Thru-Hiking AT hammock shakedown please!

[Cameron1977]

Hello Everyone, My name is Cameron I'll be heading NB on the AT trail come late Feb to Early March. I've never camped in a hammock but have camped in low temps. I sleep cold and went overboard a bit on my sleeping gear. I'll ship (bedding) it back home when its nice but I figured lets be comfortable at the end of a cold day. I was hoping some of you with experience could look over this list and see if I'm missing anything other than experience!! Thanks a lot! Cameron

1 - Blackbird XLC Hammock with whoopie susp
1 - Superfly Tarp. Might be a bit overkill but I already bought it.
1 - Warbonnet tarp sock/skin
1 - Wooki® Underquilt rated 0 deg. I sleep cold
1 - Diamondback Topquilt rated 10 deg Long and wide. I'm over 200lbs and over 6'
1 - 2QZQ 11' UQ protector
100' plus of guyline and assortment of steaks and fasteners

[FLTurtle]

Never done the AT, but looks like you got solid gear. Since you've never camped in a hammock, definitely get out there and test it all out. Set up ain't quick if you've never done it before. Learn how to put up the tarp quickly for those rainy nights.

I dunno how small those winter quilts will pack down, so if you haven't got your pack yet definitely take that into account. I have a Zpacks Arc Blast and the main compartment is 42 L. I used a Uhaul 1.5 cu ft (16x12x12ish, equivalent to about 42L) cardboard box to test out my volume. My stuff fits with room to spare for the food bag.

Good luck!

[Cameron1977]

Thank you for the reply I have a 61L osprey expos. I'm hoping it will all fit!! I haven't got my top quilt yet but I think I'll make the cut. Thanks Cameron

Never done the AT, but looks like you got solid gear. Since you've never camped in a hammock, definitely get out there and test it all out. Set up ain't quick if you've never done it before. Learn how to put up the tarp quickly for those rainy nights.

I dunno how small those winter quilts will pack down, so if you haven't got your pack yet definitely take that into account. I have a Zpacks Arc Blast and the main compartment is 42 L. I used a Uhaul 1.5 cu ft (16x12x12ish, equivalent to about 42L) cardboard box to test out my volume. My stuff fits with room to spare for the food bag.

Good luck!

[Cameron1977]

I have a additional question and didn't want to start another thread. I just purchased the sock/skin for my tarp. If you are thru-hiking and setting it up everyday the tarp with the sock wont fit in the original sack. How do you store this together. Just in the outside mesh pocket on your pack or do you buy a new larger sack or do you stuff it in the pack without a sack? Thanks Cameron!

Hello Everyone, My name is Cameron I'll be heading NB on the AT trail come late Feb to Early March. I've never camped in a hammock but have camped in low temps. I sleep cold and went overboard a bit on my sleeping gear. I'll ship (bedding) it back home when its nice but I figured lets be comfortable at the end of a cold day. I was hoping some of you with experience could look over this list and see if I'm missing anything other than experience!! Thanks a lot! Cameron

1 - Blackbird XLC Hammock with whoopie susp
1 - Superfly Tarp. Might be a bit overkill but I already bought it.
1 - Warbonnet tarp sock/skin
1 - Wooki® Underquilt rated 0 deg. I sleep cold
1 - Diamondback Topquilt rated 10 deg Long and wide. I'm over 200lbs and over 6'
1 - 2QZQ 11' UQ protector
100' plus of guyline and assortment of steaks and fasteners

[Dublinlin]

I have a additional question and didn't want to start another thread. I just purchased the sock/skin for my tarp. If you are thru-hiking and setting it up everyday the tarp with the sock wont fit in the original sack. How do you store this together. Just in the outside mesh pocket on your pack or do you buy a new larger sack or do you stuff it in the pack without a sack? Thanks Cameron!

I MUCH prefer a single mesh tarp skin (like SLD’s) over a 2 part silnylon tarp skin (like WB’s)...so much easier to use! Also, I much prefer a double ended stuff sack for my WB SuperFly over the original stuff sack. I hate having to keep track of sacks...the double ended tarp sack allows me to leave the sack on the tree end of the ridgeline and just slide the mesh wrapped tarp back into it as I take my tarp down.

I would NOT set out on a ling hike before first practicing numerous nights sleeping in your yard to get to KNOW your gear well beforehand. Blackbirds and XLCs, in my opinion, especially have a learning curve. They can be finicky set-up-wise to get a comfortable until you get them dialed in and are very familiar with them. Once you get the hang of setting them up correctly they are an amazingly comfortable hammock, but it seems to me that the XLC and Blackbirds are not as forgiving as some other hammocks if you don’t get the strap angle correct, the ridgeline tension correct, and remember to hang the foot end about 14 inches higher than the head end. Once you get it dialed in well the first time, it’s a breeze doing so correctly every time thereafter. I’d do my learning and mistake making at home, sleeping in the yard...not out on the trail where you’re stuck if things don’t go right.

Good choice on the Wooki! It is, in my experience, the easiest UQ out there to use. It’ll likely be perfectly right the first time you set it up.

[Cameron1977]

I MUCH prefer a single mesh tarp skin (like SLD’s) over a 2 part silnylon tarp skin (like WB’s)...so much easier to use! Also, I much prefer a double ended stuff sack for my WB SuperFly over the original stuff sack. I hate having to keep track of sacks...the double ended tarp sack allows me to leave the sack on the tree end of the ridgeline and just slide the mesh wrapped tarp back into it as I take my tarp down.

I would NOT set out on a ling hike before first practicing numerous nights sleeping in your yard to get to KNOW your gear well beforehand. Blackbirds and XLCs, in my opinion, especially have a learning curve. They can be finicky set-up-wise to get a comfortable until you get them dialed in and are very familiar with them. Once you get the hang of setting them up correctly they are an amazingly comfortable hammock, but it seems to me that the XLC and Blackbirds are not as forgiving as some other hammocks if you don’t get the strap angle correct, the ridgeline tension correct, and remember to hang the foot end about 14 inches higher than the head end. Once you get it dialed in well the first time, it’s a breeze doing so correctly every time thereafter. I’d do my learning and mistake making at home, sleeping in the yard...not out on the trail where you’re stuck if things don’t go right.

Good choice on the Wooki! It is, in my experience, the easiest UQ out there to use. It’ll likely be perfectly right the first time you set it up.

Thanks so much for the assistance! I've actually got to hang this finally. In a wind advisory below freezing. It was interesting for the first time. I did it without gloves and such. The buckle system will be a lot easier with frozen fingers than the whoopie susp I learned. I'll be spending some nights soon below freezing just to make sure I'm gtg. This is going to be a blast I can tell already. Thanks again. Cameron

[TxAggie]

I have a additional question and didn't want to start another thread. I just purchased the sock/skin for my tarp. If you are thru-hiking and setting it up everyday the tarp with the sock wont fit in the original sack. How do you store this together. Just in the outside mesh pocket on your pack or do you buy a new larger sack or do you stuff it in the pack without a sack? Thanks Cameron!

Personally, I’ve ditched pretty much all of my individual stuff sacks and instead follow a system much like Beardoh from https://www.longdistancehiker.com/ uses. Both quilts and hammock go into a waterproof bag in the bottom of my pack without stuff sacks. This helps save space and weight.

As to your tarp specifically: don’t worry about a stuff sack, your sleeve is the stuff sack. A lot of people simply roll it up, then put into the outside mesh pocket of your Exos. Putting your tarp there allows it to dry when wet (even if just from condensation) and provides a consistent and convenient place to grab it quickly should a sudden rainstorm flare up.

Good luck on your thru.


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[Scott8691]

I have a additional question and didn't want to start another thread. I just purchased the sock/skin for my tarp. If you are thru-hiking and setting it up everyday the tarp with the sock wont fit in the original sack. How do you store this together. Just in the outside mesh pocket on your pack or do you buy a new larger sack or do you stuff it in the pack without a sack? Thanks Cameron!

I have the Superfly with mesh snake skins and everything including my stakes and ridgeline fit in the stuff sack that came with my Superfly. That being said, a double ended stuff sack does allow for ease of deployment. Have fun on your thru-hike!!!

[davem835]

One thing missing you might want is a gear hammock of some sort, to keep your stuff together and off the ground.
I use an arrowhead hammock chair, but I'm not a thru hiker. Theres also a gear sling/hammock chair/pack cover, I think Jack's makes one, that's probably more thru hiker friendly.

[FLTurtle]

I have a mesh skin for my Superfly, and it will cram back into the stuff sack. However, I normally just fold/roll/wrap it up with the ridglines around it and put in the outside mesh.