Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 13

Thread: New Hammock

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    East Tennessee
    Hammock
    Raven by Dream Hammock
    Tarp
    WL Tad Pole
    Suspension
    Tree Hugger
    Posts
    123

    New Hammock

    First off, I'm new here and I reside near the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the forests in Western North Carolina. I just recently purchased a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beater Pro hammock impulsively. I need to get a tarp for it in the future if I want to take it backpacking. So, for now i'll just use it for day-hiking, relaxing, etc.

    I noticed on the spec on the package the hammock came with that the hammock is 10.6 feet long. Grand Trunk's tarp is 10 feet long according to their site. I'm kind of concern I'm not going to get enough coverage.. I look at MSR E-Wing tarp and wondered if I could get by with that, I believe it's 11 feet long unless my math is off. I'll have to save up to get a tarp in the future, but I hope to have one by September or so when the fall backpacking trips begins.

    Is there any other alternative tarp brands out there I should take a look at? I love to keep the weight of the tarp at 1 pound or less and under $100. I think I might be asking too much, but it worth shopping around for.

  2. #2
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Jersey Shore, NJ
    Hammock
    Dutch PolyD
    Tarp
    HG Winter Palace
    Insulation
    HG 0, 20, 40
    Suspension
    Dutch Whoopie Hook
    Posts
    14,716
    Images
    3
    The Grand Trunk Funky Forest Tarp is huge - it's a 10' x 10' tarp which pretty much has to be hung on the 16' diagonal (unless you have a really short hammock & suspension). So your trees basically have to be 17 to 18 ft. apart when you hang.

    I wouldn't pay retail for the Funky Forest - I got mine for $25 and it's a great tarp for that price - not so great for three times that price ($80). You're better off with a Hennessy Hex poly tarp ($69.95) for that money, in my opinion. There are other affordable tarps in that range that are much better than the Grand Trunk Funky Forest tarp.

  3. #3
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Jersey Shore, NJ
    Hammock
    Dutch PolyD
    Tarp
    HG Winter Palace
    Insulation
    HG 0, 20, 40
    Suspension
    Dutch Whoopie Hook
    Posts
    14,716
    Images
    3
    As for that MSR E-Wing tarp, that should work if you already own it. If you're thinking about buying it, I think you can find a better hammocking tarp for that money (I found it for $127 on some site).

  4. #4
    Senior Member GrayDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Hammock
    Skeeter Beeter Pro
    Tarp
    WB Mamajamba
    Insulation
    WL3/4 - GoLite TQ
    Suspension
    Whoopies
    Posts
    358
    Images
    8
    First and absolutely most importantly, WELCOME!!! This is a great place to chat, learn, etc. just about anything you would ever want to know about hammocking. The folks here are like family (slightly disfunctional?). Enjoy.

    I noticed on the spec on the package the hammock came with that the hammock is 10.6 feet long. Grand Trunk's tarp is 10 feet long according to their site. I'm kind of concern I'm not going to get enough coverage
    When you hang your hammock with the recommended sag (around 83%), it will effectively be a bit less than 9 feet long. Since most tarps offer plenty of ridgeline length, the choice comes down to budget, and shape.

    In my case I chose the Warbonnet Mamajamba. At 11' x 10' this 13oz, rectangular tarp offers me extra protection from Florida downpours that the smaller diamond shaped tarps don't offer.

    Some of the winter campers up north go even bigger or add doors. The "gram weenies" go smaller or go with exotic fabrics ($$$) to save weight.
    hammock [ham-uhk] noun
    Man's successful attempt to sleep on a cloud

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    East Tennessee
    Hammock
    Raven by Dream Hammock
    Tarp
    WL Tad Pole
    Suspension
    Tree Hugger
    Posts
    123
    Hmm, thanks, GrayDog. I found the OES tarp on this site after I made my post and i like their rectangle Mad Cat tarp. The Diamond shape from Warbonnet you posted above is very affordable and lightweight, but I also wondered how dried folks stayed in a downpour, particularly if the wind is blowing it sideway. haha.

    I've taken my hammock to the local state park and fool around with how to set it up. It a really long hammock!! So, I've noticed when I can stretch it longer to trees that further apart I can flat out a lot more, but when it shorter trees the hammock hangs in a banana shape. When I lay in it shape like a banana the normal way, it not that flat, but if I lay in it diagonal, I start flatten out. My next question is, if I'm forced to hang my hammock on a shorter tree, I'm wondering if I can get in it comfortably when I add my air pad for insulation? lol. I'm have go test this question one day this week.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    London, KY
    Hammock
    DIY Ripstop/ Blackbird
    Tarp
    Tad Pole/Superfly
    Insulation
    Zeppelin/Rev X
    Suspension
    whoopies
    Posts
    252
    you'll find that most hammock hangers lay in the diagonal. Most use a structural ridgeline on their hammocks which keeps the hammock hanging at about 83% of the hammock's length. That sag is what most people want because the diagonal lay with the ridgeline can keep a consistent flat lay.

  7. #7
    Senior Member GrayDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Hammock
    Skeeter Beeter Pro
    Tarp
    WB Mamajamba
    Insulation
    WL3/4 - GoLite TQ
    Suspension
    Whoopies
    Posts
    358
    Images
    8
    The Diamond shapefrom Warbonnet you posted above is very affordable and lightweight, but I also wondered how dried folks stayed in a downpour, particularly if the wind is blowing it sideway
    The diamond tarps actually are not bad until the rain starts going sideways. If deluges like we get in Florida aren't an issue then going small is not a problem.
    hammock [ham-uhk] noun
    Man's successful attempt to sleep on a cloud

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    East Tennessee
    Hammock
    Raven by Dream Hammock
    Tarp
    WL Tad Pole
    Suspension
    Tree Hugger
    Posts
    123
    I've been reading up on SB PRO some more, and it seems the line for the bug net can have water run down into the hammock. There quite a few mod threads where the line is on the inside and isn't exposed outside the tarp. Looks like I got some thinking to do. hah.

  9. #9
    Senior Member GrayDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Hammock
    Skeeter Beeter Pro
    Tarp
    WB Mamajamba
    Insulation
    WL3/4 - GoLite TQ
    Suspension
    Whoopies
    Posts
    358
    Images
    8
    hammock [ham-uhk] noun
    Man's successful attempt to sleep on a cloud

  10. #10
    Senior Member wisenber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Knoxville, TN
    Hammock
    Many
    Tarp
    Depends
    Insulation
    HG,JRB,Leigh,Speer
    Suspension
    disbelief
    Posts
    2,306
    Images
    11
    Quote Originally Posted by kwchannell89 View Post
    I've been reading up on SB PRO some more, and it seems the line for the bug net can have water run down into the hammock. There quite a few mod threads where the line is on the inside and isn't exposed outside the tarp. Looks like I got some thinking to do. hah.
    If you put a ridgeline on the SB Pro (either under or over the net), you can use a couple of sticks to suspend the bugnet without using all of the other line they provide. If you install a ridgeline outside of the net, it can be attached with clothespins or safety-pins. It will also allow you to flip the hammock upside down and use it without the bugnet for the times of year that you don't need it.

  • + New Posts
  • Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

    Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •