For all you Tarp guys

Anyone heard of this? It's new... looks kinda like a bug shield you can put under your tarp shelter. What do you think?

http://granitegear.com/products/tarps/haven.html

Definitely looks big enough for 2 people, but @ 1.1 lbs seems a little heavy if it's just for one - all depends on level of comfort and desired space...
Not that it's a big deal if you pick your sites decently, but there's no bathtub floor...

Buff... its the bug netting that weighs.. even though it has holes in it its still heaver than sil... no way around it. Thats about what I add to my hammock set up when I add the netting.

Me too, TM. I thought about having Amanda sew netting to my tarp that would just drape down, but I will just stick with my hammock netting.

The fact that no-see-um weighs more than sil is the reason that we put very light weight breathable ripstop between the baffles of our quilts rather than netting. It amazes me that with all those hole, it weighs more.

I know it's the mesh that is the weight addition...
I suppose what I was getting at is if it's simply for one person, maybe a different option should be considered - SMD's Serenity NetTent @ 7oz, or MLD's Serenity Shelter @ 8oz.

You'll lose some coverage, of course, but probably only in width...
I think SMD's nettent is almost 3' wide... Leaves plenty of stuff that doesn't need shielding from bugs outside...

it would be good for a cowboy camper who needs protection. If I didn't have a hammock, then a half pound for bug protection would not be so bad. I know that I hate flying bugs, especially when I am trying to sleep and they are trying to eat

I am going to make a tarp to cover my Hammock. I would like for some of you to explain a few terms for me and maybe give some advice. Why are they cut in a curve? What are drip rings? What kind of rope do I need? How should the rope be attached to the tarp? Should there be a rope all the way through the middle? How many places should it tie off(ground, tree, etc). Is there something I can put on the frabric to make it more water proof? Thanks for anything you have.

Wow thats a lot in one post

Amanda makes my tarps with a catenary cut (Cat Cut) that allows the tarp to be pulled taught. This makes it where there is no flapping in the wind as with straight or rectangular tarps.

I do not use drip strings on my tarp, but I do on my hammock lines, these make it where water runs down the string and not into the hammock.

I use braided mason line, or handy hundred line that Trail Monkey has and sells for my tarps. All your rope should be is lightweight line, it doesn't have to be a big beefy line, just strong enough to keep your tarp down. You can run a line down the middle, but it is not necessary, I never do.

Tie-offs are your own preference, my 10X12 tarps have 4 tie-outs on each side, but my 8X10 has 3.

Wal-Mart sells spray silicone seam sealer (it is in the camping section with an orange lid) this stuff works great to seal seams, and I am sure it would make any fabric more waterproof. Silicone impregnated ripstop nylon (sil-nylon) is already waterproof and lightweight.

I hope this helps, if you have more questions just ask, or you can see my setup Memorial Day weekend on the ERL

Thanks PM

I am working on it. Has anyone ever tried silicon thinned with paint thinner for seams and such? How technical do you get the cat cuts?

I have used thinned Silicone several times, but the spray is a lot easier. Thinning it is easy and I just used a foam craft brush to "paint" it on.

There is a lot of debate on how techincal your cat curves need to be. Amanda and I made ours an exact curve just in case, by hanging a line and tracing the curve. Amanda always has to sew these curves, because silnylon is extremly slippery. I think we make our curves an inch high for every foot of length between tieouts.