Weatherproofness of Henessey stock asym tarp

[spelt with a t]

Can anyone comment on how the regular Henessey diamond fly is in bad weather? I haven't had the opportunity to test it in rain. It seems with a narrow pitch it would do okay, but I'm planning a hike and would rather not conduct "field research." I used the hex fly last winter a couple times, and even with my then-lousy pitching skills it was killer. It would be nice to take something lighter, though.*

*Closing sentence sponsored by Captain Obvious.

[Randy Smith]

I've been through a couple of pretty decent thunderstorms in my HH Explorer Deluxe with the stock asym tarp. The only time I have ever had an issue was a couple sudden gusts lifting the edge of the tarp, allowing a quick splash of rain to reach me. Had I pitched the tarp a little closer to my ridgeline, I would have stayed perfectly dry.

[Keith Selbo]

Never had a problem when my hyperlite asym tarp was pitched correctly.

Once I was in a hurry and got the tarp up backwards. Some water dripped in before I realized what the problem was and quickly flipped the tarp side for side.

I used the poncho/tarp for a while. It leaked at the seam. All I had to do was alter the position of the seam to the other side of the ridge line so the felled edge faced down instead of up. That's the way shingles work too. If there'd been a wind strong enough to blow water up the slope of the tarp, I think it would have continued to leak.

Other than those two instances, I've never gotten a drop in the hammock.

A word of advice. Never hang on a ridge top during a storm. The few people I know who've done that in high winds have gotten wet.

[spelt with a t]

Thanks for the input, Keith and Randy. I feel more confident about going with the smaller tarp now.

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