I am thinking seriously of trying again from Springer next March 1, but I'm also thinking of taking a hammock rather than a tarptent. I have never hammocked before and have heard of issues with cold temps. I have a 15* WM bag. Will that be adequate in a hammock on a March 1 start?

Your bag will be fine - it is the bottom of the hammock you have to worry about. Think pads and underquilts. What do you have to use besides a 15*WM?

I've read that the Evazote pads from Gossamer Gear go well with hammocks, and they're light and cheap.

http://tinyurl.com/32ptdp

Your bag will be fine - it is the bottom of the hammock you have to worry about. Think pads and underquilts. What do you have to use besides a 15*WM?You mean another bag? Or pad/quilt to go with the bag?

The only warmer bag I have is a -25* which is WAY too heavy for more than a wintger weekend jaunt. I have several therm-a-rests ranging from .75" to 2.5" (the thickness increased in proportion to my age), and a Z-rest and blue pad.

I'm trying to make the change because the arthritis in my hip is getting worse, and sleeping even with a 2.5" Big Agnes isn't as comfortable as I'd like it.

I don't mind getting a hammock specific pad and/or quilt if the weight penalty isn;t too severe, if it will net me some serious zzz's on the trail.

Frosty- look into some of the JRB stuff if you're concerned about weight. You can convert your WM bag to a quilt easy enough. $6 at Walmart will buy you a blue ccf pad that you can trim to save some weight. Lots of folks just use the pads and a quilt, but I prefer the feel of an UnderQuilt like one from the jacks or some of the synthetic stuff out there. You'll get serious zzzzs for sure!

I'm leaving March 1 with my Warbonnet (yet another hammock) on; lookin forward to meeting ya.

Frosty there is no magic pill that works for everyone - you'll have to play around with it. But here is what I reccomend:

1. Keep your bag - it will do you well, WM is top of the food chain when it comes to good bags.

2. You will want a pad even in your hammock. Your bottom down will be useless as it compresses under you. Underquilts work well - they are warm and comfortable. But they are heavier than a pad in most instances and cost way more. Think wide - mine is a 28" wide deal I made myself. A 1/2" pad will work for me down into the 30s. So with my pad and a quilt I'm good for quite a bit of weather with a cheaper and lighter set up.

3. For your start around 1 March it is going to get cold - chances are it will get REALLY cold. Here you have to make a choice to either get an underquilt, try to make two pads work and go 1" thick on the bottom, or just go to ground and use the hammock like a bivy when your system isn't warm enough.

What I am taking for my 27 January start:

For the base:
1. HH Hyperlite with snakeskins. I have added a couple of carabieneers for a little faster set up. 22.22 oz
2. HH Stock tarp with JRB slingshot tie outs - 9.33 oz
3. A 1/2" Oware pad with a mummy cut - 9.72 oz
4. 2 MSR needle stakes - 0.64 oz total
5. And a Hungry Howie down quilt - 18.02 oz
6. Stuff sack for the quilt - 0.78 oz
Total = 59.71 oz or 3.73 pounds. With this sort of rig I am comfortable into the 40s and can make it to the 30s.

To take me down a little lower:
7. JRB No-Sniveler Under Quilt - 21.27 oz
8. JRB suspension system - 1.13 oz
Total = 22.40 oz or 1.4 pounds. With this added on I am comfy into the 30s and can make it into the 10s or 20s.

Then for the really bad weather I also have this stuff for a back so I can shield the system or go to ground:
9. JRB Weathershield top and bottom - 14.49 oz
10. JRB Stuff sack - 0.46 oz
11. Emergency blanket "groundcloth" - 0.88 oz
Total = 15.83 oz - almost a pound.

When I start I will have all this stuff in addition to all my clothing. The whole hammock kit is 98.94 oz or 6.2 pounds. My experience with this layering system is I can be comfy down in the 20s and make it down to the single digits while still hanging. As I proceed north and the weather improves, I can send home stuff I do not need.

My main concern is if you have never gone hammock and are trying to go for an entire thru-hike with a hammock starting in about 5 months you need to quickly decide on which hammock and figure out what is going to keep you good in cold weather in a pretty small window. But I think you can probably do it.

heres what im looking at using in the early days:
hennessy hammock explorer with the bottom material sealed with dwr spray. (per speers book)
spe 8 pocket with 2 layers of foam pad (1 inch)
kelty lightyear 15 degree down RECTANGULAR bag. (dont think they make them anymore) that i can use as a conventional bag or quilt with footbox.
and lastly, every piece of clothing im carrying.

My main concern is if you have never gone hammock and are trying to go for an entire thru-hike with a hammock starting in about 5 months you need to quickly decide on which hammock and figure out what is going to keep you good in cold weather in a pretty small window. But I think you can probably do it.Good point. I still have my tarptent and Big Agnes pad, etc., so if for any reason I didn't get along with the hammock, I could have my tarptent mailed to me. But I don't want to invest a bunch of money only to find out I prefer tents.

Perhaps I'll try a hammock in the summer instead, and if I like it, I can add stuff.

Jan 27, huh? Not going to have much company. I read Hobbit's journal on TJ (Feb 1 start, I think), and he pretty much had the trail to himself every day and night.

Add to that I'll be on the BMT - so I will probably be the ONLY muldoon on the entire trail for 100 miles in any direction.

SWEET! :D

unfortunately, muldoon season in georgia lasts till feb. 1. wear orange.

Add to that I'll be on the BMT - so I will probably be the ONLY muldoon on the entire trail for 100 miles in any direction.

SWEET! :D
What's BMT?

Benton MacKaye Trail

I am thinking seriously of trying again from Springer next March 1, but I'm also thinking of taking a hammock rather than a tarptent. I have never hammocked before and have heard of issues with cold temps. I have a 15* WM bag. Will that be adequate in a hammock on a March 1 start?


i have camp in my down to single digits and low teens many time with nothing below me but an army closed cell pad AND a 10 degree down bag
:cool: neo

I am thinking seriously of trying again from Springer next March 1, but I'm also thinking of taking a hammock rather than a tarptent. I have never hammocked before and have heard of issues with cold temps. I have a 15* WM bag. Will that be adequate in a hammock on a March 1 start?

i have been a full time 4 season hammock hanger for 3 years now:cool: neo

I'm not nearly as experienced a hanger as Sgt. Rock or Neo, but with what little I've done I can't imagine going without an underquilt below 40 degrees. Part of the issue is that I seem to be quite sensitive to temperature changes, such as when a knee inadvertently compresses against the side. An underquilt also seems like a much better cold-weather solution than several thick, bulky pads.

A wise hiker in here once told me that there is a big difference between hiking in the cold, and a cold hiker.

if your kit is good for x temp and you run into just a night or two of unexpected colder weather there are things you can do to be comfortable:
eat a hot dinner before bedtime.
nalgene hot water bottle in your crotch.
wear every stick of clothes you have.
make a footbag out of your empty pack.
in a pinch a poncho can make an undercover/vapor barrier for your hammock.

im sure there are others.

I'm not nearly as experienced a hanger as Sgt. Rock or Neo, but with what little I've done I can't imagine going without an underquilt below 40 degrees. Part of the issue is that I seem to be quite sensitive to temperature changes, such as when a knee inadvertently compresses against the side. An underquilt also seems like a much better cold-weather solution than several thick, bulky pads.

i have been a full time 4 season hammock hanger for 3 years now:cool: neo

A wise hiker in here once told me that there is a big difference between hiking in the cold, and a cold hiker.
I think these three posts point out part of what I was getting at. I know what I need based on how I sleep and performance in past trips. Neo is probably even less sensitive to cold than I am, but looks like Kerosene is more cold sensitive than me so he needs more stuff.

If you have never hammocked you could get lucky and figure it out in the next 5 months or you could spend a lot of money and end up back on the ground.

I'm not nearly as experienced a hanger as Sgt. Rock or Neo, but with what little I've done I can't imagine going without an underquilt below 40 degrees. Part of the issue is that I seem to be quite sensitive to temperature changes, such as when a knee inadvertently compresses against the side. An underquilt also seems like a much better cold-weather solution than several thick, bulky pads.

If your going below 30 degrees, most people will need the addition of a pad with an underquilt to stay warm. This works great for keeping your knees and whatever else from getting cold on the sides of the pad. www.speerhammocks.com/Products/SPE.htm

Rock is right; it does take lots of practice just to gain the experience that will guide your purchase decisions. However, the good news is you've got 5 months of great testing weather! Get out in your yard and start hanging a couple of nights a week. See which concepts work and which don't.

There are a couple of hangouts coming up in the next few months. They would be your best bet for trying stuff out and seeing other set-ups. But, I still think hang time is your best bet. The only way to learn is to do it and it doesn't have to be expensive.

and while your at it try some of the "modifications" folks are talking about. i cut my ridgeline this weekend...and im glad i did it.

Thanks everyone for the very helpful replies.

I think I will stick with my tent, and try out hammocking when the warm weather arrives.

I'm not even sure if I will like hammocking, so I ought to figure that out before I spent too many $$$.

I would say to get an underquilt and SPE, that way you can go to the ground if you need to. Then learn how to hammock while hiking. However, you are definitely going to want to get out a few time before you head out. Checking out the Hammock Forums would be a really good idea. However, it may be a little overwhelming.

I would say to get an underquilt and SPE, that way you can go to the ground if you need to. Then learn how to hammock while hiking. However, you are definitely going to want to get out a few time before you head out. Checking out the Hammock Forums would be a really good idea. However, it may be a little overwhelming.

Your right it can be a little overwhelming for a newbie at hammock forums.
I suggest going here first for your hammock basic training. www.tothewoods.net

I am thinking seriously of trying again from Springer next March 1, but I'm also thinking of taking a hammock rather than a tarptent. I have never hammocked before and have heard of issues with cold temps. I have a 15* WM bag. Will that be adequate in a hammock on a March 1 start?

if you lived closer,you could come to my fall mid tenn.hangout oct 26,27,28
my 1st hangout was back in march and it got down to boderline freezeing,every body there except for me and my oldest son were brand new to hammock camping,my 2 sons age 11 and 13 are 4 season hangers
all they use is a pad under them and sleeping bags and liners as over quilts
you dont need any special gear to hammock camp:cool: neo

What's SPE ?

What's SPE ?

www.speerhammocks.com/Products/SPE.htm

OK, I get it. Thanks.

I noticed a reference to "Evazote" a few posts back. I stayed with the hammockers at Trail Days this year and one of the campers had some kind of unusual space age sort of pad with an unbelievable R rating. I of course promptly forgot what it was, other then having an unusual name. Does anyone know more about this stuff?

Evazote is a closed cell foam pad that is very soft, doesn't slip much, and is lighter than most other foam pads of the same dimensions. It is not as durable though and takes a little care to keep from accidently tearing it up - but it isn't too bad and it is just a foam pad, so a little rip or hole doesn't destroy it.

But I don't know that the r-factor is anything space age.