Hammocks

[stormin norman]

It seems that a few people have some experience with hammocks as shelters. I am a pretty big guy(6'2", 260lbs) and would like to know if any big guys have found a lightweight hammock that has a higher wt limit. Thanks

[Penscal]

Old timer requesting youngsters help in reducing weight, first item for comment and review:

Hammacks: seems cool but seems hyped.

Don''t get it, believe it limits camping opportunites. for instance, on Max Bald, snowing, or heavy rain plus 30 miles per hour or on Bly Gap, near Oak Tree, seems like a good product for limited use, would like honest response from both side of the fence.

Am interested in reducing weight of pack, areas I will be reducing are tent, stove, sleeping bag, that is about it, eveything else is about as cost efficient as you can get.

With regrad to tent - do not see value of slip tent, traps, etc, hennesay wannabes because of the folllowing factors presented in other gear reviews. let me know why my logic is wrong :

Given:

There will always be ground under our feet (common hammock hanger rebuttal)

Question:

What happens if the trees are in an area ( saplings, young trees) where the weight cannot hold the hammock) or there or no trees around (Max Bald) and there is either heavy rain or snow)

Given:

Holds up in severe rain storm, heavy snow, tarp can hold up

Question:

Trail pictures indicate failure of tarp to hold back weight of snow, water, complaints of coldess. slippage

Given:

No trees,

Then you use your hiking poles (folks call them different things in different parts of the country) and stake out the fly.

I've seen these guys in action on kaying trips in Florida, beautiful, do not see reliability on AT, thoughts

[jlb2012]

Stormin Norman - these days I would probably pick the Hennessy Hammock Explorer Deluxe A-sym - good for up to 300 lbs and somewhat longer for people over 6 ft. When I bought my hammock I did not have that choice and so I ended up with the 2000 edition of the Safari Deluxe - at the time I was 6'2" and 275 lbs. It has been a very good hammock for me and is strongly my preferred shelter for one main reason - comfort - its the best sleep I have ever had in the backcountry.

[Youngblood]

Originally posted by stormin norman
It seems that a few people have some experience with hammocks as shelters. I am a pretty big guy(6'2", 260lbs) and would like to know if any big guys have found a lightweight hammock that has a higher wt limit. Thanks

There are many options with hammocks that meet your requirements. Three manufacturers that I immediately think of are Speer, Hennessy and Clark. Surely there are others, but I know these three offer hammocks that will accomodate your size. Speer ever offers a book that will allow YOU to make your own custom hammock. All three of these have very informative web sites.

Youngblood

[kank]

As others have said, the major hammock manufacturers make products suited to the size and weight of various users, so you won't have a problem finding a lightweight hammock that you can trust.

Speer hammocks (http://www.speerhammocks.com/index.html).
The increasingly misnamed Clark Jungle Hammock (http://www.junglehammock.com/) .
Hennessy Hammock (http://www.hennessyhammock.com).

[Virginian]

I disagree that your camp sights are limited with a hammock. I used one last year and found that I could find sights when tenting folks were still walking around in the woods looking for a flat spot. Besides ,the hammock leave less of an impact.