DIY: Rain Fly Hammock
Hammocks are ideal for sleeping outdoors during fair weather, but they are not designed for inclement weather. If you plan on sleeping outdoors when it might rain, drape a tarp over your hammock to create a rain fly. When rigged securely, a large, durable tarp will protect you from both wind and rain, even during heavy rainstorms. Although rain flies are available commercially, you'll save money by constructing your own using a tarp and guylines.
Instructions
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Choose a tarp. A bigger, more durable tarp provides better protection from the elements, but it will also weigh more. For backpacking, select a lightweight tarp that will easily fit inside your pack. Make sure that the tarp is large enough to cover the length and sides of your hammock. An appropriate minimum size is 9 feet by 5 feet. Some ultra-light backpackers use rain ponchos instead of tarps.
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Set up your hammock, then hang the tarp over your hammock. Tie a line between two trees and drape the tarp over the line. Set it up so that the tarp is very close to your hammock. When you get inside the hammock, it will drop down, providing ample space between the two. During cold or rainy weather, angle the sides of the tarp steeply to provide extra protection.
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Secure the ends of the tarp by tying them to trees or by staking them to the ground. If you have hiking poles, use them to open up extra space inside your tarp by placing them in the corners and staking the tarp down behind them.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep the tarp as taut as possible to shed rain.
Tie strings to either side of the rope, outside of the tarp, so that rain runs down the strings instead of inside the tarp.
A tarp won't protect you from insects. Include bug netting during mosquito season or other insect seasons.
References
- Photo Credit Kraig Scarbinsky/Digital Vision/Getty Images
