Questions for the hammock hanging thru hikers

[susiegear]

hello, i am curious about how your experience was with hanging for the entire thru. I havent slept in a tent in years and do not want to start now. I am curious what, if any issues you had with hanging. did you have any issues with any of the gear wearing out? Suspension, tarp or even the hammock itself? i appreciate any advice you have. Thanks!

[Wülfgang]

Good question, I'd like to know as well. I own and use both shelters, but I found out that hammocks are not always the best way to ride out high winds or a real storm.

[fastfoxengineering]

A couple people around these boards hung the whole way.

As long as it's a quality product I wouldn't worry about it wearing out. Apples to Apples, they're just as durable as a tent made with similar materials.

The AT is a great long distance hiking trail to hammock on. Plenty of spots to hang. Sometimes your at a disadvantage and sometimes your at an advantage using a hammock over a tent and vice versa.

There is a hammock camping subforum on whiteblaze you should check out and hammockforums.net is a sister site for everything you need to know about hammocks.

Check out Loner's at thru hike on youtube. He was an ultralighter and slept in a hammock the whole way.

However, just like tents, hammocks have a learning curve. Don't be scared. Hammocks are awesome, but there are a million ways to go about a hammock setup. No lie.

Do not buy a thing until you've talked to experienced hammockers.

Most importantly...go watch Shug's introduction to hammocks videos on youtube. It's a little dated now because of latest and greatest equipment that has hit the market, but those first 9 or 10 introduction videos will teach you the fundamentals of hammocking and hammock equipment.

PM me and we can discuss long distance hammock hiking further.

[ALLEGHENY]

Hello Susie, My first and only hammock (Clark North American) was seven years old in 2012. My tarp needed seam sealed and that helped. I did Have tree straps that allowed me to hang anywhere. I was able to set up as a bivy on balds. I forgot my tree straps some place in VT and that was upsetting. I used a RidgeRest pad. This year I got a brand new Clark N.A. The old one took a beating over the years. The Clark and I have survived some harsh weather. I know it has saved my az. If you can by means take the hammock.

[SteelCut]

I would second fastfoxengineering's comments about hammockforums.net and the many resources out there regarding hammocks. Hammocks, tarps, top insulation, bottom insulation, suspensions, etc. can all be fairly overwhelming at first and you definitely need to do your research and purchase quality equipment that works well for you and practice many times setting it all up.

For me personally, I was attracted to hammocking for my upcoming thru hike as I wanted to be off the ground and out of the mud and most hammocking enthusiasts will tell you that it's the best night's sleep you will ever get. However, being a stomach and side sleeper, I have found that I don't sleep that well in a hammock and despite about 30 nights trying out 3 different hammocks, I still have not gotten a great night's sleep. Despite the advantages of hammocks I feel that a good nights sleep is important and have most likely abandoned using a hammock for my thru hike. YMMV.

[susiegear]

i have been using hammocks now for about 8 years, i guess i should have been more descriptive in the OP. I was wondering about using the same gear day in and day out that some might have found one part of the whole system that fails sooner than others. I have asked a similiar question over at hammockforums but wanted to directly ask the thru hikers who have experience with the long term use. The setup I plan on taking is 1 in webbing for tree straps, whoopie slings, and my DIY double layer hammock. I fear the whoopies might "wear out" sooner than later. thoughts? thank you!

[SteelCut]

Thanks for the clarification.

[brancher]

This is a great thread - thanks, Susie. I'd be curious about how difficult the thru as a tree sweller.

I'm also a hanger, and have used many different types of gear - whoopies, cinches, HH style, big tarps, little tarps, etc, This year I am strongly leaning toward my ground shelter, however, simply because I can get a few ounces out of the swap. I'd love to hear the hanger thru's experiences on this.

And thanks for the pointer to Loner's vid, FastFox.

[fastfoxengineering]

I have over 100 nights on the same 1" polyester webbings and 7/64 Amsteel Whoopies.

They certainly look used. They are certainly dirty. They are certainly smelly. But they don't show any sign in need of a replacement.

For the record, I weight 150lbs so I'm not the heaviest guy in a hammock.

I'm planning on switching to kevlar tree straps and new AmSteel leads this year for when I use my hammock. Only for the weight savings.

I think you'll be fine with a double layer hammock. Hennessy proudly states that a hiker triple crowned with ONE Hennessy ultralight backpacker. Idk who or what. But it's right on their website.

Many people have a thru-hike worth's of camping in with their Hennessy, diy, and blackbirds. As well as many other hammocks.

My advice is to routinely inspect your gear. Just make it a practice to inspect while you setup.

@Brancher - my DIY hammock build with bug protection and hex tarp is going to weigh between 16 and 18oz. So shelter for shelter, it's now a wash. I have found though that "typically" a topquilt and underquilt weigh slightly more than a topquilt and xlite inflatable. Only by a few oz's.

[fastfoxengineering]

Furthermore, on a hammock/suspension/tarp this is where problems will occur.

Stitching is going to come undone, your going to tear the hammock fabric with something sharp, tarp tie outs will pull out, and AmSteel will fray.

every now and then just make sure everything is still good, and don't hang higher than your will to fall!

[Nooga]

I used a hammock for about half (Damascus to MA) my hike and didn't have any wear issues. I used a Hennessy (bottom entry) hammock and a Zpacks tarp. Loved it!!!

[brancher]

I did whoopies for awhile, with carbon toggles (an old Cobra 3-wood shaft!), and while I didn't have any real trouble, I prefer to just put cinches on my hammock ends and feed my tree straps thru - I use the WB cinches. Three reasons: first, I have found that when Amsteel gets wet, it is not nearly as 'slippery' and when it's dry. In fact, it can be a pain. Second, I've been in a shelter during a big storm, and hung my hammock from rafters so more folks could use the platform - and I was a little concerned about something coming loose and me falling on another sleeper from 5 ft up. Third reason: I'm just lazy and want to minimize my fiddle factor.

For the thru, I just cannot decide on hammock or my tent. My tent is a UL, non-freestanding. any thoughts?

[fastfoxengineering]

I did whoopies for awhile, with carbon toggles (an old Cobra 3-wood shaft!), and while I didn't have any real trouble, I prefer to just put cinches on my hammock ends and feed my tree straps thru - I use the WB cinches. Three reasons: first, I have found that when Amsteel gets wet, it is not nearly as 'slippery' and when it's dry. In fact, it can be a pain. Second, I've been in a shelter during a big storm, and hung my hammock from rafters so more folks could use the platform - and I was a little concerned about something coming loose and me falling on another sleeper from 5 ft up. Third reason: I'm just lazy and want to minimize my fiddle factor.

For the thru, I just cannot decide on hammock or my tent. My tent is a UL, non-freestanding. any thoughts?

Careful about mentioning hanging in a shelter on this board. A lot of hikers disagree with it. Some have actually taken a shelter down by doing so.

With the right setup, the fiddle factor between an UL hammock and UL non-free standing tent is once again a wash. As a matter of fact, I can setup my hammock faster than a tent, but that's due to practice, practice, practice.

A little insight on how my hammock setup is and how I like it. I can set it up real quick if need be.

First thing's first, my tarp. It's in snakeskins stored on the outside of my pack. It is attached to a CRL with prussics. It has a dutch hook on one end and a wasp on the other. I find two suitable trees, snag my tarp out of my pack. Grab the dutch hook side, hook it around tree, walk over to other tree, tighten down with wasp. My tarp is setup. I don't have to pitch my tarp if I don't want to, but it's ready to do if a smell a storm coming in midnight. But.. if it's already raining, I do what I just did. Grab my stakes out of my pack and trekking poles maybe, then slides the snakeskins back and stake out my tarp. If you really think about it. It takes a very, very little amount of time to do so. And the benefit is, now I'm already under my tarp. If it's a nice day out, I could always setup my tarp after my hammock too.

So the tarps up in about 1 minute.

Now, this is going to be my soon to be suspension setup so I'll use that, but my current setup is very similar. Also stored on the outside of my pack (in the back mesh pocket along with the tarp) is my suspension. It consists of two 4' tree huggers, two sewn in dutch clips, 7' amsteel leads, and 2 dutch speed hooks.

I grab on set out of the two and walk over to tree, swing it around and clip it on. I go to the other tree and repeat. Done. literally takes 30 seconds if I'm taking my sweet time.

Tarp and suspension are up in a minute and half.

I now, under the protection of my tarp, pull out my hammock from inside my pack. It has two continuous loops on each end. It's stored in a double sided stuff sack. The continuous loops stick out the ends of the stuff suck when stored. I grab the stuff sack and go to one tree. Grab the speed hook and clip it on to the loop. I then walk the hammock over to the other tree and hook it on.

I then take a deep breath, and adjust my suspension real quick, which with speed hooks is very simple.

Now if my tarp isn't perfect, it's very easy to adjust on the CRL with prussics to get it perfectly centered over my hammock.

Everything here also applies if you were using whoopie hooks.

Take down is simple.

1. Unhook one side of hammock, stuff into stuff sack which is still on hammock, working your way over to other side of suspesion, unhook and pack away.
2. Go tree to tree, unhook dutch clips, wrap up suspension, stuff in outer pocket on pack.
3. unstake tarp, pack stakes in stuff sack, pack away.
4. pull snake skins over tarp
5. unhook wasp and dutch hook then pack tarp away.
6. on my way

With practice, I'll have my hammock up just as quick as someone who practiced with their non-free standing tent. Depends on how many beers each of us had.

Ps. #1 Rule of hammock, don't hang higher than your willing to fall.

[brancher]

Mine's very similar - either my prussik setup with my CF tarp or a Hansen setup (sliding ridgeline tarp) for my silnylon tarp, both with snakeskins. my hammock suspension is attached. I use an FRL on the hammock.

[4shot]

With the right setup, the fiddle factor between an UL hammock and UL non-free standing tent is once again a wash. As a matter of fact, I can setup my hammock faster than a tent, but that's due to practice, practice, practice.



my experience is exactly the opposite. I section hike with a hammock. But, if I did another thru, I'd tent again. You just setup and break down so many times that I would go with a tent. Set up gets to be monotonous.Plus, hammock,uq, tarp and suspension occupy way more volume than my tarptent. YMMV.

I enjoy having my hammock and it has it's pluses (otherwise there wouldn't be so many of them out there). For me, quality of sleep is a wash. So, on a 5-6 month hike, I am tenting (volume and time savings).

[fastfoxengineering]

4shot, it's funny, but that's how things are, we all do things differently.

I tend to agree that a hammock setup is "typically" more bulky than a tarptent. tarptent meaning tarptent, not tarp, ie. tarptent contrail. fully enclosed shelter

I however think the only difference in bulk is between the sleeping pad and underquilt. A 3/4 length underquilt is a little more bulky than a neo air xlite. That's an example for lightweight hikers though. My tarp, suspension, and hammock pack down to the size of a contrail. But if someone were to use a ccf pad or a bulkier pad then I don't really see a volume savings. This is of course whether the ground dweller uses a sleeping bag or topquilt.

Let me explain, my underquilt and topquilt stuff into a 13L dry bag. Then as I said before, my suspension, hammock, and tarp are no bulkier than the smallest of tarptents.

If one was using a sleeping bag over a topquilt, it would probably require a 13L dry bag + the sleeping pad + the tent. So the bulk would be marginally greater. If they used a topquilt, you could get away with about an 8L dry bag.

However some just loosely stuff down in their packs. There's too many ways to go about.

*In my experience, I have found my hammock setups to be just as bulky or maybe a tad (pretty much negligible) bulkier than a tent setup. Nothing to lose sleep over.

Now if someone use a torso length ccf pad as the pack frame, sleeps under a tarp, and uses a quilt. well... you got me beat by a long shot.

Sorry if I'm ranting, just stating my experience.

For what it's worth.. I have a hammock with bug net, hex tarp, suspension, 20* top quilt, 3/4 20* underquilt, and utilize a 45L pack with room to spare.

[Jake2c]

I have always tent camped until about a year ago or so. I now have two hammocks and unless I am with my wife, I hammock. Set up for me is about the same in terms of time. If it is raining the hammock is easier for me. I just put the tarp up first and then work under it. I can get my tent up in the rain and keep the inside dry but it takes a bit of flexibility. On the other end though is the big difference. Especially if it is raining. Getting my tent packed away dry is near impossible and I always pack mud in with it. With my hammock, I just work under the tarp again and no mud. I am older and a side sleeper but I get a better sleep in a hammock. There are times I prefer a tent but for the AT, I intend to hang. Just quicker, easier and cleaner for me. If I do have to go to ground, that will probably suck.

[grimtongue]

I hung the whole way last year and slept in my hammock every night, not once did I stay in a shelter. Sure, there were a few nights in hotels/hostels but other than that it was between trees for me. I started with a traveler in early spring and then switched to a blackbird in Damascus, both 1.7 single layer. Homemade 7/62 amsteel whoopies and 1" tree straps. The whoopies lasted the whole way and never gave me any trouble, in fact they still look great! I had new straps sent to me in Hanover as the old pair were showing minor signs of wear. I used a Hammock Gear cuben tarp with dual zing it lines and Dutch stingers, (not a continuous ridgeline) absolutely no problem there other than a small pinhole in the tarp from being too close to a fire, took me longer to find it than to repair it.
All this being said, even though I slept great, for this year I just ordered a Zpacks altaplex as there were more than a few nights where I longed to be in a tent. I'm not really sure why, maybe I just got burned out on the hammock. I still love them but I want the flexibility of having both shelter options in my gear closet.
P. S. This thru made me a believer in the durability of cuben fiber!

[grimtongue]

P. P. S. I have a journal of my hike here. http://postholer.com/journal/viewJournal.php?sid=abb06064ad771004bb592ca8068c6e ae
I still have to finish the last week but a part of me doesn't want to. ... then it will really be over you know.... Soon I'll wrap it up.

[brancher]

I hung the whole way last year and slept in my hammock every night, not once did I stay in a shelter. Sure, there were a few nights in hotels/hostels but other than that it was between trees for me. I started with a traveler in early spring and then switched to a blackbird in Damascus, both 1.7 single layer. Homemade 7/62 amsteel whoopies and 1" tree straps. The whoopies lasted the whole way and never gave me any trouble, in fact they still look great! I had new straps sent to me in Hanover as the old pair were showing minor signs of wear. I used a Hammock Gear cuben tarp with dual zing it lines and Dutch stingers, (not a continuous ridgeline) absolutely no problem there other than a small pinhole in the tarp from being too close to a fire, took me longer to find it than to repair it.
All this being said, even though I slept great, for this year I just ordered a Zpacks altaplex as there were more than a few nights where I longed to be in a tent. I'm not really sure why, maybe I just got burned out on the hammock. I still love them but I want the flexibility of having both shelter options in my gear closet.
P. S. This thru made me a believer in the durability of cuben fiber!

What size was your tarp? I assume the standard 8.5 X 11? Wondering about severe weather with that size.... some folks like the 10 X 11 better, but geez they are cavernous - great for cold weather, though. also, How about mud, wet, etc? did you fare better with the hanging option than the ground dwellers?

[SteelCut]

P. P. S. I have a journal of my hike here. http://postholer.com/journal/viewJournal.php?sid=abb06064ad771004bb592ca8068c6e ae
I still have to finish the last week but a part of me doesn't want to. ... then it will really be over you know.... Soon I'll wrap it up.

That link doesn't seem to work. But, I was able to get to your journal via:

http://postholer.com/journal/viewJournal.php?sid=66e669108d8ffcbb1fcc86ba9c8d00 0a&event_id=2032

[grimtongue]

Weird about the link. It works for me on Tapatalk. (phone app)
I had the HG standard size tarp with doos. When I bought it they only offered one length, 11 foot. I stayed pretty much dry most of the time, there were two or three occasions when it blew so hard and I was on a ridge or near the summit of a mountain where I did get a little wet. What I did not like was having my shoes and some other gear get soaked all the time. I usually just put my pack on the ground under me and that stuff would not stay dry. I know that I could have mitigated most of that with hanging it on my hammock suspension but I found that to interfere with the closing of the tarp doors proprtly. I never really did find a system that I was entirely happy with, hence the new tent, 1+ size so there is enough room to have all my stuff inside with me.

[brancher]

Weird about the link. It works for me on Tapatalk. (phone app)
I had the HG standard size tarp with doos. When I bought it they only offered one length, 11 foot. I stayed pretty much dry most of the time, there were two or three occasions when it blew so hard and I was on a ridge or near the summit of a mountain where I did get a little wet. What I did not like was having my shoes and some other gear get soaked all the time. I usually just put my pack on the ground under me and that stuff would not stay dry. I know that I could have mitigated most of that with hanging it on my hammock suspension but I found that to interfere with the closing of the tarp doors proprtly. I never really did find a system that I was entirely happy with, hence the new tent, 1+ size so there is enough room to have all my stuff inside with me.

Very good post. I've used a 10X11 (winter) and an 8.5 X 11 CF tarp, never have gotten really wet - but I do hang stuff from my suspension. But my stuff gets damp in teh morning humidity anyway....

[grimtongue]

Exactly. That's why a dark colored under quilt is important. It will get a little damp from just being in the fog/clouds, a dark color dries faster in the sun.