Clark Vertex Rain Tarp set up

[Time to Hang]

Hello, I was playing with the rain tarp on my Clark Vertex; the tarp is the one Clark sells for that Vertex. Anyway, I don't know if I put it up right and was wondering what others have done. What I did was tie a line high in-between the two trees on the wide end. I then made a bowline loop with another line and put it on that first line, centered. Kind of a (T) shape. I used that line to go to the tarp on that end. The other side I would imagine was straight forward. Then I secured the sides and middle "porch" style. I couldn't figure out any other way to maintain coverage on the big end.

Any thoughts or advise would be appreciated.

[d_flo_yo]

I've been asking this very question. I've only had a few hangs in my Vertex so far and each time I've done something different. First I put a line between the two trees at the head end and attached the dutch hook end of my ridgeline to the center of it with a loop so it didn't slide. This sounds pretty similar to your setup. I didn't like pulling on the perpendicular line like that so I've since switched to two guy lines with fixed loops through which the dutch hook attaches. This configuration is still not ideal...its not easy to adjust the center of the ridgeline. I have considered a couple of other options:

1. Get rid of the continuous ridgeline and use tarp flyz on both ends of the tarp; fix two to the head end and one to the foot end.
2. Use the perpendicular line with a prusik loop to attach the continuous ridgeline to; it can slide back and forth to compensate for uneven trees and will lock in place if necessary.
3. Build two new lines to attach to the head trees: Dutch hooks on one end for attaching the line to the tree and prusik loops for adjusting distance from one tree to the other. I'd attach this the same way as my current setup but but set the center of my line more easily.

The main idea is basically what you have set up already. I just want to find a way that makes setup/adjusting easy. I'll have to take some pictures of this part of my setup as it evolves.

[Time to Hang]

I'd like to see the pictures. I used the set up I described above in a pretty good soaking rain and it was all good. Drip lines all worked and everything stayed dry, but I was a little worried. It may be just me, but for as big as the tarp may be, it seems small for the Vertex, especially if you really wanted to close it down in a driving rain/wind.
I was thinking an adjustable pole on the double end might simplify things too.

[d_flo_yo]

I'll get some photos on the next hang. We had some very heavy rain our first time using the Vertex and the tarp kept us dry. I had it pitched pretty low and steep that day and it seems like thats what we needed to remain dry. The dimensions are surprising. I've read posts by several people who use the vertex tarp over a smaller Clark hammock; everyone seems to want either a big tarp or an ultralight tarp. I'll say it again ... how could they not design a tarp that hangs in a fashion similar to the hammock?!?! Maybe Dutch will invent the perfect Vertex ridgeline, I'll be the first to grab one if he does.

[d_flo_yo]

Here are a couple that do an OK job of showing the ridgeline setup.

[Time to Hang]

Here are a couple that do an OK job of showing the ridgeline setup.

Thats pretty similar to what I did, except, I didn't use a ridgeline, I just tied onto the ends. It took some adjusting, but worked. I guess if you always have two trees on the wide double end, you can always hang the tarp in a similar fashion.
I'll be # 2 on that Dutch list !
I know it's off topic, but when I said, "if you always have two trees on the wide double end", when I have time, I'm going to look into using a spreader bar on that end as was done with the flex 180, then I'll have a tree centered!

[d_flo_yo]

A spreader bar would work nicely. It would be amazing to only have to use one tree! Keep us posted.

[d_flo_yo]

I'm thinking about making an extra long ridgeline to make this a one-piece setup. If the ridgeline starts at the two-tree end maybe a figure 8 around both trees will center the ridgeline. I'm still not 100% sure about this. I have to figure out how to do this and keep the line from rubbing itself (once it is tight I feel like it will damage itself when it moves in wind). I might need something other than a Dutch Hook on that end. Just a thought.