Sometimes I will leave the tarp suspended in the snakeskins above the hammock and lay there to look at the moon& stars. But as soon as I feel sleepy (which isn't long) I deploy the tarp for all the reasons listed previously.
Sometimes I will leave the tarp suspended in the snakeskins above the hammock and lay there to look at the moon& stars. But as soon as I feel sleepy (which isn't long) I deploy the tarp for all the reasons listed previously.
Mike
"Life is a Project!"
I generally do porch mode on clear nights, but I've also pulled both sides of the tarp to one side and staked it out that way... Making kind of a 'wind ramp' just to keep the wind off my face. This worked well and if it had started raining it would have taken less than two minutes to get the tarp fully deployed.
'Enjoying the view' when in the hammock is a moot point for me, as others have said; I fall right asleep the minute I lay down. I do LOVE waking up to see the woods sleeping softly beside me in the middle of the night, which porch mode is great for. My last hang I had a couple moments of 'oh crap, I'm in the woods... Oh nevermind, back to sleep.' I kinda like that moment of panic when you wake up and remember that you're out in the wild.
"We're the Sultans of Swing."
I enjoy the differences in how I "feel" when I'm under a tarp and when I'm not. I've never had a problem with either choice (so far the weatherman has been correct).
However, another advantage to setting a tarp (in addition to all those mentioned above) is that it can create a microclimate underneath. What I mean is that in cool or cold temperatures, heat from the ground, the sun, or your body (including breathing) can be somewhat trapped under the tarp, making it a couple degrees warmer depending on how you have your tarp pitched. This can be nice when you're near the bottom of your insulation's ratings.
The main reason I like having my tarp up... so the morning sun doesn't wake me up too early.
But, a couple weekends ago, it was supposed to be no rain, highs in the mid 70's, lows in the upper 40's. I decided to go the first night without a tarp and woke up covered in dew.
Now I have the thought of nocturnal ABMs too.
I always tarp it at night. Nothin worse than having to get out in the rain and deploy the tarp. I'm asleep minutes after snuggling in for the night anyway, no stargazing from the hammock for me. I will do porch mode though, and fall asleep to the dying glow of the fire (where permitted of course)...Bush
Ditto on the porch mode.
I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !
I absolutely love going no tarp when its clear. I like looking for shooting stars, and the moon can sometimes be a good clock (location/season pending).
Grant
Getting lost is not a waste of time.
Thanks everybody! Cannibal, thanks for illustrating with your pic - you . I had to look up porch mode. Looks like something new I will have to learn. I will leave the tarp up till I am more comfortable with judging the conditions.
Shug, I guess I missed your comment in the video. By the way, I wish you had ratings enabled in more of your videos. They are really good.
I have to say I love how people chime in with all sorts of useful info. Google just became my second choice for finding good info.
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