A few questions for you guys that know what your talking about.

[David Schott]

I never had any wetness problems at all with my hammock. Rain simply didnt travel down the lines as some have said. A very simple way to fix this is just prior to where the fly and hammock attach to the main line, tie a knot with a dangling string. Rain will always flow in the path of least resistance, and never make it to your hammock. The fly is silnylon, so that doesnt let anything through at all.

I wouldnt want to be in a rainstorm in anything preferably, but i would prefer a hammock over a tent in a big storm. You can really batten down the hatches and set up for heavy rain and wind fairly easily.

Hammocks arent for everyone. The key is to lie basically diagonally across the bottom. If you lie diagonally, you lie nearly flat, wheras if you lie straight, you tend to bow in the bottom which can be uncomfortable.

 

[LHD]

akennedy73 - funny you should mention snaring as that is a skill id very much like to acquire. Seems like a very efficient means of obtaining food. I must say id be pissed if i had to live of plants for more than 3 days. I like meat in my diet. And that is ignoreing the fact that meat or beans is essential to a human diet.

Generally brass snares are very light weight and easily packable. The hardest part will be finding bait for your intended prey. You could pick up a couple different types and see what works for you. Its a good skill to have developed before you need it.

 

[darkestthicket]

Razor, Goodluck with basic,Ait and Ranger school. Go Army! hooooorah!

 

[razorsdescent]

hoooooah back atcha DT. Thanks for your support.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

That is such a good book. My dad gave it to me when I was in JR high and started me on this path. I have the first edition hardback with the blue and white cover.

Agreed. It is a good book. Just checked my copy - publish date 1965. It has a hard cover but is only blue, not blue and white. I got it from Outdoor Life Book Club in a 2 book gift set. The other book is the Complete Book of Camping by Miracle and Decker.

Doc

 

[G L Drew]

I can't say enough good things about the Hennessy Hammock but have to agree: only in warm weather. I lived in one for 9 days on a kayak trip and it was great. I didn't have to sleep on a rock once. I have since purchased a very light weight nylon tarp, much larger than the fly that comes with the hammock. I will replace the fly with the tarp and have enough room to dress, cook a meal etc. while out of the rain.

 

[braddy]

B) Wiggy's! I don't own one yet, but everything I've read from satisfied customers says it's the bag to have

I thought so too, but if you dig deep enough on the internet, you find some pretty convincing condemnation as well.

No matter what, take a few hand warmers, if the night is terrible, or the bag less than you thought, a hand warmer inside the bag will make up the difference.

 

[wade]

coldest night of my life was in the summer in a hammock. It allows the cold air to move all around you. The next night I slept on the ground.

 

[pit man]

take a look at www.buffalosystems.co.uk their sleeping system is the best i've come across.

 

[kr1]

I've read that a sleeping pad placed in the hammock can add to the comfort level and serves as a great bottom insulator in colder weather.

I use my thermarest air matress and it works great. I have a HH also. Love it.

KR

 

[reconseed]

I have no experience with a hammock.

From what I hear the two part bags are the best. One part is the bag you get in and then theres a padded bottom you slide in to insulate you depending on the conditions.

I've read a couple books on the subject. This is about half of my collection, the other half are at work where I do most of my reading.

Which one is best depends on what you're looking for. Some are very broad spectrum, some are highly specialized in one very specific field which may or may not be what you're looking for.

Any of the ones in the pic are a real good start aside from "Back in the day" and "survivalist little book of wisdom" which basically cover areas of things you may want to look at in your preparations but dont provide any real detail in them.

You need to decide if you're looking for survival or bushcraft. If you're looking for survival narrow it down to urban or wilderness. I havent read any really good books that covered both well so its best to pick up one in the field you intend to study.


BTW "The Ultimate Survival Guide" is a reprint of Lofty's "SAS Survival Handbook" you an pickup for $6 new and about $2 used. Its a great read but he uses some pretty thick brittish slang in certain areas. Its easy to get through but you'd want to read through it once before you needed it, so you have time to sort out what the hell hes trying to say.

THE ULTIMATE SURVIVAL GUIDE!!!! i bought that book at walmart for $4.83!!! i consider it a wise investment... It never leaves my car, unless I am going out on a FTX or am leaving for the mountains for a few days.

 

[GibsonFan]

I have fm21-76-1, the standard Army Survival manual zipped up in an Adobe PDF if anyone wants it. It's handy to have for reference although I want the actual book too.

 

[wolfmother]

1; Hammock is good if you anticipate having to sleep in a mangrove, swamp, or flooded area. You won't sleep well but you will sleep better - otherwise get "down on the grownd"!
2; Down feathers with a waterproof 'skin' like goretex or some-such.
3; Most of the books that have been mentioned are next to useless if you compare them to the mother of them all; "The Ten BushCraft Books" by Richard Graves. Google and be happy; this is the ONLY book I recommend to anyone. One can fantasise until the cows come home but when you are in dire straits- if you have read this book and carried out the exercises, you will live- no other book will prepare you. It has been distributed online here for free; http://tions.net/CA256EA900408BD5/vwWWW/outdoor~03~000

TAKE NOTE; if you learn this book you will never need anything else for wilderness survival (or even happy camping) - aside from very cold weather survival which you can learn about by talking to the Inuit, swedes, norwegians or canuks.

 

[Moine]

Re hammocks :

In cold weather, the hammock itself will catch wind and get cold by convection. Then, it'll pump heat away from you by conduction. IOW, you need a good conduction insulator in a hammock just like on cold ground. I typically use a closed cell foam pad in mine. It works ok.

One advantage of hammocks is that they will let you sleep on any ground, provided you have two solid anchor points at the right distance from each other. You can sleep in a 45° boulder slope, you can sleep over a mud puddle. You can sleep over almost anything.

Another advantage, in some cases, is that they can be raised quite a lot given you know some basic climbing techniques & have the right gear. I've slept at 30-40 feet off the ground a few times (with full body harness on and roped in to two serious anchor points, on different branches than the one(s) you attach your hammock onto). Funny stuff, especially when the wind starts to blow in the middle of the night and the tree starts rocking back and forth

Large hammocks like the Hennesy are great. You can sleep *almost* flat in them. The top tarp is a bit on the smallish side for serious rain though. Make sure you get the XXL tarp they offer as an option.

Cheers,

David

 

[Return of the J.D.]

3; Most of the books that have been mentioned are next to useless if you compare them to the mother of them all; "The Ten BushCraft Books" by Richard Graves. Google and be happy; this is the ONLY book I recommend to anyone. One can fantasise until the cows come home but when you are in dire straits- if you have read this book and carried out the exercises, you will live- no other book will prepare you. It has been distributed online here for free; http://tions.net/CA256EA900408BD5/vwWWW/outdoor~03~000

TAKE NOTE; if you learn this book you will never need anything else for wilderness survival (or even happy camping) - aside from very cold weather survival which you can learn about by talking to the Inuit, swedes, norwegians or canuks.

Thanks for the tip on the Graves book--it does, indeed, look very good, and I anticipate enjoying working my way through it and incorporating it into what I'm teaching my wife and kids. One question: how, if at all, is the "10 Bushcraft Books" series related to Graves' more-accessible "Bushcraft a Serious Guide To Survival & Camping"? Anyone know?

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Thanks for the tip on the Graves book--it does, indeed, look very good, and I anticipate enjoying working my way through it and incorporating it into what I'm teaching my wife and kids. One question: how, if at all, is the "10 Bushcraft Books" series related to Graves' more-accessible "Bushcraft a Serious Guide To Survival & Camping"? Anyone know?

I went through the '10' at one point and I don't remember any differences.

Doc

 

[wolfmother]

Thanks for the tip on the Graves book--it does, indeed, look very good, and I anticipate enjoying working my way through it and incorporating it into what I'm teaching my wife and kids. One question: how, if at all, is the "10 Bushcraft Books" series related to Graves' more-accessible "Bushcraft a Serious Guide To Survival & Camping"? Anyone know?

As far as I can recall the book you mentioned is a 'watered down' version of the bushcraft books- but I'm sure it is still an excellent book- not a bad place to start at all.

I recieved the 'Ten Bushcraft Books" as a prize back in scouts here in Australia - it is the best award I have ever recieved because instead of sitting on my mantlepiece it has been an ongoing source of learning over the years- I don't expect to ever master the lessons, but just to continually improve my skills as the years go by - Even though I'm a man now, I can still re-read a section and find things that I can improve upon - especially when he says "this exercise should take you no longer than 30 minutes" and I find it is still taking me two hours- it's just a great motivator to keep you trying to improve your skills. Good stuff!

 

[Return of the J.D.]

Thanks--have ordered the "Serious Guide" version, and will be interested to compare. Kids are already interested in the "10 Books" version. With a little luck, they'll be halfway good at this stuff by the time they're 10!

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Return of the JD;

If you find any differences could you let me know? I have the book and it is very good but I honestly don't remember anything in the book that was not in the free download.

Doc

 

[BlueyM]

Well done on the enlistment, razordescent.
Apologies about the late entry, I've been away (out in the Oz desert, surprise, surprise), but I just wanted to chime in and say that as long as you live, you will never regret taking up the "profession of arms".

Godspeed, young warrior.