hammock camping

I've been thinking about trying hammock camping myself due in part to Shug's videos. That guy is a nut but he explains things well.

Good luck!

 

Shug's the man!

 

Congrats and I know you'll really like it. What type of suspension did you get with it? Practice putting it up and taking it down a few times. I put some snake-skins on and it helps to get it packed up and keep in clean while putting up and taking down. Not sure what type of fly, but you can get a Sil-Nylon one such as my Equinox that is 10x12 and it's still pretty compact/light, but gives you a lot more coverage...otherwise you'll be stuck in your hammock during severe rainstorms.

ROCK6

 

I've been hammock camping for years.

However I use a Clark Jungle hammock ( first one of their Tropical models and now a camo North American)

You will find it quite different to camping on the ground. Can't speak for the Warbonnet but the Clark sets up so much faster and makes setting camp somuch easier than using a tent it is amazing.

Some folks get colder in hammocks and can only use them in the warmer seasons. I am the exception as I have wintered in mine, but I sleep hot even in extreme cold.

Nevertheless welcome to swinging between trees.

 

I use a Clark's tropical.
I never much cared for sleeping on the floor..............unless it was accidental, due to a long battle with Senior J.D. Bourbon

Once you get used to rigging it you'll laugh at the memory of Duh Tent Daze.

 

i recently bought an ENO singlenest with bug net and slap straps. i def. could have made my own slap straps and bug net cheaper but there is something to be said for not driving to 10 stores and a couple hours of trial and error. the setup is awesome and there is no learning curve. simple to hang and easy to relax in for me.

as for tips id say drip strings tied to the suspension so that rain doesnt flow down the suspension into your hammock. have fun!

 

Well done good move, its said we evolved when we moved down from the trees to the ground but I reckon gettimag back into them was better.../

I have a Jungle hammock and the best advice i can give you is:
1) practice setting up at home where you can get it right safely

2) once you have got it sussed try it at night and in the rain

3) try sleeping in it too!

4) dont be afraid to change things around a little, you will find what works for you. I changed the straps and strings and added a few biners to mine.

5) Thermarest/underquilt/sleeping bag...I use a seeping bag and a thermarest, one to keep my back warm (you loose heat there hanging) and the other to keep my top warm.

6) get a small headlamp for reading and midnight trips.

Have fun.

 

Shug is a funny dude - he posts a lot at hammockforums.net.

I too have a Warbonnet Blackbird, and am absolutely in love with it.

The most important thing to master with hammock camping is insulation. Even in relatively warm weather, you will often find yourself chilled on the bottom. I use bottom insulation pretty much whenever the temperature drops below 65 degrees.

Sometimes MUCH below...





It's also good to have options for tarps. For cold or windy conditions, I love a tarp with doors that can be closed up like a tent. These are also useful when camping in areas with lots of people, as it gives you more privacy.

 

Given the options, which would you roll with, a tent with thick footprint or one of those fancy hammocks.

My credit card is ready to take a beating and that North American style looks like its the bizz for my climate.

 

Given the options, I would never sleep in a tent again. The only exception to that would be camping at altitude, above treeline, where hammocks aren't really an option.

In a tent, even when sleeping on a soft snow bed, I ALWAYS wake up with back, shoulder, and neck stiffness and pain. When I sleep in my hammock, I wake up refreshed and well rested.


Personally, I am not a fan of the Clark hammocks - in my opinion they are too complicated and too heavy. They are also somewhat narrower than some other brands of hammocks, meaning you can't sleep on the diagonal to get a truly flat lay. When you sleep straight in line with a hammock, you get the banana-back, which is just as bad for my back as sleeping on the ground, but when you shift your body to the diagonal, like in a Hennessey, Warbonnet, Switchback, or any other wide hammock, you get much flatter and can sleep more comfortably.



That said, it all comes down to personal preference - some people who have the clarks love them, and some don't. You won't truly know until you try it.



Also, don't give up on hammock camping too quickly - it is a somewhat finicky way to sleep, and until you've gotten it figured out, it might seem like it's impossible to get things just right. Setting up a tent is pretty much idiot proof, but sleeping in a hammock has a learning curve. If you put in the time to get it all figured out, however, you'll be rewarded with one of the most versatile and comfortable woods shelters in existence.

 

I have been eyeing those War Bonnet Blackbirds since winter. I would love to get one for motorcycle camping.

 

I've been using my Hennessey for several years now-like it alot. Just took a canoe trip to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota last week. There were very strong winds-it was almost impossible to setup in bad weather. One of the guide wires to the rain fly broke due to the high winds.

 

I use a Hennessy hammock.



Mine is the brown Explorer DLX in the back ground. The forest green hammock is my uncle’s.

 

enjoy, love my bb

 

I'm a big guy and find sleeping on the ground very uncomfortable.I bought a clark jungle hammock a few years ago and haven't looked back.summer,winter doesn't matter.I'm up and I'm comfortable.
I may look at one of those warbonnet ones tho when my Clark gives up the good fight.I like the idea of the quilting system for cold weather.In Canada we have plenty of that.

 

Anyone have actual pictures of someone laying in these? Can you actually lay flat in one?
Seems that getting on a pad and into your bag inside one would be a pain??

 

Yes. Getting on a pad and in a sleeping bag is a pain in my Hennessey. Some people run "pad systems" with various sections of ccf attached together to provide insulation. I used to run a 3/4 length Thermarest and use my bag as an overquilt. Recently bought a Crowsnest underquilt from Adam at The Perfect Trees and it is without a doubt the best piece of gear I have bought since my hammock. 900 fill power down. Light, compact, warm. No fuss, no muss. Adam is a great guy to deal with, too.

 

Getting inside a sleeping bag and onto a pad is much easier in a side entry hammock than a bottom entry hennessey. There is still some fidgeting, and many people switch to top quilts (which are lighter to boot) for exactly that reason.