Hammock camping: 2nd time was the charm

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hikeeba

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Jul 20, 2006
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This past weekend me and two of my neighbors went camping. We went to Newport State Park, which is the only designated wilderness area in the Wisconsin State Park system. Here is a link to a park map: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/specific/newport/newport.pdf

We stayed at site #13.

Last year we went to a different State Park (Rock Island State Park) where I tried the hammock thing, and it didn't work out so well. The failure last year was due to a combination of overnight temps falling lower than anticipated, and me trying to shave pounds off my pack by taking a super lightweight sleeping bag. Here is a picture of my setup from last year:
RI06009.jpg

Gear-wise, I used an Ultra-Light Travel Hammock, a full-length Z-Rest, an inexpensive GI-type poncho, and a cheap 50-degree rated sleeping bag. I had a chunk of mosquito netting that I had placed over my head. Because temps dipped into the mid-40s and the cheap sleeping bag didn't hold any heat, I wasn't too comfortable. It was also pretty breezy, and wherever my body slipped off the Z-Rest, there was a cold spot. The poncho really should have been rigged a lot closer to the hammock, as it didn't do much to protect me from the wind. A few times I woke up shivering and had to sort of 'run in place' in the bag in order to generate enough warmth so I could doze off again. The second night of the trip was spent on the ground under a tarp, where I was much warmer. The trip was still fun, but I learned a lot.

This year, I tried the hammock thing again, but changed a few things. It was a night and day experience compared to last year. Here's the setup:
Camp008.jpg

I used the same hammock and Z-Rest. Different items this year were a 20-degree sleeping bag, a MSR Trekker's Tarp (I recently found it half off MSRP at a local outdoor shop), and a full mosquito net. I was as snug as a bug in a rug, and slept pretty well. The sleeping bag made all the difference. I was actually a little too warm, and had the bag unzipped about 2/3 the way. Being too warm on this trip proved to be easy to manage.

So there you go. It worked for me, I was happy, and I thought I'd share. I didn't do too much edged tool stuff on this trip, but thats ok. I really enjoyed the time spent in the outdoors with some good friends.
 
pack light freaze at night :) looks like a good setup, glad it worked out better for you this time
 
Thanks for the pics! This is very helpful, as I was considering getting a cheap little hammock I found at a shop recently. Looks like a nice way to spend the night. I'll be lacking the nicer tarp, but hopefully if I get a cheap tarp close enough over the hammock it won't be a problem.

What were the temperatures like?
 
Hikeeba,

You can be both warm and light in a hammock if you rig your insulation on the outside of the hammock where it won't be compressed by your body weight.

I use two different sleeping bags here, a very lightweight tropical bag that is (joking here) good down to about 98 degrees, and a 3 season bag I use in PA. When it is going to be cold I hang a GI poncho liner doubled over UNDER the hammock and rig it so it will be snug but still lose. Stretching it tight will do the same thing as compressing it.

Here's a photo of the last time I did it this way. I was toasty warm in this set-up.

img1568mt1.jpg


I use the poncho ties to tie off to one corner of the hammock ropes and run a length of paracord through the fold on the other side. When I'm in the hammock the poncho liner wraps up around me. Hanging it makes all the difference in the world. If you just put the liner in the bottom of the hammock you freeze and it bunches up.

I get the best night sleep in a hammock. I saw somewhere on the net a tutorial for making a quilted hammock for really cold temps and they claim comfort in sub freezing weather. This is the way to go IMO. Mac
 
Nice setup, I love hammocks. So many more campsites when you don't have to find flat ground.
 
Hi Mac! Thanks for the tip on stringing supplemental insulation on the outside of the hammock. That makes a ton of sense! I will try that the next time I'm out in cooler weather.
 
Ilbruce,

With a hammock you can sleep just about anywhere. Look at the ground in that photo I posted. You can lay down in it, but you won't sleep! Mac
 
pict said:
Ilbruce,

With a hammock you can sleep just about anywhere. Look at the ground in that photo I posted. You can lay down in it, but you won't sleep! Mac
Click to expand...

That was my point. :D

When I go out in the mountains you can look around forever looking for a spot for a tent. But with the hammock you can put it on a steep hillside no problem. And you don't get bugs and things crawling into your tent either.
 
Great pics and good ideas, thanks, Gene
 
Hum. This makes me definitely want to try this! Although, I rarely get to go camping anymore :(

But it looks great. Seems like there would be zero condensation... and this is very appealing to me.
 
Hey mate, check out hennessy hammocks if you havent already. I have the A-sym and love it. They have a built in mozzie net and a purpose made fly that works a treat. www.hennesseyhammock.com I think (google it)
 
Stryker D said:
Hikeeba,
Cool tarp! Is that the Trekker? If not or if so - what do you think of it?
Click to expand...

Hiya Stryker D! The tarp is an MSR Trekker Tarp; not to be confused with MSR's current offering Trekker Wing. From what I've been able to learn, the Trekker Tarp was discontinued in 2005 by MSR. The Trekker Tarp was a design that MSR adopted from Walrus Tents after merging with Walrus's manufacturer Edgeworks in 2000.

The Trekker Tarp is basically an A-frame tent shell with two pointy ends. It is supported by two poles and will only stand when staked out. The shelter can be used as a tent with a door at each end, or one side can be completely opened making it like a lean-to design that is closed on three sides.

I just picked up the tarp a few weeks ago, and set it up in my yard tent-style just to get acquainted with it. I thought I'd take it on our little trip this last weekend to see if i could rig it over the hammock. The tarp has loops on the top which made riggin easy. To clear the hammock, I folded the pointy ends into the peak and looped the stake loops through a loop/clip assembly on the inside of the end peaks. Not only did that shorten the end wall of the tarp, but it also created a little storage area for my hat, a shirt, and a knife. I attached the mosquito netting to the two loops inside the peaks. Mosquitos weren't apparent where we were, but each morning there were about a dozen daddy longlegs on the net near my head.

Again, the Trekker Tarp rigged over my hammock (to save scrolling up):
Camp008.jpg


And a stock photo from an old Walrus Tents web page showing the open side ground deployment:
tarp_trekker.gif


I have looked at tarp shelters for a long time, but I never felt comfortable shelling out the $$$ for one. I have a few nice tents, and always figured I could use the rain flies as a shelter. But my tent flies require their specific poles, and they really can't be rigged decently using only their outside guy points. I have a large rectangle nylon tarp taht I've used with great success, but it isn't the lightest thing in the world, and will accomodate only two people with gear comfortably when set up low to the ground.
RI06019.jpg


The Trekker Tarp fills the gap I have been itching to fill for a number of years. It is light, it packs small, and can be set up a number of different ways. It'll probably be my go-to shelter when not car camping.
 
I just picked up a Hennessy Ultralight Backpacker recently. Haven't had a chance to set it up, but I am excited about the possibilities. I like the idea that someone posted in another thread where they attach a space blanket to the bottom of the hammock to reflect heat and help make up for what is lost in sleeping bag compression. I am wondering if I would still have to use a sleeping pad with that setup. The whole reason that I bought the hammock was to save weight and stop carrying all the stuff that I take when using a tent.
 
Witht he space blanket I would expect alot of noise at night, like "sleeping in a potato crisp bag" as on UK poster described it. Mac
 
pict said:
Witht he space blanket I would expect alot of noise at night, like "sleeping in a potato crisp bag" as on UK poster described it. Mac
Click to expand...

I am thinking of using the thicker Adventure Medical one. It shouldn't be as bad about crinkling.
 
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The Trekker Tarp is basically an A-frame tent shell with two pointy ends. It is supported by two poles and will only stand when staked out. The shelter can be used as a tent with a door at each end, or one side can be completely opened making it like a lean-to design that is closed on three sides.

Hi Hikeeba,
So as far as I can see the point running forward from the top, say 16" - is it permanently sewn? Would you also be able to string it like a regular tarp? I've also been cosidering a light weight model that goes up like a tent. I've adapted a horizontal tarp and folded some right angles creating 1/2 a teepee. But to get enough room I need a 12 X 15 tarp. Your rig looks like a nice option :)
 
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