Hammocks?

[Basementdweller]

no dirt leaves or twigs get inside it, I generally change cloths before I go to bed....if you set it up right is never touches the ground. I shake mine out but it never really gets any dirt or debris in it.

 

It doesn't really ever get wet because it is off the ground. I do air it out when I get home.....just because it seems light he right thing to do.

 

I do air dry the tarp......it picks up dew.....but again no dirt, leaves or twigs....it never touches the ground.

 

Faster set up.....I can get my hammock up in about a minute, 5 minutes for the entire hammock tarp combo. Take down is just as fast.....no fiddling with air mattresses only two stakes on hammock and two to four on the tarp.

 

Tree anxiety.....yep I have experienced it......Yet to fail to find a decent spot.

 

Storage...my entire hammock system fits in a plastic shoe box.....Tarps and all with room to spare.

 

Buffalo....whose quilt did you purchase????? I was looking at JacksRBetter or buying one of warbonnets.

 

 

[Tampa Turtle]

Set up is quicker and knock down is very fast - I can do it under 3 minutes if need be.

 

I once camped a little too close too shore at a beach camp out and woke up to the sea under my hammock but I was dry. Because I hang all my stuff up or in my backpack on a tree nothing got wet.

 

As long as you take off your boots before putting them in the Hammock (I hang mine on the line -never inside -stinks too much :0 ) I find that it stays very clean and dry. My messy son has his pretty clean as well.

 

Yes there is a learning curve but that is the fun of it.

 

 

 

[allangr1024]

I started using a hammock after I saw this article:

 

http://mormonsite.wordpress.com/camping-in-a-hammock/

 

I got the Marina double web hammock and set up just the way this guy did. I got a good pad to put under my sleeping bag and a regular tarp for the rainfly. The other scouters at the time (around 2004) chuckled and smurked when they saw what I was camping in.

 

But, I remember one night we got caught in a storm. My son and I (both above the ground) were the only ones dry in the morning. The only drops that landed on me were the ones that bounced up off the ground.

 

Now I use an older Hennessey Expedition 2.5 that I bought off of EBAY. I bought a large Hennessey sil-nylon tarp because the original diamond shaped one was too small. I did get wet when I used it in a rainstorm.

 

Since I use a pad under me, I do have room to turn over on my side to sleep. With the right pillow, it is a snap. I use one of those curved pillows that you can halfway wrap around your neck. I don't sleep on my stomach so that is not an issue. My back no longer bothers me in camp when I get up in the mornings.

 

The pad is sufficient to keep me warm down to 20 degrees. I use a Thermarest ridgerest. This is about the worst here in Oklahoma. We went winter camping in Kansas once, and the temp got down to 10 degrees. I could feel the heat departing underneath me. I had to get up and lay a coat and other clothing under the sleeping bag, and that got me through the night. In those extremes, I would get a hammock under quilt, or rig something similar, to keep the warmth under me.

 

My only complaint is that you must lay out the sleeping bag in just about the perfect position just before you get into the hammock. Once your back is in the hammock, stuff under you, the pad and bag, are pretty much pinned, and it is very difficult to adjust the position of the bag to zip it up or anything else. It makes me not want to answer the call of nature in the middle of the night, thinking about the difficulty of getting everything back into position and laid out "just right".

 

But that is a small price to pay for the comfort I have in camp and the good nights sleep I get. I use a hammock, and I will never look back.

 

[Buffalo Skipper]

>>>My only complaint is that you must lay out the sleeping bag in just about the perfect position just before you get into the hammock. Once your back is in the hammock, stuff under you, the pad and bag, are pretty much pinned, and it is very difficult to adjust the position of the bag to zip it up or anything else. It makes me not want to answer the call of nature in the middle of the night, thinking about the difficulty of getting everything back into position and laid out "just right".

 

But that is a small price to pay for the comfort I have in camp and the good nights sleep I get. I use a hammock, and I will never look back.

[Basementdweller]

So buff....whose top quilt did you buy?????

 

 

I have a yeti for mine....Brandon does a great job....

[Buffalo Skipper]

Basementdweller,

I have both a winter and a summer UnderQuilt. My winter is a 20 Incubator from Hammock Gear, weighs only 23 oz and wonderfully warm. My summer UQ is KAQ Jarbridge River custom with 3 oz Climashield. It is a joy to carry at 13 oz, and earlier this month it kept me tosty at 41 (in Florida!). The "summer" quilt is my goto quilt from March to October. It is easy to vent, so even when I found myself at camp this summer with an overnight low of 80, I was just cozy and not too hot all.

 

But as much as I like my underquilts, it is the topquilts that really have my attention at the moment. I ended up going with Hammock Gear for these as well; their expertice with custom down quilts is unbelievable! I have a 20 Burrow with overstuff (good to about 15) and I am about to order a 40 Burrow (with overstuff good to 35) for the rest of the year. Top Quilts are just so much better than a sleeping bag, an so much lighter. My son will be taking the Summer Burrow to Philmont next summer. It packs to the size of a small cantelope and is only 15 oz. Hard to beat that package.

 

All of these people, Paul at Arrowhead Equipment, Adam and Jenny at Hammock Gear, and Brandon at Warbonnet Outdoors have a great reputation and pruduce quality gear. Jack and Jack at Jacks R Better are two outstanding individuals as well. It it is always great to work with all these folks.

 

May I assume you have a Blackbird? I am jealous if you do!

[Basementdweller]

Yes I have a blackbird....

 

Worth every penny..... I also have a bear burrito oven from arrow for the blackbird.....It does exactly as advertised by adding 5 or 10 degrees to the inside of the hammock.

 

I have not purchased a top quilt yet....I was looking at jacks r better.....but I will hammock gear too, thx for letting me know.

 

I am still using a sleeping bag set up like a quilt.....leave it mostly unzipped and stick my feet in.

[Basementdweller]

Wow small world Pack......I live like 20 minutes from hammock gears shop. I am headed for Springer November 11 for a week of R&R

[Tampa Turtle]

I used my Hammock this weekend at 51 degrees and a 25 knot wind. It was pretty cold until I lowered almost to the ground and battened down the fly. Had a wild (small) boar brush against me at night. Apparently I was parked over a favorite spot.

[Buffalo Skipper]

Tampa Turtle,

I had a similar experience. At the camporee this weekend, we had temps down to the mid-40s, with 20+ winds. My tarp was open to the north, so I was on the cool side during the gusts. Just after midnight, I got up and lowered my tarp, which, like you, made all the difference, and I slept soundly til daybreak.

 

My brush with a pig was different, as it was smoked overnight and was a part of our breakfast. Yummy!

[Tampa Turtle]

Dang that LNT! We missed out on a great learning/cooking experience.

 

I like to think of "rigging" the Hammock like a boat.

 

Glad we weren't dinner; paddled by a LOT of gators. One canoe of newbies T-boned one in the water; gator was pretty scared. Was great incentive to NOT over-turn the canoe.

 

 

[robertwilliams]

I'm taking my den to Webelos Woods Days this weekend and was planning to try camping in my hammock for the first time. My wife thinks I will fall out and is amused by the thought.

 

I have a Grand Trunk UL and I was going to put a cheap tarp over it for wind/rain protection. I was going to put a blue Wal Mart pad in the hammock, then my sleeping bag and a silk liner. The lows this weekend are going to be in the 40s.

 

Am I going to freeze?

 

[perdidochas]

RW,

 

I slept to 42 this weekend with a blue wm pad (the wider kind with a pattern on it), a 40 degree sleeping bag (used as TQ), and a fleece bag liner. I was ok, but wish I had wool socks. Also, don't forget to wear a knit cap or something like it on your head.

[Tampa Turtle]

I used two Blue Pads so my shoulders were covered and baked like an oven in 42 degrees. Keep the rain fly tight and you should be fine. Trick is to not let your unpadded torso touch the fabric. If it does--you'll know..the heat will suck right out of you!

 

Should be fun and I bet your back will thank you. If you can it is easier to set up in daylight until you get the hang of it.

[robertwilliams]

>> a 40 degree sleeping bag (used as TQ), and a fleece bag liner.

 

>> Trick is to not let your unpadded torso touch the fabric

 

I think I'm missing something. I was going to sleep inside my bag & liner, with a pad underneath. Sounds like y'all are saying to do this differently?