Tarps?

[Bucky Katt]

Hello. I am now the proud new owner of a ENO double nest hammock. Now, I need to find a tarp to go with it and I could use advice since I have NO experience with this.

I've been looking at the Speer tarps and have heard really good things about them. Please see the link:http://www.speerhammocks.com/Products/Tarps.htm


I've also heard decent things about Equinox. Please copy and paste the link: http://www.gearforadventure.com/Prod...=1366&click=27

The Equinox only weighs 1.1 oz. whereas the Speer Cat tarp weighs 14 oz. and the Speer rectangular tarp weighs 13 oz. I really can't tell a difference between the Speer cat tarp and the rectangular tarp, except for the 1 ounce weight difference and about $50.00.

Any advice as to what I should be looking for in a tarp? I want something that will obviously keep me dry and protected from the elements. I'd prefer it to be fairly light. I've seen the ENO tarps and am not impressed.
Advice?

[Cannibal]

Given those choices, I'd go with the Speer tarp. All things being close to equal, Ed Speer is a member here and a great guy to hang around with too.

[Chris.Biomed]

The Equinox only weighs 1.1 oz. whereas the Speer Cat tarp weighs 14 oz. and the Speer rectangular tarp weighs 13 oz. I really can't tell a difference between the Speer cat tarp and the rectangular tarp, except for the 1 ounce weight difference and about $50.00.

Any advice as to what I should be looking for in a tarp? I want something that will obviously keep me dry and protected from the elements. I'd prefer it to be fairly light. I've seen the ENO tarps and am not impressed.
Advice?

The Equinox is made of 1.1 oz material, in other words it weighs 1.1 oz for every square foot.

From Equinox site about their tarps:

# 6'x8' weighs only 9oz.
# 8'x10' weighs only 13.9oz.
# 10'x12' weighs only 18.8oz.


Now if you want a light tarp then consider it to be made out of spinnUL, see http://www.outdoorequipmentsupplier.com/

[Bucky Katt]

Well Im open to other suggestions besides the two mentioned brands. Those are the only two I know about besides ENO's tarps, which I'm not impressed with.

Thanks for the info. I can't open the outdoor equipment supplier site. The work's website catagorized the website as "sex" LOL. HMMM stupid computer.

[Cannibal]

OES tarps are great! I've got one of the SpinnUL tarps that Chris mentioned and I can tell you that I love it!

Just a hair above 7 ounces and absolutely no moisture pass-thru so you won't go to sleep with a wet back from brushing the tarp while getting in the hammock.
It is, in my experience, as durable as sil.
It doesn't stretch, so no need for tarp tensioners; more room for cookies!
I don't think you can beat the craftsmanship of the MacCat tarps; never bats an eyelash at nasty windstorms.

It is my summer tarp. Not big enough for winter use in my arsenal, but carrying that tarp is a big reason I look forward to summer. I have a couple other sil MacCats that I've found and they are great tarps too. I just really, really like the SpinnUL material. So much that I am in the process of replacing all my stuff sacks with Spinn and should have my new XL Spinn Blackbishop Bag done tonight. It is where my BB and Yeti will live when on the trails.

I've got another idea for its use too, but I haven't finished it yet and don't want to brag before it works.

[NCPatrick]

I just really, really like the SpinnUL material. So much that I am in the process of replacing all my stuff sacks with Spinn and should have my new XL Spinn Blackbishop Bag done tonight. It is where my BB and Yeti will live when on the trails.

I've got another idea for its use too, but I haven't finished it yet and don't want to brag before it works.

How is the SpinnUL to work with? Is it easy to sew?

[Cannibal]

How is the SpinnUL to work with? Is it easy to sew?

Not as bad as I was imagining it would be. Pretty close to working with sil, but it isn't as slippery. It is pretty stiff, much more so than I'm used to working with, but once I got the tension right it seemed to feed pretty good. I did waste about 1/2 a yard just sewing seams and hems to get the hang of it. There are some ugly balls of thread on that 1/2 yard of fabric.

[NCPatrick]

Thanks! Cool stuff, that. I'll have to start saving up for some.

[stormcrow]

in other words it weighs 1.1 oz for every square foot.

Not that I am adding much by saying this but I am pretty sure he meant 1.1oz per square yard

I have an equinox 8x10 and it works pretty good for hammocks...if you have a shorter hammock. Other wise you risk getting the ends wet. It works fine with the ENO single. Not sure about the double.

I also have recently acquired a Speer Winter Tarp and she looks pretty sweet. I will be testing that one out this weekend.

And, like the other guys were saying, you just cant go wrong with the SpinnUL fabric. Sigh...maybe next year for me!

Adam

[angrysparrow]

It works fine with the ENO single. Not sure about the double.

Both the ENO single and double are the same length. The double is simply wider.