What is the best way to customize the Hammock Gear 4D 4S Cuben Fibre Tarp?

[The Pooka MacPhellimey]

I need to ask for the help of the extended Hammock Gear / Hammock Forum family with a funny little problem that I have.

I've been reading Hammock Forums avidly for weeks. (My Missus is getting worried.)

I've finally worked out something that everyone reading this section of HF has already worked out; that the Hammock Gear 4S 4D Cuben is the finest Tarp available for my needs and possibly the finest hammock winter Tarp available full stop!

While this might be obvious to you all it wasn't so easy for me to figure out because not only have I never seen anything made by Stormcrow and Thorwren, I have never met another Hanger. I'm Irish. I live out in Australia and I camp out in some funny places often associated with work rather than play.

I've been hanging (very casually) since 1998 when I managed a long trip down thought Central America to Venezuela. However I've always camped on the ground if conditions were likely to be really windy, wet or cold. Two years ago I started to spend more time off the ground with a HH BP asym in the warmer weather and I'm beginning to improve my home in the trees. I'm only transitioning now to making my hammock set up both ultralight and storm friendly.

I camp everywhere from the tropics to Tasmania.

In fact (and please forgive me for saying this) I still need to go to ground about one in five nights.

Please don't expel me from HF for this sin, I like it here. I often don't get to chose where I camp. Even when I go into the wilds if I go with friends they are all "bottom dwellers" and I dwell where the "bottom dwellers" dwell. (That's usually my father and I won't be changing his ways in a hurry!)

What I want is the best Hammock Tarp that I can get and one that I can make work on the ground. I want to be able to show my "bottom dweller" friends that not only is hanging better but that my rig can be warm, dry and comfy even when I am forced to ground! You know what they say ( " ah yeah... but what about when there's no trees.....").

Can you help me prove to these guys that with the right set up I can be infinitely better in the air and just as good on the ground!

I contacted the HG guys a few weeks ago and Jenny was very helpful. I could ask for a number of tweaks, additional tie-outs, different Cat Cut depths.... that sort of thing.

As I can't see one or play with one I wanted to ask you all what are your favorite customization tips?

Dutch Titanium D-Rings? Shallow Cat Cuts? Straight Ridge line? Off centre Door ties that are full strength D-Rings? Maybe custom tie points at the ends of the ridge to facilitate Trekking pole support? Any thoughts on the suspension set up in general?

What are the best tricks you have learned to make this excellent hammock tarp equally excellent on the ground? Any ideas?

Thanks

[Shug]

Here are some of my tarps in ground mode. Should not be too complicated with a HG cuben....tarp pitchin' is fairly basic.
You could put your poles of off d-rings or just wrap them on the tie outs.
There are a few different configurations you cold use as well.
Carry forth,
Shug




Scroll down on this link to the bottom for more pitch configurations.....
http://www.teamgunnparker.com/blackc...#_Toc173479851

[lazy river road]

Hey The Pooka, welcome to the forum and you made yourself a great choice choice picking a HG 4S tarp I have one and absolutely love it. Everything I suggest has worked for me however that does not mean it will work for everybody. These are only suggestions and hopefully other will chime in as well giving you lots of options.

From the top to the bottom.

The RL. I have a HG cuben and a Z-Packs cuben. The Z-packs cuben does not have a cat cut RL and the HG one does. I have found that I have been able to get a tighter pitch with a cat cut RL. The cat cut RL really give it a nice tight pitch IMHO. Yes the Z-Pack tarp also pitches nicely but the RL rolls a bit while the HG one does not.

Cat Cut side walls or not? The Z-Packs does not have side wall cat cuts while the HG one does. The tautness of the walls on both tarps pitch very nicely however I really like how the HG tarp does not have that extra tie out in the middle as well as does not have that extra fabric that flaps in the wind like the Z-Packs tarp does. Both work very well in a Hammock. If I was going to ground however I would bring the Z-Packs without cat cut allowing me to steak it down at 3 points and it flushing up right against the ground and not having the cat cut the middle. So for ground dwelling Id choose no cat cut cause I would find it more annoying having rain or what ever drive underneath the cat cut in comparison to the annoyance of the flapping when using it with a hammock. Now I know Stormcrow loves his cat cuts in his cuben however if you were going to be going to ground I personally say no cat cut. Different people different opinions neither one is right it's what works best for you. But if you do decide to get cat cuts I'd get um real shallow.

Dutch-Ti-D ring. UM yeah that's a simple yes their just cool.

I would also get the side wall panel pulls.

As for extra tie outs. You got the one's on the doors, and ones on the corners. for ground dwelling I'd personally get one in the middle regardless if I got cat cuts or not.

I would also use D-Rings that will be big enough for my trekking pole to fit into so you can use them as a support if need be. The point of my Black Diamond poles fit inside the Dutch Ti-D rings.

So I hope my ramblings helped ya out. The HG 4S is a great tarp and your gonna love it.

[The Pooka MacPhellimey]

Here are some of my tarps in ground mode. Should not be too complicated with a HG cuben....tarp pitchin' is fairly basic.
You could put your poles of off d-rings or just wrap them on the tie outs.
There are a few different configurations you cold use as well.
Carry forth,
Shug




Scroll down on this link to the bottom for more pitch configurations.....
http://www.teamgunnparker.com/blackc...#_Toc173479851

It looks like invasion of the Hammock Snatchers at Shugs place!

Thanks though Shug.

I've seen that Hex on the ground Post before and it's a big part of my decision to go for a Hammock tarp that works down on the ground rather than the other way around.

I know I should be able to pitch the 4S 4D well on the ground I just wanted to tap into the collected experience of the HF community. I know I cannot craft a modification as well as Adam can integrate a request.

I know it's the little things, the finer details, that can set a tarp, hammock, stove or UQ apart.

I've watched dozens of your videos (absolutely fabulous!).

I've not found that much on the net on this odd little conundrum.

I doubt there's a Tarp Camper equivalent of Hammock Forums!

This Forum is a credit to it's members!

Pooka

(My fathers name is Hugh or "Q", but my Glaswegian mate calls him Shug.)

[Bannerstone]

Thanks Pooka and welcome,

As an owner of a HG 4S cuben, I very much appreciate your observations about the current vendor offerings and would be looking for most of the same mods you're considering. Which is to say a reasonable cat cut in the ridge and very little cat in the baseline. I have considered the winter palace and regularly camp with someone who has one, we've been on some rather nasty winter outings and experienced some high winds. While the standard 4S can achieve a tight ground pitch, the geometries of the tarp and the length of the ridgeline make it a tight squeeze to get your hammock hung with a good sag and be off the ground. If buying the standard 4s new again, I would definately ask for a center pull on the baseline, there have been a few rain & very high wind situations where even with the side pulls set the tarp edge was pressing against my hammock. Truthfully, I'd probably go with the winter palace at this point but only because I've discovered how much I enjoy winter camping.

David

[The Pooka MacPhellimey]

So I hope my ramblings helped ya out. The HG 4S is a great tarp and your gonna love it.

Thanks Lazy River Road.

Those ramblings are very helpful.

Thus far I have gentle RL Cat curve, side walls; very shallow or straight, with an extra middle tie out (that's 5 per side including door ties), double side wall panel pulls and Dutch Bling anywhere I can justify it!

D rings big enough for my Komperdell trekking pole. (Or a little rope craft as Shug suggested). I'm a single pole carrier. I'm going to have to think about that.

Pimp that Tarp! Mmmmmm mm.

I was looking at the Dutchware Clip on Tarp Pull outs. How well do hey work on Cuben? Are they best at the edges of a tarp or are they good even in the centre of a large taut panel?

I had a crazy thought about asking for double sided side wall pull outs; with a small loop on the inside as well as the outside.

With that many tie outs I am adding some grams but the Tarp construction options will be endless!

I could get into Tarporigami. (A rarely seen Japanese art form involving being dry and happy in a forest, practiced by Hammock Forum types and a few other enthusiasts.)

[The Pooka MacPhellimey]

Thanks Pooka and welcome,

As an owner of a HG 4S cuben, I very much appreciate your observations about the current vendor offerings and would be looking for most of the same mods you're considering. Which is to say a reasonable cat cut in the ridge and very little cat in the baseline. I have considered the winter palace and regularly camp with someone who has one, we've been on some rather nasty winter outings and experienced some high winds. While the standard 4S can achieve a tight ground pitch, the geometries of the tarp and the length of the ridgeline make it a tight squeeze to get your hammock hung with a good sag and be off the ground. If buying the standard 4s new again, I would definately ask for a center pull on the baseline, there have been a few rain & very high wind situations where even with the side pulls set the tarp edge was pressing against my hammock. Truthfully, I'd probably go with the winter palace at this point but only because I've discovered how much I enjoy winter camping.

David

Thank you David.

That's very helpful.

I'm going to be out in the wind, sleet and snow a small part of the time so it's great to hear your experience.

Is your 4S with or without doors?

How do you tie out the side pulls? I was wondering how the shock cord option would behave if the wind came around to hit side on. I was watching Videos like Shugs where he just flips the cord over his head as he walks around it looks like a clever arrangement in the right conditions.

My most exposed camps in recent years have been in Tasmania where things are pretty changeable.

Does your winter camping get you out under big snow falls? When I was in North America I was surprised by the severity of the cold snaps and the snow falls. We just didn't get much snow in Ireland where I grew up. It's the North Atlantic Drift that's keeps things mild but moist!

Thanks again.

The Pooka

[lazy river road]

Thanks Lazy River Road.

Those ramblings are very helpful.

Very welcome

Thus far I have gentle RL Cat curve, side walls; very shallow or straight, with an extra middle tie out (that's 5 per side including door ties), double side wall panel pulls and Dutch Bling anywhere I can justify it!

Sounds great IMHO

D rings big enough for my Komperdell trekking pole. (Or a little rope craft as Shug suggested). I'm a single pole carrier. I'm going to have to think about that.

Ok so what you could do and still be able to only use/bring one trekking pole would be to use the pole at the entrance end of the tarp. Then steak down the corners and the doors how you see fit either opened or closed. Steak down the sides. In the back Steak down the RL D ring to the ground and the corner D rings to the ground. This will most likely leave the doors flapping. Then fold up the doors back onto the tarp and tie them off to the pole or your pull outs so they are not lying on the ground flapping around. Hope you can visualize that. I am sure their are lots of other ideas on how to do this, but this was the one that came to my mind.

Pimp that Tarp! Mmmmmm mm.

I was looking at the Dutchware Clip on Tarp Pull outs. How well do hey work on Cuben? Are they best at the edges of a tarp or are they good even in the centre of a large taut panel?

I have no idea DUTCH!!!!

I had a crazy thought about asking for double sided side wall pull outs; with a small loop on the inside as well as the outside.

With that many tie outs I am adding some grams but the Tarp construction options will be endless!

I could get into Tarporigami. (A rarely seen Japanese art form involving being dry and happy in a forest, practiced by Hammock Forum types and a few other enthusiasts.)

Enjoy the tarp once you get it and I am sure once you get it and start messing around with it you will find lots of configurations.

[Bannerstone]

Thank you David.

That's very helpful.

I'm going to be out in the wind, sleet and snow a small part of the time so it's great to hear your experience.

Is your 4S with or without doors?

How do you tie out the side pulls? I was wondering how the shock cord option would behave if the wind came around to hit side on. I was watching Videos like Shugs where he just flips the cord over his head as he walks around it looks like a clever arrangement in the right conditions.

My most exposed camps in recent years have been in Tasmania where things are pretty changeable.

Does your winter camping get you out under big snow falls? When I was in North America I was surprised by the severity of the cold snaps and the snow falls. We just didn't get much snow in Ireland where I grew up. It's the North Atlantic Drift that's keeps things mild but moist!

Thanks again.

The Pooka

Pooka,

It's a 4S with doors.

With cuben, I've migrated away tensioners, shock cord tends to add more weight than I like but I do carry 2 6" ones for tensioning my side pulls. Typically I only set my side pulls for high winds so the tarp is set very low to the ground, the pulls would be too low to step under.

Locally the snowfall varies year to year, somehow we were hanging for the big storms of the last season. I really like how snow slides off cuben.

I can relate to your tarporigami , I am a confessed "over rigger", having pushed a 6.5oz tarp to over 16oz. before I got a handle on it.

Oh, on the subject of attaching your poles in porch mode, I have prusik loops on my D-rings to adjust my guylines, these loops are perfect for setting your poles.

David

[The Pooka MacPhellimey]

Enjoy the tarp once you get it and I am sure once you get it and start messing around with it you will find lots of configurations.

Thanks again.

I'll be using a bunch of your tips. I will try that single pole option too.

I'm in touch with Dutch, asking the master about suspension, so I shall ask about the clip on tarp rings too.

I appreciate the advice of more experienced souls.