Sometimes when I an all set up for a hot night it turns rainy and windy. If the wind blows the tarp can sail raising it up high enough that those horizontal rains can get you wet. I have added a couple of pieces of string that can quickly be tied in place to hold the tarp near the hammock and so the wind can’t lift it. On the picture above and below you can see a string hanging down tied to the near end of the hammock (between the hammock and the snake skin). I wrap that string over the ridge rope (rope 2) and back under the hammock a couple of times pull it tight and tie it. I do this on both ends. This keeps the tarp near the hammock even when the hammock sags.
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I also have about 4 ft of string on an eyelet near each end that I tie under the hammock to an eyelet on the other side. This string is barely visible in the above picture. This keeps a updraft from lifting the tarp.
What not to do in cold weather.
My first trip was in May and I spent some very uncomfortable nights. The first night I went to bed in a “0” degree bag wearing wool socks, long underwear, nylon pants, long sleeved shirt and thick fleece hooded sweatshirt, I woke up hot and sweating and shaking uncontrollably. My backside was very cold and the rest of me was too hot. The next night I had my PFD under my shoulders and my partners PFD under my seat and legs. That was a lifesaver. Very difficult to get in a sleeping bag on top of 2 PFD’s in a hammock. I did not take a closed cell pad on this trip because I had found it to be hard to get on top of in the hammock although it would have been easier than the 2 PFD’s.
What to do on cool nights.
Wrap the tarp under the hammock and use clothespins to hold it shut. My friend and I were both cold one night on a recent trip and when we checked on the weather forecast the next night was going to be 10 degrees colder. He came up with the hammock wrap idea, which we both used and slept very comfortably.
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You can even run a string from one eyelet across under the hammock entrance through another eyelet and hang a weight on it to close the tarp under you after you get in. This does not make it a winter hammock but would allow use at 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the normal setup. This spoils the view out of the hammock.
On of the things I like about a hammock is the ability to see out while laying down.
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This is a view with my head on a pillow through the hammock screen.
Take a piece of yellow ribbon and tie it to the hammock support robe just outside the snake skin on the foot end. Take another piece of yellow ribbon and tie it to the eyelet on the foot end of the tarp. This will help when setting up nest time.
Taking it down so it’s ready to go back up.
The ropes that I suggested you use are longer than you will use in most setups and the way I suggested setting up will leave all of the extra rope hanging out on one side. Coil these ropes up leaving a couple of extra feet of free cord. Take down the hammock tying the huggers to the hammock support ropes. Untie the side ropes and pull on the end away from the coiled rope until the coiled rope is pulled up near the center of the tarp and coil the rope that you just pulled out. It will help keep this from tangling if you tie this to the corner eyelet. Untie both ends of rope 2 starting at the end with the coiled rope and tie it to its corner eyelet. A single half hitch is all that is needed to attach these. When you have untied the second end of rope 2 pull enough of it through so all of the extra is on the free end side but the tarp is not lifted off the ground. Coil the free rope and tie to its eyelet. The tarp is hanging by its center form the first rope you put up. Push as much of it into a stuff sack as is easy to reach. Then take down the remaining rope and coil the free end up to the loop that is on the top of the tarp. Shove the rest in the bag with the rope being the last thing in. When it is time to set it back up just take the rope out and hang the tarp still in the bag. This will keep it off the ground and you wont trip over it or step on it.