What is the purpose of a hammock? Is it just a solid material bug net? Is it meant to keep body heat in (insulation)? Is it for privacy? Is it meant to replace a tarp? Or is just just a multi-purpose piece of kit that's really nice to have? How is it different than a tarp sock besides size? I am really confused.
Although I do understand that it may be all the thing I questioned, Is there a particularly specific purpose?
They provide wind protection which decreases convective heat loss. Even in still air it adds warmth inside the hammock. The downside is managing condensation and that's why you'll see various venting options. They tend to be breathable fabrics so they do not replace tarps for inclement weather although some cotton socks can be used in place of tarps in winter.
Don't let life get in the way of living.
Ok, thank you.Originally Posted by Bubba
Your welcome.
Don't let life get in the way of living.
Socks block wind, oversized tarps block wind. Both require additional fabric. Two schools of thought, no right or wrong answer. Two ways to skin the cat.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Mike
"Life is a Project!"
You could use an all net sock as an alternative to a bottom entry bugnet.
In Colorado when it is really cold tarps are optional.
In 2012 Florida, it got very cold(for us) in January and I used my sleeping bag outside of the hammock from foot end and Jacket covering from the head end with no tarp overhead. This served the same purpose as a hammock sock, but much heavier.
As said already, it helps to reduce wind all around without the use of a tarp. It also helped to create a micro environment and hold in warmth from my body and the heat from breathing. I didn't experience any condensation but this can change from hang to hang.
Another positive was peeking out and not having my tarp overhead and seeing the awesome blue sky that comes with the cold.
Enjoy and have fun with your family,before they have fun without you
If you are hanging in a urban area, you may not have a place to guy out a tarp (Shepard stakes don't go into concrete very well) and you will have overhead street lights along with neighbor house lights and windows. So the sock - requiring just the suspension you already have for the hammock, give you privacy and block commercial night lighting.
If your tarp doesn't have doors, it can all some protection against shifting wind and sideways rain - but, as pointed out above, they are usually not designed to be waterproof because you want breathability - so they would probably be enough against a light, quick passing pitter-pat of rain, but are not considered a tarp replacement against real RAIN. In other words, you'd use both together.
I'd say their best use, because of the extra warmth they provide, is to allow a little longer season for your summer weight gear. That said, around here it will be daily 90 degrees until August so I've put away the hammock with Sock and brought out the BIAS XL with a HUG bug net (just because there was one or two skeeters flying around).
I've been using Dutch's winter socks for a couple years now, it's especially nice out on the coast where there's lots of wind and dense fog. It generally increases the internal temperature about 10 degrees and unless I know it's going to be raining I don't bring a tarp anymore just a sock. It also provides you the privacy of a tent with the comfort of a hammock.
By all means, let's argue about whether or not a hammock will hurt a tree. All the while ignoring the fact that there is an island of garbage the size of Texas floating in the Pacific ocean. Or how about the fact that over 75% of the world's nuclear reactors are leaking...
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks