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  1. #1
    New Member
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    Mar 2020
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    Norway
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    Amok Draumr UL
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    Any hammock advice for a novice who's also a particular sleeper?

    Hey everone, this being my first post on the forums I figured I'd use it to both introduce myself and ask for advice on a couple of hammocks that I've been leaning towards, being the particular sleeper that I am (is that even an expression?).

    So, I'm a guy in my late 20's who first got the bug for the woods last year, it started with a couple of friends who dragged me along for fishing, and then it snowballed into hiking and camping from there - and looking back on it now I feel kind of bad that I didn't explore more of this sooner, as we have great areas for hiking, camping and fishing all around the surrounding area where I live in the south-east of Norway.

    I went on my first overnight hammock trip last summer with a buddy of mine when the stars aligned and our schedules matched up, and I had a really bad experience during the night with the hammock that I brought. It was a 50% off (50~ USD) all-in-one hammock system (Mackenzie brand, hammock, bug-net and tarp) that I bought last minute the day before the trip because I hadn't decided on what to go for yet - the issues I had consisted of a bad lay, (where I couldn't ever get comfortable sleeping position, pad moving around all the time etc), mosquitoes crawling right through the bug-net (?), one mosquito ending up inside my ear for god knows how long, and being distracted by my buddy twisting and turning in his Amok Draumr (noisy!) every 5 minutes - but even just getting 15-30 minutes sleep that night, I still wanted to go on a a new trip the next day, because everything else on the trip far outweighed the bad experience that night.

    Most of the above I've ruled out to be something that I can adapt to by using earplugs/setting up hangs further away from eachother, using better bug protection, and I ruled out the hammock to be just plain bad when it came to the bugs crawling right through the net, I didn't even know that was a thing until I saw it happen. With that said, what I would like advice on is a hammock that will help me get a good nights sleep as I am a very particular sleeper - I mostly have to exclusively sleep on my stomach to be able to fall asleep unless I'm dead tired, even in my bed at home. I wouldn't exactly call myself a light sleeper, moreso that I have trouble falling asleep in the first place unless I find a really comfortable position. For this reason, I've looked more into bridge hammocks, and the ones I've been leaning towards are the Amok Draumr 3.0 XL (I'm 6'2'') and the Warbonnet Ridgerunner, but I lean slightly more towards the Draumr at this point, and that it's locally made is also a plus for me.

    What would you guys recommend? I've heard people say that many of those who have trouble sleeping in certain positions in their bed will often get comfortable in a gathered end hammock after a few nights, but I'm not sure I want to take a gamble on that. The thing I'd like most with a bridge hammock that a gathered end has is the underquilt for sound suppression compared to a pad, so the Ridgerunner would be better in that regard - but from what I can see I think the Amok Draumr 3.0 XL would give me a flatter lay and more room to deal with.

    I'd love some input from you guys who've had experience with both, or if you have any other recommendations for that matter.

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Jun 2015
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    MN
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    If you can borrow that Amok for a few nights, that might help a lot in finding out what works for you.

  3. #3
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Jersey Shore, NJ
    Hammock
    Dutch PolyD
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    HG Winter Palace
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    The more rigid you are in your hammock sleeping arrangements, the more expensive the hammock will be. Personally, I'm a side sleeper in a bed, but when I got a hammock, I didn't find that very comfortable.

    I realized that I was going to have to learn a new way to sleep in a hammock, so I hung a hammock in my house and slept there every night for three or four months. Eventually, I learned to sleep on my back. So I was never so rigid that I couldn't learn something new. I just didn't want to get a bridge hammock because I didn't like much about them, especially the weight and cost. I'm more of a simple, gathered-end hammock with Fronkey bugnet kind-of guy.

    So if you're not willing to invest the time to learn a new way of sleeping, then by all means buy a bridge hammock, or an Amok. A lot of people like them and don't mind the weight and cost!
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  4. #4
    Senior Member cmoulder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Ossining, NY
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    DH Darien, SLD Tree Runner
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    Highly subjective!

    Sleeping in bed at home I am about 85% belly sleeper but in the GE hammock I'm 100% back sleeper and find it totally comfortable. And for me it was that way from the first night sleeping in a GE.

    And that's with an underquilt. I find foam and air mats totally uncomfortable and fidgety in a GE hammock. I've slept (one night!) with a Z-lite in a bridge and it wasn't too bad, however. But overall I'm totally GE in my preferences.
    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

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Sarasota Florida
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    Warbonnet ridgerunner/ chameleon
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    WB Thunderfly
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    Dutch beetles
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    I use a small, growing,stockpile of different hammocks. A few ridge runners and half dozen GE hammocks. And I’ve tried to find the “perfect” hammock, and to be honest I just can’t. I don’t have an Amok, which I would like to try one day but it seems gadgety and complicated, and the fact it relies totally on a pad turns me off. The ridge runner is super flat, and a well made piece, it’s just narrow. But I’ve probably had the most consistent sleep in the ridge runner. The GE hammocks to me are hit or miss. I’ve had amazing deep sleep nights, and crappy toss and turn nights. Mostly due to bottom insulation changing the lay, which can all be worked out over time. GE hammocks need a little more fine tuning, but when you hit on the setup and can duplicate it in different environments, an 11-12’ GE is hard to beat. Over time you will probably end up with a couple different style rigs. And I wish I could say one is better than the other, but I just like them all. Even though some take a bit more effort. Good luck

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Saskatoon, SK
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    Amok Draumr 3.0
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    Amok
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    cinch buckles
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    1,702
    Dedicated stomach sleeper here too, Draumr was my answer


    It's a great hammock, super comfortable, and not nearly as heavy as folks will tell you

    3 years, wouldn't change a thing

  7. #7
    cmc4free's Avatar
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    Aug 2018
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    Illinois
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    The Amok isn't complicated. It's actually a lot simpler than it seems. Wrap the straps around the trees and attach to the hammock with the buckles, inflate pad and slide into sleeve, unzip bugnet if using it, and climb in. There are additional straps inside that can be pulled or loosened to adjust the angle of the back and legs.

    Some beginners struggle with getting an underquilt hung and adjusted properly with a gathered end hammock but there's no such learning curve with the Draumr.

    I'm a back sleeper in any hammock, but the Draumr is the only one I've tried that is truly comfortable for side or stomach sleeping. I personally don't think a Ridgerunner is comfortable in either of those positions.
    Last edited by cmc4free; 03-18-2020 at 22:42.

  8. #8
    New Member
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    Mar 2020
    Location
    Norway
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    Amok Draumr UL
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    Skjold 10 UL
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    I really appreciate the input from all you guys, thanks a bunch.

    From what I've read so far, I think I'm gonna try and get my hands on a Draumr XL - even though it's more expensive and heavier compared to other solutions I have a feeling the comfort will pay off in the end (and you know what they say about comfort ). Amok also has a great return policy, so if I feel that it doesn't work out for me in the end I have the opportunity to return it after trying it out.

    I might look into GE hammocks more if I feel like going UL for more miles, but the miles haven't been a priority just yet. The distances we've covered so far from trail head to the campsites and back again have usually been around 10-15 miles with a 25lbs~ backpack, and I feel that has been pretty close to my limit.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Grunt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    IN
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    Amok Draumr XL
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    224
    That is the same route I took as well. The Draumr XL is comfortable, although it took some getting used to for me. By the time you figure in the UQ and other gear you don't really need for the Draumr, it's comparable in both weight and cost to a GE setup. I'm putting together an inexpensive GE kit now to see if I can adapt as a stomach sleeper. Worst case scenario: I have an extra complete setup to loan to a friend if they want to try hammock camping.

    Good luck and I look forward to hearing what you think of the Amok.
    Oooh, shiney! What does THIS button do?

  10. #10
    New Member
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    Sep 2018
    Location
    Maine
    Hammock
    Amok Draumr 3.0
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    Amok Tarp
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    Synmat 7
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    5
    I'm an avid Amok fan! Love my Draumr 3.0 and have the 2019 version on the way as we speak (wanted more room in the bugnet and the shoe box). I have tried many nights in a GE hammock and could never fall asleep fully. In the Draumr I sleep so much better. I'm a side sleeper and found that even with the added weight it's worth it to me for a good nights sleep on the trail. Being able to wake up as the sun rises, pull a couple straps to enter "chair mode" and sip my coffee from luxury while looking out over the mountains is about as good as it gets!

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