bringing the girlfriend.

**Keroca17** · 03-15-2017, 13:44

Hi all,

Got the go ahead from my girlfriend to plan our first 5 day trip together this spring. So far I've been having all the fun adding the extra gear to my closet since this will be her first trip.

I'm planning on keeping our packs light by sharing gear but this will also be the first time for me bringing a significant other along. We each have our own sleeping set up however only one cuben fiber tarp so I was thinking about stacking our hammocks on top of one another, yay or nay??

Also, I carry a jetboil for myself however not sure the best way to cook for two ppl.
Do most couples cook separately or should I invest in a larger cooking setup(one pot with two bowls)

Any other helpful advice would would be much appreciated

**Cabmanhang** · 03-15-2017, 13:53

You may consider a spreader bar for the hammocks, but they do interfere with your tarp setup. If the tree is large enough, you can pitch from each side of the tree without issue.

Bunk style just seems too much work for me. Plus the risk of falling and the bother of middle of the night pee trips.

You can cook for two with the jetboil, but the luxury of having your own personal cook kit and the benefit of having a backup may be too much to ignore.

I cook for two, but I enjoy that part of it. An extra food pot and coffee cup comes in handy, though.

Take into consideration that you can split the load. If certain comforts are important to her, she may be willing to carry a bit more weight for the convenience.

Make sure your tarp is big enough, and you may want to get a grizz beak, or some doors if you go the spreader bar route. The head end usually has to be wide open to prevent the spreader from rubbing/poking the tarp. Doors would help seal that end up for the nastier weather.

**OneClick** · 03-15-2017, 13:54

A Jetboil (1L or 4.2 cups) would work well if you're just doing freezer bag or freeze dried meals which take 1.5-2 cups of water. That way you can heat the water quick and both eat at the same time.

I like my hammock about 16" off the ground, so I wouldn't want to be on top if stacking! Plus the tarp would be pretty high, allowing the possibility for wind/rain to come in. Getting in and out sounds difficult. Any chance there's room side by side? I don't know anything about 2 under 1 tarp, so maybe someone else will chime in.

**Keroca17** · 03-15-2017, 13:58

My tarp is 7x9, which is why I was wondering about stacking.

**GreatBigDave** · 03-15-2017, 14:16

That is a small tarp, the bottom would be pretty exposed. I'd also think about safety, what happens if you get separated? It could be kinda tough if one person has the water filter and cook kit and the other has the food.

**biggy** · 03-15-2017, 14:45

You mentioned this is her first trip. 5 days is a pretty long backpacking trip. I bring it up because I took my wife on a three day backpack trip which was her first and it turned out to be to much for her. In retrospect I wish I would have tried an overnighter with lower miles as her first trip.

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**cougarmeat** · 03-15-2017, 15:05

I agree with biggy. I recommend shorter trips leading up to the five days. There are a lot of little things that come up, especially with "mixed" hiking partners and it's good to work those out without the additional stress of being out for five days. For example, let's say someone, for lack of experience, doesn't bring the right clothes - or say, too small a tarp. Dealing with such things for five days, can be a bit of a nightmare. That's not to say, dealing with challenges and working them out together isn't valuable. But going from zero to 5 days in the back country has warning signs all over it.

**MoeTCrow** · 03-15-2017, 15:12

some things I did that really seemed to help:

Make the first trip an over-nighter. make it fun, easy, just to get her used to being out in the woods. (I do this for every first timer I take, it gives them an idea of if they like it or not, if they are a camper or hiker, etc.) The more they enjoy the first trip, the more they want to do it again.

The double whoopie hooks from Dutch are awesome. it gave her the confidence to move out of a tent and feel comfortable with me right there in case a bear/alien/big mean spider attacked. you need one set and a spreader bar, use them at the head end of the hammock whatever you want at the foot end.

Get a huge tarp. I can't speak well enough about the superfly.

IMHO everyone caries a full load of gear, I'll share what I have but I won't depend on anyone. With the guys: someone can't go at the last minute, No big deal. With the GF: she learns how to use everything (give her the CF tarp, you carry the superfly, now you have a nice shade tarp or rain tarp or whatever...) You don't cook for your buddies do you? eat the same stuff but cook your own. share the filtered water, but let her get some at least once or twice.

Do it right and you have a backpacking partner, not just someone who will go with you. and you know you did it right when you hear her talking with her girl friends about how they should go backpacking.

of course the down side is when she tries to steal your new gear for the next trip.

P.S. no matter what on her first trip, bring her a surprise. a desert she wasn't expecting, a bottle of wine, heck bake her a muffin in the AM to go with her coffee. it could save the day or just earn you bonus points.

**apsilon** · 03-15-2017, 15:17

Agree, wouldn't do a 5 day trip as her first trip, unless she's done this before and it's just your first trip together. What if you get 2 days in and she hates it?

Also, a 7x9 tarp? That's too small for one IMO let alone two. Have you actually used it with a hammock before? I'm guessing it'd have to be rigged asymmetric which provides minimal cover. If you were to stack the hammocks the tarp would be so high that the one on the bottom would basically have no coverage, especially from wind and aren't
you guys having a pretty cold finish to winter right now?

Other than that things can be made to work. If you have the budget and can handle the weight (and you may end up carrying more than you're share if she's not used to it and ready for it), sure double up on things but it's not necessary for most gear.