What are your thoughts about the pros and cons of tarp color? I want to buy my first hammock system and have ideas about color, but would like to hear from other people's experience. Is a light color better if you spend time under it on a rainy day? Do you want it to be bright/visible so it can be seen by others from a distance? Do you have a color you really like or dislike?

It’s really your personal preference. I use a green CCS tarp. I like how it blends into the forest colors, but makes you look like a zombie. Others like bright colors to identify themselves in case of a rescue, like the 4 color one Dan Cooke makes. A green tarp leaves everything dark. A yellow or white tarp is very bright under it. Red tarps makes everyone looking like they have a sunburn.

I checked three of the cottage vendors tarp color selections. Limited, mostly darker colors, blues, greens, browns, and orange. I would second Savage Voyageur's comments. My hammock tarp is tan and my kitchen tarp is yellow.

Since we are talking about hammock tarps, I would say go with a dark color in silpoly. It blocks the light better, letting you sleep longer, and the silpoly won't absorb moisture and stretch during extended rains. My personal favorite right now is a forest green Warbonnet Superfly.
Community tarps is a whole different ball game....
Let us know what you decide to go with!

I know silpoly will be my choice. I think I'll choose a light color for more light on rainy days, and a solar alarm clock would be a good thing to get me started in the morning. I have only found dark and medium colors so far, at least I know not to go dark.

DaveM: "I know silpoly will be my choice. I think I'll choose a light color for more light on rainy days, and a solar alarm clock would be a good thing to get me started in the morning. I have only found dark and medium colors so far, at least I know not to go dark."

Light color tarps made specifically for hammocks aren't offered by cottage vendors (think Dutchware Gear, Hammock Gear, Underground Quilts, Enlightened Equipment, Warbonnet Outdoors) unless you consider orange, red or blue to be light enough. If you wanted lighter colors in silnylon you could get a Tundra Tarp from Cooke Custom Sewing, but it's designed to be a community tarp and isn't necessarily ideal for a hammock. For me, I have a dark tarp for my hammock and either a green or yellow CCS Tundra tarp for hanging out under.

I like my blue Superfly because it mimics nature. It’s nice in the morning too.

I love my Superfly in bushwhack camp. It lets in the perfect amount of light and I love that it blends in with the surrounding woods.

Thanks for all the information everyone. I'm likely to buy the Warbonnet Superfly in SilPoly evergreen color. Probably also get the Darien hammock from Dream Hammock with 1.2oz MTN XL Hybrid fabric.
Next step is tree straps, suspension, ridgeline, underquilt, UQ hooks, tieouts, etc. Any advice on these details will be appreciated!
I'm 6 '2" and 195 lbs if that helps with the details.

Sounds like you got some pretty solid advice from people far more experienced than I am, but I got a coyote brown rectangle xenon tarp from Dutch.
Blends well and I never questioned the quality.

I got a WB Superfly evergreen color and a Dream Hammock Darien glacier blue color. Trees in my yard are too far apart, but I made this work. Getting fairly comfortable laying in it, but need more practice when it gets warmer. Whoopie slings and UHMWPE tree straps from Dutchware. Snakeskin, UQ and TQ coming later from Hammock Gear.

Nice setup. Don’t forget to check out those spreader bars for the superfly. It gives you more room and limits flapping in a wind.

I've seen those bars, but going to try lines on the pull outs for now. This is all new to me so I'm pretty excited to spend the night in it.

My three tarps I have for hammocking are all green, I guess I have never thought about wanting another color. I'm usually solo so nobody complains if I look like a zombie. I'm up at first light no matter what so light blocking isn't a big concern for me. Now you have me pondering buying another tarp that is a different color.

When someone mentioned sleeping longer with a darker tarp, it made me laugh. I have a CCS yellow 10x12 as my hammock tarp. I love it, because I mostly solo trip, and it doubles as my "community" tarp.
One night I woke up thinking I was being visited by the forest service, and they were shining a spotlight onto my tarp. I stumbled out, only to realize the full moon had risen! So the yellow tarp didn't even block out enough moonlight to let me sleep!

Do people use their hammock tarp as a cooking shelter if it's raining? Will it end up smelling like food? I've always kept food away from tents and anything that goes inside of them.
What are good community tarp dimensions for solo, two, or four people?

DaveM: "Do people use their hammock tarp as a cooking shelter if it's raining? Will it end up smelling like food? I've always kept food away from tents and anything that goes inside of them.
What are good community tarp dimensions for solo, two, or four people?"

I go solo most often, and use home dehydrated meals. I will cook under my hammock tarp most mornings, but that just means boiling a pot of water for coffee and oatmeal. I also bring a kelty 9x9 tarp as a wind/sun screen, gear storage, or for cooking if I am going to fry up some fish or something like that, and the weather is bad. I have never noticed any smells on the tarp, but I am not a bear... Most times, I avoid cooking like that on a day I don't want to be in the open.

Edit to add:
I would want an 8x10 solo, would work for two. I was setting up my hammock when a storm hit, and 4 of us huddled under my 10x12 until it passed. (the hammock wasn't strung up yet)

I will probably always have a blue tarp for over my hammock. But a couple years ago I tripped with a guy who had a large white tarp that we sat and ate under. I really liked this because of how bright it was under there. I currently use a small brown tarp to eat under and am looking for a white one to replace it someday. Right now it's one of those luxury buys that gets overlooked for other gear "that I need".

I was thinking a 2nd tarp with a much lighter color would be nice in the rain. I wondered if white would stand out too much in the wilderness, I was thinking pale blue, green or yellow. Has anyone else seen or used white tarps?