Retired Former 12 year BOY SCOUT leader from the Hoosier State

[hoosier1957]

Hello All I'm a medically retired Wood Badge Trained (Bear Patrol) Boy Scout Leader for 12 years and was a leader when my Eagle Scout son was in the Boy Scouting Program from Tiger Cub to Eagle Scout (Before 2013) and tent camped two W/E a month and 6 weeks of 7 day summer camps over 6 years with the Troop...I'm a newbie to Hanging as I was a ground tent camper all of my life until my medical condition has prevented me from trying to get on the ground anymore and I really miss camping so I thought I would give Hammock camping a try...I have an ENO Double Nest with Atlas Straps and an ENO bug net I am going to try to use my Big Agnes 20 Deg Echo Park Down Bag with my Therma rest in the sleave and I'm ready to pick a tarp I think I'm going to go with a ENO House Fly Tarp also thinking about an UQ eventually maybe some sort of War Bonnet full length.... I'm learning a lot from the short time I have been on the forums ... Hoosier 1957

[jakev383]

Welcome to the forums! I'm a former Cub Scout leader myself - I did a lot of Scout camping myself, since I was one of the Baloo trained leaders. That was where I was first introduced to hammock camping - my oldest son was a Webelo-2 at the time and visited the Boy Scouts for a camping trip. A few of them were using hammocks, and we decided to do some research into the topic. Now we've got two Warbonnet hammocks (Blackbird XL for me, regular Blackbird for him) and a Dutchware Chameleon for my youngest son.
Anyway - there is a lot to learn on this journey so feel free to ask any questions you may have. Be safe and have some fun!

[Draketake]

@hoosier1957,

Welcome.

I did over a year with the pad instead of an underquilt. I wanted to make sure I dug hammocking before I spent what to me is a lot of cash. The pad works just fine. That said, once you get an underquilt the comfort level and the convienence level, escalates.

Enjoy the learning experience.

Bob

[Phantom Grappler]

Thanks for being a Scout Leader! Some of my best memories are from my Scouting days. We had a fantastic Scout Master. We camped close to once a month year round. Great memories, thank you!

My Scout Master was Irish and his wife was Greek.
Counting their kids, we had three Greek families in our Scout troop. Talk about camp cooking—WOW
Two Greek brothers dad owned a restaurant in town.
They cooked the best foods camping in piney woods of Camp Uwharrie. Camp Uwharrie is now defunct—it was sold to be a housing development.

That’s ok, my memories have hung in there.

My first foray into hammock camping, was when I went to an Army Surplus store and got a nylon cargo net. Knowing nothing, I rigged it between two trees on a Scout camping trip.
After I wiggled into my sleeping bag, I got in my cargo net hammock.
During night, net stretched. I woke in daylight bent double!
My knees were touching my face and my butt was barely touching ground. It was tough to get out of sleeping bag and hammock—because I was folded in half.
Didn’t try hammock camping again until 2012.
Hahaha!

[Vryce]

Welcome to the forums from a Canadian Scouter. Please don't let the short comings of the ENO system put you off hammocking if your first hang isn't as good as could have been. In my opinion, ENOs are great lounging hammocks, but not so great camping hammocks unless you're on the shorter end of 5'. Starting out with a sleeping bag and a pad is how I got started so I think you'll be fine there. Best of luck with your hang. I hope that all goes well.