Hammock Sites

[Tacoda]

hey any of you guys/gals know of any good sites or have advise in detail of what to be on the look out for when it comes to locating ideal sites for a hammock such as best position to the wind and rain etc. Also, what to expect when setting up a 12 foot hex tarp seperate from and above the hammock.

[jazilla]

I spent a good night Friday night in my HH. While everyone else woke up sore I felt awesome. I just walk off 12ft between trees to see. Count out 6 to 8 steps depending on your foot. I just do 8 to be safe. Its always hard to tell with the wind cause it can change many times before BOB(bright orange ball) shows up in the morning. You will have to use judgment and it will take time.
:banana

[Just Jeff]

Site Selection

(Acknowledgements to Ed Speer's Hammock Camping (http://www.hammockcamping.com/) book, among others)

Just like tenting, selecting the proper site may be the most important skill to staying warm (or cool) in a hammock.

When searching for a campsite, the hammock camper is free from the constraints of many tenters...no need for level ground, no worries about rocks or roots, no concern for drainage, etc. However, even in a good site the hammocker is more vulnerable to wind and temperature shifts than a ground sleeper. One of the most important factors in the suitability of a hammock site is how exposed it is to the wind. If warmth is the goal, search for sites with natural windblocks like dense vegetation, boulders or cliffs.

Camping on the leeward side (as opposed to the windward side) of ridges and hills can make a substantial difference. In the Southeastern U.S., the weather generally blows in from the West to the East, so in the winter I usually camp on the Eastern side of ridges. This also offers the advantage of morning sun to heat up the site before I get moving.

Additionally, sleeping at the top of a hill or ridge will expose you to the wind, but sleeping at the bottom will also put you in a cold zone. As warm air rises, cold air sinks to the lowest elevation, creating a "cold sink" as temperatures drop during the night. Search for sites midway up ridges and hills.

If a stream is running along the valley floor, the temperature could be 5-10° F colder than the temperature of a site with only thirty feet or so of elevation gain! Lakes can have the same effect, so look for sites not located near water, especially running water like streams and rivers.

Hammock orientation also plays a role. If the wind is coming from the West, orient the hammock North-South and pitch the tarp close to the ground on the windward side. This will add another layer of windblock to your hammock. If you would like to take advantage of the wind to cool you off, orient your feet into the wind and angle your tarp to deflect the wind onto your hammock.

When selecting a campsite for warmth, look for sites that are:

Protected from the wind:
Near natural windblocks, like vegetation or boulders
Midway up a ridge or hill
On the leeward side
Away from water, especially streams and rivers
Oriented perpendicular to the wind (use tarp as windblock)When selecting a site to stay cool in the summertime, look for sites that are:

Exposed to the wind:
No natural windblocks
On top of a hill or ridge
On the windward side
In the bottom of a valley to be in the "cold sink"
Near running water
Oriented in-line with wind direction (use tarp to "catch" the wind)
..........

[SGT Rock]

Check this page out: http://hikinghq.net/hammock/hammock.html

There are about 7 pages of info on there, just read it and see if it has what you are looking for.

[TN_Hiker]

Check this page out: http://hikinghq.net/hammock/hammock.html

There are about 7 pages of info on there, just read it and see if it has what you are looking for.


Shameless self promotion Sarge.

Just kidding.....I found this link (along w/ Jeff's) very helpful for this new hammock hanger.

[hammock engineer]

Jeff and Rock's pages are 2 of the sites that convinced me to convert to hammocking. Lots of good info there.

Ed Speer's Hammock Camping book is pretty good. It reads a little like a comercial for hammocking, but still has a lot of good stuff.

[Just Jeff]

I gotta plug Ed here - he's really a great guy who cares more about people being comfortable in a hammock than about hammockers being comfortable in HIS products. Not only does his book explain how to make a hammock from scratch (without buying anything from him), but he even provides a full list of camping hammock manufacturers in his monthly newsletters. How many businesses would do that?

Like hammock engineer says, his book is worth a read.

[Burn]

tacoda, in winter and even early spring in the mountains, dropping down into the leigh of the mt or even down into the valley may be yer best bet for wind avoiding. In summer autumn yer gonna want a nice breeze. i would consider some of the best hammocking near water sources, but just about anywhere you want to stop on any trail will work...step off trail and you would be amazed at the number of better locations since no hiker has brought thru seedlings for thistle and such from GA or MA or whatever trail they may be on.

i've been to a buncha hammocking sites. they are all good for some general info....all of them will suggest the best info is gained from experience. If yer thruhiking or long distance section hiking, you'll figure out and be a pro at hammocking with whatever brand or self sewn getup you develop. Enjoy...get wet a few times, get muddy...learn to do it right, its all just camping only off the ground, so the same rules apply. condensation, blown off tarp...yada yada ad infinum...just try out how you like the rain fly....i prefer mine low or not at all and if you get out enough you'll understand.

[SGT Rock]

Shameless self promotion Sarge.

Just kidding.....I found this link (along w/ Jeff's) very helpful for this new hammock hanger.
Naw, just trying to help out a fellow hammock camper - he actually asked for a link which is a lot easier than trying to copy and paste all that stuff into a post :D

[Jonas4321]

I don't know if it's been mentioned in the links that have been provided in response to your question, but one thing I enjoy doing is using uneven ground (hillsides). For a lot of reasons, but mostly because I can, and tenters can't <grin>.

For this reason, I am going to carry a little line level with me from now on. Once I put my first tree hugger on a tree, this will make it easier to place the second one at something-close-to-level, which I find hard to do by eye on a slope.

Without one, I find myself having to adjust one side or the other after I get in and test it. I like my hammock level, many find having their feet a little higher works for them. YMMV.

Jonas

[hammock engineer]

For this reason, I am going to carry a little line level with me from now on. Once I put my first tree hugger on a tree, this will make it easier to place the second one at something-close-to-level, which I find hard to do by eye on a slope.

You could use your water bottle as a level. You can eye ball a level line with the water. If you have problems with that, you can draw a level line on at home and fill you bottle up to that line. I have used this trick at home hanging shelves when I did not have a level.

Or you could attach the level to the ridge line.

[neo]

my favorite hammock info site's:cool: neo

http://www.tothewoods.net/JeffsHikingPage.html

http://www.imrisk.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hammockcamping/


http://www.hammockcamping.com/Contents/Contents.htm


http://www.hennessyhammocks.com/

http://www.jacksrbetter.com/


http://www.kickassquilts.com/


http://www.outdoorequipmentsupplier.com/

[River Runner]

hey any of you guys/gals know of any good sites or have advise in detail of what to be on the look out for when it comes to locating ideal sites for a hammock such as best position to the wind and rain etc. Also, what to expect when setting up a 12 foot hex tarp seperate from and above the hammock.

Don't set your hammock up next to Blue Mountain Shelter if you want to sleep well in your hammock (the wind blew so hard it tore a stake out twice, so I finally gave up and slept in the shelter). :mad:

The Hennessy Hex tarp works well to provide extra coverage. I just tie a short length of nylon cord to the end rings (which are really triangular in shape), and tie it around the tree just above my hammock. This works well to give me enough space between the hammock and the tarp for good ventilation, but still allows good coverage. I prefer good ventilation to take away condensation and a warm sleeping bag to keep me toasty, as opposed to lowering the tarp for wind protection/warmth and having condensation.