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  1. #1
    New Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    Santa Cruz, CA
    Hammock
    ENO DN
    Tarp
    AquaQuest Defender
    Insulation
    3/4 Thermrest Egg
    Suspension
    Cinch Buckles
    Posts
    7

    New Hanger from Santa Cruz

    Hey Folks,

    I've been digging around the forum for a few days and I am amazed at this community. Between this forum and other welding forums I am into I'll never get anything done!

    I am pretty new to hammocks, but wanted to share my introduction and background with hammock camping with you all. As many people probably started out, I was at REI one day a few years ago and picked up an ENO DN and straps as my first hammock. I had no idea about hammock camping, I just thought it would be rad to use in my backyard and on day hikes around town. A few years down the road I stumbled upon Corporals Corner on youtube. He is a wilderness survival expert and he had a few videos on ridge lines and "smoothing it" in a hammock as part of his survival EDC. I'm not sure if the crowd here is into the bush-craft/survival stuff, but that inspired ME to go out and camp in my hammock for the first time.

    So a few more months/years down the road (who's keeping track), I recently went up and camped for 4 days in my ENO in various parts of Mendocino and Humboldt. It was awesome and now I can't wait to get back out there and continue to enjoy the hammock camping lifestyle. I brought a tent with me and didn't need to break it out once. It was more of a backup plan since I was soloing the trip and had never overnight-ed in the hammock. After the first night, I knew that I was going to hang the rest of the trip. My back felt great, unlike when I sleep in the back of my truck. I used my ENO DN with atlas straps. Tied a ridgeline with paracord and used a 13x10 tarp to be invisible. No bug net and didn't need it. It is about 30 degrees in the morning at the moment so I was 0 degree bagging it. (I'm from California so anything less than 50 degrees is considered cold).

    After some additional research once I was back from the trip, I found this forum and realized that I had stumbled upon a whole new world. The amount of hammocks and gear is insane compared to my REI ENO. I am definitely in the market for a another hammock though after reading all the recommendations about 11ft hammocks and mods etc etc.

    Unfortunately I don't know any other folks that hammock around here, so I'll have to buy before I try. My main problem has been deciding between what brand, single vs double layer for weight savings, mods or no mods, ridgeline vs my usual ridgeline. I am a pad guy at the moment, but I just got into it. I like the idea of fall and winter camping mostly though to avoid the bugs. I will probably go the light (not really UL) route where it makes sense as I do get into a bit of light backpacking, but not afraid to carry 1 or 2 extra pounds. I am not a critical/hardcore UL person (at least yet).

    I hope someone finds my story interesting and it motivates them to get out there even as a beginner with no experience and do it with the gear you have mentality.

    Looking forward to diving into this phase of my life. I'm sure I'll be a bit quiet at first on the forum as I'm a bit of a beginner still, but looking forward to getting involved.

    Cheers!

    - Michael

  2. #2
    Phantom Grappler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Denton NC
    Hammock
    WildernessLogics 12x6
    Tarp
    HG cuben 13ridge12
    Insulation
    TopQuiltUnderQuilt
    Suspension
    S and D
    Posts
    4,925
    Boom_bap, Watch Shug’s ten part series How to hang a hammock, tarp, insulation etc.
    If possible go to a group hang in your area.
    If there are no group hangs listed on Hammock Forums near enough, then introduce yourself to other hammock campers here on Forum and camp with smaller groups of hammock campers on short trips.
    Derek Hansen has written a book on hammocks and tarps. Name of title, I’ve forgotten, but there is lots of good information packed into one place
    And for specific topics, you can start a new thread to answer your questions. Or search Hammock Forums for old threads. Sometimes I use Google or Safari search and immediately find information and it usually finds that information on Hammock Forums!
    Good luck!

  3. #3
    GilligansWorld's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Fort Collins, Colorado
    Hammock
    DIY 12' 1.6 oz Hyper D Baby
    Tarp
    DIY 12' RSBTR kit
    Insulation
    UGQ-uq OWLtq DIYsy
    Suspension
    SpiderStrap TI tog
    Posts
    1,210
    Images
    44
    Quote Originally Posted by boom_bap View Post
    Hey Folks,

    I've been digging around the forum for a few days and I am amazed at this community. Between this forum and other welding forums I am into I'll never get anything done!

    I am pretty new to hammocks, but wanted to share my introduction and background with hammock camping with you all. As many people probably started out, I was at REI one day a few years ago and picked up an ENO DN and straps as my first hammock. I had no idea about hammock camping, I just thought it would be rad to use in my backyard and on day hikes around town. A few years down the road I stumbled upon Corporals Corner on youtube. He is a wilderness survival expert and he had a few videos on ridge lines and "smoothing it" in a hammock as part of his survival EDC. I'm not sure if the crowd here is into the bush-craft/survival stuff, but that inspired ME to go out and camp in my hammock for the first time.

    So a few more months/years down the road (who's keeping track), I recently went up and camped for 4 days in my ENO in various parts of Mendocino and Humboldt. It was awesome and now I can't wait to get back out there and continue to enjoy the hammock camping lifestyle. I brought a tent with me and didn't need to break it out once. It was more of a backup plan since I was soloing the trip and had never overnight-ed in the hammock. After the first night, I knew that I was going to hang the rest of the trip. My back felt great, unlike when I sleep in the back of my truck. I used my ENO DN with atlas straps. Tied a ridgeline with paracord and used a 13x10 tarp to be invisible. No bug net and didn't need it. It is about 30 degrees in the morning at the moment so I was 0 degree bagging it. (I'm from California so anything less than 50 degrees is considered cold).

    After some additional research once I was back from the trip, I found this forum and realized that I had stumbled upon a whole new world. The amount of hammocks and gear is insane compared to my REI ENO. I am definitely in the market for a another hammock though after reading all the recommendations about 11ft hammocks and mods etc etc.

    Unfortunately I don't know any other folks that hammock around here, so I'll have to buy before I try. My main problem has been deciding between what brand, single vs double layer for weight savings, mods or no mods, ridgeline vs my usual ridgeline. I am a pad guy at the moment, but I just got into it. I like the idea of fall and winter camping mostly though to avoid the bugs. I will probably go the light (not really UL) route where it makes sense as I do get into a bit of light backpacking, but not afraid to carry 1 or 2 extra pounds. I am not a critical/hardcore UL person (at least yet).

    I hope someone finds my story interesting and it motivates them to get out there even as a beginner with no experience and do it with the gear you have mentality.

    Looking forward to diving into this phase of my life. I'm sure I'll be a bit quiet at first on the forum as I'm a bit of a beginner still, but looking forward to getting involved.

    Cheers!

    - Michael
    Don't know how close this is to you but check out this forum;
    https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top...ink_source=app

    Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Be The light in Someone's Darkness - Change the World one Act of Compassion, One Act of Kindness at a Time - We are All Living on Borrowed Time
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  4. #4
    New Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    Santa Cruz, CA
    Hammock
    ENO DN
    Tarp
    AquaQuest Defender
    Insulation
    3/4 Thermrest Egg
    Suspension
    Cinch Buckles
    Posts
    7
    Awesome, yes I will take a look. Thanks.

  5. #5
    FLTurtle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Orlando FL
    Hammock
    DW Chameleon, WB Eldorado
    Tarp
    Thunder/Superfly
    Insulation
    HG 20/40
    Suspension
    DW Beetle Buckles
    Posts
    1,110
    Welcome! Don't stay quiet if you got questions...plenty of people willing to jump in and answer.

    I also watch the Corporal's Corner videos. One of his latest ones, he's catching a lot of hate for reviewing a HG DCF tarp. I like the bushcraft stuff, I just don't want to carry any of it.

  6. #6
    I like to stay in the background but everyone helped me out when I’ve had questions and they don’t seem to judge harshly

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