Greetings from the right armpit of the dirty south

[LowTekk]

Hey hey, name's LowTekk. I was referred to the hammockforums by the owner of the Bearded Hanger, a small cottage business in Tampa FL. For all I know, he's probably a regular on the forums. I'm an A+ certified PC tech by trade, but I'm currently unemployed and on a fixed income, a fact I'm working hard to rectify by finishing my first book. I have many hobbies, most of which are greatly hindered by finances, but only a few great loves. I love studying history, reading and writing fiction, and learning about all forms of technology, but my greatest love is the outdoors. To escape the confines of Dothan, with its tangle of traffic driven by people I SWEAR believe traffic laws don't apply to them, and sit back in front of a campfire is a love only exceeded by that I feel for laying out under the stars. The sights, the sounds, the SMELLS of the woods, of dinner cooking over an open fire... the sweet solitude that comes when the flames dance and sparks sail upward to mingle with stars above while my mind drifts to far away places I later write about... that is heaven. It's so easy to be poetic and write pages upon pages, but maybe that would be overdoing it. As it is with all portrayals of paradise however, there's always the fly in the ointment. I have four degenerated discs, which makes the very effort of setting up camp an excruciating one. Until now, I've been sleeping, or rather TRYING to sleep on the ground. This wreaks havoc with my back, making sleep all but impossible. By the time the sun rises, it feels as if I've been slung around like a marionette by a knife in my spine. I've tried using both closed cell foam pads and air mattresses, but as impossible as it seems, it's actually made things worse. Because of this, I'm now pretty well at a crossroads. I must either find a sleeping pad solution that caters to my back problems, or invest in a proper hammock. Either way, I'm looking at a minimum investment of $60 to $100. Perhaps I'm a hopeless romantic, but there's a joy to woodland solitude that can only compare to the moment you realize you've met your first love. That's why I'm here. Somehow I don't believe there will ever be a solution that will allow me to sleep on the ground, but maybe, just maybe, you can help me find the hammock that'll have me under the stars again.

[Floridahanger]

Welcome to the elevated life, from Florida.

Car camping will give you a wider range like a cot or air mattress and it's all good as long as you're outdoors. Hammocks are my passion whether car camping or hiking or kayaking.with a limited budget, you may want to consider basic hammocks purchased (example Dutch) or DIY. I made my simple gathered end hammock and suspension for under $20 and tarp under$30. DIY synthetic insulation(TQ/UQ) for about $20.

Good luck on your hammocking and check out some group hangs for ideas.

[SilvrSurfr]

Welcome from the Jersey Shore. I grew up in Alabama, spending my time in Elba and also in Montgomery. Never heard Alabama called the right armpit of the dirty South.

Good luck with your hammock adventures!

[LowTekk]

Well SilvrSurfr, you've heard it now. Bet you haven't heard to Dothan referred to as the festering boil in the right armpit of the dirty south, but you've heard it now! You can't tell I don't like living here, can you?

[LowTekk]

Welcome to the elevated life, from Florida.

Car camping will give you a wider range like a cot or air mattress and it's all good as long as you're outdoors. Hammocks are my passion whether car camping or hiking or kayaking.with a limited budget, you may want to consider basic hammocks purchased (example Dutch) or DIY. I made my simple gathered end hammock and suspension for under $20 and tarp under$30. DIY synthetic insulation(TQ/UQ) for about $20.

Good luck on your hammocking and check out some group hangs for ideas.

My brother gave me a brand new Coleman air mattress, and when I got around to using it, I not only found myself on the ground by morning, but it felt like some Rambo wannabe had been twisting his Bowie in the small of my back all night. Far as cots go, I haven't found one that'll both support my weight and can be gotten without hocking vital organs. While the same could technically be said about hammocks, at least one has a choice in every aspect of the shelter/sleep system. For instance, I'm looking at the Circle Beard from the Bearded Hanger. Specs are as follows: Single layer, Coyote Brown with Olive Drab thread, dual knotty mods, 110" fixed ridgeline, and outfitted with cinch buckles and 10' tree straps. Cost and shipping takes it up to about $108 but since I live in the dirty south, I need a bug net, so that's an extra $55 and another $8 shipping on top of it. Yup, I'll be saving up this summer. For the underquilt, I think I'm just going to do the GI poncho liner mod and be happy I invested in wool socks.

[Leavitt]

Welcome aboard. Lots of information to be found in sticky posts. If you have trouble finding what you need, just ask, there is a ton of information here and lots of capable, experienced people. Good luck and happy hanging.

[MrsKD]

You could always do the gathered end hammock DIY. It works pretty great and I've had success doing that for people who wanted to come with but didn't have gear.


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[Shotgunpapa]

Welcome from Georgia I to had to find a better way of camping I have a bad back but I went to a hammock and man I love it, no more pain from the ground roots, rock. it helped me to get back to the things I love being outdoors even so much I started hiking again. if I knew that I could and would feel this great again I would have done this a long time ago.

[perrito]

Welcome from NJ.
People have been telling SS for years about the smell, but he never understood! 😷

[LowTekk]

Is there any advice you guys can give me regarding my back problems? I have four degenerated discs in the lumbar region of my spine and weigh around 340 pounds. I'm also 6ft 1. I have all but decided to get a Circle Beard from the Bearded Hammock at 11ft, but I'm wondering if there are any special considerations I need to make, such as double layer as opposed to a 2.2oz single layer. I don't have all that much money to spend, but I think I can scrounge up around $200 for hammock and bugnet by September or October. As far as an underquilt goes, I'll be modifying a GI poncho liner for a half-to-three-quarter length underquilt. In regard to the suggestion to make my own gathered-end hammock, unfortunately I don't own a sewing machine and that's probably for the best. With my luck, I'd end up sewing my hands together(and send you the medical bills).