If you could turn back time...

[TallPaul]

Buy version 2 instead of 1. Let them get the kinks out. I bought the first version of something and the zippers were updated in v2. Wish I got v2.

Try (at a group hang) before you buy

Some things have stood the test of time for a reason... i.e. the Warbonnet straps are easy and difficult to lose. Not as fun to say as whoopies though.

[Tortie]

I cant recommend a stand or home hanging spot enough. Hanging outside in suburban situations is a struggle with barking dogs and cars passing by, etc.. But it does give you some practical outdoor experience.
The simplicity of "hey, its nice out..I'm gonna hang today" or "oh goodie, a rainstorm, I can test my tarp set up" without having to drive to the woods is priceless.

Did I mention naps?..
Create your own home hammock haven.

Already in the works!

Well, I guess it was me. I.HATE.YOU

aaaaaannnnnnnd... you're welcome

Time is an illusion - lunch time, doubly so..

A friend showed me his Hennessy. I had to have one, and my girl obliged one christmas a few years back.
I never really checked anything else out, did next to no research. I was unaware of this forum, Shug, etc.
Also, I had never sewn anything, especially 20' zippers.
This forum got me to dive into DIY pretty deep, and it's been very rewarding.
The hammocks I've made far exceed my Hennessy in terms of comfort and options, and serve up a real sense of accomplishment.

I definitely need a sewing machine, I mean a "thread injector"!

[Bubba]

...

I definitely need a sewing machine, I mean a "thread injector"!

I'm a man and I'm not afraid to call it a sewing machine.

[Uphill]

Now I hope at least one of you has Cher stuck in their head.

If have grasped one thing from the countless posts I have dug through here, it's that everything about your hammock setup is incredibly personal and really user specific. There seem to be tons of quality brands out there, all offering top of the line products, and most people are really loyal to the ones that work well for them. I have read tons of comparisons and recommendations of all of the heavy hitting favorites and have come to the conclusion that I will just have to try them alll for myself! The only universal truths I have found here so far are the ultimate hang is a great resource book, Shug makes killer videos, and you can never have enough Dutch titanium.

I'm a buy once, cry once kinda gal, and I already know that I want to keep a quiver of hammocks and gear for different reasons (like I do with kites). I guess what I would like to hear about first is if you could go back to when you really started getting into hammocks, what would you do differently (if anything) and why? Sure, I'm bound to make some of my own mistakes, but I would LOVE to learn from some of yours instead!

...and yes, an UQ is first on my shopping list!

I don't think I'd change a thing. I think the fun of it all is the evolution we each go through from trial and error as well as reading about other's experiences on the forums. I have a few hammocks that I keep as "guest" hammocks to offer to friends to try out. Also, most gear from the cottage vendors will hold it's value for resale on the forums.

As you'll read/hear over and over through this forum is HYOH- Hang Your Own Hang. That's where half the fun comes from.

[kenbo]

...what I would like to hear about first is if you could go back to when you really started getting into hammocks, what would you do differently (if anything) and why?

Great question Tortie! I am still a noob but already deep into the "tweaking" addiction that seems common to our ilk... Since there is not much of a try-before-you-buy opportunity in the predominantly cottage-industry nature of hammock gear acquisition, we had to make some "faith" purchases. Luckily, most of those turned out ok...Bur here is the list of what I'd do differently:

1. Did this: Bought 2 Warbonnet Blackbirds 1.7 DL, one xlc righty and one standard righty. Shoulda did this: Got the xlc in a "lefty". Better right-side sleeping and side-by-side hang under 1 tarp, righty BB paired with lefty BB puts our heads on same end, puts zippers facing each other, and puts shelves facing away from each other. Love WBBBB for comfortable, flatish lay. So great decision on the brand.

2. Did this: Bought 2 Warbonnet Edge tarps, one for each BB hammock. Shoulda did this: Buy 1 Superfly to hang both hammocks under.

3. Did this: Use Thermarest foam sleeping pads we already had for tent camping for insulation. Bad, bad, bad. Then Did This: bought new Big Agnes inflatable sleeping pads. Bad, Bad (only a "one-bad" improvement over thermarests). Shoulda did this: Buy underquilts (we got some great EE down UQs)

4. Did this: Got the WBBB with web/buckle suspension "free" option. Had "noob" trouble adjusting things quickly and easily. Buckles didn't seem easy to use. Shoulda did this: Whoopie slings and Dutch Whoppie Hooks

[chrishom13]

I would not change a thing. I love the feeling I get whenever I upgrade something.
The pure joy I have when I receive that little box from Dutch (knowing that awesome things come in small packages)... Or when the wifey surprises me with downy goodness...Or playing around with a pole mod for my new superfly...the list goes on and on and on...
I have numerous hammocks, tarps, suspension, insulation......and they have all been fun at some point in time. And the gear that I know I'll never personally use again becomes my loner equipment and believe me, the people that borrow that equipment enjoy it as much as I did when I first purchased it.

[zukiguy]

There are a handful of purchases over the years I would take back but none of them have been catastrophic. Quality gear, even if it doesn't work out for you, holds it's value pretty well. A $100 tarp/quilt/hammock purchase can normally be turned around for 80% of that plus shipping as long as the gear has been well cared for. Just consider that a "rental fee". What didn't work out for me is in the hands of someone else now and hopefully working out for them.

I bought my first "camping" hennessy hammock almost 20 years ago off of Ebay. My first group hang was the Florida Hang I, (2010 I think). This means my first 15 years of hanging were done without seeing what other options were out there. That's why I suffered on pads or with a cold back for years and the hammock generally stayed in the back of the gear closet. Once I realized I could put together a light weight setup that would keep me warm, dry, and comfortable it was like the skies opened and I never looked back.

Figure out what your goals are and buy gear within your budget to get you to that goal. If you're wanting to car camp or paddle then weight is not so much of an issue. Ultra-light weight gear is expensive so if you're planning to hike, buy good light stuff the first time.

[SpitballJedi]

I wished I'd Googled "hammock camping" before I purchased anything. If I had, I likely would have come across HF. Instead, I went to the local outfitters with what I thought was a hair-brained idea to camp in a hammock and they sold me a ENO kit for too much money.

Also, if I had heard of The Grateful Dead in '88, I would have went on Dead Tour instead of joining the Navy. hindsight..lol.

[Marine2000]

First of all, Cher has been stuck in my head since you posted this because your thread is staying at the top and I keep seeing it! So d**n you

If I could turn back time, first thing I would say to myself is "self, you're 6'2"...get a hammock that's big enough for you".

Second, I would never ever ever go off on a trip without the proper insulation. 65 degrees at 3:00 in the morning is just plain annoying on your butt! Additionally, I could have saved a lot of money had I found this forum in 2009 when I got into my first hammock and discovered that mummy sleeping bags don't work!

Great post!

[GreatBigDave]

If I could turn back time
I would beg you to find some other title for this thread.
I would have thought twice when I called out "Hey Honey, come see this U-2b maniac camping at 40 below in Minnesota".
I would have gotten off the ground sooner than I did.
I would have found this forum sooner.
I would not have bought my ENO double.

That said, I nap in ENO at summer camp - the extra material in the width makes great shade, I use Atlas straps quite often, and I admire and enjoy Shug's videos - I have two shirts.