Help! Woman with a million questions in Phoenix, AZ ;-)

[bkrgi]

So much about Hammocks comes down to personal preference and so much of that involves experimentation...not sure if that ever ends..haha
Great part is there is a lot of choice offered by all the Vendors
For bug net or no bug net. I have decided to change it up and try a no bug net hammock with a separate bug net if needed by ordering a WB Traveler. Figure this way I can refine things based on time of yr and bug conditions. Gives me the option to go totally topless on those dew free bug free nights and enjoy whats around/above me without restrictions. I like options........
A plus is the Traveler is light and compact on its own saving space in my pack ( I would like everything to fit in a 45l pack in the summer....Hammock, quilts, cooking, food, water filtration) I'm not so much chasing UL as much as chasing space savings without compromise on comfort.

I would say start anywhere somewhere based on others opinions and how it all relates to what you feel are your thoughts based on your preferences and just roll from there... yes if you become addicted as well you will evolve your gear to better suit your desires/style. Rest assured there is no wrong or right only what works for you!!

Start with a Hammock and do some warm(75*plus) no rain summer night hangs (or day naps)(at worst add a cheap pad under you if coolness creeps in) see if you likey. Next add a good tarp and then seriously look at quilts that fit your temp range (forget the pad idea long term IMO)
This way your taking little bites down a slippery slope...haha

[Phantom Grappler]

Ham Mocker 11 feet length is the way to go. This will greatly reduce any chance of calf ridge pressure. And will assist in your ability to sleep on your side. Sometimes I start on my side and wake in morning on my back and feel great. Also at most hangs gathered end hammocks out number the bridge hammocks by a large margin. This is at car camping hangs where weight and bulk are not a problem. That's what the herd chooses to do and most of them have several hammocks. Buy gear from our great cottage vendors, and if you don't like it sell it here quick. You have too have insulation(biggest learning curve) if you go pads then you need a double layer hammock. My pad is a gossamer gear 40x73xthreesixteenths. If you go under quilt that costs more but is warmer lighter less bulky. When it's really cold, I use both pad&under quilt. I keep reading about slipping off smaller pads during the night. I would go modular and not bugbear built in. Good luck. You can attend a hang in a tent and you will be welcomed to stay.

[Ham Mocker]

Thank you all so much for the awesome responses!

I think you are all right that I've just got to dive in and try something. I think I'm going to order from Dutch, knowing that worst case scenario, someone would probably buy the hammock off me if it doesn't work for me. And that allows me to support a cottage maker and potentially still get it on time for my next trip!

I'm thinking the Argon or NylonD, 11' (I'm convinced longer is better - thanks for that advice!), with Whoopie suspension and a ridgeline. It seems the ridgeline is the least expensive way to make sure I get the right angle.

I have a nice Big Agnes insulated air pad I'll probably be using in the short term, pre-UQ. 72x20x4", with an R value of 5. That will also allow me to follow the advice I got about going g to ground if I'm in a treeless area. Any advice on whether double layer is really essential for that?

Any advice on adjustable ridgeline vs. fixed?

Anyone think the premade whoopie suspension Dutch offers is a bad idea? It's mostly appealing because of the lighter weight, but I would love any advice if the cinch buckle would be better for a newbie like me!

Finally, are there any other little things I should add to my Dutch order? Things I will want but probably wouldn't want to buy separately and pay separate shipping? He has so many gadgets that look amazing, but I have no idea what I need.

Finally, no tarp. Was debating taking a fly on a Mountain Wilderness Gear tarp with doors for $85, 10% off today. You can find them on Facebook. It looked pretty awesome, but I would love any advice, especially now, since the sale ends today!

Thanks again for all the responses - you guys are awesome!!!

Adrienne

[jamaulwall]

If you are using a pad a double layer hammock is probably your best bet. I have heard of some people who put the pad inside their sleeping bag to help keep it in place through the night but a double layer hammock works much better. You also probably don't want to inflate the pad very much in the hammock.

As far as a Ridgeline goes most people get an adjustable Ridgeline to start with so they can play with the length and figure out what works best for them. The general rule is to start with a Ridgeline length of 83% of the hammock length and adjust from there to find your sweet spot. Once you have that dialed in a fixed Ridgeline makes more sense.

As far as other items from dutch is tough to stop buying from him one you start so I wouldn't worry too much about getting it all in one order. His shipping prices are very reasonable. I usually pay less than $4 shipping on a Dutch order.

Choosing a tarp deserves a new thread unto itself, lol. The lightest options are Cuben fiber but you pay dearly for that. The are a lot of great silnylon tarps out there that will work well too. Check out warbonnet outdoors, wilderness logics and arrowhead equip for a few places on tarps. I love my warbonnet superfly but some think it's overkill...

[Nojope]

Welcome to the forum! I live in North Phx (51 & 101) and wouldn't mind setting up my hang this weekend as practice for a trip next weekend. Let me know if you want to swing by tomorrow or Saturday, I'll be working from home tomorrow and can easily take some time out to show a future hanger just how awesome it is; it'd need to be before 5pm though, as it's date night with my wife. I'm waiting for my UQ to arrive (finally bit the bullet) but can show you my BIAS hammock, whoopie sling suspension, separate bug net, and tarp. I remember how nervous I was trying to decide what to buy without ever having seen one before.

[Ham Mocker]

Wow - amazing offer!!! How kind of you.

Maybe Saturday? I can't make it tomorrow.

Another really nice person offered to let me check out their hammock as well, but I can't figure out how to send them a PM (as requested) yet. I would be ecstatic just to try any hammock at this point - I think it would help me so much.

Thank you both! I've been looking for group hangs in Arizona and haven't seen any, so you guys are really being so helpful.

A

[GreatBigDave]

... I can't figure out how to send them a PM ...

PM is found under the notifications menu - top right of page.

[Mrknot]

I'm pretty new to hammocking as well, but here are my thoughts:
Order a Dutch hammock. I just purchased an 11' NylonD from him a couple of weeks ago. It was at my door 6 days from the time I sent my order, (2 of those days were a weekend).
I have been using a pad in my single layer hammocks, (a Grand Trunk Single, and now my Dutch), and while it is a bit of a PITA at first, you get the hang of it pretty quickly. I already had the pad so it didn't cost me anything. I am currently researching economy UQs, but for now I'm fine with my pad.
The Fronkey bugnet (also available from Dutch) is pretty much ideal. Packs down fairly small and light and if there are no bugs, you don't have to dink with it. It's a little early for bugs here so I haven't even had to use mine yet.
As far as weather protection, my first couple of trips I just used a blue, poly tarp. ~$10 at Walmart. Worked fine, just heavy and bulky. Kept me very dry though.
I have since upgraded to a Kelty Noah's 12. It is a little heavier, (and significantly less expensive), than the silnylon or cuben tarps out there, but is large, versatile, and robust. Perfect for the very wet, Pac NW winters and springs. Living in AZ, you may not need that intense of weather protection.
As far as suspension goes, the cheapest way to get in the door that I've found is a couple of climbing carabiners (secured by the ridiculously simple Marlin Spike Hitch) to some Harbor freight polyester tie-down straps. Together they will work just fine for around $15.
Altogether in my hanging set-up, I have about $180 invested, and it works exceptionally well. I know there is quite a bit of room for upgrades, (UQ, TQ, lighter tarp, etc), but it's got me hanging in comfort for not a ton of money.
If you have a larger budget than that, you can certainly spend more and buy the best up front. Most quality gear can be resold for close to new prices (if it's still in good shape) if you decide you just don't like it.
But this is definately a rabbit hole. It's fun and easy to get into the mind set of chasing grams and constantly upgrading gear. I like the idea of starting cheap and easy and building the "perfect" system as you identify needs. Of course, my budget demands this approach also :-)
YMMV

[Nojope]

Wow - amazing offer!!! How kind of you.

Maybe Saturday? I can't make it tomorrow.

Another really nice person offered to let me check out their hammock as well, but I can't figure out how to send them a PM (as requested) yet. I would be ecstatic just to try any hammock at this point - I think it would help me so much.

Thank you both! I've been looking for group hangs in Arizona and haven't seen any, so you guys are really being so helpful.

A

Yes, Saturday works. There's a park across the street from my house and we can just meet there. I sent you a PM, not sure if you'll be able to reply or not, I can't remember how many posts you have to have on the forum before you can PM, but I included my cell # there. I'm happy to help out.

[Rolloff]

Dutch is a great choice. If you don't like the feel of the hammock body, you can switch just it out, and sell it pretty easily, and simply try something else. The suspension will fit any of his hammocks, and as long as you stay with the same length you can even switch out the SRL. too.

I wouldn't rule out an 11'. I have both. A 10' Dream Freebird, and an 11' BIAS Weight Weenie. I sleep in the 10' at home very comfortably each night, but the 11' BIAS, longer and a bit wider, is the better of the two lays for me. I like sleeping better in the woods than I do at home. It's a new experience for me.