Short Overnight Solo - Pic Heavy!

pitdog,

I'm still looking for the ultimate camping shelter, and a hammock has been on my mind a lot lately. I'm looking for something which is extremely light, waterproof, and bugproof for the spring and summer. A well-designed hammock may eliminate the need for a sleeping pad, which saves a decent chunk of weight as well.
 
This sounds like a DIY project, actually. I imagine most shelter-hammocks commercially available are embellished with screens, pockets, and everything else. This summer, I'll try to find some lightweight, ultra-strong fabric. The only fancy feature necessary is a screen panel for ventilation. The sleeping bag will keep bugs from biting through the fabric. This should be very cool!
 
CanDo said:
There's actually an argument to be made for that. Since the tarp is open on two ends, anyone can see exactly where you are, what you are doing, and what you have. In the tent, you would be able to sit up and grab a gun or otherwise prepare yourself without alerting the attacker and sending him temporarily into the shadows. - A tent gives you an advantage by adding an unknown to the criminal.
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I dislike the feeling that a psycho/scumbag can position without me seeing him. Of course my camping buddy (German Shepherd) is usually even more concerned about being snuck up on. If I use a tent my buddy is in and out all night anyway doing patrols. In the instances when I am without my buddy, I usually don't camp where it is too easy to get to me without making some noise. I also practice sound and light discipline as hold overs from working for my Uncle Sam.

Edited to add: I have slept in a heighten state of awareness where the bit of cigarette smoke off someones clothes has awakened me from sleep.
 
actiondiver,

Thanks for your service! Could you elaborate a bit on 'sound and light discipline'? I don't mean to come across as totally paranoid, but it is interesting to me.
 
In a cold nightime environment, assuming a drop in temperature, isn't the air temperature circulating under the hammock going to be lower than the ground temperature?

Would seem to be a similar principal as precipitation not freezing over a regular road at temperatures right at or below freezing, but overpasses becoming icy in the same scenario.
 
CanDo said:
pitdog,

I'm still looking for the ultimate camping shelter, and a hammock has been on my mind a lot lately. I'm looking for something which is extremely light, waterproof, and bugproof for the spring and summer. A well-designed hammock may eliminate the need for a sleeping pad, which saves a decent chunk of weight as well.
Click to expand...

In a cold nightime environment, assuming a drop in temperature, isn't the air temperature circulating under the hammock going to be lower than the ground temperature?

Would seem to be a similar principal as precipitation not freezing over a regular road at temperatures right at or below freezing, but overpasses becoming icy in the same scenario.
Click to expand...

I've been sleeping in hammocks on almost all of my (admittedly few) backpacking trips over the last three years. I have the one from Byer of Maine that has a built in bug net. It's extremely comfortable but it can be very chilly for exactly the reason that TX907 pointed out. Also, a sleeping bag will get compressed under you and loose much of it's insulating ability. There are a couple of ways to overcome the chill. Some people have made what basically amounts to a sleeping bag that goes all the way around the hammock. Some people use a foam sleeping mat inside the hammock. Silly as it sounds this actually works best for me so far. If you want to minimize the gear you have to carry you can set up your hammock to hang as close to the ground as possible and pile leaves underneath for insulation. It's also important to chose your camp sight carefully to try to offer some protection from any wind. A light weight tarp can help immensely for this (as well as keeping the rain or dew off of you).

Awesome pics CanDo! I'm going to have to get out for a trip like that soon myself.
 
CanDo, you continue to increasingly impress me with your work. Keep it up, and keep on bringing it to us!
 
Great thread. I love the story and pics. I have definitely experienced the sleep you are talking about. I almost always sleep in that state when I nap. During undergrad, when I had an early morning class, I would sometimes nap between my first and second classes in an empty classroom. I always slept very lightly like you described.
 
Excellent photos. It looks like you kept the canopy nice and low to the ground, especially on the right side of the photo.

Some loose brush or rainjacket could close off one end of the shelter.

Did the ice crack at night? Sometimes that can be startling.
 
Fraser,

Oddly enough, the ice didn't crack even though the conditions were just about ideal for it (above freezing suddenly dropping below 20).
 
CanDo said:
Looks like someone beat my idea for an ultra-light hammock

http://www.hennessyhammock.com/
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Yeah, the Hennessys are supposed to be pretty much the cream of the crop as far as camping hammocks go. I may upgrade to one this year since my Byer is getting a bit on the old side. We've had a few good threads about hammock camping on here. You should be able to find them pretty easily with the recently resurrected search engine, or type "hammocks site:bladeforums.com" into Google to limit your search to Bladeforums.
 
35 years ago I walked from Maine to Georgia, camping out almost every night except for short stints in town hunting for female companionship, (hey I was 19 ). It can be downright spooky in the woods, I don't care how old or how tough you are. An exhausted mind plays tricks on you and there are the real noises, animals and falling tree branches in the night.
Like any activity worth doing, you just keep on doing it until it becomes familiar, and you can tell the difference between a morning loon and a homicidal maniac down the trail..:)
Good on ya..keep getting out there..nice pics too!
 
factfind said:
35 years ago I walked from Maine to Georgia, camping out almost every night except for short stints in town hunting for female companionship, (hey I was 19 ). It can be downright spooky in the woods, I don't care how old or how tough you are. An exhausted mind plays tricks on you and there are the real noises, animals and falling tree branches in the night.
Like any activity worth doing, you just keep on doing it until it becomes familiar, and you can tell the difference between a morning loon and a homicidal maniac down the trail..:)
Good on ya..keep getting out there..nice pics too!
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If you want to tell us more about your experience (on the AT I presume?), I'd love to hear :)
I'm planning the trip for the summer after this one from GA to ME just because I'd like to finish in my home state (well, home region anyway).
 
I would love to do something like that while I'm still young and ''free'' enough to do it. Yeah my girlfriend wouldn't like it - but since when has that stopped me.

Let me know if you seriously get some wheels moving on this plan and you want a buddy(if only for a 2 or 3 state leg of it, I have some things planned already for this summer)
 
midnite penguin,

I'm not going until the summer of 2009 - If all goes according to plan, I'll definitely get in touch with you.
 
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