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nattyd123
02-15-2006, 17:17
Why do you love your hammock more than other kinds?

orangebug
02-15-2006, 17:34
I have an early HH and a Speer.

The HH is convenient to tie up tightly and keep covered with it's tarp, crawling in from underneath. This is very convenient for late night Nature Calls.

The Speer is easier to keep warm, has less risk of turning upside down (hangs below a center of gravity) and is generally a more comfortable sleep to me. It is more of a climb out for bathroom breaks, but still easier than my Wanderlust Nomad tent. You have a larger tarp for cover, which actually increases the weight factor.

All hammocks are less convenenient for keeping backpacks dry and out of weather.

But, this only demonstrates there are pluses and minuses for any gear choice.

Seeker
02-15-2006, 18:18
i have a HH ULB Asym and a homemade speer-type. the speer is lighter, but the HH has the illusion of more room... the side tie outs keep it more open-feeling, while the speer is more like lying in a bathtub... i also like the bottom opening, as it's easier for me to get up and out... just sit up and your done... can grab a handful of nylon to help pull me up too... ccf pad stays in place better in the speer... i like the HH bug netting better than my speer (i don't trust the openings to stay folded shut). so like orangebug said, they are both different, and have strengths and weaknesses... all depends on what's more important to a given trip... overall, i use the HH a lot more due to the bug issue in LA...

nattyd123
02-15-2006, 18:21
Is the Speer easier to keep warm because it is top entry and you don't have to disturb the critical bottom insulation?

I like the idea of being born again every morning from a HH :-)

SteveJ
02-15-2006, 19:11
Why do you love your hammock more than other kinds?

Because it's the one I have! :D

seriously, tho.... I was looking for an off the shelf solution for 4 seasons. so I chose the HH... If I ever get enough time (yeah, right), I'd like to do some experimentation with some of the homemade winter hammocks the guys in the yahoo hammock camping group are doing now....

Waterbuffalo
02-15-2006, 22:06
I like the HH exped b/c I'm a big guy and it feels less like it's swallowing me

peter_pan
02-15-2006, 23:36
I have or had;

Byer Amazonia, Light weight at 11 oz, added a bug net top for 5 oz and used under an Oware 8x10 for a total of 30 oz, comfortable, reasonably light, retired because the strings were always getting tangled...(note Byer now make this hammock for you, it is the moskito)...and after the m1965 strings broke I decided all string models were a risk I'd just as soon avoid.

M1965 Military Jungle Hammock, less stable than wider lighter models, sturdy and under 2 lbs once the stretcher tubes were removed, used with an 8x10 Oware tarp... Retired when an end string broke after about 16 consecutive nights of use.

HH BULA...great hammock, sturdy, convient, comfortable, replaced fly with JRB 8x8 tarp, still right at 2 lbs total....retired in favor of lighter model...still in use as a loaner to aspiring hammock hangers...all in all a great hammock.

HH Extreme Light Racer, same size as the HH BULA, much lighter (- 10 oz), replacing the stock fly with JRB 8x8 and total is still less than BULA, very comfortable, somewhat fragile, use carefully, but probably has 40 nights of use and it appears new in all areas.... Still my favorite hammock.

Mosquito Hammock Used this hammoch for 7 nights this January... Not as roomy as the HH, wider than a M1965 but not as wide as the Amazonia and Speer types, still enough for laying slightly Asym, comfortable, complete bug protection or flip it over for open top star gazing, double bottom...While under quilts work great on this as all of the above models a larger quilt will wrap this hammock top and bottom... at 2 pound plus 10 oz for a JRB 8x8 tarp it is a little heavier, but it is a nice all around top loading design, with built in bug protection if desired.... the ability to use a single quilt may make it a competive system...

Pan

Jonas4321
02-16-2006, 09:56
Actually, I only have one type (I have made 3 of these now), a home-made Speer-type in a design by Risk called the ZHammock (see www.imrisk.com) (http://www.imrisk.com%29). I added a bugnet "tube" (see pics at Yahoo groups), so the bugnet is a completely separate device and provides 100% surrounded protection. Please note: I am not an ultralighter.

I studied the message boards for a LONG time before I sewed a stitch. I actually bought my first hammock for $25 (a nylon mesh model called a Marina Double) after reading Allen Leigh's article about "Camping in a Hammock", http://www.shire.net/mormon/hammock.html. Those first few nights were enough to convince me to go further.

I like the flexibility of a top-entry: with/without CCF pads between the layers, with/without bugnet, easy to use my down-filled air mattress with home-made SPE, I can use a gear hammock by my side and easily reach into it, etc. The double-bottom eliminates the shiftiness of the pads, and it makes me feel more secure with my 225 lb load swinging off the ground a few feet!

However, what really sold me (after reading Ed Speer's book) was the fact that I can make them myself in a few hours. I like the total freedom of choice with materials, colors, size, etc. I like the satisfaction of shopping for good materials at low prices. I like changing my mind. I like it when others offer me insight that enables that.

Buying a pre-made hammock is simply not satisfying enough for me, but I respect all those that do.

"ME & U"
02-16-2006, 10:14
I like my Speer type hammock. I made it myself, peapod too, and have a certain satisfaction from that.
More important though, I like its versatility. On a good night, it's nice to be out in the open and screen free. On a cold night I usually have no problem 'beefing up' and staying warm. On a horny night... I like the easy top load access to my honey:banana
I also like to cliff camp and fear the HH for this reason.