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View Full Version : Shelter of Choice for April in Georgia



Kerosene
02-24-2004, 17:08
Well, I'm going to take Peaks advice and join the herd heading north from Springer on April 4th for a week to experience a different side of the AT that a section hiker doesn't normally see.

I seriously doubt that we will find much in the way of usable shelter space, although we will plan on eating dinner at shelters.

I've heard that tent sites can also fill up in Georgia, but that additional sites can frequently be found north of the shelters.

I would love to use my Hennessy Hammock, but I'm not handy enough to fashion an underquilt to handle expected temperatures. Right now I'm leaning toward an Outdoor Research Advanced Bivysack (31 ounces) or an MSR Microzoid tent (37 ounces) in order to keep down weight. Does anyone have any other weight-sensitive suggestions that I should look into before I plunk down any money?

hikerltwt
02-24-2004, 17:32
A 8 x 10 sil nylon tarp is under a pound and provides lots of space. SGT Rocks site lists some of the ways to set up tarps. The flying diamond and its variations are weather worthy pitcing options. You could also just use a 24 inch wide blue foam pad and a walmart truck windshield reflector and you should be plenty warm although it will add a bit over a pound to your hammock.

deeddawg
02-24-2004, 18:02
I would love to use my Hennessy Hammock, but I'm not handy enough to fashion an underquilt to handle expected temperatures.

Maybe I'm different than most, but why wouldn't you use a Hennessy in GA in April?

I spent a night at Woody Gap in my HH in January -- got down as low as 19F with plenty of wind. I had my 20F REI SubKilo and a 24" wide green egg-carton foam pad (Coleman/Walmart from years ago); I wore socks, cap, polypro longjohn top & bottom, fleece pullover, and a lightweight homemade fleece sleeping bag liner. I may have had on my rain pants as well, I don't recall. While I wasn't sweating, I also wasn't cold. The next night, on top of Blood Mtn, it only dipped to the mid 20's and I *was* sweating and had to ditch a layer or two. :)

Come April, I doubt you'll see less than 19F, so a HH ought to be fine. Just plan to wear some extra layers to bed.

Kerosene
02-24-2004, 18:13
I've tried Polartec 200 fleece pants inside a 15* Marmot Pinnacle atop a 24" 1/8" closed cell foam pad. I found that below 50 degrees I noticed that any part of my sleeping bag that compressed outside of the pad quickly became cold. This would usually happen with my knees and shoulder.

It could be that I just don't have enough experience in hammock (all of 3 overnights in total at more moderate temps) but I'm not confident of staying warm below 40. Posts to other hammock threads would seem to confirm this, but I'd be interested in other opinions that (dis)agree with deeddawg.

Peaks
02-24-2004, 18:36
Well, I'm sure you should carry something for shelter with you, especially in April.

Your choices include: Tarp, since bugs should not be a problem. Also, a tent. Now, a hammock will work, provided that you have something to insulate your bottom such as a closed cell pad.

Rancid
02-24-2004, 21:34
I would go with the OR Bivy due to the crowd. I have a HH and a bivy and either would or should work well in April, but with the bivy, you can set-up almost anywhere. Don't worry, you'll still have that one stone in your back after you fall asleep.

Happy
02-25-2004, 00:55
You should have adequate room for the hammock at this time, since the crowds have formed toward March 1st and March 15th with April 1st being the 3rd most heavy start times.

An alternative would be the Henry Shires Tarptent or the Nomad from Wanderlust (but that option can require a 7 month wait).

deeddawg
02-25-2004, 09:57
[...] below 50 degrees I noticed that any part of my sleeping bag that compressed outside of the pad quickly became cold. This would usually happen with my knees and shoulder. [...] I'm not confident of staying warm below 40. Posts to other hammock threads would seem to confirm this, but I'd be interested in other opinions that (dis)agree with deeddawg.

There may also be body-size differences? I'm ~5'9" and ~180lb. Any place where I extend off the pad would get chilled, but I don't tend to shift around as I sleep, so it doesn't become a problem. It may help that the pad I use is full-length and 24" wide, so it wraps up to the sides of my shoulders and hips enough that they don't go outside the pad. It's sort of like a green Mt. Washington pad ( http://www.litebackpacker.com/high-country-mtwash-review.html ) only wider. Something I bought at WallyWorld several years ago. Hammock is a HH Ultralight Backpacker Asym.

As for experience, I'm no expert -- I only have little over a dozen nights in it, probably five of which have been in the low 30's or below. I'm a warm sleeper, so this may have an effect as well. All I truly know is what has worked for me in direct experience, I'm not extrapolating anything. YMMV.

Another thought -- if the issue is mainly of where parts are extending off the pad, consider adding "wings" or another piece of a pad crosswise to extend the width at "problem" areas. I think Sgt. Rock has mentioned this in his hammock info at www.hikinghq.net

Good luck!

hungryhowie
02-25-2004, 14:34
I would love to use my Hennessy Hammock, but I'm not handy enough to fashion an underquilt to handle expected temperatures.

Well, of course the underquilt would be the best option. You might keep in mind that the first piece of homemade equipment that I ever designed and built was my down quilt www.newsushi.net/quilt.html . An underquilt is much simpler to build and would be a fairly simple undertaking. If the down part (and with it the baffles) is what's turning you off, if would be easy to use a synthetic insulation instead. Sure, it will be a little heavier, but oh so much easier for a first project. All if would be is to trace out your pattern, cut the two shell pieces, cut the insulation, and sew it all together. You'll need a few buckles, but that's it. Super easy.

If you still prefer an alternative, however, I'd definately go with a tarp. You can't beat the weight OR versatility. My favorite is Henry Shires' Tarptents (1 person Virga, 2 person Squall). They are both excellent performers and still very light. If you just want a basic tarp, a lightweight 5x8 or 8x10 will do the trick for ~$50 and 7-10oz. You can use a trash compactor bag for a groundcloth making for a very light and very useful combo.

-Howie