A tail of two tents

To adequately cover a gathered end hammock such as the blue sky (109″?), a hex cut (6 sided diamond) rain fly might have a centerline length of 144″; the several inches of overhang is actually tapered and thus less material than otherwise is used. But My Hennessy has more than enough sidewall length, which while making me feel completely secure from weather intrusion, also gates the wind and provides tremendous privacy. /from nearly all angles other than looking past the suspending trees like a barrel./ this of course requires
Staking out the wings or otherwise tying out four guy lines.

While I like a free standing tent, I have found too that the UL 2 must also be guyed down in windy conditions. A spring storm at Jenny lake in the Tetons brought 20-30 mph winds that pressed down the roof to on top of me, despite having all 6 lines guyed. In still conditions, this may not seem requires but given the uncertainty, guying seems cheap insurance.

So whether using a hammock tent and fly or ground tent with guy-able fly, I will be making 4 to 6 quick knots with near certainty and using grounds stakes as likely with each approach.

After several days of ground tent camping, you will find that there is no better sleep than in a hammock. like a puppy among litter-mates, the pressure on hips and shoulders is gone and there is no better rest. But what where their are no suitable trees, and can be the case with improved camp sites offering only a gravel pad and strict boundaries?

And what about moisture management without a ground cloth? Already a hammock tent collects moisture that will likely but harmlessly make it inside to the occupant. moisture will accumulate on the bottom even out west in dry conditions. As one shifts about on their sleeping pad and touches the outside exposed fabric, condensation may work it’s way in. Yet With a synthetic bag this presents no problem or discomfort. Products to insulate the outside of a hammock look to be over-kill, increasing weight.

So why not carry both a hammock tent and fly and ground tent with fly? Clearly the problem is redundancy increases weight. And sadly, the flys are not suitable for one another; the UL has interfered guy lines that attach only in conjunction with the fly and it is too short and misshaped to cover a hammock. The Hennessy fly would cover the UL but absent critical guying connection points.

One idea where there are no trees is to pitch the gathered-end-hammock on the ground such as a bivy under the hex tarp, but lacking a water proof tub, this seems ill advised. Atop a tyvek ground cloth seems more reasonable. Poles too would have to be used to support the hex cut flys centerline, along with four lines holding out the wings.

UPDATE!! THE SOLUTION IS HERE! order and licensing inquiries here: http://www.ilexas.com/twotents/