Hey hammockers!

[DanversPort]

Hey guys! I heard about the forum when I came across the Mullica River Thanksgiving Weekend hang, and registered my account the other day. I'm from the greater Philadelphia area, but I tend to do my camping in New England with the extended family. In the past few years I've caught an interest in Canoe Camping, and Kayak Camping as an extension of that.

My usual go-to is the Delaware Water Gap and the 50 miles north of there, as they have the right mix of parking, scenery, campsites, and bike routes to eventually get back to my car on. Other favorites are the Assateague Seashore (which sadly doesn't allow hammocks), the Pine Barrens, and estuaries on the Chesapeake. The Saco River up in Maine near Fryeburg is the perfect canoe camping river in my eyes, however- the surface of the bottom of the river is almost always a gorgeous sand, and with clear water it can look like you're floating atop the sahara.

I got into hammocking via a club at school, and into hammock camping as a way to save space in my kayak by ditching the tent. Now I'm hooked, and after the comfortable sleeps I get in hammocks, I doubt I'll go back to tent camping any time soon. However, leaving the 4-season tent for a hammock is a pretty cold endeavor in the winter months. I'd love some advice as to what gear I should look for, with Christmas coming up.

I have an ENO doublenest and a Hennessy Expedition Asym. I love the Hennessy for its bug net and its comfort, but I feel like I could be warmer in the cocoon-shaped ENO by having a snugger underquilt. The Hennessy's bug net is slightly effective at blocking wind, but I might get the overcover attachment to aid in that.

What my question regarding UQs boils down to is this: would I be better off getting something like the HammockGear Incubator 20 for the ENO, or upgrading my Hennessy with the Potomac Arrowhead UQ
and the Overcover attachment? I'd love suggestions as to other underquilts to think about for either, as I'm unsure what the best route to take is.

Next, I'd love some guidance on tarps. I currently have the 'postage stamp' tiny tarp that covers my Hennessy. I want to upgrade it, and I feel like I should one with doors to better serve me in the winter. However, the one I'm most interested in, the Warbonnet Superfly, seems pretty expensive. The hex shape seems like the most popular, so I'm wondering if I should go for the superfly (which I like for the doors and ability to make an over-ridgeline pole mod to increase headspace) or a hex tarp that has grommets in the middle, and then a door kit for it. The door kit could likely be better for summertime to save weight, and I'm not sure a tarp with doors will fit easily in my snakeskins for the hennessy.

What do you guys think? Is the WB Superfly worth the money? Would I be happier with a door kit and a hex tarp? Hex tarps seem a lot cheaper in that their popularity means more are on the secondhand market.

Thanks for any advice! I had a great time at the Mullica Hang and can't wait to get out in the woods this winter in a cozy hammock!

[soul embrace]

Welcome from alabama

I'm a fan of hammock gear but there are a lot of other quilts made by other cottage vendors here.

The superfly is a very popular tarp around here and the people that owns them seems to really love them. I have a winter haven with the pole mod made by simply light designs and I really like it.

[johnspenn]

Hello and welcome from Marietta GA.

My advice on gear like UQs and Tarps is always to compare and contrast your alternatives from the excellent cottage vendors on this site and make an informed decision. Make sure to read reviews about each vendor, there are plenty to go off of. Some may seem a little sketchy but in most of the cases you really can't go wrong.

Happy hanging!

[SilvrSurfr]

As I recall you are at least my height (5'11") so I personally don't consider the Expedition Asym Zip or the ENO Doublenest to be long enough for you. My first hammock was an HH Expedition Asym Zip and I got constant calf cramps and it just wasn't very comfortable. I sold that HH, and have since moved on to 11 ft. hammocks from Dutch. I prefer an independent Fronkey bugnet so I can leave it at home when not needed. I also hate the zippers associated with integrated bugnets. That might not work for you, since I seem to recall you think that mosquitoes bite in the winter (when in reality, they are lethargic at 60, and downright immobile at 50, incapable of biting anything - look it up). Regardless, if you think that mosquitoes bite below 50* F, there's not much anyone can do to convince you otherwise - you're not the only one who thinks that mosquitoes bite below 50* F, despite no scientific proof that mosquitoes (a cold-blooded insect) can bite or even function below 50* F.

If you really like integrated bugnets, I'd look at one of the many vendors who make them - Warbonnet, Dream Hammock, etc. Once you have 50 posts on HF, you can sell the Hennessy and ENO, but warning - they don't have much resale value. You'll be lucky to get 30% to 40% off what you paid. ENOs and Hennessy Hammocks just don't sell well on HF. Ebay might be a better place to unload them.

If you don't care about weight, a synthetic UQ from Arrowhead will be fine. I don't care much for overcovers because of the condensation you'll get. As for Hammock Gear, I own six of their quilts (40*, 20* and 0* set), and they make some fine down quilts that should work well with any hammock (though probably not for bridge hammocks).

As for tarps, the WB Superfly is probably the most popular tarp on HF. If I didn't own an HG cuben fiber Winter Palace (8.6 ounces), I'd probably have a Superfly. As 4-season tarps go, it's pretty affordable. I love 4-season tarps because I've had too many experiences with blowing precipitation getting me wet. Some people go for a skimpier tarp, then use an UQP (underquilt protector), but I haven't drunk the Kool-Aid on UQPs.

I also haven't drunk the Kool-Aid on pole mods. I totally fail to see the advantage of increased headspace since all I do is sleep in my hammock. I don't lounge, I don't stand up for more than a few seconds, and whatever advantage pole mods provide is totally lost on me. If you're a canoe/kayak camper it's just added weight. At least hikers can say they're not adding weight by using their hiking poles, but canoe campers can't use that rationale. Most canoe/kayak campers are more concerned about bulk than weight. Besides, if you're thinking about an HH overcover, I'd say weight is not a concern you have.

Don't buy any tarp with grommets - grommets are bad and they rip easily. Any tarp vendor that makes a tarp with grommets probably doesn't know much about tarps.

As long as you're not trying to get your hammock into the snakeskins, just about any tarp should fit (I have never understood why people try to put a dry hammock in snakeskins with a wet tarp).

Good luck and let me know if I can provide you any more advice (even advice you don't listen to - I'm used to it). Don't forget we have the NJ Winter Hang coming up in January. It's a car camping affair, but tons of fun!

https://hammockforums.net/forum/show...27th-29st-2017

[Pennsy Camp and Canoe]

Hello from a fellow Pennsylvanian, although I couldn't be farther from you all the way up here on Lake Erie lol. The Philly area is the old country for my family, most of my ancestors settled around there before the Revolution, including Moses Coates (Coatesville), but they moved away just as the War of 1812 was starting for central PA...

I also haven't drunk the Kool-Aid on pole mods. I totally fail to see the advantage of increased headspace since all I do is sleep in my hammock. I don't lounge, I don't stand up for more than a few seconds, and whatever advantage pole mods provide is totally lost on me. If you're a canoe/kayak camper it's just added weight. At least hikers can say they're not adding weight by using their hiking poles, but canoe campers can't use that rationale. Most canoe/kayak campers are more concerned about bulk than weight. Besides, if you're thinking about an HH overcover, I'd say weight is not a concern you have.
https://hammockforums.net/forum/show...27th-29st-2017

I agree with SilvrSurfr here. I'm assuming you spend most of the day in the kayak and will be under the tarp just to sleep (and maybe get out of the rain. So the extra headroom will be just a luxury (which by all means go for it if you have the weight and room). We do it differently by paddling to our camping spot and spending a couple days there before moving on, so having the pole mod to hang out under might be justified there, but I doubt it.

Now, if we're talking snow, I want to do the internal or under the tarp pole mod for it's strength and snow shedding ability, but from what I've read the over the ridgeline isn't good here either. YHMV

[winterbeard]

Welcome from west Jersey!


"What's the best gift you can give a kid?
Happily married parents!"

[curlymaple42]

Welcome from Maine! I'm 45min from Fryeburg. Haven't canoe-d the Saco in 20yrs though. I'm up to Fryeburg every year for the Fryeburg fair but unfortunately they frown upon hammocks in the campground and the guy I borrow the camper from probably wouldn't appreciate me installing rings INSIDE the camper!! Lol!!

We bought Warbonnet Hammocks as I really like to support Made in USA cottage vendors when possible. I'm having Chad from Colorado Outdoor Gear Supply make our tarps for us. He's doing a hex for me and his winter tarp with doors for my wife and daughter so they have a little more privacy for changing and stuff. His prices are very good and it's awesome to support a new craftsman! I build custom furniture, so I have a particular appreciation for upstarts getting going.

Chris