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View Full Version : HH UL A-sym first night woes...



tlbj6142
04-25-2003, 10:58
My HH arrived last night a 6pm. I didn't get a chance to set it up until 9pm. Freaked out a couple of neighbors (and thier dogs) while I set it up the backyard with my headlamp on.:D

Me: I'm 5'10" and weight 200#.


It is much smaller inside than I was expecting. Seemed like I was wedged foot-to-head along the diagonal. Maybe I need to stake it out better???
If you are laying on your back. What part of your body is next to the "head end" tie-eout? Elbow? Head? Shoulder?
What about the "foot end" tie-out? Foot? Shin? Knee?
It is quite easy to setup (once you've done it a couple of times). It took me 90 minutes to get it right last night. But I think I started with it too close to the ground. My tie off points were 16'-18' apart, so there was quite a bit of sag.
It is fricken small. All folded up it is smaller than a football! I haven't weighed it yet. I never realized that it packed up so small.
I had long john top/bottoms on along with socks. I was inside my silk sheets with my unzipped sleeping bag (15F) draped on top of me. I had the Wally World blue foam pad and a car foil-backed sunscreen (24"x58") underneath the blue pad. It was 44F last night. I was too hot! Took off my socks and pants. Probably should have taken off my shirt.
I kept sliding "into the grove". I had a hard time staying "off axis" by 20 degrees. Must be a trick to it. Should I shorten the blue pad? Other suggestions?
It was fairly comfortable. But I'm sure I need to adjust a few things to make it better. Suggestions?
I was surprised at how close the tarp (not the mesh) was to my face. I always picture it being 1' above the mesh.
Do folks typically use 2 stakes, or 4?
What are all of the extra clips and loops on the tarp and tie-outs for? Whatever you want?
How tight do you make the mainline? I put one foot and the tree and pulled about as tight as I could make it without cutting my hands by the cord. Too tight?

I'll probably make a few adjustments and try it again tonight (maybe in the rain).

Virginian
04-25-2003, 21:44
I used the Safari ultra lite for my whole hike last year. When you lay in it, lay diagonal with your head to the left of center and your feet to the right of center. When you tie it up , try to keep the lines eqaul distance in lenth. But tie the head end a little lower to the ground. This will keep your body from wriggling toward the opening or foot end during the night. As I progressed, I didnt even use my outrigger lines. Just makes it wider to catch rain. Just work with it , skill will come. And dont worry,it wont break.

Virginian
04-25-2003, 21:48
I tied mine as tight as I could get it. But it will sag. thats ok. The trick is that after it sags. its the distance above ground that you want. Your but should be about 2ft--2 1/2 ft from the ground

MedicineMan
04-25-2003, 21:59
It is much smaller inside than I was expecting. Seemed like I was wedged foot-to-head along the diagonal. Maybe I need to stake it out better???

hmmmmm, I am 6'1" 189 pounds and have plenty of room up/down and sideways in my HH Backpacker A-sym..and since I use an underquilt I dont use the side pullouts which give the impression of more room.

If you are laying on your back. What part of your body is next to the "head end" tie-eout? Elbow? Head? Shoulder?

Again I dont use the tie-outs since a quilt is under the hammock so can't answer this one.

What about the "foot end" tie-out? Foot? Shin? Knee?

Same as above.

It is quite easy to setup (once you've done it a couple of times). It took me 90 minutes to get it right last night. But I think I started with it too close to the ground. My tie off points were 16'-18' apart, so there was quite a bit of sag.

My set up time is around 5 min's after selecting the right trees...I use a line-level bought at Lowes to help get it level the first time...I use the knot shown at 'placewithnoname.com' which is sweet when it comes to take down...also use snakeskins which help you lay out the hammock before tying it to the trees to get an idea of being in the middle of the trees before tying the knots.

It is fricken small. All folded up it is smaller than a football! I haven't weighed it yet. I never realized that it packed up so small.

With the snakeskins you can strap it onto the pack, snakeskins waterproof the whole package and made the take down time around 30-45 seconds.

I had long john top/bottoms on along with socks. I was inside my silk sheets with my unzipped sleeping bag (15F) draped on top of me. I had the Wally World blue foam pad and a car foil-backed sunscreen (24"x58") underneath the blue pad. It was 44F last night. I was too hot! Took off my socks and pants. Probably should have taken off my shirt.

I got hot to once when using a Golite Fur as a underquilt, but that was during the daytime.

I kept sliding "into the grove". I had a hard time staying "off axis" by 20 degrees. Must be a trick to it. Should I shorten the blue pad? Other suggestions?

I dont use a pad or anything inside the hammock that might slip or slide, using a Garlington taco and something like the Fur mentioned above anyone can be warm in a HH into cold weather without the pains of staying on a pad

It was fairly comfortable. But I'm sure I need to adjust a few things to make it better. Suggestions?

I was surprised at how close the tarp (not the mesh) was to my face. I always picture it being 1' above the mesh.

Keep the tarp off the mesh or it will leach water into the netting and then into the hammock.

Do folks typically use 2 stakes, or 4?

I just use two but will use 4, I am going to use a larger tarp next time, actually the Golite Cave-2, so I can enjoy much more room under the HH for cooking/etc.

What are all of the extra clips and loops on the tarp and tie-outs for? Whatever you want?

I used them to attach my first quilt under the hammock...

How tight do you make the mainline? I put one foot and the tree and pulled about as tight as I could make it without cutting my hands by the cord. Too tight?

It is hard to make it too tight, your hands will toughen, there is a pull gismo that boardsailers use to rig their sails very tight, it weighs little and can be a benefit, look at an windsurfing website for the gizmo...also I set it up at shoulder height, agree with others that most setup hammock to low to ground.

steve hiker
04-25-2003, 22:21
You'll find all the help you need at Sgt. Rock's forum, in the hammock threads. Sgt. Rock is a hammock fanatic and has the answer to every possible question.

http://www.hikinghq.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=39

MedicineMan
04-26-2003, 00:24
I respect Sgt Rock too but he doesnt have all the answers, and if he was here I'm sure he would say the same....nor do I, but there are many options for hammockcamping, consider these links as well as Sgt Rocks:



http://www.mindspring.com/~rgarling/Insulator.htm
http://home.attbi.com/~egowtkimoto/
http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/hiking/sections/gear/shelter/hthh.htm


And I'm sure there are others like this:

http://www.backpacking.net/forums/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=geartalk&Number=8386&page=&view=&sb=&o=

And so on.......

Dirtyoldman
04-26-2003, 05:54
The ul asm is only meant for one person. It does seem a bit tight at first but you get used to it. The hammock moves to accomodate what you are doing at the moment and the rest tends to close up a bit. Not nearly as bad as a few bivvies Ive seen.

The pad your using is a bit slick, try the 27" red convoluted pad. Its a bit of a pain to store but the extra width helps keep the sides at bay and will keep you snug to roughly freezing. On very hot nights I leave the pad and the bag home and just sleep in shorts or less....

The tarp can be rigged from wide open to almost closed depending on how weather tight you need it. On a clear night you can leave it off or 1/2 off to stargaze.

I carry two stakes with mine so I dont have to fool with rocks and so on. makes tie out a bit easier.

Dont get too carried away trying to tighten the main line, a little sag doesnt hurt, sleeping at a diagonal is what creates a flat line. If your sliding down the tree then use a different setup. There are many ways too rig it so dont worry if yours is unique. I pass one end of my strap through the other so it forms a slip knot and tie the hammock main line to the strap with two hitches. my weight tightens the strap to the tree and prevents sliding.

fold the hammock in half and sit in the center section to test your knots and sag. If sag is a constant problem take an extra fifty pounds or so in the hammock with you for a bit, this will put a permanent stretch in the thing and eliminate the problem untill you gain some more weight.

For heavy winds there are no extra clips on mine. :D

tlbj6142
04-26-2003, 14:54
Everyone;

Thanks for the suggestions. Last night was much better. I didn't use the sun screen (it was only 50F) last night. And I made a better effort to stay off axis before I fell asleep. I still ended up down in the grove. I think I need to raise the foot end a bit and/or use a shorter pad (a 6' pad tends to push against the screening at the food end).


DirtyOldMan;

What is a '27" red convoluted pad'? How long is the pad?

Simva;

Regarding the underquilt info. Thanks. I'll look into a few of those. I seen others, but that is first time I was the 'taco' thing.

MedicineMan
04-26-2003, 21:16
Yeah, the taco rules by blocking wind, holding the insulation against the bottom of the hammock and waterproofing against horizontal rain if you use something like sil-nyl...my taco weighs 8oz. and if need be can also function as a groundcloth for the hammock if used as a bivy....we cut a slit in the bottom of the taco and sewed it like boxer shorts and it automatically closes like the HH slit....next week from Little Wolfe Creek to Pearisburg I will be using it, the Golite Fur (which we also cut and sewed a slit in), the Nunatak Arc Alpinist, all with the HH....I will give a trip report when I get back but it will be a while-after the hike I am off to Assateague National Seashore to seakayak the barrier island....

MedicineMan
04-26-2003, 21:19
forgot to tell you that with the taco you can use anything for insuation-clothes, your pack, your socks, leaves, pine needles, etc....just carry some thin garbage bags to stuff them in, Garlington just captured air in his and had good results to a certain temperature and others have used crumpled newspaper and space blankets to further create air spaces within the garbage bag....good luck with your Hammock camping!

Dirtyoldman
04-27-2003, 08:19
its made by camp trails i think, its 27 wide by 6 foot long, the foam is cut like a mattress pad with a black 1/8 evasote backing.

19.95 at walmart if i remember correctly. they also have a 24 wide version too.

you can cut and reshape most foam pads with regular scissors or use tin snips if the cutting gets too tough.

I have heard of people using partially inflated thermarests but I hear they tend to pop out from under you very easily.

If your wallet allows down filled air mats are very good but the 175 dollar price tag is a bit much to swallow, exped makes a good one.

tlbj6142
04-27-2003, 09:04
DoM;

You use a full length pad? Or do you cut it short a bit?

If you leave it full length don't you find that it curls up a bit at the ends? Which, I think, leads to it sliding to the middle.

Dirtyoldman
04-28-2003, 05:54
I use a full length since my feet get cold very easily. I kinda like the curl since it keeps me from contacting the sides of the hammock which are very cold. I havent had any problems with sliding and suspect this has to do with the material the pad is made from.

tlbj6142
04-28-2003, 09:19
I tried a 27" pad (a thin 3/8" thing from Target). I put a bit of a fold in it to make its length shorter (to 48").

That failed miserably. The pad would fold up and wrinkle all the time. I eventually just gave up and went back into the house.

TO ALL

I really having a tough time finding a good sleeping position. It still seems like I have to wedge myself in hard in order to lay off axis. Maybe I'm trying too hard.

On my back, I find my feet are just a few inches (4-6") to the pullout side of the slit. If I try to put them over more, I find that I really need to make an effort keep my feet wedged againts the side/bottom of the hammock.

Am I making this too difficult? I keep reading that "you are almost flat", but I find that my ass (while probably a bit too large:D) is still several inches lower that my feet/head. And, if I were to sleep on my side (I can't as it hurts my shoulder too much), there is a noticeable "bend" in my body just above my hips, that is quite uncomfortable. There is no way I could sleep on my stomach if I wanted to.

Maybe I need to slide up more? Down more?

Dirtyoldman
05-02-2003, 04:39
Yeah it does sound like your fighting it a bit.

some curve is normal, ruler straight is not going to happen.

Let your feet fall where they want to, moving around at night is normal and healthy, trying to hold them in a particular position is counter productive....

I cant comment on true side sleeping as I never sleep completely on edge... I normally am half on side and half up or down. I do tend to back sleep more in the hammock as it is very comfy that way.