Hey Folks,

I've been digging around the forum for a few days and I am amazed at this community. Between this forum and other welding forums I am into I'll never get anything done!

I am pretty new to hammocks, but wanted to share my introduction and background with hammock camping with you all. As many people probably started out, I was at REI one day a few years ago and picked up an ENO DN and straps as my first hammock. I had no idea about hammock camping, I just thought it would be rad to use in my backyard and on day hikes around town. A few years down the road I stumbled upon Corporals Corner on youtube. He is a wilderness survival expert and he had a few videos on ridge lines and "smoothing it" in a hammock as part of his survival EDC. I'm not sure if the crowd here is into the bush-craft/survival stuff, but that inspired ME to go out and camp in my hammock for the first time.

So a few more months/years down the road (who's keeping track), I recently went up and camped for 4 days in my ENO in various parts of Mendocino and Humboldt. It was awesome and now I can't wait to get back out there and continue to enjoy the hammock camping lifestyle. I brought a tent with me and didn't need to break it out once. It was more of a backup plan since I was soloing the trip and had never overnight-ed in the hammock. After the first night, I knew that I was going to hang the rest of the trip. My back felt great, unlike when I sleep in the back of my truck. I used my ENO DN with atlas straps. Tied a ridgeline with paracord and used a 13x10 tarp to be invisible. No bug net and didn't need it. It is about 30 degrees in the morning at the moment so I was 0 degree bagging it. (I'm from California so anything less than 50 degrees is considered cold).

After some additional research once I was back from the trip, I found this forum and realized that I had stumbled upon a whole new world. The amount of hammocks and gear is insane compared to my REI ENO. I am definitely in the market for a another hammock though after reading all the recommendations about 11ft hammocks and mods etc etc.

Unfortunately I don't know any other folks that hammock around here, so I'll have to buy before I try. My main problem has been deciding between what brand, single vs double layer for weight savings, mods or no mods, ridgeline vs my usual ridgeline. I am a pad guy at the moment, but I just got into it. I like the idea of fall and winter camping mostly though to avoid the bugs. I will probably go the light (not really UL) route where it makes sense as I do get into a bit of light backpacking, but not afraid to carry 1 or 2 extra pounds. I am not a critical/hardcore UL person (at least yet).

I hope someone finds my story interesting and it motivates them to get out there even as a beginner with no experience and do it with the gear you have mentality.

Looking forward to diving into this phase of my life. I'm sure I'll be a bit quiet at first on the forum as I'm a bit of a beginner still, but looking forward to getting involved.

Cheers!

- Michael