Tired of dragging your tent and all the accompanying accessories around in your backpack? Take a note from a new backpacking trend – hammocking! Hammocks are incredibly light and are an excellent choice for camping if you are into backpacking. But, to keep yourself and your gear safe, you will certainly need to invest in the best hammock tarp!
In the guide you’re about to read, we will break down the best hammock tarps for a sheltered hammock camping experience. We’ll also share a short but informative buyers’ guide for the hammock tarps.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the best hammock tarps currently on the market!
1. Pro Venture Waterproof Hammock Tarp
If looking for the best hammock tarp for a steep budget, this one from Pro Venture will be an ideal choice for you. Keep in mind that there are better picks for backpacking, as this hammock tarp weighs 1,74 lbs (around 0,8 kg). Still, the durable 210D ripstop nylon material more than makes up for the increased weight.
As this is a catenary tarp, it will perform perfectly in all seasons. Also, it offers a decent amount of coverage, so if you want more sheltered space for you and your storage, the Pro Venture tarp is an awesome pick.
Actually, the size of its tarp is its main selling point, with the measurement of 11 ft x 9 ft (335 cm x 274 cm). Another thing you should know about this hammock tarp because it comes with a full kit, including 4 aluminum stakes, 6 guy lines with tensioners, a waterproof stuff bag, and the rain fly itself.
2. Rain Fly Evolution Hammock Tarp
Looking for the extra-durable hammock tarp that will stay put even in high winds? The Rain Fly Evolution hammock tarp may be a great choice for you, coming at a low price too!
Its catenary shape not only provides a great shelter from the wind but also sun and rain. This is brought to motion thanks to the 210T ripstop nylon material that has a UV coating.
Other than the durable build, this hammock tarp is quite lightweight at 1,5 lbs (around 0,68 kg). It will certainly be suitable for backpacking trips too!
It’s even more sizable than the previous hammock tarp on our best hammock tarp list, with the measurement of 12 ft x 10 ft (366 cm x 305 cm).
Overall, this is a high-quality tarp, with the downside being the incomprehensible instructions that come in the packaging with it. Also, the guy line tensioners are threaded incorrectly, so you will need to play around with that to make the suspension system of the hammock tarp suitable.
3. Gold Armour Hammock Tarp
If the size of the hammock tarp is the most important metric for you, then the Gold Armour hammock tarp will be the best pick for you. First of all, there is some adjustability when it comes to sizing, as this hammock tarp comes in select sizes:
- 10 ft x 8 ft (305 cm x 244 cm)
- 10 ft x 10 ft (305 cm x 305 cm)
- 12 ft x 10 ft (366 cm x 305 cm)
- 14,7 ft x 12 ft (448 cm x 366 cm)
So, if you have two hammocks, you can easily find the size to keep them both safe. But is the durability of this hammock tarp on par with the aforementioned picks? Thankfully, it is, with the ripstop polyester with a 5,000 mm PU coating for extra water resistance.
Do these numbers mean anything? Yes, they do, as this hammock tarp can withstand extended periods of heavy rain.
But, it may falter a bit when it comes to heavy winds due to the attachment points. These are plastic D-ring attachment points and are quite fragile, especially under the wind. Still, nothing that a little sewing can’t fix, but you are most certainly looking for maximum durability out of the box, right?
4. Bear Butt Double Hammock Tarp
Here is a different hammock tarp that comes in a diamond shape. Its size is 11 ft x 9 ft (335 cm x 274 cm), but due to its shape, it might have less coverage at head and foot sections, so keep that in mind!
The Bear Butt hammock tarp is made from waterproof and ultralight polyester material. With its weight of 0,88 lbs (0,4 kg), this is one of the lightest hammock tarps on our list!
We like the polyester material, especially when it’s raining, as it won’t sag as much as nylon. But, the diamond shape doesn’t perform that well on high winds like the catenary shape. Expect to have the wings of this hammock tarp flapping in high winds.
Overall, the Bear Butt hammock tarp is a lovely choice for backpackers, but you will have to prepare for a different shape that comes with its strengths and weaknesses.
5. ENO Eagles Nest Ultralight Hammock Tarp
If looking for one of the most durable yet lightweight hammock tarps, the ENO Eagles Nest is an awesome choice! It weighs only 1,38 lbs (around 0,63 kg) and is made from durable ripstop nylon with additional PU coating.
When it rains down on this hammock tarp, it will keep all the rain at bay. As it comes with 6 points of connection, it will also stay quite stable in high winds. It is so durable that it can even withstand a thin layer of ice, no kidding!
With its size of 10,5 ft x 6,3 ft (320 cm x 193 cm), we can see there are larger hammock tarps than this one. Still, the ENO Eagles Nest will be suitable for one camper.
When it comes to its setup and the tension holders, we come to the main downside. The tension sliders don’t work pretty well, but if you know how to tie knots yourself, you should have no issues with stability.
6. Yukon Outdoors Walkabout Rainfly
This hammock tarp from Yukon Outdoors excels when it comes to the coverage area and weight. It covers a space of 11,83 ft x 9,33 ft (361 cm x 284 cm) and weighs 0,88 lbs (0,4 kg).
Yes, it is a lightweight hammock tarp fit for backpacking trips, but don’t carry this one around in rainstorms. You see, it’s made of 190T polyester material with 1,000mm PU coating, which is significantly less durable than the aforementioned hammock tarps.
Overall, this hammock tarp is great for casual backpacking adventures. If up for a serious adventure, you may opt for some of the picks we mentioned above. But, if you are a beginner in this type of camping, go for this one, you won’t regret it at all.
7. OAV Hammock Tarp
Last on our list for the best hammock tarp is the Outdoor Adventure hammock tarp, a great low-budget offering. For all that it’s worth, it’s a quite durable hammock tarp made with 40D nylon fabric with a 5,000mm polyurethane coating for extra water resistance.
The OAV hammock tarp is not the most lightweight hammock tarp out there, with a weight of 1,9 lbs (around 0,8 kg). Still, its square shape with six connection points should be more than enough to protect you in light rain and wind conditions.
It would be better if it had eight connection points (one on each corner and one on each mid-point) to be more stable in extreme weather conditions.
Still, this is a quite sizable hammock tarp, with coverage of 9,84 ft x 9,84 ft (300 cm x 300 cm). If looking for a lovely budget hammock tarp, the OAV hammock tarp will do the job just fine.
Stuff To Know Before Buying The Best Hammock Tarp – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What hammock tarp shape is the best?
You may have noticed that we mentioned a few hammock tarp shapes. To be more specific, hammock tarps usually come in these shapes:
- Rectangle
- Hexagon
- Catenary
- Diamond
The most basic hammock tarp shape is rectangular. It is the most widely available hammock tarp shape, and it gives an all-around decent coverage. The ridgeline of your hammock will be right under the tarp’s peak, and you will need to stake the bottom corners to ground the tarp. One major downside to rectangle shapes is that they are folded at the corners.
The hexagonal shape provides less protection than rectangular hammock tarps, but they are usually more lightweight. That makes them the best for backpacking adventures.
The catenary shape is often confused with a hexagonal shape, as they are very similar, albeit with one key difference. Its sides curve inwards, helping shed water off the tarp with more ease. This type of hammock tarp is ideal for wet weather camping.
Diamond tarp forms two triangles that form when you attach the guy lines from both ends of the tarp. These are great if you need more storage or cooking space, but keep in mind that it provides less coverage at its tip and tail segments.
From what materials are hammock tarps made?
The most common types of materials for hammock tarps are polyester and nylon.
Polyester is cheaper than nylon, but it isn’t durable as nylon fabric. Look into higher denier count when buying a polyester hammock tarp.
Nylon is more durable than polyester but is also more expensive. Also, it is heavier than polyester.
Keep in mind that if you go higher with the denier count, the tarp will be heavier. So, pick your tarp according to your camping style.
Wrapping Up
We hope our guide for the best hammock tarp of 2022 was useful for you!
Hammock camping has become increasingly popular in the last decade due to the rise of interest in backpacking. With one of the hammock tarps from our list, your shelter will stay safe from rain and wind.
We hope that your next hammock camping experience will be a pleasant one. If you have any questions or suggestions, don’t hesitate to contact us!
