Who uses a tarp in addition to the one over your hammock?

[PineMartyn]

I'm new to hammock camping and on my first hang I brought along an 8' x 10' tarp to use over my main living and cooking area, quite apart from my hammock's tarp. When backpacking or canoe-tripping with your hammock, do any of you use a second tarp for shelter from sun, rain and wind over your main living area? If so, or if not, why?

My tarp over my main living area. My hammock and it's tarp are yards away in the background.


My reason for bringing along my 'dining tarp' is because, as a tenter, I've always had to pitch my tent wherever I could find a flat & level spot, but my tarp could be strung over or near where my fire should be, and this would be where I'd do my cooking, dining, and where I could sit and just relax, usually in a spot that affords a nice view. Judging from the trip reports and photos I see here, it looks as if most hammockers do all their 'living' under their hammock's tarp, since the hammock serves as a chair. I'm curious if this is actually the case.

Thanks,
- Martin

[Likeapuma]

I actually wondered the same thing, since I've always been told not to cook where you sleep, but many seem to cook while sitting in their hammock

[dkurfiss]

Old habits for me. I do not cook and sleep in the same place. I was taught that as a child and it just stuck with me as I saw the results of not doing it

Keeping in mind that I mostly do day hikes or motorcycle camping, I do have a tarp with me that is not used for the hammock. If I am day hiking it is small about 5x7 which is just enough to keep the weather off me while I heat something up or for emergency purposes. If I am motocamping I have a 10x12 I set up in base camp.

[FLRider]

I don't. Buuuut...my poncho could be rigged as a smallish tarp if I really wanted a space away from the hammock to cook or somesuch.

My reasons are weight and bulk, pure and simple.

I don't worry overmuch about bears near my hammock; I don't camp in grizzly country. I don't tend to eat in the hammock (with the exception of my morning "coffee"), and my clothes are going to smell of food somewhat regardless. I almost exclusively use freezer bag cooking (rehydration of food) on-trail, and that results in an whole lot less food smell than, say, cooking bacon next to your campsite.

Now, if I was to be in grizzly (or polar bear) country, I'd try to make sure that I brought an extra set of sleep clothing and cooked on the trail before moving to my campsite, just to be safe.

Anyway, YMMV, as always.

[Mort]

I sort of combine both through the use of a larger (11 1/2' X 11 1/2') tarp. Then, by tying the hammock off to one side, it leaves quite a nice, large area for me to hang out.

[Ratdog]

One camping trip with rain, lots of rain, is all it took to learn this lesson, always bring a tarp.

That's for canoe/car camping.

Plus it's a sun shade.

Backpacking, I preferred to use a tarp anyway, so many useful configurations.
Nowadays, using a hammock, I always have a tarp it's the best of all worlds.

Loved your trip report btw.

[Passinthru]

If I am hiking I just take the hammock tarp and almost always hang away from the cooking area. In a pinch I can hang my poncho over the cooking area. But if I am canoe camping I will take an extra tarp. No matter the weather it's nice to have the shade or rain cover.

[Chard]

Hey PineMartyn,

When camping in a group, unless the weather's guaranteed to be perfect, I'll always bring a my large MEC ripstop guide tarp for the common area near the fire. If the weather's going to be bad, I may bring along my heavy outfitter's tarp as well. It is all about making a dry communal space. I generally recommend at least one spare tarp per canoe anyways.

When soloing, on the other hand, I'll only bring my 12' cat-tarp with beaks. It's quite large and covers a comfortable living area. I'll won't cook anything more than boiling water for a coffee or rehydrating food by my hammock/sleep area. I have rain gear for the times I need to be out and about camp in inclement weather.

I strongly agree that it's best to keep the bedroom and kitchen seperate in the backwoods wherever there are critters about. Since I prefer to do most of my cooking over an open fire, I normally pitch my sleep area a fair way away anyways just to guard against burnholes.

I haven't gotten around to having "breakie-from-a-hammock", at least not yet.

[dammfast]

On our Bwca trips we always have one big ol tarp. If rain is forecast it goes up and over if windy it get set up as a wind break. It is one of the pieces of gear that gets packed first. Because we are canoe camping weight is less of an issue as the canoe carries the weight 90% of the time. When we hike the extra tarp is much smaller but still gets packed.

[peripatew]

I have a "canoeing tarp", a Cooke Custom that's infinitely configurable that I'll bring along for a base camp if the rain is going to be constant (which is is 2/3 of the year 'round here) and I've got someone else with me. My friends are in shelter limbo, most have got tentless, but are using tiny tarps and bivys. So when we make camp, my tarp is always crowded . The Cooke has a paddle "pocket" in the middle, so it's perfect for quick setups.

All that being said, I don't bring it on most trips. Usually it's me and my son, we pack a SuperFly and an Edge and have plenty of room!