Funny that you mentioned this since my down bag is the first thing my dogs takeover when in the tent with me. They’re not going to like being left behind on hammock trips but they’re too big to get in with me and wouldn’t adapt too well to sleeping on the ground.Originally Posted by cmoulder
LOL my dog absolutely LOVES a down quilt!
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
Get 'em a pup tent or two: https://dutchwaregear.com/product/pup-tent/
That looks awesome. One is a Great Pyrenees/Lab mix and the other is a Catahoula/Lab mix. They’re ~70 ea. and go bonkers for birds and rabbits. They do fine with a tent but I’d be a bit worried they’d tear through the mesh on that pup tent if small animals came to visit.
I was able to get the Darien hung for the first time yesterday. Just a backyard test but it went reasonably well except that it was super windy and I had a hard time getting the becket hitch tied using dyneema straps. I like the idea/weight of a no hardware suspension but may have to reconsider when the weather is iffy.
The Darien is in the 1.2 MTN wide. I was able to get foot end higher for a flat lay so I think this will work out well for me. No photos yet but I’ll add some once I also get the tarp sorted. Looking forward to trying this out on a real backpacking trip once I can source an underquilt for it.
It'll be easier to tie the beckett hitch in the wind if you keep your hammock bundled up while you're setting up. A lot of folks use snakeskins. They are very common for tarps, but I've seen them on hammocks as well. You can save a few bucks by using alternatives. Some folks use stockings or panty hose. Others use pipe socks (aka drain sleeves). A shower loofah turns into a nice long tube when you snip the hanging thread that keeps it all together; but it can be snaggy and fragile. Consider hair ties. They aren't as effective as snakeskins in my opinion, but they'll help keep things wrapped up a bit and are easy to slide off the ends once you're hung. There are a lots of threads on the forum that discuss different techniques.
The bottom line is to find a way to keep things together so that the wind doesn't catch the material so much. Then you won't have to fight the blowing hammock when you are tying off the ends to your straps.
~ All I want is affordable, simple, ultralight luxury. That’s not asking too much is it?
You could also join the j-bend crew.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk-P-MVnMPk
Headed out to Lineville Gorge next week for a solo. Did a back yard set-up of the new kit. Per thread title trying to keep things lighter in my pack. Thanks goes out to OneClick for hooking me up with a Thunderfly that needed some minor repairs, Peppy for setting me up with a a JRB Greylock 3, TallPaul for making some recommendations about hammocks and suspension (ended up with an 11’ Darien in 1.2 MTN wide), and I picked up a lightly used Golite 3 season quilt to round things out. I’ve got my base weight down to 18-19 lbs which isn’t light by any means but is better than before and still includes some luxuries/vintage gear including an original MSR WhisperLite, camp chair, pillow, etc. Glad I have a patient wife as she puts up with my hobbies and tolerates the new gear indulgences.
Looking forward to meeting some forum members at a local hang or catching some out on the trails.
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