Originally Posted by
GrizzlyAdams
The main advantage for me is that it is easier to put and and take down a tarp in wind, using a skin. Especially these big ones ( the one in my photos is 11' x 10'.) Putting up because the profile is a lot lower with the tarp inside the skin, so you can tie it to the trees and center it without fighting the wind trying to blow it and you through the Lairig Ghru. Taking down because all the rolling into the skin is done while the tarp is still suspended, the trees are like an extra pair of hands, or rather, gives you the full use of both hands to do the folding. You fold/roll the tarp into the skin about a metre at a time, slide the skin over that bit, do it again, etc.
Even without wind, folding up the tarp using a skin is a little less cumbersome than folding it by hand.
Others like to hang the skinned tarp but not unroll the whole thing, so that if they retire under clear skies and it starts to rain a little, they can pop up and finish the job quickly.
So a tarp skin is clearly a bit of kit that isn't necessary, but it does add functionality with a marginal weight penalty, and so has a loyal following within the hammocking set.
Grizz
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