem. It is the catenary cut on the edges.

You're right about the cuts and tautness, but I do think the seam helps with the "A" shape of the tarp, especially when it isn't pulled taut. You can get a good straight ridge by only tying up the ridge ends and letting the sides simply drape. But, if you do that with a tarp with no ridge it tends to have the 'ripples' like in Goatman's pictures.

At least that's my observation when comparing the stock HH tarps to ones with seams. Besides the tarp that came with my HH, all the tarps I own have ridge seams.

**BillyBob58** · 07-21-2007, 13:40

Goatman:

Since it is pretty windy out there today, I thought I would set up and attempt to upload a couple of pics. In case my words were a bit unintelligible, well a picture is worth a thousand, right?

Anyway, the only thing you can't really see is the added ridgeline, since it is under the tarp. And the hooks on the tarp from which the sand bags are hung. I still get some small amount of tarp sag with this backyard set up when I get in, as my ropes (by which I attach the cross frame to the trees) are long and seem to have some stretch in them. These trees are slim (one is anyway) and pretty far apart for hanging, about 30 feet. So my other "tree" ( 2x4s) to which I have the tarp and hammock attached are moved towards the middle just a bit when I get in, causing a little sag. I don't get even that much tarp sag when tied to real trees either thicker or closer together.

But those sand bags made a noticeable difference in how the tarp reacted to the winds once I am in the hammock. It still moves with the breeze, but in a much slower and gentle/quieter fashion, as compared to the normal violent flapping. The pics are pretty low res to save bandwidth, but I think you can get the idea.

I find this pitch toghtness and wind response to be acceptable. Of course, it can't touch my MacCat deluxe. HOWEVER, in it's favor, it does only require 2 stake out points. And if I'm not expecting heavy storms, I often just attache the tarp to the suspension in normal fashion, and then zip tarp and all ( and SuperShelter undercover in cold weather) up in the #4 snake skins, which makes set up and take down unbelievably fast! But if the weather turns nasty by surprise, I already have my additional guylines attached to the tarp, and I just attach them to the trees for when I need a really tight pitch. Of course, except for the "only 2 stake out points", I can also do all of the above with my MacCat Deluxe. But the Hen tarp seems a little smoother and quicker to roll up in the skins with the hammock.

But if it's a long trip or I know in advance heavy rain/wind are forcast, I probably use separate skins or sacks for the hammock and tarp, and tie tarp to trees first.

**angrysparrow** · 07-15-2007, 14:38

Dutch is right. The way that the tarp attaches to the suspension of a stock HH causes some sag in the tarp when you put weight in the hammock. Even if you don't replace the tarp with something bigger, you'll get a more tight tarp by attaching it directly to the trees instead of those sliding tarp tensioners that came with your HH.

You may actually find that you need to tie the tarp lines to the tree several inches below where you tie your HH spectra. That way, when you get in the hammock and it sags a little, the tarp will still be close to the ridgeline of your bugnet thus offering more protection.

**Just Jeff** · 07-15-2007, 16:52

It also has to do with the fabric's bias...I'm not sure there's really a way to make that tarp as tight as others. If you want the light weight and simplicity of that stock tarp, you have to compromise a little bit with the tight pitch. It still offers adequate protection...just not as tight of a pitch as a cat tarp.