I hang low. I'm short, I like my tarps to get low to the ground for winter. Rest of the 3 seasons, I rarely bother with a tarp in California.
S
I hang low. I'm short, I like my tarps to get low to the ground for winter. Rest of the 3 seasons, I rarely bother with a tarp in California.
S
High enough to stand under in all but winter. In winter, low enough to to get the edges to the ground.
If the weather is fair, my tarp is usually in a snakeskin near the hammock RL. I prefer the open, only pitch the tarp out if I get chilled or figure on rain - either of those situations I like the tarp nice and close.
At 6'3", that's my approach as well. How high to hang depends on the conditions, and just as importantly on site selection. For me it comes down to always hanging my hammock low enough to the ground to allow for high, medium and low tarp pitches while still having sufficient clearance for my underquilt.
When I pitch my outfit in dense woods or a dell, I know I won't get much more than rain/snow falling more or less vertically, so I can pitch my tarp at head height. This would be my first choice if I knew the weather was going to turn nasty.
On the other hand, I love to canoe and wake up to beautiful scenery, so all too often I pitch my hammock on a high spot overlooking a lake. But when the weather turns foul and high winds start blowing the rain in from the side, or there's a lot of mist or fog, I know I'll need my full length 12' x 10' fly snug to the ground, with beaks deployed. I flip it to porch mode during the day to move around, but I'd rather go to sleep knowing that come hell or high water, my tarp's pitched tight, battened down to ride out a storm. The same holds true for winter hanging.
Conversely, in clear, hot weather, I pitch my tarp above my head to allow for maximum ventilation, but my hammock's still fairly low so I can always grumble, get up, drop the tarp and grumble some more as I try to get back to sleep.
Frankly, I don't spend much time around my hammock during the day, so I usually rig it to sleep securely.
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I hang from a single line which tarp and hammock are hung from the same 1/8" amsteel line similar to the post by Bearchasher http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=32421
Mine is modified in that I use whoopies between the hammock and the Alpine butterfly knots. When hanging I place the tree huggers 'almost' as high as I can reach. Attach the ridgeline with tarp attached to the huggers, tighten the ridgeline, stake the tarp, either low medium or porch mode. The hammock can be left off leaving the area under the tarp clear for cooking, eating, socializing.
Most of us end up poorer here but richer for being here. Olddog, Fulltime hammocker, 365 nights a year.
I often hang one of those funny skinny-assed old Clark tarps, less than 3ft wide at the foot end. It is meant to be tied even below the tree strap and hung close to the hmmk in rain or snow. With just 3 1-gram Velcro ties at its rearward tie-outs, it can wrap the foot end of the hammock nicely and securely in lousy weather, when I don't fly the foot end of the netting or weather-shield either.
The head end of the tarp can be attached above my head for a clear view, while the back end encloses the UQ. and the whole thing looks like a strongly 3-dimensional origami bird, tarp tilted so rain flows back and away toward a tail and away from where I get in and out. My feet just hum along, un-bothered by the completely obstructed view.
Tree straps 6 feet, tarp ridge line 5 feet, I find that having my Mamajamba low enough to block under drafts and the panel pulls tied out gives me room to move but still keeps me warm.
Thanks everyone.
My back gets a little tweaked when I'm under there messing with stuff and I've been setting up a little higher so I don't have to hunch over.
I know you're suppose to hike your own hike and all that but I feel better now knowing other set up high as well and sometimes for the same reason.
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