Originally Posted by ljane
My current favorite set up is Trail Lair hammock (from SLD) made out of Hexon 1.6 (perfect amount of stretch!). In the cold months I pair it with a Warbonnet Wooki XL (my favorite UQ) and tuck everything into a Warbonnet Winter Sock XL (which I prefer over my WBBB XLC winter top cover and over my DH Thunderbird winter over cover).
I'm 5'2" 120lbs and I fit perfectly in my 10'5" Dutchware 1.0 hexon fabric, with built in ridgeline hammock. I have the bugnet that fits over the whole hammock with the drawstring on the bottom. I like being able to not bring the bugnet if I dont need it. If my trees are not perfectly spaced, and I get a calf ridge, I also use it as a foot rest, which is nice after a days worth of backpacking the steep trails of VT and NH. I like the fabric, because of how soft, sturdy, and silent it is. When I lay in my husband's 11' amamzon.com hammock, it is the excact opposite of my hammock: Fabric I can hear crinkle everytime I move, a zippered bug net, that tears super easy, and it's 2lbs heavier than mine.
So with complete bias, if I was going to reccomend a hammock to another female, (which I would love to find another lady friend who backpacks with a hammock), If she was my size I would reccomend a cottage vendor 10'5" hammock. If she was taller, a 11'. To both, I would reccomend a hammock with the ability to add on extras as she gets comfortable in hammock camping, and figures out what she likes and doesn't.
As for you ladies, what would you reccomend as a good 3 season tarp?
If you are solo hiking camping or hiking camping with other women (so no need to have dressing room level privacy from your hammock) in 45 degree or above temps I'd recommend the Edge, MiniFly, or ThunderFly--all from Warbonnet. For hard-core winter camping or days on end of torrential rain, especially horizontally blowing rain, or snow, the SuperFly is awesome. I own both an Edge and a SuperFly from Warbonnet. I love both, but find on 99% of my trips I grab the Edge to throw in my pack rather than the SuperFly because it is smaller, lighter, and less enclosing. My dogs have a strong preference for the Edge since it doesn't obstruct their view out at night. Now if I'm camping when I know from the outset I'll be experiencing high winds, cold temperatures, heavy rains with high winds, or be in a mixed crowd where I'll want my tarp to provide plenty of privacy from all angles then I'm packing my SuperFly, hands down!
I've never tried the MiniFly or ThunderFly (they are newer to the market), but, just looking at them on line, I'd trade my Edge in a heartbeat for the MiniFly. The MiniFly is very similar to the Edge except it has a bit of extra coverage over each end. I've used my Edge tarp in at least six true gully-washer storms as well as numerous average rains and my 11' hammock has never gotten the least bit damp. I am careful to set it up strategically though as there certainly isn't as much room for error with the more minimalist Edge that there would be with a larger tarp like the SuperFly...and I always drape my rain poncho over the most windward end of of the Edge at night if I'm worried it might rain, to close that end off kind of door-like, like the SuperFly's design. But that probably isn't necessary...when I'm out exploring in the rain during the daylight hours wearing my rain poncho, the exposed ends of the Edge have never let my hammock get damp, so, doubt I need worry at night either, but I sleep better with that added bit of insurance. Of course that ties up my rain poncho all night, whereas if I had the MiniFly, the tarp would cover over its own ends just that little bit extra so that I'd feel secure not draping my poncho over it!
Last edited by Dublinlin; 10-08-2017 at 08:41.
Dublinlin, I just started using my FrogTogs rain poncho as a sort of "summer sheet" to collect condensation when summer, early fall backpacking. I just recently heard about summer and winter socks, and I wonder if that is what they do. I have also used it as a door on one end of my tarp, to keep the wind/rain out, when my tree selection was minimal, and the wind was blowing rain through my hammock. My poncho is easily part of my hammock system, as it is my outerwear system. I'll look into those flys. I have never found privacy to be an issue backpacking, wind, rain, and weight, are more my concerns. I'm looking to go backpacking in November, which I have not done before, but know from backpacking in October, the tarp I have right now, would almost work, but I would like more coverage. I am long term borrowing a eno-dry fly. Thanks for the info.
I have the Wilderness Logics Lite Owl. It is an 11 ft double layer, beautiful workmanship. It has the knotty mods which I love. They give you like a foot box and head box and give a nice flat lay. With the Lite Owl, if you want to change from right to left lay, you can just flip hammock over and the foot boxes reverse. I am 5'2" 125 lbs, but the 11 ft is very comfortable. Mine is permanently set up in the house, but we have insufficient space outside to hang it. We have a Hennessy on the patio, but don't care for the integrated bug net. Thnks to the ladies on the forum, I was introduced to Simply Light design. Just ordered a 10 ft Tree Runner DL with cinch buckle suspension. love whoopie slings, but you need more space between posts or trees when you use whoopies. Really a lot of great information on this thread. Thnks.
Ok so I have a hammock obsession so I would gladly let her borrow on of mine.��
If she needs not to drop a lot of $$, I would recommend one of Dutch's netless. And as some of you have mentioned, if she can sew there is definitely something very satisfying in a hammock you have built yourself.
If $ is not too much of an obstacle, my runner up suggestion is the WBBB. You really can't go wrong with this hammock. I thought it would be my favorite forever until......
The Chameleon!
Rig this hammock out and you have the most versatile and comfortable hammock made.
( I use my hammock mainly for backpacking so car campers and every nighters may have other needs)
10 foot DL Tree Runner with Left lay Knotty Mods and cinch buckle suspension is just fabulous. Maybe even more comfortable than the lite Owl. Love the Lite Owl but 11 ft is a lot of hammock to get hung properly. Also I am only 5 '2" and seem maybe a little more comfortable in the Tree Runner.
My first hammock was a Ticket To The Moon Double Hammock. It's my only camping hammock so far, and I love it. The pricing was decent and I got to pick the colors, instead of being stuck with colors that were more geared toward guys. It's just a basic 10'6" gathered end hammock, which allowed me to pick and choose my accessories. That way I can pack just what I need. I also love that I could get a small child's hammock from them in matching colors to hold my gear next to or under me. That easy access makes it easier getting dressed and undressed without the need to get out of my hammock.
For warmth I went with an underquilt from LocoLibreGear because it was one of the few I found that had a synthetic fill option, as I suspect I may be allergic to down and didn't want to chance it. Bonus was that I got to pick coordinating colors to go with my hammock. This worked great with my sleeping bag as a top quilt, but I'm really looking forward to using my new top quilt which is also from LocoLibreGear. I had to wait awhile for both, but it was well worth it!
Hi Akela! I realize it's been 11 months, so this may no longer be relevant. I've had an NX-250 for about 5 years now (the precursor to the -270). It does indeed stay warm, although I wouldn't recommend depending solely on the gear pockets for your insulation beneath. The poles keep the netting nicely off your face, although I'm sure a ridgeline would do just as well. I've never had to go to ground, but I imagine it would be about the same as a bivy bag. If you could change clothes in a bivy bag, you could do it in a Clark.
I'm actually thinking about trying for a longer hammock, though. (For reference, I'm 5'7" and around 350 lbs.) I don't have any calf ridge that bothers me, but I can't seem to lie diagonally enough to get a nice, flat bed. I have to put a coat or rolled up clothes under my knees to avoid hyperextending them overnight, and I get pressure pains in my heels where they press against the side of the hammock. I believe the NX-250 is around 9' long, so hopefully something longer would be better, or maybe something with a dedicated footbox.
I've got a WBBB double layer. That was my first. I have a couple other gathered-end hammocks, no ridgelines...don't really like sleeping in them as much as I enjoy the BB.
Looking at getting a new hammock. Probably single layer. Haven't fully decided yet. But I want both a bug net and an overcover for the next purchase.
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