Hello! I am looking to introduce my 5 year old to hammock camping and would like some advice on good setups. I know Dutchware has a 2 person chameleon package that looks good and also Clark is an option. What is the best bet? I am coming from a solo setup with a Dream Hammock Darien and Warbonnet Thunderfly, UGQ Quilts. So this is sort of a new area for me looking at 2 person options. Thanks for any help!
My five year old uses one of my hammocks on his own.
He likes being under the same tarp.
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All you need is a spreader bar for the head end and two hammocks. Any two hammocks will do. I picked up a couple $50 Ridge Outdoor Pinnacles off Amazon and a spreader bar from Dutch last year and boom, double hang. I used whoopie slings and inserted the tip of bar in the continuous loop like they do with the Warbonner RR. Easy peasy and it got my wife into hammock camping!
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"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time." - Marthe Troly-Curtin
I’m pretty sure that you could offset them a bit and use the same tarp and trees. I’ve done this with my dog and her gear hammock. She can sleep right beside me that way.
Also, SLD sells a hammock designed for kids. Probably not completely necessary due to their flexibility, but I could see a smaller hammock making it far easier to work the screen zipper for example. Plus, kind of cool to get a custom hammock and his prices are hard to beat.
We hang double a lot. Mostly don't use the spreader bar unless the tree is a really small diameter. If its big enough you can just make the straps go from opposite sides of the tree. Sleeping at the same diagonal helps when you're really close as well.
That's very nice. You'll know if they get up at night.Originally Posted by robfishman
All you need is a spreader bar for the head end and two hammocks. Any two hammocks will do. I picked up a couple $50 Ridge Outdoor Pinnacles off Amazon and a spreader bar from Dutch last year and boom, double hang. I used whoopie slings and inserted the tip of bar in the continuous loop like they do with the Warbonner RR. Easy peasy and it got my wife into hammock camping!
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It’s been my experience that the sleep habits of a 5 year old are significantly different from those of an adult - especially an older adult - both in sound and movement. As such, you probably want the setup as independent as possible. Because of that, I would absolutely not use spreader bars between the hammocks as they will transfer movements from one to the other.
Children are raised differently. I was a “premi” and probably pair bonded to my incubator. At 5 years old I had no problem - and probably no choice - sleeping alone. Admittedly, outdoors, with its night sounds, is different than in a familiar room.
Two hammocks one on each side of the same tree, is one thing - but covering both with one tarp is another challenge. Dutchware has some extra wide tarps that would do it. Or, for two completely separate, but nearby configurations, you could use close but separate trees and two miniflys.
When teaching someone to drive a car, it can be useful to have them start with an automatic. That way, they get the coordination of steering and braking. Then you can introduce them to a standard transmission. Much less to learn all in one gulp. Maybe starting with a tent allows the Outdoor experience with the familiar sleeping arrangement of a flat-ish bed. When the “outdoor” situation is comfortable, the new element, the hammock, can be introduced. Or the hammock can be put up at home for afternoon naps or maybe “outside” sleeping at home.
What I’m getting at here is trying to minimize having too many new experiences at once. More, step-by-step.
Has your child indicated their preference? If possible, I’d try to get the setup, the sag, the UQ fit, etc. squared away at home.
For me, there was a lot of “live with it” in the dynamics of child/parent - in everything from not picking the portions of food on my plate to not being the judge of how much Novocain I was given during dental work. It could have been better. That is not a “whine”. This is NOT a “you should raise your child this way …”. I’m just suggesting getting the child’s input too.
Last edited by cougarmeat; 05-17-2021 at 22:33.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
My son likes this.
This is my yard and where he started.
Same tarp covering us both.
Wide tree at the head end.
Narrow one on the foot let's him touch me and I nudge his Hammock every so often.
I sleep well too once he gets to sleep.
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I was going to ask a similar question. I have 11yo that wants to do a tandem hang. He's still scared of sleeping on his own, and wants a tandem setup. Here is the gear list that I was going to order soon.
2 x Dutchware Chameleons
1 x Dutchware 2 person tarp ( I already own this )
2 x Beetle Buckle Suspensions
1 x 32" spreader pole
1 x Double Dutch bugnet. This one I'm on the fence. I'm thinking of getting Dutch's Birds Nest instead. We plan to use this in the Adirondacks and VT where the mosquitoes and black flies are pretty vicious. The Double Dutch would be lighter easier, but the Birds Nest would give us more options for changing clothes etc without leaving the bug protection.
misc. stakes and such needed
I agree with Cougarmeet. Don't introduce too many big challenges at once. We did a test overnight hang at a cabin. He had the chance to bail to the cabin in the middle of the night if he got scared or uncomfortable. Then we did just one overnight hike. Same deal. Now he's ready for section hiking.
I'm probably going to put in this order in the next few days... Unless someone sees something wildly wrong with my proposed setup.
You might want to think about an UQP. If you are out in summer storms without an UQ they can help you stay more comfortable. A little protection from chilly wind gusts and spray.
A little psychological reassurance too.
Can help your son feel a little bit more protected.
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