View Full Version : I'm cheap and I have questions.
First I am new here. Hi... :) Now on to the question.
So I am a broke college kid that likes to hike. And I like to hike cheap. And I like to hike light. Some people say that cheap and light just don't go together, but I disagree.
About five years ago I was given a Dana Designs 5800 cubic inch pack and a 2 man Kelty Riverbend Tent as a gift. It was a nice thought, but after about 5 trips I was sick of using them... since together they came in at almost 14 pounds :eek:. That's when I bought a cheap $30 "Ozark Trails" pack (probably about 2500 cubic inches) and a $10 "Compact Campers Hammock (http://www.rei.com/product/4109.htm)" from Wal-Mart. Ghetto by this forums standards, but they have worked... for almost five years. Until last night, when the hammock finally died.
So for five years I have been using this cheap hammock with an old bivy bag/sleeping bag combo... this kept me dry and insect free. However, now I want something better.
So I have about $75 that I can spend... and anything will probably be better than what I did have. Tell me if this sounds good... or if I should just wait and buy one of those super-duper-fancy-$150 hammocks that all the cool kids have.
Byer Moskito Traveller Hammock - $39.00
Plastic Tarp Covering from Home Depot - $5.00
Here is my thinking... With the Moskito and some plastic from Home Depot (the kind you put over floors when painting), I could do away with the bivy bag... saving a few pounds. Plastic tarp: I saw someone on another forum do it here: Plastic Wrap Tarp. (http://www.watertribe.org/Magazine/2001August/JackKrohnHammockB.jpg) Does anyone have any good reason to NOT do this? I mean seriously, how much better is a $50 tarp really going to be?
Finally, I know the Moskito doesn't come with "Tree Huggers" and all that fancy crap. But do I really need anything special? Remember, I have been using nothing more than regular 6-ft. nylon cords to tie my hammock to trees... not once have the ropes broke/slipped/etc...
Anyway, just trying to upgrade/stay cheap. In my head the configuration above works great, but in reality, it may be a different story all together. So, give me some opinions/ideas/slaps in the face........
p.s. - I am 6 foot tall and 155 pounds.
reny's has a spear type kinda hammock right now for 12 dollars despite the cheap price it is light (about 8 or 9 ounces) (including retarded metal hook things that are useless so take em off) and it is pretty durable and it goes down to about the palm of your hand its called the Bali Hammock....... i bought it to save a few pounds over the hennesy that i have when the bugs aren't bad but may put a drape over bug net on it and call it good (depends on how i like it after 6 or 7 overnights)
no idea about the home depot tarp but good luck with it and happy hanging
I have a byers hammock that I bought with the exact same idea. Light hammock and use a home made silnylon tarp. The only problem is that the byer hammock is very, shall we say, flimsy looking. It says good to 250lbs, but when I got in it, It stretched so much, I felt like it was going to bust. Now, I'm 200 lbs, but I still had plenty of room for safety according to the rating. A bit scary! So I just ordered a Hennessey.
txulrich
05-02-2006, 09:10
The tree huggers are a little more than "fancy crap". Their purpose is to save the bark on the trees. The theory being that a 2" wide strap will spread the load better then the rope that you are currently using and not damage the bark.
If you're handy with a sewing machine (or know someone who is), you can make a set for very little money.
As for the plastic tarp, I wouldn't use painters plastic. It won't hold up to the abuse. The first good wind that you get, it'll be flapping in the breeze. I would get some syl-nylon and make one. Wal-mart usually has some available on the cheap.
Just my 2 cents worth.
BTW, welcome to Whiteblaze!
MacGyver2005
05-02-2006, 09:23
www.ccoutdoorstore.com has the hammock for $20.
Regards,
-MacGyver
GA-->ME
Alligator
05-02-2006, 09:45
Get a cheap blue tarp. It will hold up better than the plastic and will be easier to hang, as it has grommets. I'm pretty certain the blue tarp will be heavier than the plastic though.
Auntie Mame
05-02-2006, 09:50
I think its great that you are looking so closely at the issues of price and value and utility. You'll find something that really works, and when you do, let us know!
I got a Tarp/Rain fly from Sportsman's Guide (thanks to one of Neo's post) for $38 after s/h. So if you do the Byer and the SPG Tarp that will put you at around $70. And you still have $5 for gutter nails (tarp stakes).
Sounds like you already have the skills to make the rig you propose work just fine. Wait to get a 'real' tarp until you luck into a can't-pass deal, or use a tarp/poncho combo or something like that. In the meanwhile, a man with a plastic drop cloth has a home.
Just Jeff
05-02-2006, 14:24
I used one of those net camping hammocks for several years before I realized "camping hammocks" actually existed. Just a military poncho and that net hammock. It was ok, but a Hennessy is like upgrading from a Pinto to a Porsche. The Speer is more like a Caddy with that 8x10 canopy, and the comfort on both is lightyears ahead of the net hammock.
So how do you do that for cheap? Get some ripstop at Walmart, cut a piece about 110x55, hem it around the edges and tie the ends in a knot. There's your hammock, for about $4 plus sewing. A seamstress might charge you $10-15 if you can't sew a straight seam yourself.
If you're looking for value and comfort, that's the cheapest way to go - and still be light.
Re: the tarp, the blue plastic one will be heavy and the drop cloth won't be very sturdy. But they're very cost-efficient...just depends on how much you're willing to spend on quality and weight. I think neo's tarp (rec'd in jazilla's post) might be a good middle-ground - not as light or expensive as the silnylon ones. IIRC it's about 24oz (neo started a thread a while back with some good discussion on this tarp...search the archives for threads started by neo).
Hmm... good news. Since my birthday is May 31st and my family knew that I wanted a new hammock, they have offered to pitch in an extra $100... so I now have $175.
My first thought was to just go with plan A... now I am thinking I might as well just spring for a Hennessy. However, I do have a question about the rainfly... they look small. On ever model I have seen they look small. Cooking under one of those things would be close to impossible in a heavy downpoor. Not to mention the sideways rain we sometimes get here (Ozarks)... I know a lot of people stay dry in the HH's, but do they offer a larger tarp? If I do spend the money on a HH, I want to at least be able to cook and stay dry in a big storm... I could do it in my old $20 tarp/hammock setup... I would hope a $150 setup would do it even better.... but judging by the images I have looked at... maybe it wouldn't.
hammock engineer
05-02-2006, 18:04
The rain fly is on the small side. It doesn't leave room for error, let alone cooking in sideways rain.
HH has a larger fly and might upgrade you for a little more. Check into that price. Also check into the price of new tarps. I got a McCat Deluxe. A little more than what I wanted to spend on a tarp, but well worth it.
If you are not in a hurry to get a HH, keep checking on ebay and this site. Someone is always selling theirs. Maybe post a new thread that you are looking into getting one. HH sometime runs specials, check their website or call them. I got $50 off of mine from them for getting an old demo model.
You could always use a cheap blue tarp with a HH to start, then upgrade later. Or get the Tarp that Neo uses, then upgrade if needed.
Order some 3 yards of 60 inch silnylon from Outdoor Wilderness fabrics or luck out and find it at WallyWorld and make yourself a simple 5x9 rectangular tarp. Better coverage tan the HH and perfectly adequate without being too long.
Spock (or anyone): Do you know where I can find the instructions for something like that. I remember seeing it somewhere, but can't recall where.
littlelaurel59
05-02-2006, 22:35
1. SierraTradingPost.com has thge Byer of Maine Traveller hammock for $11.95. No netting on this model. Need your own fly.
2. Make your own. Directions at imrisk.com (look for the hammock links)
ivanputski
05-03-2006, 07:57
http://www.hennessyhammock.com/clearance.htm
sale on some of their stuff that might interst you.
You don't need instructions if you can run a sewing machine. The fabric is 5 feet wide. That's wide enough to make a tarp with no seams. If you make it too long, it won't fit between the trees. 9.5 feet is about the limit and 8 feet is long enough to cover a hammock. I use from 8.5 to 9 feet. Hem the edges using a zig-zag stitch and polyester thread, sew grossgrain ribbon loops on the hems at the corners and at the midway points for a total of 8 loops. Don't worry about reinforcement patches. It will take you 2-3 hours if you already know how to sew a little. Nothing about making a tarp like this is complicated.
I got my HH for $90 w/out rain fly. It is the ULB model. It was so cheap cause it is an irregulars. The Bug net in different light can look gray. Well for the price the bug net could have come in purple I would not have cared. Then I got the Sportsman's Guide tarp. Total spent was $130. You can check on ebay. They have good sales on HH. Or if you contact Tom him self he can let you know if he has any Irregulars like I got.
titanium_hiker
05-04-2006, 05:33
make your own walmart hammock. get a mac cat.
that's what I'd do if I had 175$
poor university student: titanium_hiker