Tarp length

[jons4real]

Hey all, I'm wondering if there is a general rule of thumb on hammock to tarp length ratios. I know that bigger is always better but that about the guys buying 12ft hammocks?

[nothermark]

Aside from the obvious ridge line longer than the hammock there are two issues. Hennessy gets by with one of the smallest tarps by hanging it from the suspension just above the hammock ridge line. If the hammock sags the tarp goes with it. On the other end their Hex tarp is billed as too heavy to do that way so it is possibly the biggest one at 12 ft ridge and 10 ft wide. This accommodates a fairly wide space as the hammock sags down below the ridge line and but stays in the rain shadow of the tarp. The other issue is doors. If you add them you cut down on how much overhang is needed to keep the hammock in the rain shadow. It also works better with wind. The 12 ft hammock guys are probably looking at 14 ft tarps or larger. IF they use a rectangle they can fold a door into the windward end to stay short but probably not much shorter than that.

[jons4real]

Thanks, I ask because I'm looking at getting into a 12ft'er and I haven't heard of anyone using a tarp large enough to cover it. I don't even know who sells tarps that large.

[Shug]

My tarps cover my Snipe....I added a ridgeline to my Snipe so it shortens it up some.
Most of my tarps have an 11' ridgeline.
Shug

[rip waverly]

oes use*d to make some big tarps - 12 x 15 and such.
theres the 12x14 chinook -and i know there are other vendors
that will built to your liking-or-are already producing large tarps

a 12' hammock using the *recommended 85% ridge line yields
10.2' needing covered. a 12' tarp ridge length should suffice.

[MuseJr]

All of my tarps have 11' ridgelines. That length covers all of my hammocks and gives me 6" or so at each end. (I have shortened my hammock ridgelines a little bit too.)