Greetings from hot and steamy Looziana

**Jack Lithgoe** · 06-13-2018, 18:35

Just joined the forum and, like all my other hobbies, am getting caught up in the DIY aspects of camping gear and mods to commercial products. I'm making a few stuff sacks and re-purposing a mosquito bar on a Magellan (Academy Sports) 9.5 ft hammock. Flipped my first hammock entry but now understand some basics, (like gravity) and ridgeline, thanks to Youtube. I'd like to make or buy an entry level hammock in a longer config than my current 9.5 ft and learn to sleep diagonally. I have a 10x13 tarp that I have pitched 3-4 different ways, and don't yet need over or under quilts, but would appreciate input on them as well as pads or mattresses. I could also use some intel on types of reasonably priced materials to learn to sew with.
The HF site appears to be where most of the knowledge resides, so I'm looking forward to learning. Are there some posts that cover the 101 class on hammocks?
Thanks for any suggestions! Jack

**Moose** · 06-13-2018, 20:05

Welcome to the forum. Check out Shug’s YouTube videos. He is a wealth of knowledge and his personality makes it fun to watch and learn.

**HandyRandy** · 06-13-2018, 20:31

Buy a hard copy of “The Ultimate Hang 2”. It a a FANTASTIC book that is the best crash course out there. It covers hammock camping skills, and teaches you all about the different kinds of hammocks, and it even has a big DIY section as well. It’s written by a fellow forum member and has lots of hand drawn illustrations. There is an eBook version, but the hard copy is the best because it is a large, generously sized book, which makes it easier to read.

While you wait for that to arrive in the mail, watch a bunch of Shug’s YouTube videos and grab some popcorn and get ready to laugh and learn. Shug is also a fellow forum member here.

Finally, you have assumed correctly that this forum is where it’s at when it comes to hammock camping, choosing, DIY and get togethers! Don’t be afraid to ask any newbie questions here! Or if you’re the search and research type, this place has lots of info to read already too. The only thing to keep in mind when searching here is that using Google will yield far better results than the forum’s built in search. Just go to Google and type site:hammockforums.net followed by a space and your search term.

If you like to use your phone to read the forums, check out an app called Tapatalk.

BTW, welcome from a fellow Louisianian! Or as I like to call it, LouisiRAINa