Overlaping tarps??

**miisterwright** · 08-11-2008, 13:27

Thanks all for the help so far. One thing I'm seeing, that may explain my confusion, is that all of these pics show rectangular tarps overlapped... my wife's will be square so it should be able to be pitched in a square, but my Claytor tarp as a diamond... I think that will be a problem.

I'm not so concerned with the spreading of the hammocks. I think I've got a handle on that (...we'll see about that when I get both hammocks and try to put them up)

We've also talked about getting one big tarp like the Speer Winter tarp, and probably will, but I'm concerned that we may not be able to get a good "storm pitch" if the weather gets nasty, but maybe the "doors" will take care of that. I obviously don't know since I don't have any experience with many tarps or hanging 2 hammocks.

**Youngblood** · 08-11-2008, 17:13

Originally Posted by mbwtt

Thanks all for the help so far. One thing I'm seeing, that may explain my confusion, is that all of these pics show rectangular tarps overlapped... my wife's will be square so it should be able to be pitched in a square, but my Claytor tarp as a diamond... I think that will be a problem.

I'm not so concerned with the spreading of the hammocks. I think I've got a handle on that (...we'll see about that when I get both hammocks and try to put them up)

We've also talked about getting one big tarp like the Speer Winter tarp, and probably will, but I'm concerned that we may not be able to get a good "storm pitch" if the weather gets nasty, but maybe the "doors" will take care of that. I obviously don't know since I don't have any experience with many tarps or hanging 2 hammocks.

You won't be able to get a "storm pitch" with the SWT covering two hammocks like you can covering one hammock. You are limited to a fairly high, wide open A-frame pitch. You should be able to keep the rain off of you if you aren't on an exposed ridgeline or peak where you might get some serious wind driven rain. Cold wind in cool conditions are another matter and you will want to pick protected sites to minimize that.

The photos I posted were with my prototype SWT, so that is basically what you can do with two hammocks. When I was out there, I wasn't worried about cold wind, I was wanting a cool breeze. It was a pretty warm night and I only put the tarp up as it got dark and I saw the clouds starting to form.

**TDunc** · 08-11-2008, 17:18

Originally Posted by mbwtt

.... One thing I'm seeing, that may explain my confusion, is that all of these pics show rectangular tarps overlapped...

Both of the tarps in my pics are cat cut. But they are 10x12's...
Good Luck.

**miisterwright** · 08-11-2008, 23:57

so do you guys think there is an possibility of using my diamond shaped Claytor tarp as one side of the overlapping tarp setup, or am I right in thinking that the shape will make it unusable for that application??

**jaiden** · 08-12-2008, 12:53

having been in a deluge my only comment is to be sure that you know what will happen if say 10 gallons of water land on top of the tarp at the same time... if you have anything that isn't pitched DOWN you can have big problems with more than a small shower. I learned this the hard way when getting clever with my HH stock tarp while pitched on a steep hill. If the rain falls faster than it rolls off, it will warp the tarp downwards creating a bathtub.

**miisterwright** · 08-12-2008, 14:10

Originally Posted by jaiden

having been in a deluge my only comment is to be sure that you know what will happen if say 10 gallons of water land on top of the tarp at the same time... if you have anything that isn't pitched DOWN you can have big problems with more than a small shower. I learned this the hard way when getting clever with my HH stock tarp while pitched on a steep hill. If the rain falls faster than it rolls off, it will warp the tarp downwards creating a bathtub.

That's scarry. I'm not sure if you're exaggerating or not... I though it rained here in the northwest, but I've never seen that kind of rain! I grew up in Texas where it hardly ever rains, but if it does, you think God's trying to kill you!! I would certainly try to avoid going out in that. I don't think that I'll be facing those conditions around here, but I guess you never know. I've seen photos of one of the HAAB style hammock hung under a waterfall, maybe there's a tarp that goes with it!!

**slowhike** · 08-13-2008, 06:11

Originally Posted by mbwtt

That's scarry. I'm not sure if you're exaggerating or not....

No, I doubt he's exaggerating. If your tarp isn't set up to shed all water, it will collect... & if it rains hard, it doesn't take long to gather a pretty large puddle<G>.

About using the diamond shaped tarp as one side of a double/overlapping tarp, I'm not sure how good the coverage would be on the diamond side. Do you have a place to set it up to see what it looks like?

**Ramblinrev** · 08-13-2008, 06:32

One fundamental question which has not been asked yet is.. Are you backpacking, car camping or what> Backpacking is weight crucial but it is really the only choice that is. In the event that you are doing one of the other modes of camping, pick up a small nation sized poly tarp from Wally World or some other discount outlet and pitch both hammocks under that tarp. You don't need the silnyl for that application. In wind or really heavy rain the poly tarp will be noisier, but that you can live with. Plus the bathtub effect is not a evident or crucial since the poly will not bleed water as the silnyl is prone to do.

**jaiden** · 08-13-2008, 06:35

I grew up in NC and have been through a bunch of hurricanes and the night of which I speak is the most rain I've ever seen. The water rolled off just fine when it was a "normal" rain, but once the 3 fire hoses of rain turned on it became a mad scramble to figure out a better pitch. At first I stood under it, holding up the part that was collecting rain. It collected at least 5 gallons in just a few seconds! I checked the weather radar on my cellphone and there was a small but extremely powerful storm cell stuck against the side of the mountain where I was hanging.

**miisterwright** · 08-13-2008, 11:11

Originally Posted by Ramblinrev

One fundamental question which has not been asked yet is.. Are you backpacking, car camping or what> Backpacking is weight crucial but it is really the only choice that is...

I am mostly backpacking. I occasionaly car camp if I'm travelling or somthing, but not often. I'd also like to start paddling, but that's probably going to be next year.