Snakeskins, Black Bishop bags, or stuff sacks?

**n1ck0l3man** · 02-04-2012, 16:41

So I am a true and honest newb when it comes to hammocks. I had my first hang this past December and was quite successful due to you guys. So, I come to you again for your wisdom! I am getting a superfly to go with my hammock and it occurred to me that if it rains several days on the trail, then I would need a plan of action as far as tarp and hammock storage. Obviously I need to store them separately, but the question is how to do so and be space efficient. It seemed my snake skins took up a huge amount of space in my pack when I used them this past hang. I have used tents to hike my whole life so my mind set is shove it in the compression sack and go. Unfortunately that may not work with hammocks, but then again it may....
Thanks guys!

**Rooster** · 02-04-2012, 17:00

I use mesh skins from mountaingoat and keep the tarp in the outside mesh pocket of my ULA Circuit.

My hammock goes inside the pack with my insulation in a cuben roll top bag. This idea I got from R00K from his exo video.

**Bubba** · 02-04-2012, 18:01

Originally Posted by DraicKin

I use mesh skins from mountaingoat and keep the tarp in the outside mesh pocket of my ULA Circuit.

My hammock goes inside the pack with my insulation in a cuben roll top bag. This idea I got from R00K from his exo video.

I also have tarp sleeves from mountaingoat. They really make set up easy. Its also nice to stow your tarp up and out of the way in nicer weather but have it ready to deploy if the weather turns. I find the no see um tarp sleeves easier to pack and lighter than snakeskins.

**weird1** · 02-04-2012, 18:07

I use the HH snake skins because I already had them. I will put the tarp in the skins, then all of that in a stuff sack. My reasoning is in the skins I can hang the tarp, pitch it how I want, and if the weather is nice I can put in back in the skins enjoy the stars. Then I can pitch the tarp in seconds if needed (I leave the stakes in the ground). The reason for the sack is I keep the tarp on the out side of my pack and it is easier to manage the "snake" if it is in the sack.

**flatline** · 02-04-2012, 18:21

i use a pair of mesh skins for my tarp. if it's wet i will tie it on the outside of my pack.

all my other sleep gear is inside a lazy slug tube.

**nateseviltwin** · 02-04-2012, 18:56

Originally Posted by flatline

i use a pair of mesh skins for my tarp. if it's wet i will tie it on the outside of my pack.

all my other sleep gear is inside a lazy slug tube.

+1

Yep, that's my setup too.

**Catavarie** · 02-04-2012, 20:24

I'm in the Snake Skins party for tarps. They don't compress the tarp as well as a compression bag would, but they allow the tarp to dry out a bit while I'm hiking, unless it's still raining when I break camp, then its just soaked. But I also keep my tarp in an outside mesh pocket.

I use a Black Bishop bag for my hammock and quilts and that goes into a trash compactor bag in my pack.

**Hangandy** · 02-05-2012, 07:51

Originally Posted by weird1

I use the HH snake skins because I already had them. I will put the tarp in the skins, then all of that in a stuff sack. My reasoning is in the skins I can hang the tarp, pitch it how I want, and if the weather is nice I can put in back in the skins enjoy the stars. Then I can pitch the tarp in seconds if needed (I leave the stakes in the ground). The reason for the sack is I keep the tarp on the out side of my pack and it is easier to manage the "snake" if it is in the sack.

Weird1 is right. In nice weather the mountaingoat sleeves let you keep your tarp prepped but out of the way. If I'm expecting wet weather however I just keep the tarp in a mosquito netting bag hung external to my pack. So...

Snakeskins (sleeves) for nice weather, black bishop for rain, Winnebago for freezing rain or hail, hotel for extreme heat.

**zukiguy** · 02-05-2012, 08:26

For now....snakeskins for the hammock. These are leftovers from my original purchase from years ago. The skins get "wadded" or sort of rolled in a ball then the whoopies wrapped around the outside and the whole thing crammed in the original stuff sack along with the tree straps.

I like having the hammock in the skins so I can leave it hung but out of the way when needed. I had 4 of my hiking partners all huddling under my tarp cooking dinner during a downpour a few years ago. I think I partially converted a few ground dwellers to hangers on that trip.

The tarp goes in a "python skin" that Raiffnuke was kind enough to fashion from some scrap material I inherited. Same idea here. The tarp gets rolled up and the skin slid into place. I hank each end of the CRL and the whole mess goes into a sack or just in outside pocket of my pack.

Having mesh skins would probably be the way to go. I hear it's a little lighter and the contents should dry out a bit. By the 2nd day of my trip my tarp was soaked so the inside of the skins stayed wet too. When I got home it took a few days on my porch to dry the tarp and I had to turn the skins inside out for them to dry fully (mesh would have been no problem). My gear has to live in a shed outside so mildew is always a concern.