Lady Hammockers thread

[sandykayak]

And another huge gender-specific issue (especially for short women) is finding a pack that is the proper ratio volume and lengthwise and will hold all your gear. I'm 5' and heavy. Some manufacturers assume that if the woman is short she is also slim.

My old Eureka Diablo was good, but weighs 3 lbs. I bought the GoLite Gust in Dyneema and it was waaay too long. I use it for stuffing the gear for car camping and even had to use it for the Feb FL Sherpa hang (see profile photo). Next I ordered Gossamer Gear's Mariposa. One look sideways in the mirror and it was hanging half-way down my butt. So, I got the Miniposa. GG allows you to choose whatever size belt u need for any of their packs. Perfect fit, but low volume. No way can I fit my 1.9 DL switchback original, UQ, FF down Rock Wren sleeping bag, clothes, and food. Tarp can go outside, of course, but the rest is a challenge.

I'm toying around with the thought of a WB netless Traveler SL and separate bug net (already have). I have 3/4 synthetic Jarbridge UQ, a JRB Shenandoah down summer UQ, and a full-length one also from AHE (to stack with JRB at next FL hang. The old North Face sleeping bag as a TQ didn't cut it - in the rush couldn't find FF RW.)

Not going to spend a lot of $$. as my doggies pretty much limit me to car/Aliner camping. Maybe one day I can do an easy overnight hike and/or get back to kayaking camping. If not, I have my Vario hammock stand and trees by the lake in the neighborhood. There's an addict for you!

[cataraftgirl]

I've tried several lengths of UQ and keep going back to the Incubator. It seems to keep me covered the best no matter how diagonal I get in the hammock. For the guys, there's the trend towards longer hammocks. For gals, the 9.5-10.5 seem to work better. I started with a Trek Light double. I tried several other brands & styles, and came back to the Trek Light. It just "fits" me the best.

I know this isn't exactly a female only topic, but maybe female have more issues with the pooping in the woods thing. As a rafter/hammock hanger, I have the luxury of always having a semi-real toilet to use. We are required to carry a sealable, water proof, sturdy, cleanable system on rivers. Now that I'm venturing into kayak touring, I have to start thinking like a backpacker with regards to solid waste. Some of the areas I'll be paddling require waste to be carried out. I know about wag bags, but I'm struggling with the squatting part because I have a bad knee. I've seen a few different methods to make backcountry toilets, and I'm experimenting with a few. If I come up with a winner, I'll post about it here, in case they are other kayak touring hammock gals who are "in the same boat" as me.

[The Old Boot]

The sizing of everything from hammocks to quilts was what had me doing all my stuff DIY from the start. Fortunately I had most of the skill set necessary.

My hammock is made for someone 5' tall and the measurements for my TQ were based on experimenting with a fleece throw and being a couch potato it's just as wide as most but a whole lot shorter.

While I was at it I ended up making both pairs of my convertible pants because off the rack stuff had the shorts being capri's and the bottoms of the convertibles would be 9" below my ankles. Short inseam and large butt just don't work for store bought clothing.

As to light equipment, I took into consideration the weight of everything.

My only luxury that I will carry the weight for is my Helinox chair. Other than that making all my own stuff sacks and compression sacks not only saved me money but weight as well. I started off with making my own backpack a la luxury lite and it worked well but now I need an internal frame pack for the raft. The ULA Epic weighs in around 2 lbs plus the 10 oz for the dry bag, I've got a 65 L pack that's completely waterproof for just over 2 1/2 lbs....not bad at all.

Now I'm looking at making my own dry suit for extending my rafting season. I figured out quickly that I would have to grow by 16" to be able to get my body into a commercially made suit...and since I'm way past any growth spurts, that just isn't going to happen...

[cataraftgirl]

The sizing of everything from hammocks to quilts was what had me doing all my stuff DIY from the start. Fortunately I had most of the skill set necessary.

My hammock is made for someone 5' tall and the measurements for my TQ were based on experimenting with a fleece throw and being a couch potato it's just as wide as most but a whole lot shorter.

While I was at it I ended up making both pairs of my convertible pants because off the rack stuff had the shorts being capri's and the bottoms of the convertibles would be 9" below my ankles. Short inseam and large butt just don't work for store bought clothing.

As to light equipment, I took into consideration the weight of everything.

My only luxury that I will carry the weight for is my Helinox chair. Other than that making all my own stuff sacks and compression sacks not only saved me money but weight as well. I started off with making my own backpack a la luxury lite and it worked well but now I need an internal frame pack for the raft. The ULA Epic weighs in around 2 lbs plus the 10 oz for the dry bag, I've got a 65 L pack that's completely waterproof for just over 2 1/2 lbs....not bad at all.

Now I'm looking at making my own dry suit for extending my rafting season. I figured out quickly that I would have to grow by 16" to be able to get my body into a commercially made suit...and since I'm way past any growth spurts, that just isn't going to happen...

You have hit upon a major gripe of mine. Outdoor clothing for full figured women. In some cases I can make men's stuff work. I'm 5'6", so I'm close, but never quite tall enough for a lot of stuff. there are a few companies who make plus size sportswear, but none that are strictly outdoor clothing. REI carries a few Plus size pieces, but not much.
I did find a dry suit by Kokatat that fits fairly well. It's a woman's XLS....Extra large short. But short means 5'5" - 5'8"

[Cali]

I have the opposite problem; When I try women's clothes, the capris are long shorts, and the shoulders on shirts are not broad enough. Also, the sleeve length is never long enough. The long sleeves with the thumb hole are just right for a normal length for me, I just can't put my thumb in the hole. Additionally women's pants are too short most times, unless I get lucky and find long, and they will usually work. I am happy with the way God made me, and just have to make the extra effort to find the right size stuff, which may mean going to the men's department.

[hutzelbein]

Sure: ladies are often smaller, may sleep cooler, distribute our fat weight differently on our bodies, etc. We may need less length in hammocks or quilts, and maybe even might find different-shaped hammocks preferable vs men (many of whom outweigh me by a hundred pounds.) All reasons why many gear makers produce woman-specific gear for us ladies (sleeping bags, for example, with more room in the hips and loft in different areas where we lose more heat.) We, being (generally) less muscular and more slightly-built than our men-friends also may have a greater interest in keeping our packs light; a few extra ounces on our backs is a greater percentage of packed-weight to body-weight for us.

No women specific hammock-products out there that I know of. I use a lot of short equipment like a short full-length underquilt, which has been working well for me. I found that 11' hammocks are overkill for my body size; I guess a 10' hammock feels about the same to me as an 11' hammock feels to a larger guy. Other than that I can't use top quilts because I sleep too cold. I generally have to carry *a lot* more insulation than a healthy guy my size would. I used my down vest a lot when hiking in the US last summer, and had a merino long sleeve in my pack, too. I'd love to see more products like the Exped Dreamwalker - but unfortunately, those sleeping bags are way too heavy for the warmth they provide. I'm better off taking my warmer and lighter sleeping bag AND my down vest...

[anjea214]

I know this isn't exactly a female only topic, but maybe female have more issues with the pooping in the woods thing. As a rafter/hammock hanger, I have the luxury of always having a semi-real toilet to use. We are required to carry a sealable, water proof, sturdy, cleanable system on rivers. Now that I'm venturing into kayak touring, I have to start thinking like a backpacker with regards to solid waste. Some of the areas I'll be paddling require waste to be carried out. I know about wag bags, but I'm struggling with the squatting part because I have a bad knee. I've seen a few different methods to make backcountry toilets, and I'm experimenting with a few. If I come up with a winner, I'll post about it here, in case they are other kayak touring hammock gals who are "in the same boat" as me.

http://www.squatmonkey.com/

[grannypat]

http://www.squatmonkey.com/

Swinginit came up with an ultralight poopie sling similar to this.

[Playapixie]

Great conversation! It's definitely helpful to know what other ladies are using gear-wise. :-)

[slugbait]

Re: changing while hammocking- I've always used the "lie in the hammock with the top quilt over you" method. Even with buttoned shirts which I like to wear hiking- there's a learning curve but doable.