First Hang Critique please?

**Bumper** · 06-30-2009, 06:58

Hi All,

I finally managed to get my first hang after many false starts, and now I'm utterly, utterly hooked. I can't wait until I can get back in my hammock. It's the first time in years I've actually looked forward to going to bed: no tossing and turning, no sore back, just a solid sleep like I haven't had in sooo long.

I took my mum (a very adventurous 70 year-old) to a rainforest in central Queensland, Australia and we spent a glorious three days freezing our bits off, getting soaked by dew, and generally having a ball.
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As you can see, it was so cold my camera lens was suffering condensation.

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We spent some time shivering by a rock pool in the hope we would see the resident platypus, but unfortunately, it was not to be.
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Perhaps he was a bit shy due to the recent heavy rains and high water levels in the creek.
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Being a rainforest, and having recent rains meant the dew was incredibly heavy each morning, and by the third morning even unworn clothes stored in a duffel in the tent were feeling damp.

We also found that because I'd forgotten to put a space blanket above the insulation layers, our bags and insulation were quite wet from condensation - there's a good learning experience!

I've attached a few pics of my HH Explorer setup in the hope the wise and good people ofthis forum can give me a few hints about how I can improve things for my next hang (don't worry, I won't forget the space blanket again!).
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As you can see, I'm using the ring buckle system, which has proven very easy and sturdy although the standard HH rope does seem a bit stiff for use with the rings.
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I've used snake skins for both my hex tarp and hammock and I pulled them down over the ends of the tarp and hammock respectively. I'm wondering is this a good idea or does it present a channel for water to run directly into the hammock?
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I tied the tree huggers as high as I could reach and still felt the hammock was a bit low for the BEEP. Does that mean the trees were too far apart? The ridge line didn't feel over tight and there was still a bit of sag. Could I have done something better?

I'm so glad mum sewed some longer tree huggers with 'D' rings on the ends - the trees were pretty big!
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We took along the tent to sit in in the evenings, and in case mum didn't like hanging but, I'm pleased to say, after a couple of not-so-comfortable nights, she had a great sleep on the third night. She was sleeping in the HH Scout that they sent me when I ordered the Explorer.
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I used some closed cell rubber underlay in mum's hammock as I didn't have an undercover for it and although it did a good job, it sure didn't stay put. Still, she stayed warm and that's the main thing. It got down to about 6 degrees celcius overnight. Mum slept on a syntetic bag with a down bag over her. I slept on a fleece blanket with my synthetic bag as a quilt and was toasty warm. In fact, I spent the third night half uncovered - the Super Shelter sure does work!

So, any feedback or suggestions on how I could improve my setup would be greatly appreciated (yes, I know, buy a Blackbird

)

**lori** · 06-30-2009, 07:36

Good for you and good for mum! Great report.

ccf will stay put better if you take some of that silicon seam sealer and dot/dab it on the bottom. Eventually it wears off but you can always do it again.

**DiverDn** · 06-30-2009, 07:43

Great report, it sounds like you had a great time.

It's good to see your Mum was willing to give the ole hammock a try.

I can't give any advice as I don't have a hammock yet, but it looks good to me.
John

**gunn parker** · 06-30-2009, 08:06

Hi
Great report, what's a sydney sider doing up north in QLD?

I love how you broke up the text with some pics, thanks.

Now it does look like your trees were a little too far apart. For my Hennessy I step out toe to toe about fifteen steps, give or take and find that works well.

Keep it up
Gunn

**BillyBob58** · 06-30-2009, 08:37

Originally Posted by Bumper

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We also found that because I'd forgotten to put a space blanket above the insulation layers, our bags and insulation were quite wet from condensation - there's a good learning experience!

I've attached a few pics of my HH Explorer setup in the hope the wise and good people ofthis forum can give me a few hints about how I can improve things for my next hang (don't worry, I won't forget the space blanket again!).

Well, you have confirmed and learned about one of the SS basics right off the bat! Good for you! Glad you and Mum had a great experience despite going through some learning curve. You will also find it is a lot warmer- for whatever reason- with the space blanket, though it sounds like you were warm enough anyway. Which is impressive considering it sounds like your Underpad ( or whatever your under insulation was, did you have an HH OCF pad??) was damp/wet. That speaks highly of the SS, with you being warm when wet at about 42*F, I think.

I tied the tree huggers as high as I could reach and still felt the hammock was a bit low for the BEEP. Does that mean the trees were too far apart? The ridge line didn't feel over tight and there was still a bit of sag. Could I have done something better?

Could be too far apart. Shoot for 13 to 16 feet when possible. When you say there was a bit of sag, do you mean before you got in, or after? I have found, in general, the looser I hang my hammocks to start with, the less additional sag I get once I get in. Of course, with a ridgeline, there is a limit to how loose you can hang it or the line and net will be drooping down in your face. And it is after all designed to be pulled fairly snug. I used to really pull it tight, but now I just tighten it with very lightly. Works better for me. It is easy to pull it TOO tight when using one of the ring/cinch buckle type set ups.

I used some closed cell rubber underlay in mum's hammock as I didn't have an undercover for it and although it did a good job, it sure didn't stay put. Still, she stayed warm and that's the main thing. It got down to about 6 degrees celcius overnight. Mum slept on a syntetic bag with a down bag over her. I slept on a fleece blanket with my synthetic bag as a quilt and was toasty warm. In fact, I spent the third night half uncovered - the Super Shelter sure does work!

So, any feedback or suggestions on how I could improve my setup would be greatly appreciated (yes, I know, buy a Blackbird)

Well, that BB is indeed great, but there is also not a thing wrong with the set up you are using. Particularly if you are already having comfortable sleep and the SS is working well for you. Probably a 2Q zipper mod would make it very competitive with about anything else out there.

I generally do the snake skins like you do, I never had any water come in. Sometimes I have covered up most of the rope also with sanke skins, from hammock to tree. But that is not easy to do with a buckle system.

Welcome to hammock hanging!

**Cannibal** · 06-30-2009, 08:56

Nice report and way to get mom in the woods!

Another one here that agrees you picked two trees that were at a less than desirable distance. Having them closer just makes everything easier. I won't tell you to buy a Blackbird because it's only a matter of time until you talk yourself into one anyway.

Thanks for the pics!

**TinaLouise** · 06-30-2009, 09:04

Great report, congrats to your mom, I can only hope that when I reach her age that i'm as adventurous as she still is!!!

**Fig** · 06-30-2009, 11:26

First off, when I am 70, I want to be out camping. Sounds like you had an awesome time with your Mum. I looked at the pictures, and frankly I don't really see anything wrong with the hang. You said you felt it was to low, but for me, the only time it's too low is when I am dragging the ground. I might have cinched up one side a little more, but your pics look basically like I would have hung mine.

The only concern I have, and maybe it's not even a concern, but are the D rings sewn into the Tree Huggers weight rated? Other than that, in my opinion, it looks like you have the "hang" of it.

**Bumper** · 07-01-2009, 02:08

Thanks for the feedback! I did think the trees were a bit far apart, but they were really the only ones available there.

Gunn, mum lives in northern NSW and we were trying to get away from the rain! The original plan was to head to Fraser Is, but the weather was too iffy, so we had a couple of nights near Gympie before the rain came back.

BillyBob, thanks for all your comments - all taken on board. Yes, I was using the standard HH OCF in the undercover. I'm always a very warm sleeper, but after reading so many comments here about the need for underquilts etc, I was pretty nervous. Thankfully, the combination seems like it could have gone a fair bit colder, and with the space blanket I should be able to get at least to freezing point if not beyond. I also made sure there was some sag before I got in because my weight takes that sag right out! I think the first couple of practice hangs at home I went too tight - the ridgeline was pretty damned tight, so now I loosen up quite a bit, which gives a flatter lay.

Thanks Lori, the silcone sealer is a great idea. Mum is currently sewing an undercover for her Scout, so hopefully she'll be better set next time.

Cannibal: You're right!

I'm really proud of how happily my mum will try pretty much anything.