Shelter that doubles as hammock tarp?

A golite poncho tarp works as a minimalist tarp over short hammocks. MLD's Pro poncho might work, and would be a longer ground shelter, too.

A Trailstar could work but hanging the peak effectively would be a big pain.

Hammocks work fine as a bivy if you use trekking poles for the ends.

Would a simple 8 x 10 or 8 x 11 tarp fit the bill or is that missing something you're looking for? Personally I would stay away from shaped tarps for hanging, plus you have a lot more options with a rectangular tarp or square tarp but not the simplicity of shaped tarp …. Also want to consider that many shaped tarps may not have enough length to cover your ridgeline …. I would want an 11 foot ridgeline for hanging if I have a standard 10 foot long hammock ….

Since all a traditional hex hammock tarp is is a normal rectangular tarp with angled corners … with a rectangular tarp you would get more coverage when hanging and even have enough overhang on the ends to make small doors if needed or hang it asym…. Was in same spot as you and but went with a hex tarp, even for if I have to be above tree line …

Perhaps an 8.5 x 8.5 flat tarp. It could be pitched on the diagonal for the hammock. Zpacks has a nice one.

I have a 7×9 cuben fiber tarp that I use to both bivy as well as over my hammock with the long diagonal as my ridge line. Provides a nice asym set up for the hammock. If I had to do again I probably would go with a 10×8 tarp to provide a bit more coverage but works well for on the ground or in the air.

As someone who never has used a tarp shelter before for any type of real backpacking, is it something I could just pick up and try start out with? I've set up tarps for camping trips in a hammock but never anything out in the wilderness. I don't want to be over my head out in the bush…

I would start with a silnylon tarp and go at least 8×10 and then just start practicing in your yard or at a local park, which is what I did. There are some great books and websites to learn from. Anything from Derek Hanson on hammocking is great stuff.

Yes, you certainly can find a tarp that works for hammocks and also a shelter when hanging is not an option. I'm with you, I much prefer a hammock but there are parts of some trails that require going to ground.

Check out the JacksRBetter tarps for a variety of sizes, materials and weights.

Also, Zpacks has a few different hammock tarp options.

A “four-season” hammock tarp (that is, with one that has doors to close off the ends) will definitely provide you with an enclosed shelter on those rare occasions that you have to go to ground. The Superfly (by Warbonnet Outdoors), Bullfrog (by Wilderness Logics), Cuben Standard With Doors (by Hammock Gear), Hammock Tarp With Doors (by Zpacks), and JRB 11×10 Tarp (by Jacks’R’Better) are all good examples of this. There’re more out there; it may be worth a little investigation (all of these are just off of the top of my head).

Coupled with a groundsheet (my poncho doubles for this, if ever needed), one of these tarps and your hammock used as a bug bivvy (if needed) will work just fine with your trekking poles as a shelter option. It won’t be quite as easy to pitch as a purpose-designed tent, but that’s what you get multi-using gear.

Hope it helps!

Agree with John. I have the Zpacks hammock tarp with doors and have used it as a very roomy ground-dwelling tarp on a number of occasions.

Probably obvious, but if ground dwelling, don't forget a pad and (if-needed) bug protection.

Robert- Do you have the optional trekking pole attachments on the Z-packs hammock tarp? How do they hold up?