A New User's Look at Hammocks

[R00K]

Nice! Since I came to HF it has felt like my brain was injected with hammock info by means of fire hose to the nose - I had been considering writting up something similar to organize my mind a little better, so it was nice to read something in the same ball park. With enough well written articles like this HF could sell a member-written book

[bdbart]

Great work Dale! It should be a Sticky.

+1

You could also mention the joy of DIY projects

[pgibson]

It should be a Sticky.

Here is what I said at BPL when I read through Dales post there....."Dale, great job putting all that together. For some folks the change to a hammock can have a sharp learning curve. Info like this that condenses and outlines the basics helps. I would hope you would post this at HF if you haven't as it would be a good intro sickie."

Thanks for posting it over here Dale.

[TAS]

Well now I feel dumb, this took me a couple of months, you did it in a few weeks!!!!!




John

[Randy]

That is absolutey a very good write up...."Fair and Balanced"
Welcome...

[DaleW]

Well now I feel dumb, this took me a couple of months, you did it in a few weeks!!!!!




John

I'm a total gear freak and a regular at Backpackinglight.com. I found out late in life that I should have been an industrial designer and I soak up technology like a sponge. With my background in ultralight hiking gear, the jump to hammocks is just a little suspension and bottom insulation techniques really.

The physics and materials are the same-- tarps, quilts, down and synthetic fillers, CCF pads, high performance cordage, silnylon, bug screens, condensation, thermal properties, weight-saving principles and good ol' sleeping in the woods. It's just moved up off the ground a couple feet

[tjm]

Well done. I especially like the paragraph on underquilts, truly "the dirty little secret of hammock camping" if you are trying to reduce your base pack weight.

If you decide to expand on this article, I suggest the following topics:

- example of UL hammock set-up vs. a standard hammock set-up

- difference between gathered end vs bridge hammocks

- types of suspensions

IMO a tarp, sleep system, and ground cloth are always going to be a lighter alternative to hammocks. But hammocks have an advantage in terms of comfort and site selection in forested areas. That said, you certainly apply most UL concepts to hammock systems.

[DaleW]

IMO a tarp, sleep system, and ground cloth are always going to be a lighter alternative to hammocks. But hammocks have an advantage in terms of comfort and site selection in forested areas. That said, you certainly apply most UL concepts to hammock systems.

Thanks!

Hammocks will never be as light as a Spartan ultralight ground system. And the ground system will never be as comfortable as a hammock, even going weight-for-weight. That was obvious the first time I climbed into a $15 bare bones hammock; all the bells went off and said, "Ahhhhhh."

There is no reason that all of the ground ultralight principles can't be applied to hammocks. The concepts are short and simple:

*Don't pack anything you won't use.
*Leave the toys at home and enjoy the natural experience.
*Only take the quantities that you will use for the trip-- you don't need 3 ounces of bug juice for an overnighter.
*Seek out the lightest, highest performance materials that will do the job.
*Apply multiple use gear wherever possible.
*Don't fear nature and the outdoors, causing you to try to meet every contingency and over pack. Use your brains-- the best equipment you have.

Throwing budget out of the mix, it really isn't hard to get an ultralight hammock system together. You can buy an off-the-shelf hammock that is 7 ounces, and whoopie slings and polyester straps are very light weight. A bug sock is just a few ounces, and there are lots of silnylon and Cuben tarps. Under quilts fall into the same materials and physics as topside sleeping gear. IMHO, a good ultralight hammock system shouldn't have to be more than 2-3 pounds more than a ground system and that margin can be narrowed I'm sure.

Only the hammock, suspension, and under quilt are "extras." The under quilt is only "extra" in excess of what your ground sleeping pad is. Some get by with a 1/8" torso-sized Evazote pad, but I think you will find many who are using more than that. Tarps are typically larger than the super ultralight rigs.

All said and done, the hammock system will be drier, warmer, insect free, and SO much more comfortable. A hammock camper will never have rocks and sticks poking them or sleeping in mud or running water. If all my other gear is truly ultralight, I might be working up to an 8 pound base weight. I can take it!

[Miguel]

IMHO Tree to Tree Gear should be moved from the "Accessories" section to the "Hammock Manufacturers" section since that's what they are rapidly becoming known for. In fact I would go so far as to suggest a name change for their company. I think of them as a hammock manufacturer first and foremost....not a purveyor of gear. In fact their gear selection is somewhat limited but their hammocks are quickly rising to the top. Just my opinion.

Miguel

[thenate1]

Great read...as a newbie to this too, I can relate to the learning curve. Thanks!!