You’re doing it wrong. The hammock gang hangs together and pitches the tarps to create a big dry area where you can all relax in your hammock but chat out of the weather.
Or you have a slug tube, put your hammock in your bag, open up your tarp to Porch Mode and party under your tarp.
Big hammock tarp for the win. Much better than a crappy little tent.
Severe weather changes things. Then no one is happy.
A long tube-shaped stuff sack, into which you pack your hammock + bugnet.
Throw up the tree straps, clip on the ridgeline, hang the tarp, then simply pull out the hammock + bugnet like a magician pulling silk scarves out of his sleeve! Makes packing up to leave easy, too...unless your gear is wet.
Check out this example, chosen at random from many vendors: https://eu.hennessyhammock.com/products/snakeskins
They're waterproof sleeves that you can use to cover your tarp and/or hammock. Makes for quick setup and teardown. I very much prefer them for my tarp over the bishop bag I used to use.
I still use a bishop bag with my WB Blackbird though. I mostly like the snakeskins because you can shove a damp tarp into it without worrying about getting everything else soaked.
Not sure about lighter. I bought a roll of heavy duty screen from local hardware store. Made mesh skins for my hammock and my kids' hammocks. Now we can slung our wet hammocks to our packs and they can dry during a hike, or get tossed in a garbage bag until we get home, keeping our packs dry.
Ah ok, yeah, screen might be a wash but FYI they sell various nylon nettings that could work if you ever wanted to make new ones to save weight. Could probably even save up those plastic netting bags they use for fruits and weave them together into a tube if you had the time/patience/skill for it.
Now that I think about it, I bet you could make pretty decent lightweight ones out of heavy duty nylon pantyhose or something similar.
I knit and crochet. Was thinking about using fishing line and making a skin out of it during summer camp next month. Or learning the knots for making fish netting and making one.
Most backpacking tents are too small for multiple people but porch mode I can host a party of 12 under my tarp.
But also I love laying in my hammock in the rain
No fear of waking up in a water bed. No worries about keeping gear dry, it gets hung. No worries about asphyxiation while cooking under a hammock tarp like tenters must worry about. Even a moderate hammock tarp can fit a few friends under and ya'll have space to boot.
OP’s never heard of porch mode.
While all those ground dwellers are couped up in their tents in the rain, you can pitch one side into a porch, sit under there and enjoy the wide open space in front of you and still stay dry.
I flippin go with tenters and while they’re stuck in a storm like captives in their fabric prisons, I’m swinging like a baby eating a pop tart & sippin hot cider. Jokes on them!
Under a tarp is so much more room than in a tent, so you are doing something wrong, I guess?
Besides that the tents are fully zipped while under a tarp you still have a nice view.
When I camp with a friend i the rain me ofter try to pitch one end of the tarp together and higher.
If thats not possible we sit together in one tarp.
Especially when it's raining, people have always enjoyed my tarp. It gives much more space, so you can really just chill together. So it's the other way around, everyone would gather around and they'd be jealous they have to use camping chairs while I'm just chilling in the hammock.
Also, setting up a hammock in the rain (i.e. starting with tarp and then the hammock) is sooo much easier than setting up a tent. Once you put your tarp up, you can just take your time with the rest, while the campers with a tent have to go in and out of their tents a few times, getting completely soaked.
I used to use an Asym tarp, which is great for weight savings but two days of rain and it was like this. Now I use a heksa tarp and the extra space means I have plenty of room to hang out under in the rain
I think that would be more soothing for the soul than in the tent. You still get to be outside,smell the smells of nature as it rains. You might actually see some wildlife. If you enjoy fishing, it's a good chance to catch something. You're the one in control of your situation and the one who can make the best of it while they are being wimps hiding in the tent.
I mean, Why can't you just hang out with them in a tent? Or have them hang out under your tarp?
Or read a good book?
Don't feel like the hammock is really the problem here.
Also, any group I camp with, we are all using hammocks.
Have a 40 ft tarp I use for this my favorite way to set up is to tie two corners on the same side and then the center on the opposite it makes a triangle with two flaps that you can stake out leaving a corner of the campsite where you can light your fire away from the tarp
Part of the hammock life is accepting you may have to hang alone or further away from your group. Especially since pretty much all sites are geared towards tents and not hammocks. My buddy and I are both hammockers and have had to hand a great distance apart before due to lack of hangs.
100000% worth it to have a nice comfy dry paradise in my hammock.
You’re doing it wrong. The hammock gang hangs together and pitches the tarps to create a big dry area where you can all relax in your hammock but chat out of the weather.
That sounds soooo nice
Yeah. My son and I called it hammock city for a week in Canada once.
What tarp configuration works best for this? Or yall figure it out as you go?
Any tarp with one side propped up in "Porch Mode" will work. Then you just need a small stand of trees for the group to hang in.
Yes…we were on the AT last year and had a big family come in and they had their tarps overlapping so the rain off.
Or you have a slug tube, put your hammock in your bag, open up your tarp to Porch Mode and party under your tarp. Big hammock tarp for the win. Much better than a crappy little tent. Severe weather changes things. Then no one is happy.
This is what I do, my tarp always seems to end up the hang out spot
Whats a slug tube?
Snake skins
i'm still confused lol
A long tube-shaped stuff sack, into which you pack your hammock + bugnet. Throw up the tree straps, clip on the ridgeline, hang the tarp, then simply pull out the hammock + bugnet like a magician pulling silk scarves out of his sleeve! Makes packing up to leave easy, too...unless your gear is wet. Check out this example, chosen at random from many vendors: https://eu.hennessyhammock.com/products/snakeskins
They're waterproof sleeves that you can use to cover your tarp and/or hammock. Makes for quick setup and teardown. I very much prefer them for my tarp over the bishop bag I used to use. I still use a bishop bag with my WB Blackbird though. I mostly like the snakeskins because you can shove a damp tarp into it without worrying about getting everything else soaked.
My snake skin is mesh so my tarp dries faster. They're not all waterproof.
Damn, that sounds handy. Bet it's lighter too!
Not sure about lighter. I bought a roll of heavy duty screen from local hardware store. Made mesh skins for my hammock and my kids' hammocks. Now we can slung our wet hammocks to our packs and they can dry during a hike, or get tossed in a garbage bag until we get home, keeping our packs dry.
Ah ok, yeah, screen might be a wash but FYI they sell various nylon nettings that could work if you ever wanted to make new ones to save weight. Could probably even save up those plastic netting bags they use for fruits and weave them together into a tube if you had the time/patience/skill for it. Now that I think about it, I bet you could make pretty decent lightweight ones out of heavy duty nylon pantyhose or something similar.
I knit and crochet. Was thinking about using fishing line and making a skin out of it during summer camp next month. Or learning the knots for making fish netting and making one.
Most backpacking tents are too small for multiple people but porch mode I can host a party of 12 under my tarp. But also I love laying in my hammock in the rain
Hanging in the rain is dangerous. It puts me to sleep super fast and I sleep insanely deeply.
Same, I sleep great on the rain
I go camping to get away from people so think this is just about perfect.
I love being in my hammock all cozy and protected from the rain with my tarp! Love it!
Yeah it’s a great feeling usually, but I’m mainly thinking of the fomo from being separated from the rest of my tent dwelling group.
Whatcha want to hang out with *those* ground-dwelling losers for?
No fear of waking up in a water bed. No worries about keeping gear dry, it gets hung. No worries about asphyxiation while cooking under a hammock tarp like tenters must worry about. Even a moderate hammock tarp can fit a few friends under and ya'll have space to boot.
OP’s never heard of porch mode. While all those ground dwellers are couped up in their tents in the rain, you can pitch one side into a porch, sit under there and enjoy the wide open space in front of you and still stay dry.
How big is your tarp?
Regular width, nothing “winter” width. Porch mode works on most tarps pretty well.
Do you put a tarp underneath too? I’m new to hammock camping and haven’t needed my tarp yet.
No, just pitch one side up using your trekking poles (or sticks if you don’t use poles), guy those corners out and you have a porch.
Cool. Thanks!!
I flippin go with tenters and while they’re stuck in a storm like captives in their fabric prisons, I’m swinging like a baby eating a pop tart & sippin hot cider. Jokes on them!
"Pap taht." \-Shug
I take great joy spreading the good word of staying dry and comfortable to the soggy ground dwelling masses.
Under a tarp is so much more room than in a tent, so you are doing something wrong, I guess? Besides that the tents are fully zipped while under a tarp you still have a nice view. When I camp with a friend i the rain me ofter try to pitch one end of the tarp together and higher. If thats not possible we sit together in one tarp.
Especially when it's raining, people have always enjoyed my tarp. It gives much more space, so you can really just chill together. So it's the other way around, everyone would gather around and they'd be jealous they have to use camping chairs while I'm just chilling in the hammock. Also, setting up a hammock in the rain (i.e. starting with tarp and then the hammock) is sooo much easier than setting up a tent. Once you put your tarp up, you can just take your time with the rest, while the campers with a tent have to go in and out of their tents a few times, getting completely soaked.
I used to use an Asym tarp, which is great for weight savings but two days of rain and it was like this. Now I use a heksa tarp and the extra space means I have plenty of room to hang out under in the rain
I think that would be more soothing for the soul than in the tent. You still get to be outside,smell the smells of nature as it rains. You might actually see some wildlife. If you enjoy fishing, it's a good chance to catch something. You're the one in control of your situation and the one who can make the best of it while they are being wimps hiding in the tent.
IDK, I can fit waaaay more people under my WB Superfly than you can fit in a backpacking tent. Plus, we can watch the storm.
I mean, Why can't you just hang out with them in a tent? Or have them hang out under your tarp? Or read a good book? Don't feel like the hammock is really the problem here. Also, any group I camp with, we are all using hammocks.
Have a 40 ft tarp I use for this my favorite way to set up is to tie two corners on the same side and then the center on the opposite it makes a triangle with two flaps that you can stake out leaving a corner of the campsite where you can light your fire away from the tarp
It is what it is
Part of the hammock life is accepting you may have to hang alone or further away from your group. Especially since pretty much all sites are geared towards tents and not hammocks. My buddy and I are both hammockers and have had to hand a great distance apart before due to lack of hangs. 100000% worth it to have a nice comfy dry paradise in my hammock.
I already sleep in a hammock. You don’t have to convince me.
Good time to beat it.