View Full Version : Hammock racks, like bicycle racks, at shelters?
Rain Man
08-25-2004, 09:34
SGT Rock, I saw in another thread your post about convenient places under shelter porch overhangs to hang your hammock.
You think they'll ever put up hammock "racks" like those bicycle racks one sees at schools, parks, and the like? Places to conveniently hang a group of hammocks together at a shelter, etc?
:D
Rain Man
.
SGT Rock
08-25-2004, 09:38
That would be nice. So in places like the Whites where they have designated tent platforms, they could actually get by cheaper and easier with having designated poles for a hiker to hammock off of. Maybe even a high speed overhead cover in some places like they have out in Ft Irwin for the bivouac site.
Youngblood
08-25-2004, 10:47
That would be nice. So in places like the Whites where they have designated tent platforms, they could actually get by cheaper and easier with having designated poles for a hiker to hammock off of. Maybe even a high speed overhead cover in some places like they have out in Ft Irwin for the bivouac site.
Sarge, what do you mean by high speed overhead cover? :-? That's not one of those times where you put your tarp up real fast fast because it's just starting to rain, is it?
Youngblood
SGT Rock
08-25-2004, 12:24
High Speed is a military term for "cool". I was imagining someone making a place with poles on either end that already had a roof, that would save making all those shelters.
MedicineMan
08-25-2004, 22:26
I like a big center pole with 5-6 hooks around it and them 5-6 poles radiused out 12feet or so from the center pole....that way up to 6 could hammock in a very small spot (i'm thinking that would be the most efficient design/setup).....hikers could alternate head-in or head out but i dont think that would get you away from a hammocking snorer....speaking of, any of you noticed less snoring while hammocking?
another option might be to do the center pole and then only put 3 or 4 poles radiused out but leave a quater of the circle for a cooking area, could even have a pie shaped table extending out from the center pole for this purpose.
SGT Rock
08-25-2004, 22:30
....speaking of, any of you noticed less snoring while hammocking?
I don't know. If I stay awake, I don't hear any snoring, and if I am asleep, I wouldn't notice ;)
MedicineMan
08-25-2004, 23:24
Wasnt Ed Speer contacting the ATC about these 'hitching posts' ? If any know Ed maybe an e-mail to see if he ever heard anything....
Sgt. when i'm sleeping i cant here myself snore either :)
yeah there should definitely be hammock poles. I am about to go through the whites here in a few days. theres all kinds of tent platforms everywhere. But when it comes to hammocks, there seems to be a bunch of haters out there. Hey man dont hate the hammock hate the game! LOL. but seriously, what are hammockers supposed to do in places where you can only camp on the platforms? Thats right, STEALTH it baby.Damn the man.
eyahiker
09-02-2004, 12:59
I was imagining someone making a place with poles on either end that already had a roof, that would save making all those shelters.
Now that's a great idea.
another option might be to do the center pole and then only put 3 or 4 poles radiused out but leave a quater of the circle for a cooking area, could even have a pie shaped table extending out from the center pole for this purpose.
A really great idea!
Are the maintenance hiking clubs out there listening??
... when it comes to hammocks, there seems to be a bunch of haters out there. Hey man dont hate the hammock hate the game! LOL ...
Take it from a recent convert, some hammockers can come across as a little smug.
SGT Rock
09-07-2004, 13:47
Not smug, just comfortable and satisfied ;)
Not smug, just comfortable and satisfied ;)
All of the above.
I, for one, am very impressed by the Hennessey. My wife, who thought I was totally Looney Tunes for buying her one, can't stop thanking me. (This may have something to do with her not having to sleep under the same roof with me anymore)
I like a big center pole with 5-6 hooks around it and them 5-6 poles radiused out 12feet or so from the center pole....that way up to 6 could hammock in a very small spot (i'm thinking that would be the most efficient design/setup).....hikers could alternate head-in or head out but i dont think that would get you away from a hammocking snorer....speaking of, any of you noticed less snoring while hammocking?
This sounds like the Hexacube Shelter in NH. But I think only the 1 pole between the 2 open sides would permit a hammock. I was tempted to hang there but didn't.
MedicineMan
09-26-2004, 22:13
shelter walls are probably not designed to withstand the forces a hammock can put on them. would be a real bit** to have a shelter land on you eh?
We used some artificial means on the trip to Utah this month, but always made sure it was some serious steel we hung on.
peter_pan
09-27-2004, 16:05
Hammock hangers are snug not smug. This phenomena is not correctly noticed by toss and turn ground sleepers who once awake can't get back to sleep for the snug snoring purr of the hammocker. When asked, "How did you sleep?" the toss and turner thinks the morning greeting hammocker "smug." We wish you all a great nights sleep.
Some shelters can take it. I hung up @ Quarry Gap in Pa this summer. it was sturdy enough. but it would be good to have posts close to the shelters. its a shame that a lot of campsites have cut down the trees to make way for tents. defeats the purpose of being 'out in the woods'.
Youngblood
10-04-2004, 19:40
Some shelters can take it. I hung up @ Quarry Gap in Pa this summer. it was sturdy enough. but it would be good to have posts close to the shelters. its a shame that a lot of campsites have cut down the trees to make way for tents. defeats the purpose of being 'out in the woods'.
The problem is that if you hang up in a shelter that can take it, someone else might come along thinking it's okay and hang up to a part of that shelter or another shelter that can't take it. Or they may hang multiple hammocks to one post... in my mind, there are just too many ways for this to cause serious problems. It's usually pretty easy to hang up somewhere near the shelter. If the weather is so bad that you want to use the shelter, just forget the hammock and sleep in the shelter.
Youngblood
The problem is that if you hang up in a shelter that can take it, someone else might come along thinking it's okay and hang up to a part of that shelter or another shelter that can't take it. Or they may hang multiple hammocks to one post... in my mind, there are just too many ways for this to cause serious problems. It's usually pretty easy to hang up somewhere near the shelter. If the weather is so bad that you want to use the shelter, just forget the hammock and sleep in the shelter.
Youngblood
Sorry but I only have experience with Pa & MD shelters. Most can actually handle a hammock. It's nice to hang out with other hikers at the shelter for the comraderie not to escape the weather. I'd rather be in my hammock. It's just a damn shame that a lot of sites have cleared out the trees.
Youngblood
10-10-2004, 09:57
Crash,
You do understand that in static conditions, a hammock can generate forces on each hammock strap that exceeds the occupants weight and that if you bounce around a little bit getting settled in, that those forces increase?
With that in mind and considering that you said "Most can actually handle a hammock", what do you think is the best way to determine if a shelter can handle a hammock?
And, do you think that everyone is capable of correctly making that determination? ... because if they don't, we got problems.
Youngblood
Brushy Sage
10-10-2004, 22:12
The ATC establishes design parameters for shelters along the trail. Of course there is a variety of designs in those that were constructed long ago. Maintaining clubs are supposed to coordinate the design and construction of shelters and privies with the ATC. This is not always done, and sometimes there is tension between some clubs, who want to go with more modern or innovative designs, and the ATC, which prefers that there be more consistency of experience from Georgia to Maine (or Maine to Georgia). I'm just posting this to say that any modifications to accomodate hammocks will have to come from ATC and not from the maintaining clubs.