First Trip Report Here

**Vikingmedic** · 07-17-2018, 21:00

This is my first trip report here so go easy on me haha.

I am getting into shape to start section hiking the AT and one thing that's very new to me is hammock camping. So I bought myself a double nest from Wally World and tried it out. I fell in love with it immediately. I've had it up a couple of times and slept in it once. That's when I learned that at 62 degrees you need more then just a wobble for comfort. But today I went out and made some very amateur mistakes. I went out for a short hike of a couple of miles with a stop midway to set up the hammock (my new straps arrived at the house a couple of hours after this) trying to find trees that would work with the wonderfully short ropes provided by the company that made the hammock. Then for the first time I set up my 10'x10' tarp I use for when I do my bushcraft stuff. Discovered it was just a hair short. No matter, I pushed on...I went to stake out the tarp in a front porch type setup. Hmm...I forgot my stakes. Again, no worries, I do this all the time when I do bushcraft stuff; I'll make them. Well...I don't bring my bushcraft knives when I'm out hiking so there went that idea. I had a couple of trees close enough behind me that I could tie out to so I could at least have a lean-to. I made some coffee to get in real world practice with my camp stove and learned why you need a wind screen, add that to the list of things to remember (I actually made a list to go over on my phone). After that I kicked off my shoes, laid back in the hammock and just closed my eyes thinking a nap would be nice. Then it got dark and the wind picked up. Then I realized that the lean-to would not cover me from rain, there were no trees to tie out the front half of the tarp and...I had forgotten my rain jacket from when I used it at home earlier in the week. One of my favorite parts of using a hammock is the quick tear down time vs a tent so I packed up and hiked out just in time to see the sun come back out.

Thanks for reading if you actually made it this far.

Cheers,

Viking

Edit: no idea what happened to the two pictures turned sideways. Sorry about that.

**Smckinney0031** · 07-17-2018, 21:08

*GASP* omg please no ropes, I can hear the trees crying!!! I am super glad you said you now have straps! It might be a good idea to look for a tarp that is 1 ft longer than your hammock at least that way you have coverage. Really tho, not to bad cause it is all about learning and taking baby steps to find what suits you best! You will find as you go that there are so many products to make things faster and easier to set up! These pros on here can point you in the right direction when it comes to everything you will need on your hike. I really want to section hike the at myself but the thought if it is very intimidating to me!!! I think I might start on the ST this fall tho just to get in the hang of things

**Vikingmedic** · 07-17-2018, 21:14

I hated to use ropes, but since it was a one time thing there I didn't think it would be too be and I actually made sure I didn't mess the trees up with it. I found out about this forum by watching Shug's youtube videos and a friend of mine suggested two forums and this obviously was one. He's the one that's at fault for encouraging me to switch to a hammock to begin with haha. I've always wanted to do the AT but I just never got around to it. Now that I'm older I want to make sure it's something that I do!!! But you can do you, one foot in front of the other.

**Smckinney0031** · 07-17-2018, 21:25

Originally Posted by Vikingmedic

I hated to use ropes, but since it was a one time thing there I didn't think it would be too be and I actually made sure I didn't mess the trees up with it. I found out about this forum by watching Shug's youtube videos and a friend of mine suggested two forums and this obviously was one. He's the one that's at fault for encouraging me to switch to a hammock to begin with haha. I've always wanted to do the AT but I just never got around to it. Now that I'm older I want to make sure it's something that I do!!! But you can do you, one foot in front of the other.

I just had to give you a hard time about it! We all have to start somewhere, and at least you are off the ground.

Shug has to me been my go to for all things hammock, and you will see him pop in here quite often. He really seems like a great guy and I have to say I have totally (as my daughter calls it) fangirled him. If I feel like I am doing something wrong or missing something, I know there is a Shug video for that.

Spiguyver is another one to follow that has helpful videos, he is pretty cool too. This forum and one on Facebook with the same name have been my saving grace.

**xMagnolia** · 07-17-2018, 21:31

It’s amazing how much we learn each time we go out, simply by forgetting to bring something. After all that good learning, nothing’s better than a sweet hammock nap!

Thanks for sharing your experience. Good luck on your journeys.

Charlotte

**Pennsy Camp and Canoe** · 07-17-2018, 21:35

great report! Forgetting things is half the fun, lol. We just got back from a weekend trip (sorry, no video, I needed to just relax), and forgot my bugnet, grabbed my winter sock by mistake. Kept waking up to pee covered in moths...

**Rolloff** · 07-17-2018, 21:52

Whooo buddy...was that ever a crash course.

But you're learning curve also just sky rocketed. Now with each improvement and solution/work around, you find, to all those problems, you're hang experience will just keep getting better and better.

Welcome to the Elevated

**sidneyhornblower** · 07-18-2018, 02:23

I find it's necessary to go out in order to find out what I forgot. Sounds like you have a similar system. Forgetting stuff gives you an excuse for another trip, which is always a good thing.
Cheers.