Getting ticked!

[Hector]

The hammock supports/ridgeline don't form a straight line, especially when you climb into the hammock. Unless you want your tarp up high (not bad when you only expect light showers with little/no wind) you need to tie it below where the huggers will meet the tree. The tarp goes more-or-less straight across and the (comfortable) hammock sags below it. Note you should practice putting the tarp up, then the hammock under it. Just imagine it's pouring rain, and when it really is you'll be glad you did.

[jeffjenn]

The HH stock tarp is IMO junk! I had all the same problems except the broken hooks. After some reasonably pleasant emails with Ann/Tom I went with the BIG HEX tarp. Did I say BIG! I have not had it in the woods yet but backyard testing says there will be no more problems. If I had it to do over again though I may very well have chosen a rectangular sil tarp because of the more versatile use & the weight savings. The HH Hex tarp at 1.5+ lbs is a lot for a tarp. Depending on how you intend to use it this is something worth thinking about. If weight is of no concern it does cover!

[heescha]

i talked to them and i am now getting a hex fly tarp...but, how big is this thing...will it fit inside the snake skins still?

[Dutch]

IMO you shouldn't put the tarp in the skins with the hammock. If your tarp is wet it will make your hammock wet and it will not dry. Instead put it in a mesh pocket of your pack. That way you can get it out first if it is raining and set up under it. First you have to make it so it ties to the trees not the hammock.

[jeffjenn]

Have not tried but would guess no. I made a stuffsack just for it, rolls to around 4-4.5"x10" under real world (non ideal/loose) camping conditions. Could get a little tighter with more effort (came from HH at 3"x10"). I had stopped using my fly in the snakeskins before this. I prefer being able to set up my fly first if needed. If you really like the skins you may want to get a set for the fly itself??? Also the hex fly doesn't have the plastic hooks, it has ropes all around ready to tie to the tree not the hammock. As Dutch said the fly needs air to dry so skins or stuffsacks need to be breathable (ie. mesh).

[slowhike]

yep, you'll want to pack the tarp & hammock separately,no mater if you use sacks or skins.

[James]

i talked to them and i am now getting a hex fly tarp...but, how big is this thing...will it fit inside the snake skins still?

It's a good idea to pack the Hex Fly outside of the Snake skins because it ties to the tree rather than attaching to the hammock support ropes.

Also, when you want to do something underneath the Hex Fly you can use the skins to pretty much get the hammock bottom out of your face.

[Hector]

I use snakeskins for the tarp, not the hammock (though the bit about getting the hammock out of your face under the tarp when it's raining makes me think I might need to experiment with that, James!). That way, I can put the tarp up and leave it in the skins when it looks nice so I can look at stars, but if I wake up hearing thunder, I can deploy it quickly.

[BillyBob58]

Well, you are already going for the bigger tarp, so that is that. Is it the less expensive non sil nylon tarp that is a free swap? If so, it's going to add a bit of weight. Even the Sil Nylon one weighs 19 ozs ( 12x10) but gives great coverage.

The main thing I hated about the stock diamond tarp is the Asym aspect. That would always make it hard to get SEEMINGLY adequate coverage on rt side head end and lt side foot end. But my hammock never got wet, though I would have to work hard to make sure all was correct. I would just rather have a slightly larger symmetrical diamond. Would that require a square tarp hung diagonal, to get symmetrical?

I'm amazed both of your clips broke. Neither of mine has after 2 years.

If you are still trying while waiting for that other tarp, and if you have not already done this:
1: center tarp on hammock RL, both length wise and left to right.
2: tighten sides to the ground WHILE LEAVING TOP PRUSSICKS LOOSE! Have some kind of bungee between tarp and ground, and maybe on ridge line also.
3: Tighten tarp/bungees enough to ground to cause some down ward pressure on the hammock RL, resulting in some hammock sag before you ever get in. Check again to make sure the tarp is still centered left to right and make sure you don't have that ASYM tarp on backwards! If it is not right, you'll get wet in a drizzle.
4: NOW, tighten the prussicks on the hammock suspension on each end. Don't tighten these first before you cause a little sag!

If you have done this correctly, now when you get in and the hammock sags, the tarp RL should be lying right on top of the hammock RL, and just 6-10" or so from your face. That is where all the rain protection is, Near the RL. And with the slight pre-sag you caused plus the bungees, tarp flapping in the wind should be minimized.

If you tie that tarp ( the small one ) to the trees, you will ( or, I do anyway) have a real challenge keeping covered after your hammock sags. So concentrate on minimizing the sag. For me, that is easier by hanging the hammock high on the tree, with plenty of angle coming down from the tree, pulled just tight enough to pull the ridge line out to full length. It seems to me that the tighter I pull the suspension and hammock RL, and the straighter it is and the least angle from the tree, the more it sags when I get in.

Even with a larger hex cut tarp tied to the tree, I have to pay real attention to having the hammock centered and minimizing sag in order to have adequate coverage on the ends from side ways rain/snow. A rectangular tarp ( even a somewhat shorter one) is a lot easier to deal with, IMO.

PS, I usually put the tarp in it's own skins. That makes for a really fast easy tarp pitch in the wind/rain. I may or may not also have the hammock in another set of skins.

[CajunHiker]

make sure you don't have that ASYM tarp on backwards! If it is not right, you'll get wet in a drizzle.

I'm wondering if I'm getting this correct. Which side of the tarp fabric is supposed to be exposed to the top? Shiney or non-shiney?