I get up, walk about 20' away to a tree, go, and get back in. With my luck, if I tried to pee in a bottle inside my hammock...one way or another, it's getting all over my gear.
I get up, walk about 20' away to a tree, go, and get back in. With my luck, if I tried to pee in a bottle inside my hammock...one way or another, it's getting all over my gear.
Oooh, shiney! What does THIS button do?
Before I get into my hammock for the night I check out the nearest Pee tree for the night. I usually have to get up once or twice a night to go.
I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !
The downside potential of trying to pee without actually being awake enough to standup and walk to the perimeter of my camp (or teh edge of the tarp in bad rain) far outweigh the "convenience" of peeing in a bottle or from inside the hammock. The most certain risk mitigation strategy is to not take the risk in the first place.
Besides, if you don't get up, put on your headlight and pee into the woods, you never get to see how many eyes are out there watching.
I consider getting up at night character building. Like in kayaking - I’ve seen people paddle a few strokes away from shore, then roll their kayak on one side, then the other - just to get that out of the way. Makes for a more relaxed paddle for them; they’ve already tipped over. For me, that's like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. I admire them; I’d like to think I can do that too - but I never have. But I do get up at night and walk a little way from my hammock.
Note that I plan the location out before I go to bed. Also, as winter will be here someday, it’s real important to pack a trail away from your hammock ahead of time. By the time you need to use it, it will be solid. Probably one thing you don’t want to encounter during this nightly task is sinking mid thigh deep into fresh snow.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
I'm one of the lucky 25% of gents who develops BPH (benign prostate hyperplasia) and have had my prostate reamed out with a laser twice. This spring it nearly killed me, or at least I wanted to die. Three months of tremendous health complications from surgery and infections. Four and a half months later, I believe I am finally on the mend. Although I do have a CAT scan on Monday. I started out planning a run at biking the GDMBR, and it ended up convalescing for all summer. What a F'd up year it has been.
But this is why I make three trips out of the hammock every night, at a minimum. (I sleep in a hammock every night for most of the night at least) In fact I think a hammock was the only way I could possibly find a way to sleep most nights with two pillows, under my thighs and under my torso, leaving the damaged zone somewhat free of pressure. Even when healthy I would count on one or two trips, if I was fortunate. Pee bottle works fine for the tent or back of the truck, but with the hammock it is up and out and back in. Wouldn't even consider attempting another alternative, and believe me a catheter is not a good way to go ;-)
Thank God things are improving and I no longer have to get up five or six times, yippee!
Funny, I've scanned the area with my headlight many times during those midnight breaks and it always amazes me how few retinas I see reflected back. The vast majority of the time I see none. 250 lumens is quite bright in a dark forest.Originally Posted by deadeye
The downside potential of trying to pee without actually being awake enough to standup and walk to the perimeter of my camp (or teh edge of the tarp in bad rain) far outweigh the "convenience" of peeing in a bottle or from inside the hammock. The most certain risk mitigation strategy is to not take the risk in the first place.
Besides, if you don't get up, put on your headlight and pee into the woods, you never get to see how many eyes are out there watching.
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
Nasty, nasty, nasty. Over on the left of the screen, there's info on your location, hammock, tarp, insulation and suspension. I think there should also be a "do you pee in your hammock?" notation, so people will immediately know that if you post something for sale, it's probably covered in bodily waste. Everybody will know, at a glance, that your hammock, topquilt, underquilt and pack (not to mention hiking boots) smell like asparagus!
Even if I did pee into a bottle, or out of the hammock, I would never say so on a public forum. People can look that stuff up and they'll immediately know how nasty you and your gear are!
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson
I gave up long ago caring what other people think about me - that’s their business.
Rest assured that I do not urinate on my gear - or my pants when I use a restroom.
I agree that my post attempting humor was in bad taste.
When I was lucky enough to have kidney stones, the doctor gave me a couple of these portable urinals. Kind of similar to a gatorade bottle but a lot easier to use in a hammock. I still prefer to get out on a nice summer night but it has come in handy in the winter.
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Everytime I sleep in a hammock or tent, I'll wake up at some point in the middle of the night needing to pee. At home, in bed, I'd be able to sleep thru the night and just go after a full night's sleep. Never fails! It's not like I drink any more than when I'm at home.
There's been time I'd wished I had an empty bottle, but if I find I can't hold it any longer then I make myself get out and walk away from my camp. However, if the bug issue was really bad, then I'd definitely consider the empty bottle method.
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