Intro to Hammocking

[Roughin' It]

Hello,

I recently started this hiking craze thing this past year after moving to Virginia, so i took a first step and bought a decent tent (North Face Tephra 22). However, soon after I have realize that it is not my destiny to sleep in a tent if I decide to hike the AT in '09, cause i feel like an old man when I wake up.
So, basically, I need to know some things about hammocks, and my eyes hurt whenever i start reading millions of threads on them. First of all, are all "good" brands of hammocks A-sym? If some aren't A-sym, how flat do they lay? What would be a good hammock to start out with, or even have for a while? I am right at 6'0" 160 lbs, so pretty average. I like the fact that hammocks only weigh about 2 lbs, but how small do they pack up? I get confused when reading about all the variations hammocks have like underquilts, zippers, straps, tree huggers, flys, bugnets, etc. So really any input on how these things come together would be great, or any suggestions on hammocks somewhere around $200 and under.

happy trails.

[Ashman]

I guess no one else beat me to the punch. Best to scoot over to www.hammockforums.net (http://www.hammockforums.net) there is a wealth of info there. Good stuff here just more info there. Short answer is find a buddy with one and try it out. Thats what got me into it. Many people get into hammocking with the Hennesy model, that what I got, it a a good "off the rack" system. My first foray into a hammock I used a thermarest and a regular sleeping bag. I now have an underquilt and a top quilt. Good luck and happy hanging!

[FanaticFringer]

Yep come on over to hammock forums. Also go here from some great newbie hammock camping 101 www.tothewoods.net/HammockCamping.html
AS far as what hammock to get. that is a loaded questions. It took me several hammocks before I found the one I really liked. My favorite and the one that lets
me sleep flat as a board is the JRB Bear Mountain Bridge hammock.
htt://www.jacksrbetter.com Their located in Virginia BTW.
The Hennessy Explorer Ultralight is a good option as well as the Claytor Jungle hammock.

[Walkie Talkie]

The links they gave you are great. I thru'd in a Hennessy ultralight backpacker. It is good up to 200 pounds so you sure will be fine. I think Hennessy has a patent on asym hammock. However if you lay diagonally in most hammock you are making it asym from the inside rather than the pull outs on the Hennessy. A Hennessy Ultralight with their hex tarp is about as light as you can go at a little over 2 pounds and have bug protection. I recommend the hex tarp rather than the stock tarp. You will appreciate the extra coverage. Like FF said the Jack's bear mountain bridge is a great choice also. It lays very flat and you can sleep on your stomach, side, or back. You have a pretty small frame and it will fit you well. They are coming out with a wider model soon b/c some people have complained about shoulder squeeze but they were bigger than you I think. Making your own hammock is also an option if you can sew just a little. OES makes excellent tarps for hammocks. Claytor is a good chioce with a double bottom so you don't play chase the sleeping pad all night. That double bottom has a little more wieght though. Speer hammocks are great adn they sell complete sets or build your own kits. Parachute and travel hammocks can be used but you have to replace the suspension and do something about bug protection. I love all hammocks as you can tell. I would say Hennessy is the most popular on the AT and for thru hikers.

[GeneralLee10]

I have HH and love it need to know what to do with me bag at night. Does anyone have good tips or ideas.

[jlb2012]

use your bag as a quilt - only zip it up to around your knees

sleep on a pad or use an under quilt

go over to hammockforums.net for total information overload on hammocks

[sasquatch2014]

I was in the same boat not knowing what type to get and then wondering if all the extras that people were adding like underquilts etc didn't just get me back up to the weight of a tent. I wanted something I could use year round if i wanted to. I went with a Clark North American. I can rig it to sleep pretty near to flat. I can sleep on my side as well. This model has six pockets under it to store gear that create dead air space and act as an insulator. It also has the built in bug shield as well as another skin that acts like a wind break insulator. I went with a bigger tarp and I think mine is just about 3 and a half lbs. I have slept in it as low as 9* I do use a knock off of a Therma Rest from Cabela's

[russb]

My favorite is my Claytor Hammock. While slightly heavier than my Travel hammock 31oz vs 14oz, it is much more comfortable and versatile. If weight is an issue, or in the winter I will use the travel hammock as I do not need a bugnet (though it does add a few degrees of warmth). The Claytor allows me to sleep much flatter than the other top loaders, I don't know why.

[Walkie Talkie]

I have HH and love it need to know what to do with me bag at night. Does anyone have good tips or ideas.

I assume you mean the hammock bag. I hang mine off the suspension line under the tarp. I also use it to put and stuff sacks in such as my quilt sack, tarp bag, and stake bag. That way in the morning I know where all that suff is.

[Dmanhiker]

I have HH and love it need to know what to do with me bag at night. Does anyone have good tips or ideas.

Hey IndWlkr, I'm relatively new to the hammocking thing but i've done a few nights on the AT with my Hennessy so far. Yesterday I was looking for the same thing online and i ran across just jeff's website from hammockforums.net. He had a cool idea of of attaching a sil nylon cover on the entrance side of the hammock... check it out here link (http://tothewoods.net/HomemadeGearPackCoverGearHammock.html). I'm personally thinking of getting myself one in the near future along with some snake skins and possibly some bigger tree huggers :).

Hope this helps. I'm also a new member of both whiteblaze and hammockforums. Both have given lots of new information!