Tarp suggestions

[irishguy80]

Hey Yall, Im a newbie to hammocks. I have had a few net hammocks for the yard over the years, and I used a US military jungle hammock a few times before the mos net ripped away from the rest of the hammock. I learned about sleeping pads back then whilein hammocks.
My question is, I ordered a WB BB and Im not sure of what tarp to get. I dont really want a diamond tarp. i want something that will give me some room under to cook and store my gear.
Any recomendations? Preferrably darker colors like OD Green or black or camo.
Thanks
Ryan.....

[Just Jeff]

OES makes the MacCat and sets the standard for hammock tarps, IMO. They come in gray/silver silnylon or spinnaker...don't think they have an OD green or a black. Brian is a member here so you can ask.

Other than that, JRB and Speer make awesome hammock tarps with lots of room to cook under. Take your pick.

Lots of other options if you don't care that it's made specifically for a hammock. Just be sure the tarp's ridgeline is at least 12" longer than the hammock's ridgeline, and that's pushing it b/c it only leaves 6" extra coverage on each side. I prefer an extra foot of coverage on each side when I can get it...just depends on the setup.

[angrysparrow]

Another vote for OES. His tarps are a step above, in terms of construction.

Warbonnetguy also makes a whole range of tarps that look quite nice.

[warbonnetguy]

yes, hopefully will be on the site soon, an 11'X9' hex and a 10.5'x8' hex in blue or dark grey.

[Just Jeff]

DOH - yeah, sorry for leaving Brandon out. Haven't used one of his tarps but the one I saw at Trail Days two years ago looked good. Or was it 3 years now? His first TD, whichever that was.

[sclittlefield]

Take a look at the 10'x11' winter tarp by SpeerHammocks. There is a lot you can do with a tarp this size, including closing off the ends to have a tent feel, or keep one side down to block wind and the other side up as an awning. It's $107.00

This 12'x12' tarp is huge, and very inexpensive ($30.00). It is, however, white. Not the color you're looking for.

The MacCat line of tarps are amazing. They run anywhere from $65.00-130.00. You'll be looking at over $100.00 on a MacCat to get the coverage you're talking about.

Mosquito Hammock has a couple you might want to check out. There is the "Big Rainfly" (13'x9'6") for $60.00 or the "Diamond Rainfly" (13'x10') for $45.00 - that is diamond, but it's large enough for good coverage to cook under and store gear. These have free shipping.

There are plenty more, these are just a few to check out. You ordered a WB BB, check out his tarps as well.

[Cannibal]

OES and Warbonnet make killer tarps! I have a couple/few of both and just friggin love em. But, if you want a diamond tarp, you're out of luck with them. The Jacks make an 8x8, but that's not going to cut it with a Blackbird (tarp only has a 10' ridgeline). Kelty makes a decent tarp and comes in three sizes that I know of: 9x9, 12x12, & 16x16. Another popular one that is inexpensive is the Sportsman's Guide 12x12. Both of these have a couple of things in common; they both work and they're both heavy!

Hex style tarps (like the MacCats and Warbonnet rigs) are the cat's meow and all I use, so I'm sorry I can't provide you with better diamond options. I'm sure they're out there, I've just never gone looking for them. Have you considered DIY? You could have the nice stealthy color you want and make it a lot lighter than the options I gave you above.

Either way, welcome to the Forums!

P.S. JJ, time flies doesn't it? It was 3 years ago that Brandon made his debut at Traildays. Only reason I remember is because it was my first TD. Good karma there!

[Rain Man]

OES?

Greek to newbies.

Rain Man

.

[Perkolady]

OES = Outdoor Equipment Supplier.

[guySmiley]

Another vote for OES tarps here too. I don't think that you can get the lighter weight spinnaker in black (I could be wrong about that) but you can get (still pretty darn light) silnylon in black.