I hadn't seen the drip-line before. Like so many things, totally obvious; once you've seen it. Thanks for the info.

Subscribed, this guy knows what he is talking about. So many other UKpostsrs pitch their tarps high for winter or rainy condition. Finally someone saying something that aligns with common sense.

He totally sold me on hammock camping and I love it. I went to Algonquin Park for 4 days of portaging and canoeing and was the envy of my friends, young and old. I sleep better in my hammock, thanks to his tips, than I do in my own bed. And the view is always better.

If the ground is just super loose or sandy, you can fill an old pop can or water bottle with dirt and rocks. Tie your line to that and bury it below the surface. We used to do that out at the beach.

Thanks for making this video - great general info for us new to hammock camping.

Two things I have learned thus far in hammock/tarp camping are the following. First) The smaller the tarp, the less room for error in setting it up in relation to the hammock. If the tarp is sized too closely to mirror the dimensions of the hammock even the smallest misalignment will result in a wet night. If the small tarp is hung too high, the hammock will be exposed from the sides or underneath. If the small tarp is hung off-centered the hammock will be exposed on either end. Even if the small tarp is hung just right, the hammock may still be substantially exposed to sideways rain/wind. Second) The bigger the tarp, the longer/beefier/or more numerous the stakes to keep it down. When using a larger tarp one must remember there is more surface for the wind to catch. So more consideration must be put into the size or number of stakes to be used to secure the tarp. The same can be said for choosing which knots to use to secure the guy lines between the tarp & its stakes. I generally sacrifice weight to obtain maximized coverage. I rather escape a middle of the night drenching than achieve next to zero backpack weight. I will make that trade even when considering backpack hiking. But to each his/her own!

Thank youuuu.. this was super helpful! Just starting out and now I feel much more confident.

Thank you so much for the information!! It’s very helpful as I am a beginner backpacker.

Great tips, thanks! I have a hammock and was wondering about the tarp cover, now I know what I need and what to do

I camped on top of Turkey mountain on the Pinhoti with 60-70 mph winds and hail storm praying that my tarp wouldn't come unglued. Luckily I had put the wind side of the tarp down low for the first time and also used logs and rocks to hold my stakes in. It worked like a champ! If you want to see the video of the storm that day I would be happy to share it with you. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

just found your site and enjoyed your tips with the hammock and tarp... I m a backpacker and car camper and still not confident with the hammock. Thanks for your helpful videos, well done.

Thanks brother I just ordered my first hammock should be here tomorrow 😁. Watching your videos sure is going help. Thank you sir. God Bless!

I feel like my dads yelling at me lol

CZ - skvělé videa a precizně vše zodpovězeno. Super a díky.

Thank you! I’m new to hammock backpacking and found your video very helpful.

Some great tips and insight, thank you very much!

Good insight! Thanks for the tips.

Yes sound advice, all the tips you gave, I learned over the course of some years hammock camping. Great job with your video.

That's the video I watched that made up my mind to change. Look forward to learning more from you

Thank you! Great info😊👍🏻

Awesome tips. Have a great Sunday, Andreas from Off Grid Sweden 🇸🇪

Hey Marine! Heading up to the bwca in a few days and checked this video out again. Great tips as a refresher course for tarp guy lines. Keep up the good work. We appreciate it!

Great video, very informative and concise. The river you were camped at with its dark waters reminded me of The Black Warrior River in upstate New York.

Very helpful, and clearly illustrated. I just received a Onewind tarp that will permit me to close the doors in the winter. I've been comfortable before down to 18 degrees F, but caught a little breeze from the open ends. I'm looking forward to closing the doors this winter, which should give me another ten degrees or so. Thank you very much. Be safe, and enjoy the forest.

Thanks for the tips especially keeping the stakes in the ground using a rock in front or tree root. I’ve attached mine to limb protruding from a long before, but I like the rock in front as well.

Tarps you got this down to a art . thx a bunch . Leaned a lot who says you cant teach a old dog new tricks . Just hit 61 still learning awesome .

I needed this video, still have alot of research to do as I'm looking for a tarp to use with a hammock in the winter time for a deer hunting trip. Thanks and I subbed your channel.

Some thoughts. I don't use a ridgeline for my tarps but I've seen recommendations for rigging a ridgeline above the tarp, connected at each end with prussik loop. The reasons being less wear on the tarp from being rubbed - abraded by the line, and adjustability. Also, on a GE hammock using a continuous loop with a rappel ring - drip ring connecting to the tree guy line I've seen where water will run down a hammock guy line and past the ring that was covered by a tarp so I always use a small drip line on the hammock side of the drip ring, underneath the tarp Also, rather than using loops on the end of a guy line to tie to trees, etc, I just tie the body of the guy line around a tree root, brush, or whatever and use 3 half hitches to form a prussik-type friction knot for adjustability finished with a pull loop like a shoe lace to make untying easy. Never have a problem with slippage. Finally, SilNylon, and to a much lesser extent SilPoly tarps stretch, especially when wet so I use in-line shock cord self-tensioners on my tarps' side guy lines to keep a taut pitch that stops water from pooling. The taut pitch also reduces flapping in wind with the resulting sudden stresses on stakes.

Thank you for the advice. I live in Canada and its suppose to snow tomorrow but i want to get out there and start a fire, so I will have to get my 1st tarp & this info is very appreciated.

Thank you so much for all you do. Another excellent video.

This guy made me invest in hammock and tarp gears at the height of pandemic. Thanks for your wonderful videos! Im from the tropics! I wish to experience hammock camping in the winter. Someday :)

Thank you for this video and the Beginners guide for hammock camping. They were really helpful and I learned a lot from them! Keep up the amazing work you do! Greets, from Sweden :) Roman

Some great info 👍👍

I was introduced to hammocks when I did Australian army jungle training in the jungles of Malaysia. I recall one night I had set up my army supplied hammock, which double as a stretcher to carry out any wounded soldier, and put my groundsheet up as a tarp. We were there during the monsoon season so lots of rain. It started to rain heavily in the middle of the night and we had water flowing through our night position. My mate and I were high and dry while we watched our mates who had decided to sleep on the ground trying to recover all their gear which was washing down the hill and soaking their sleeping bags and gear. Lots of fun!

Thanks for the advice. Nice Mathews pullover. I used to work for the company that produced "Mathews TV" for Outdoor Channel many moons ago.

Thanks Marine, I live in the southeast (SC) and we have afternoon thunderstorms that pop up and they can become very hazardous to your health! These few tips will be very helpful on our next trip, thank you for putting out these vids! Short story, my sons and I were tent camping, thought I picked out a good spot to place the tent! We set up, left for some biking and hiking and noticed the weather was changing for the worst, we had blue skies and all of a sudden they went to grey. On our way back to camp, we were caught in the rain, thunder and lightening. We arrived at camp, got in the tent and well.....it was full of water. Where we placed the tent the water was washing it out for us. Wish we had hammocks this day! Lol! Didn’t ruin our trip though, we waited it out for about 2hrs and enjoyed the rest of our camping trip, and drying out our gear.

Your videos are great. Thanks for making them.

Excellent and well explained video. I know I made a lot of these mistakes when I first started hanging 8 years ago and I had to learn by trial and error. Glad to see there are some well thought out videos for beginners to get started. You’ve earned a sub jarhead. 🤙🏽

Really good advice thank you

Good solid info! Thanks! I make my own pegs from wood. Sharpen one side and the other side just make a notch with the saw. This way if the earth is saturated I can make a long peg that will hold.

thank you mr tarp man, i really wanna hammock-camping in the snow now

Very informative. Thank you.

Thanks so much for your great information

Great tips, but I really want to see more of that viewer's video. That storm looked BRUTAL!!! I would've been thinking real hard about finding a clearing so I didn't have to worry about a tree coming down on me! I can't imagine that any hammock setup is built to take that kind of wind!

Great information, thanks!

semper fi ...buddy thank you for the tip out standing job also thank you for your services ,

Excellent video. Thanks for all the tips. Subbed.

I make these mistakes... Thank you for showing me this! Now I know what I can improve

Very useful info Sir! GOD bless You

Very helpful, thanks!

Greetings. I am also a fan of hammock camping. What I do is put like a ridgeline 1 meter above the tarp to catch falling branches which i had to learn the hard way. Before i discovered amsteel dyneema, Used paracord, but now i have 2 pieces of 12 meter long amsteel. Keep up the good work!

Cheers for your informative vids! I'm in the process of looking for lightweight camping gear to get out more into nature and have time for myself. Been looking at tents, but the hammock seems more and more appealing. I prefer the woods anyways, more in nature and off the grond and I also hear it's much better for your back! I still have no idea what system (hammock with bugnet and tarp) to choose. But I keep educating myself with your and other peoples advice and hopefully find a beginner setup that I will feel comfortable with in the Dutch weather!

Thanks for your videos sir ! Very useful !

Great pointers. Thanks. I'm in the market now for a tarp to go with my hammock and it's nice to proceed forearmed with knowledge. My test night in my hammock, I just used a cheap poly-tarp from _The Warehouse_ (NZ's equivalent of Walmart). I set it up in porch mode with the windward side pegged close to the ground. I figured that if the weather turned really nasty or the wind direction changed drastically, I could drop the porch down close to the ground as well but there was not any need for that. It rained during the night but the tarp kept the rain off the hammock, even with one side opened up as a porch.

I use some auger style steaks and screw them into the ground until the eye is only visible I haven't dealt with 60mph winds as of yet but so far that hasn't failed me yet lol awesome video definitely informative and I subbed you great breakdown of why you feel the mentioned mistakes are made. Definitely got me thinking about my setup

thanks marine , you`re an inspiration bud , greetings and thanks from south west England UK

Thank you sir. About 80% here I knew, and some stuff I learned. I went hammock camping at a campsite with many other people here. We got hit with a severe thunderstorm with like at least 60 mph wind gusts. Everybody's tent got shredded apart, tents and hammocks got thrown all the way across the camp, and the only thing that happened with my setup was 1 stake came out of the ground but I was completely dry. So thank you. Also I set up my hammock against the direction of the storm, but the funny thing is I didn't even think about that until I realized I was right without even realizing inwas right.

Marine,thanks for the great tips ...we've learned so much from you.We really love your channel !! Greetings from Europe.....Your "Marine Fanclub Italia". Ciao e Arrivederci.

living in Sydney Australia and been doing lots of kayaking and now thinking of camping overnight by using the kayak to get to hard to reach places ( upper rivers, creeks). Your clips have been exceptionally helpful in getting started. cheers

that dripline...that is genius

Thanks for the great tips 👍😃

Very good video, thank you!

Thanks for all great tips. Dyneema tarps have fantastic specs so I can see why many love them, but a real drawback is the packed size. That can be a crucial detail in some situation, specially when touring with motorcycles as space is very limited and weight difference is of second nature. It's quite hard to find that information on the web.

I live in Alaska and often it will be high 60s and 70s during the day while dropping below 30 f at night. I always bring a good under quilt and a piece of reflectix insulation. Makes a nice warm sleep in the hammok

Great video. Wish you would of touched briefly on the advantages over a long y steak opposed to just a short round steak. My tarp came with round I switched to y after watching your other viedos

thank you Blessings

Preciate that Mathews pullover🤘🏻

Good practical advice.

Hi sir, great video. I'd just like to add that it's possible to make your own longer bad-weather tent stakes from wood. Make a 50 cm or so stick, carve one end to a point, crown of the top to prevent mushrooming, carve a 7 notch in it to tie the cordage to and pound in the ground with a rock or back of an axe etc. God bless! (Edit: typo)

You deserve far more subscribers and recognition than you receive good sir

Ótimo Vídeo Parabéns muito bom

Great video and some fantastic tips

I used a military grade jungle hammock many years ago in the Amazon jungle and I still got wet inside when it rained because it rains constantly for as much as two or three days. A good tarp is very important along with a drip ring or other facsimile, especially in colder weather.

Hello ! I am also a hammock fan. Thanks for the infos. You can have a large (4.9x3.2 yards) lightweight (8.11o) tarp and cheap. I use 2 thermo cover film, a transparent film used to cover windows as a thermo layer. Very strong, a tarp made of 2 sheet for a 4.9 yards (4,5m) by 3.2 yards (3m) weight 8.11 ounces (230g). I glue the 2 sheet together using transparent TESA tape RÉF. 64014. I use the same tape to create all the attachement needed for the ropes. Total cost : 26 bucks. I have one standing outside for 2 years now and I juste replaced 3 attachements broken by the friction between ropes and tape. Of course if needed you can add more sheets to have a larger tarp.

Great tips..thx

Great info per usual! If you don't mind, where were you camping at 4:56 with that beautiful river? Thanks for your videos and your service Mr. Marine

Great video 👍 very informative

Good video, thanks

Awesome video my friend.

Great Tips Bro!

Great advice...

Hello, just come across your vlog, thank you for the hints and tips, there really great, I did notice that you also had a free standing frame which looked amazing, could you please point me in the right direction to where I might be able to purchase one of those please, kind regards.

Great vid! I can't recommend the hexagonal ones with doors on the ends enough. Best investment I made for my Hennessy. I've had 6 people under in porch mode in pouring rain and been dry and eating and playing cards.

Great video and tips! I just subscribed to your channel So I haven’t looked through all your videos yet but what I would really love to see is how to set up a tarp and hammock in the pouring rain. The reality of camping is that it’s not always dry when you arrive at your campsite. And so all the videos I’ve seen online show setting up camp in dry weather, which is not always realistic. I realize it’s tough to shoot a video in the rain but the reality is setting up camp in the rain is not that uncommon and yet nobody does videos showing that situation. Do you have any advice and do you have any videos showing this?

Tree Root anchors rock... much in agreement......

Great info haven’t read all comments yet what about safety-trip hazard’s of cords --use strips of cloth or fluorescent trail ribbon /visitors or nature’s nite call may help from tripping , throat burns can also use as trial mark

Tq and nice info

This video got me to smash the subscribe button. Keep them coming.

great ideas thanks the one not sure about is the tying to a rock. if windy it could lift that rock no problem and get hit in head with it. tarps are like parachute

I've had to set up "hobbit height" on super windy nights. My tarp's ridgeline was low enough for me to have to crawl under it. My hammocks was almost on the ground. Winds were a steady 30 mph with a few 70 mph gusts.

Ty so much

Being"artsy" is what gave me the knowledge and skills to pick my materials and craft my own light weight hammock kit. I don't, however, do grand jetes in my black tights. Hehe.

I know that most people put the stakes in at an angle but have you ever noticed that people that put up the large tents all the time drive the stakes in straight up and down. When you put the stakes in at an angle the wind will work on them and they will cut the hole bigger and come out. Some tent manufacturers even recommend the stakes be put in straight up and down. I know who reads the instructions. If I think it is going to storm I leave those little stakes in the pack and make bigger ones.

One of the clearest vids I've ever seen! What camera are you using?

A standard rain fly will let a driving rain blow in at the ends , especially if the wind is blowing directly at either end of the hammock. For some reason every time I'm camping the wind and rain manage to fine the open ends , not anymore. Out of all the tarps I have my favorite one is from Warbonnet Hammocks. It's the mid fly ( Bushwhack camouflage ) and they have taken the tarp on step further. They have peaks on each end. What the peaks can do is to stop any blowing rain from coming in at the ends. They can be set up with the hammocks suspension line between them. Plus you can have them at any angle you want to stop a driving rain. Or you can put them back over the tarp to have the standard open ends on nice nights. On nice nights here in Florida I like to set my rain fly in the porch mode with the open part of the porch facing any breeze. Instant cooling when in the hammock , anything to beat the heat.

Any tips for bad weather...lightning storms and such....

Hey Marine, what's the best guyline setup for my tarp? Looking for some hardware for my guy lines

My favorite introduction tarp is a gold armor 10x12. Weighing in at a little over 2 lbs, it aint the lightest, but it is 30 bucks

nice thanks

Is this up in Northern Wisconsin? Looks like the area around Spooner