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  1. #11
    Member
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    Aug 2017
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    castle rock colorado
    Hammock
    wb/dutch/dh
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    wooki/loco libre
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    spider web 2.0
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    64
    warbonnet superfly002.jpg

  2. #12
    Senior Member
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    Oct 2006
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    Union, WA
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    It takes a bit of practice, but it is certainly possible to do a complete change of clothes while lying in a hammock, under your sleeping bag (unzipped) or top quilt. I have been doing this for years out of necessity (I volunteer with a Boy Scout troop).

  3. #13
    cougarmeat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Bend, OR
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    WBBB, WBRR, WL LiteOwl
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    First, welcome to the world of posting on HF.

    To set up your hammock quickly, you can use the simplest suspension - daisy chain straps and a carabiner (ENO's Atlas straps, Kommeck Python straps, Dutchware spider straps, etc.). If you don't have a structural ridge line (SRL) on the hammock, put one on or use a lightweight cord; something to indicate the desired distance between hammock ends so you don't have to figure it out each time.

    Take a tape measure to a park and identify trees the usual distance apart (plus or minus 12 ft for gathered end hammock), then pace it off and/or use your body and hiking poles as a measure so you can quickly determine the best spaced trees at your campsite. In time (a short time) you'll be able to do this by eye.

    You have a little room to move around in a tent, but you are mostly on your hands and knees. With the hammock, put one or two poles on side of your tarp - it's called porch mode - to lift it up. That provides a dry area outside the hammock - usually enough for a small camp chair - like those three legged triangle shaped stools. My folding chair is a full bucket chair that folds to a loaf of bread sized bundle.

    For privacy, you can lower the edges of the sides of your tarp or just drop them a bit and change behind the hammock (between the hammock and side panel - opposite the most visually exposed direction. If your tarp has doors, you can close those. If not, the fact that trees are at the end of the hammock provides some blockage. Your actual "exposure time" is much less than you'd think. If you try it at home, looking at the second hand on your watch, you'll see the actual time of extreme exposure is only a few seconds.

    I tell a lady camper friend it's okay if she has to pee at night and uses a corner under her tarp (with the sides down for sleeping and the end doors closed) - just be sure where your shoes are.

    Backpack can be hung under the tarp - from the same suspension as the hammock. Shoes are usually on a small ground sheet in front of the hammock, or, if you wear flip fops or some other camp shoe, you can also hang your hiking boots from that hammock suspension line and just have the flip flops (no dark hidden insides) on the ground.

    There are numerous Gear Hammocks that can be strung up under/over/beside your sleeping hammock. I believe SimpleLightDesign (SLD) has some on closeout. Or you can use various additional storage bags hung from the hammock ridge line. The shelf on the BlackBird is handy, but I'm always concerned that the material is just mosquito netting. I use and under quilt protector (UQP) and somethings just throw things temporarily in the UQP when I'm not in the hammock. But a gear hammock is handy because you don't have keep pulling things out of your pack and putting them back in. Once it comes out, it goes in the gear hammock because chances are, I'll use it more than once. A ridge line organizer is handy for things like eye glasses, flashlight - quick grab items - things your want to keep separate and easy to reach.

    The tarp does much more than protect against rain. It blocks the wind, it offers privacy, it blocks the bright sun from shinning right in your face during a daytime nap and it blocks a bright moon from shinning right in your face at night time. It keeps bird poo and pine needles off your face and hammock.

    No trees - how can that be When I started, I thought there would be trees everywhere. I live in the PNW - specifically Oregon and we have, you know, TREES. But soon I learned it can be more of a challenge. The trees have to be the desired distance apart. Small enough in diameter for my strap suspension and distance apart. And what comes up often - nature's joke - is a third tree is often growing off to the side but between the perfect two trees so that it interferes with the tarp. As with the tree distance, you develop and eye for that. With just a little practice - just a little - you'll walk into a grove and know just what trees you want. But back to No Trees - If you know that's a possibility for a very minor number of days on the trail, you can bring a sleeping pad like a therm-a-rest or cheapie rolled up blue foam pad. Instead of a door mat sized ground sheet you'd bring a full body length sheet (I use black plastic "visqueen" plastic sheet - dries quickly. And I put tape on the edge of one side to mark it so I always have the dirty side down). You can suspend your tarp using your hiking poles, lay the ground sheet down and put your pad on that. If it might be buggy, you can lay your hammock on the pad and tie the bug net ends to the hiking poles to lift it off your face. It won't be your best night, but you'll get by. If you know you'll be several days without trees, then ... I hope I don't get kicked out for saying this ... it's time to bring your tent.

    Burwood.jpg
    Sometimes there are trees aplenty


    TreeAtWhiterock.jpg
    Sometimes you need to bring the really long straps

    tightfir.jpg
    When it's good, it's good.

    BiviBagSetup.jpg
    Using poles to suspend tarp and hold bug bugnet.
    Last edited by cougarmeat; 10-26-2019 at 13:45.
    In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.

  4. #14
    Dirtbaghiker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Long Island, NY
    Hammock
    Dutch Chameleon
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    20191024_151909.jpg 20191024_151940.jpg 20191024_161248.jpg 20191024_162643.jpg [ATTACH
    2 days ago
    I use Dutchware Chameleon hammock with the mesh side car. I put my shoes in there because I don't like to leave anything on ground overnight.. Yes I have fear of something running off with my salty shoes overnight!! My pack I usually clip to the straps of hammock.. It doesn't add much weight because it's usually empty at this time.. I don't really bring anything that I don't use, and I usually try to pack the bare minimum because it just easier and fast to set up camp and break down camp not have so much stuff to keep track of. My cook kit and food go in the ursack.. My quilts/underquilts being used with hammock, tarp is always above me.. Weather it remains in mesh snake skin or it is pitched. My clothes are being worn and if for some reason I have extra clothes, they are in stuff sack in my hammock used for pillow or just there. I do carry my helinox chair because that has become my creature comfort item.. More times then none, that is usually sitting out some where in camp.. Or in side pocket of my pack. In winter or cold trips, I will bring my sol light closed cell torso length pad, to sit on, or God forbid I have to go to sleep on ground (which has never happened) . That's pretty much it for me.. So easy, so simple lightweight and fast. I can make camp and break camp quickly and conveniently. It works for me and took me a while and many trips and plenty of research and trial and error to get it dialed in for My liking..
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Dirtbaghiker; 10-27-2019 at 11:39.

  5. #15
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Location
    Wayzata, MN
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    Ridgerunner
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    This turned into a rather large wall of text, hope some if it is useful.

    I am really new to hammock camping and it looks like those with way more experience and better answers have covered a lot of your questions already. Definitely ran into some of the same pain points you have though and here is what I have found helps:

    Where do you put your stuff?
    I started with an ENO SuperSub which did not have any of the nice built in storage a lot of cottage vendors have added but I also got a ENO Underbelly Gear Sling. My expectation was that I would be able to store anything and everything in the sling and even reach down to grab it at night. Turns out my humongous 65 + 10 liter Deuter had no intention of hanging out in that gear sling so I ended up only sticking overnight items that I would want. I found that gear sling to be pretty far from ideal, though I would be up for trying either it again with a different hammock or maybe a different sling.

    Now I use a WarBonnet Ridgerunner Hammock which has got built in saddle bag pockets up by the head. These are phenomenal for any and all overnight stuff, just got to be careful with heavier items like a water bottle to try and keep the sides a bit even.

    With my overnight storage figured out though I didn't quite have a solution I was happy with for the rest of my gear. One of the big pushes for me into hammock camping was watching as a huge puddle formed underneath my tent and wishing I was dangling from a tree, not inclined to leave my pack directly on the ground. My solution with the ENO was to plunk my backpack and boots into my camp chair which worked great. Next trip though I was hoping to lighten my load, decided to ditch my chair and instead brought some 4 mil plastic sheeting. This was great as it kept my gear dry from the ground, could be tucked over to keep it dry from side splatter under my tarp, gave me a place to change on when the ground was a bit muddy and only weighed 3 oz (just cut off as much as you think you want, if you mess up you still have 45 feet to work with!). Got the idea from one of Shug's awesome videos, honestly the whole thing is probably worth a watch on this topic (as are many of his other ones).



    Now this may sound wasteful but I realized on my last trip I missed my camp chair quite a bit but I also think I would have a hard time giving up that nice large space for laying gear down and standing on easily that only weighs 3 oz so... I might be bringing both next time. Either one though left me feeling happy that my gear was off the ground and would be protected from the rain (as long as it was under a tarp).



    In terms of the hammock setup time that was really rough on my first trip. I was so excited at the prospect of hammock camping but was to timid to dive into the cottage vendors right away I brought that ENO SuperSub 6, the underbelly, the bug net, the underquilt and a tarp. I swear I must have spent 30 minutes each night that trip putting it all up... The number one most absolutely amazing time saver I can recommend would be a tarp sleeve (also called snake skins). This is just a small sleeve that lets you pack up or deploy your tarp super fast by yourself. For me that was the most miserable part, trying to tie up and pack down this unwieldly giant mess of material that could also be wet. Of course Shug has already covered these so you do not need to bother imaging what they look like. I got the sleeve from hammock gear and it works great with the 13 ft tarp I have, I imagine it would fit just about any camping tarp. I am extra lazy and even leave my stakes tied to the lines, roll my tarp up carefully but when I want it down (after hanging each side) it is literally just pull back the sleeve, stick in the already attached stakes and then tighten.



    The other big improvement to setup time was moving to a hammock that had an integrated bug net. One less item to hang. I did gain time by going from my ENO underquilt to a pad but next time will be back with an underquilt and should be even faster. And as with all things, more you do it the faster you get.


    Do I need to put up a tarp?
    Aside from the benefits of quick/tear down the sleeve also helps answer another question you had, if it is not going to rain do I need a tarp? I would never go on a trip without a tarp (weather forecasts in Minnesota are reliable about 5 minutes out) but it does mean you do not have to deploy it. If you feel 100% certain it will not rain and you do not need the tarp for warmth (both blocking wind and building a bit of residual heat) then you do not have to hang it. If you are a late sleeper you might get bothered by early morning light streaming in but nothing rolling over in your hammock and burying your face can't solve. I am a bit more reluctant to trust the weather though so I always hang my tarp but will just leave it in the sleeve if weather seems dry and there is not much wind. Worst case I get up in the middle of the night and spend 5 minutes deploying it, best case I get to watch some beautiful stars and then roll over and bury my face in the morning.


    No trees?
    For not having any good trees I have not run into that, completely dread it but as always Shug does have a video on it. Sure that will happen sooner or later, but hopefully much, much later.


  6. #16
    Senior Member cmoulder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Ossining, NY
    Hammock
    DH Darien, SLD Tree Runner
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    When backpacking, put stuff in the backpack and use the pack's haul loop and a cord with a slipped clove hitch to tie it to hammock CL. It's off the ground, it's covered, it's free and it adds no weight (OK maybe 0.32g for the cord).

    Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
    “If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton

  7. #17
    cougarmeat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Bend, OR
    Hammock
    WBBB, WBRR, WL LiteOwl
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    OES, WL BullFro
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    You can search for treads about this - there seems to be two schools of thought on warmth and sleeping attire. I like to wear some light cotton jammies because it's easier to wash clothes than it is to wash down quilts. Some suggest the less you wear, the warmer you will be - because your gear doesn't make the warmth - you do! All the gear does is help you keep what you make. I guess the idea if you bundle up too much, you don't make that cocoon of warmth surrounding you. But I'm guessing these A vs B situations are talking about really different temperatures, like -15 degrees vs 20 degrees. Try wearing less - just something light that doesn't restrict circulation - and let your top quilt/bottom quilt do their job. If you need extra heat, those pocket hand warmers work great and give 4 to 6 hours of warmth. Be careful though - because they can leak and you'll find black stuff on your hands or gear (depending on the quality of the "hot pocket").
    In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.

  8. #18
    New Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    richmond, VT
    Hammock
    BBXLC / sparrow
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    superfly
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    wooki/burrow/
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    43
    i'm an over-50 hammock hanger, heavy, with arthritis and stuff. i also like to camp every month of the year.

    i sleep every night in my WBBBXLC, double layered. i went with double layered because it's supposed to be good for heavy people and it decreases bug bites from the underside.

    even in summer i sleep with the zero -rated wooki underquilt, which is built for the WBBB and is stupid-proof. if it's warm out, i hang it a little more inefficiently by way of a couple of extra carabiners.

    in cold weather (and i have used this setup down to 4°F) my TQ is a zero rated HG burrow and because i'm sensitive to any draft even with a sock (do recommend in cold weather, even with winter cover) i lay a HG 40° burrow between the hammock bed and the UQ. that way it lofts up to fill any little air gaps and also gives me more warmth at the shoulders.

    i use a tarp to keep the rain and dew off in summer and to keep of snow in winter, but it's also important as a windbreak, which greatly affects your warmth. you also get pretty good privacy even if the tarp isn't closed all around you: someone has to be working hard to glimpse your squishy bits if you change just sitting with your feet over the edge.


    as for where i leave my pack, i just leave it on the ground under my hammock, near the foot end. sometimes i have a small pad or something to put it on if the ground is damp, but usually not.

    don't worry about how long it takes to pitch. you get faster at that as you go along. i'll admit that i often take my time about it, because i'm fussy about the perfect angle, but if i just need to get the thing up in a hurry, it's a quick job. i also second that thing about the snakeskins.

  9. #19
    Senior Member MikekiM's Avatar
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    Sep 2015
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    East of Montauk, NY
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    To the OP.. curious where you hike and hang that you have to worry about prying eyes.

    I have hung with some pretty big groups (solo or with one other person most of the time) but never came across a situation where people were trying to cop a peek.

    Also not sure if you are aware that we have a ladies forum as well. Great place to discuss the intricacies females deal with on the trail and in a hammock..



    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
    Bob's brother-in-law

  10. #20
    Senior Member Rolloff's Avatar
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    Dec 2010
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    Leveland
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    I use a Dream Hammock Gear Sling for all my on site storage needs.

    The reason you pitch a tarp, in cooler temps, even when you are not expecting rain, is to keep wind from stealing warmth from your insulation kit. Cold sleepers and those pushing the limits of their insulation, will notice this as probably one of the major factors in maintaining a comfortable sleeping range.
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