Crazy idea???

[WV]

BTW, my main concern was not to put any significant negative force on the tarp's pitch, but to gently pull the bugnetting away from my face so none of them crazy bugs could still bite me.

It will do that just fine. The inward force won't affect your tarp pitch much, because the tarp tie-out is pulling much harder. Since developing the connection described above, I have also experimented with propping the hammock tie-outs up and out with hiking poles clipped to the shock cord loops, replacing the connection to the tarp tie-outs. This also works, and for some hammocks it helps eliminate shoulder squeeze and "ankle squeeze" and gives a slightly flatter lie. If you try this you must use shock cord loops or you'll tear something when you sit in the hammock.

[bear bag hanger]

If I understand the description correctly, I used to do that with my Hennessy during my 04 AT hike. I did it that way to reduce the amount of time to set up. Seemed to work OK, as I remember, but didn't stick with it the whole trip. Not sure why I stopped. I don't use the Hennessy anymore, but have been looking for a better way to stake out my WBBB. Right now, it's too narrow, but can't make it wider since my tarp will only allow me to stake out the sides of the hammock a little bit. Tried using my hiking sticks, but it didn't work so well.

[BillyBob58]

If I'm understanding what you want to do, I have been doing that from the beginning with my HH, especially when I used the diamond tarp. No problems that I ever noticed, though sometimes I was attached to a hiking pole which was holding the tarp corner up. In that case, even a lot of tension would not effect the tarp.

[opie984]

Gargoyle, I actually had considered that as an option and may still try it. My only concern there was the static line putting too much stress on the pull-out location on the tarp. But I could possibly use a tarp-tensioner to alleviate this???

[opie984]

I think there still may be some confusion as to what I am talking about. So I drew up a visual aide really quickly. take a look and revise and feedback as may be necessary.

[WV]

Gargoyle, I actually had considered that as an option and may still try it. My only concern there was the static line putting too much stress on the pull-out location on the tarp. But I could possibly use a tarp-tensioner to alleviate this???

Yes, you want a tarp tensioner (something stretchy) between the hammock and the tarp tieout point and also between the tarp tie-out and the stake (or tree).

[cwayman1]

hey opie984,

To me, scittlefield's suggestion seems most efficient-- connecting the shock cord from hammock side-pull directly to the existing tarp-tieout stake, instead of to the tarp-tieout. You still eliminate that extra stake. It just seems that any force put on the tarp's tie-out in the opposite direction from how it's staked would not be good in the long run. If nothing else, it would pull your tarp inward a bit, resulting in less space.

[cwayman1]

WHOOOAH! I just reread my post, and I kinda sound like a debbie-downer... or doug-downer-- whatever the guy version of that is . Sorry ! I REALLY like the idea of minimizing the # of stakes-- I have a bad habit of losing them as is! I just want as much space as possible under "muh terp"

rereadin' muh posts,
cwayman1 !

[Just Jeff]

Staking it to the tarp stake means the angle of the shockcord is pretty steep down...which makes it harder to create more space in the hammock. If you connect it higher up, like in Opie's drawing, it's easier to get a lot of space in the hammock.

[gargoyle]

Hey, now I see what your thinking. Sure thats a cool idea. thanks for the graphic display (mentally and visually challenged here). Give it a whirl, and tell us the news.
I had you going down to a stake, blah,blah,blah.
Should be a fairly easy mod, if'n you already got panel pulls on your tarp, and the locations of said panel pulls jive with your hammock pull outs?