Scheming about hammocking with my 2yo this summer...

[denniswinders]

Hi all,

Last spring I met up with an AT buddy to redo my favorite southern section, Roan to Grayson, and met a couple around that was attempting a thru with a 3-year-old and a 5-month-old. I never saw their camp setup and I never could find them online after I got home (they didn't have trail names when I met them and absolutely can't remember their real names), but the dad and the 3yo had some sort of hammock setup where the kid slept in what was essentially a gear hammock that hung from dad's ridgeline, under the bugnet.

I think I have an idea of how it would work, but does anyone know of any existing guides, or even gear, that could point me in the right direction to get started? My beloved Hennessey Backpacker finally blew out on me after 12 years of heavy use last fall, so I was thinking about giving it a second life by cutting it down into a mini hammock but I want to make sure I have an actual plan before I commit.

I know I can tent but I also know that with a little creativity I can safely and comfortably hang with my little buddy, so I'm hoping to crowdsource ideas and get her out there! Spring is (mostly) here in New Hampshire so it's time to make it happen. I included a really, really good drawing to show what I'm thinking, which may or may not be completely misguided.

IMG_9644.jpg

[rmcrow2]

Hi all,

Last spring I met up with an AT buddy to redo my favorite southern section, Roan to Grayson, and met a couple around that was attempting a thru with a 3-year-old and a 5-month-old. I never saw their camp setup and I never could find them online after I got home (they didn't have trail names when I met them and absolutely can't remember their real names), but the dad and the 3yo had some sort of hammock setup where the kid slept in what was essentially a gear hammock that hung from dad's ridgeline, under the bugnet.

I think I have an idea of how it would work, but does anyone know of any existing guides, or even gear, that could point me in the right direction to get started? My beloved Hennessey Backpacker finally blew out on me after 12 years of heavy use last fall, so I was thinking about giving it a second life by cutting it down into a mini hammock but I want to make sure I have an actual plan before I commit.

I know I can tent but I also know that with a little creativity I can safely and comfortably hang with my little buddy, so I'm hoping to crowdsource ideas and get her out there! Spring is (mostly) here in New Hampshire so it's time to make it happen. I included a really, really good drawing to show what I'm thinking, which may or may not be completely misguided.

IMG_9644.jpg

I'll be honest I think that unless you have a trains amount of sag you're going to find your toddler smacking you in the face with her bed all night. There's just not enough room in my hammock any way to hang someone else from the Ridgeline.

Well not as comfortable as sleeping by myself my two-year-old daughter does snuggle with me a lot. I do not find it uncomfortable to sleep holding her in my arms. And my son and four year old daughter just use a hammock by themselves. Near butt not right beside me.

If your 2 year olds can sleep in a bed by itself. I doubt you will have any trouble getting them to sleep in a hammock near you.

As long as you don't act like they're supposed to be scared.

When discussing the insulation he would have to use tomorrow night to go camping. My six-year-old said he would rather double up under quilts by adding a sleeping bag, than have to use a tent or share my hammock anymore.

Started my son by putting him under my tarp sharing trees that I was hanging off of with me. He very quickly grew to where he wants his own space to play without dad knowing he is still up at 2 in the morning.

我宁愿在山上。

[cougarmeat]

That insulation issue does raise some points. A child that young may not be able to vocalize the discomfort of being too hot or too cold. At home, in their bed, they can toss about or loosen some covers. But in a hammock, you are sort of a captive customer. For that reason, whatever method you choose, be sure to spend some time at/near home trying it out with your child before going on the trail.

Note that hanging two hammocks off the same two trees - one hammock coming off the left side of the trees, the other coming off the right side (so spaced apart about the diameter of tree), puts them very close but independent.

[sunsetkayaker]

I made a hammock for my little boy. It is amazing how fast he grew out of it so I wouldn’t go too small. I would tend toward the 6’ to 8’ range. I would also suggest you do a side by side hang so you can more easily get out and also so you can look over to check on how the covers are. Definately suggest an intigrated (medimum weight) bug net because they won’t hit the ground when they move about. Several times he was hanging in the bug net and even now (at 4 years) he turns over enough to fall out of the hammock. I went with intigrated insulation. That is soooo much easier to be sure you don’t sit in the insulation (miss the hammock) and there are no strings to get wrapped around anything. It is all one piece so you can tie it to two trees during lunch for a quick nap without any fiddling.

[Hang Williams]

I made a hammock for my little boy. It is amazing how fast he grew out of it so I wouldn’t go too small. I would tend toward the 6’ to 8’ range. I would also suggest you do a side by side hang so you can more easily get out and also so you can look over to check on how the covers are. Definately suggest an intigrated (medimum weight) bug net because they won’t hit the ground when they move about. Several times he was hanging in the bug net and even now (at 4 years) he turns over enough to fall out of the hammock. I went with intigrated insulation. That is soooo much easier to be sure you don’t sit in the insulation (miss the hammock) and there are no strings to get wrapped around anything. It is all one piece so you can tie it to two trees during lunch for a quick nap without any fiddling.

This is awesome, did you keep plans of this?

[cougarmeat]

Hang Williams, I think the UQ integrated with the hammock is what Superior Hammocks is all about.

[sunsetkayaker]

No, I just used what I had left over from one of my hammock builds. I pieced together climashield for the inuslation. I gave it to a nephew when my little one grew out of it.