View Full Version : AT thru: Hammock or ground system?
Folks of WB,
I am almost geared up and have only one problem remaining: hammock or ground system (WBBB 1.1dl and OES MacCat Std vs. LHG Solo)? These two weigh and cost about the same (would use the same bottom insulation). Looking to start a discussion on ground and hanging sleep systems (apples and oranges aside ;)) regarding your experiences on an AT thru. Apologies if this has already been done, if so please direct me to the proper thread.
I intend to spend the night in a shelter only as a last resort, i.e. in instances of prolonged inclement weather, thus my hammock/tent will be my primary shelter. Here's what i'm thinking:
Tents:
-I hate dewy tents. To illustrate the depth of my hatred, i chose to sleep badly in the backseat of a Ford Focus for a whole summer rather than sleep more comfortably and dry off a wet tent every morning. :o
-...so i may end up preferring the shelters over tenting.
-Not using the tent means it's dead weight that i'm only carrying "just in case" until i get over my wet tent aversion.
-I'm getting older and the ground isn't getting any softer! :p
-...but i'll get used to it.
-I can deploy a ground system quickly and easily with no learning curve.
-Tents probably increase encounters with critters. This could be good or bad depending on the critter (ticks, skunks, rodentia and bears = bad; arthropods, opossums, snakes and raccoons = OK).
Hammocks:
-I've never slept in a hammock. I don't even know if they are comfortable for me.
-Suspension systems and the nuances of getting "dialed in" are totally alien to me. :eek:
-...but if there is a dearth of tent spots on the AT (?), hammocks could be more flexible than tents! A world of places to pitch!
-...except above tree line (probably won't tent above tree line either though).
-I may spend fewer nights in town and save $$ if i have a sleep system that is more comfortable than a hostel palette.
-Hammocks sound like fun! whee!!!
-...but after a 25 mile day i may not even bother to set the dang thing up, and just sleep in a shelter anyway.
Conclusion:
After a few hundred miles i probably won't give a $#!% where i'm sleeping, so this debate is pointless :p :rolleyes: :D
Thoughts/opinions/recommendations?
couscous
04-03-2011, 14:13
Click on [Search] / in Search Forums box enter +hammock +tent / hit go / lots to read.
kayak karl
04-03-2011, 14:45
there is a hammock hang not all that far from you soon. check it out. http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28086
If you lean towards the hammock, check out www.hammockforums.net (http://www.hammockforums.net) It's a spin off from this site and has tons of info for a hammocker.
The points you listed are all right on with many who have pondered this choice. It's a personal matter when it comes down to it, and you'll be fine either way, really.
For what it's worth, I moved from tent to hammock and won't go back. Tons easier to find spot, much better nights sleep which does matter to my hiking day a lot!
This is the one thing everybody on Whiteblaze agrees about. :)
This is the one thing everybody on Whiteblaze agrees about. :)
Say it aint so!! :eek:
Click on [Search] / in Search Forums box enter +hammock +tent / hit go / lots to read.
Aha! So that's how you do a search with multiple words. So much for grad school. Thanks :o
If you lean towards the hammock, check out www.hammockforums.net (http://www.hammockforums.net/) It's a spin off from this site and has tons of info for a hammocker.
Trolled and also a member, thanks! It's because of Shug that i'm even having this "problem" :)
there is a hammock hang not all that far from you soon. check it out. http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28086
I saw that post and i wish i could go! It's two weeks before my defense and a 7 hour drive. :( Thanks for the link though, i'll keep it in mind in case i quit school ;)
EBC - Welcome to Whiteblaze. :)
if I were to go to a setup heavier than my current tarp, I'd opt for a hammock rather than a ground setup of equal weight.
Hi EBC,
Just was going through this decision over the past month myself ( and wife). We are planning to go sobo this year.
We have a tarp tent and have liked it. I wanted to try a hammock as we live in the whites and wanted to increase flexibility in our overnights out in the woods/mtns. So, we picked up a GT ultralight for $20 and hung it in the basement. We each spent three nights in it and were sold. Back felt way better and we are both looking forward to the dryness that will come with being above the ground and not on it.
Coincidentally, just finished hemming edges for a hammock I making for myself tonight.
Definitely check out hammock forums. Really outstanding group of DIY'ers and very helpful folks.
Fog Horn
04-04-2011, 10:36
I'm really new to the hammocking world, and while there is a learning curve (especially when it comes to modifications and setting up) I have found that once you figure out how to hang your hammock, it takes minutes to set it up. I can set up my hammock in a fraction of the time it takes me to set up a tent. The suspension systems are alien to me as well, but I've found that hammockforums.net and the various vendors from there (like whoopieslings.com) have a lot of diagrams and videos to help out in this. Good luck!
onestepatatime
04-21-2011, 09:01
I am wondering same , I will be hiking the franconia ridge in august from lonesome lake hut on A.T. to gale river trail staying at liberty spring site greenleaf hut thengarfield ridge site.I am curious are tent areas suitable for hammocks or must one use a tent.
Bootstrap
04-21-2011, 09:13
You really, really need to hang in a hammock before you decide you want one. Always test your most important equipment before you decide to depend on it.
That said, I really like my hammock. I think it's definitely worth trying. The big issues with hammocks involve temperature, they can be cold even when the weather isn't all that cold, so you have to get that system down. (I think I wish I had a double layer hammock, it sounds like that would solve a lot of this, but I'd want to test it before relying on it ;->)
I sometimes use just a tarp, sometimes use a tarp and a hammock. Same tarp. So the hammock always costs me extra weight, and extra space, but it's much more comfortable. Once you figure out how to stay warm in the thing ...
Raul Perez
04-21-2011, 09:16
You really, really need to hang in a hammock before you decide you want one. Always test your most important equipment before you decide to depend on it.
That said, I really like my hammock. I think it's definitely worth trying. The big issues with hammocks involve temperature, they can be cold even when the weather isn't all that cold, so you have to get that system down. (I think I wish I had a double layer hammock, it sounds like that would solve a lot of this, but I'd want to test it before relying on it ;->)
I sometimes use just a tarp, sometimes use a tarp and a hammock. Same tarp. So the hammock always costs me extra weight, and extra space, but it's much more comfortable. Once you figure out how to stay warm in the thing ...
Sounds like you need to insulate your bottom. CCF pad or an underquilt will keep you warm enough for 3 season. Adding an extra layer in regards to a hammock fabric will not solve that issue.
Bootstrap
04-21-2011, 10:21
Sounds like you need to insulate your bottom. CCF pad or an underquilt will keep you warm enough for 3 season. Adding an extra layer in regards to a hammock fabric will not solve that issue.
I use a Wally World blue pad now, works pretty well. But like I said, I had to play with it before I got it right.
You really, really need to hang in a hammock before you decide you want one. Always test your most important equipment before you decide to depend on it....
Really good advice, but I assume you know this, and that you're asking now so that you can finalize your gear and test it the remainder of the year before you go. If you still unsure, you might try getting a $20 traveler hammock and using it over the summer to see how you sleep in it.
Tents:
-I hate dewy tents. To illustrate the depth of my hatred, i chose to sleep badly in the backseat of a Ford Focus for a whole summer rather than sleep more comfortably and dry off a wet tent every morning. :o
-I'm getting older and the ground isn't getting any softer! :p
Hammocks:
-I've never slept in a hammock. I don't even know if they are comfortable for me.
-Suspension systems and the nuances of getting "dialed in" are totally alien to me. :eek:
-...but if there is a dearth of tent spots on the AT (?), hammocks could be more flexible than tents! A world of places to pitch!
-...but after a 25 mile day i may not even bother to set the dang thing up, and just sleep in a shelter anyway.
The "tent" issues above are by far the most compelling reasons to go with a hammock setup. Yes, you get used to it, but that goes for both tents and hammocks, and the benefit of what you're getting used to in the hammock far outweighs the sleep potential on the ground.
I find that the notion of it being easier to find a good spot to camp in a hammock as opposed to a tent to be a little overrated, at least at first. I think the truth is that a so-so hammock spot is a whole lot better than a so-so tent spot. In a hammock, you'll always be suspended, and you'll always be level. I absolutely hate being in a tent (or under a tarp) where I find myself slipping down one direction overnite.
And if you ever find yourself in a place where there is not a good hanging area, you can always rig your hammock tarp as a tent, and use the hammock as a bug bivy if you desire to.
I thru hiked with a hammock and would do it again same way. You need to try one to be sure for you that it will work. I'm doing the Muir trail this year using a Hubba tent ( going with two other guys using tents and because of tree line issues I'm tenting)with great reservations as the hammock is so comfortable.
WILLIAM HAYES
04-21-2011, 21:52
go to hammock forums you can get some useful information personally I would never go back to tenting
Please try out a hammock before you commit to a thru-hike with one. :welcome
That said, if you want a relatively easy setup, order the Warbonnet with adjustable webbing suspension. It weighs 4-5 ounces more, but it is very easy to set up without much fidgeting.
Wrap each end of the webbing around your trees, then pull the webbing at the slider cam to the desired angle of sag. You can see how easy it is from watching this video from Brandon at Warbonnet. Brandon's video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWlM0pROnpU) I usually have mine up in about 2 minutes.
The MacCat tarp is so well cut, it is difficult to NOT get a tight pitch. Again, I could have mine up in 2-3 minutes.
But you've got to spend a few nights in a hamock to know if they are right for you. The good news is that you can buy a Blackbird right now and if you don't like it, you can sell it on Hammockforums with little or no loss of the money you spent.
+1 on trying a hammock before committing. If you choose hammock, and use a pad instead of an underquilt, then you still have the option and equipment at hand to sleep on the ground - in a shelter if you choose, on top of a mountain when the weather's just right, etc.
I use a Thermarest Prolite shorty or a Big Agnes insulated air core shorty, along with 6 sections of z-rest (just a few ounces more), so I can sleep very comfortably in my hammock or on the ground.
kayak karl
04-22-2011, 12:38
Please try out a hammock before you commit to a thru-hike with one. :welcome
That said, if you want a relatively easy setup, order the Warbonnet with adjustable webbing suspension. It weighs 4-5 ounces more, but it is very easy to set up without much fidgeting.
Wrap each end of the webbing around your trees, then pull the webbing at the slider cam to the desired angle of sag. You can see how easy it is from watching this video from Brandon at Warbonnet. Brandon's video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWlM0pROnpU) I usually have mine up in about 2 minutes.
The MacCat tarp is so well cut, it is difficult to NOT get a tight pitch. Again, I could have mine up in 2-3 minutes.
But you've got to spend a few nights in a hamock to know if they are right for you. The good news is that you can buy a Blackbird right now and if you don't like it, you can sell it on Hammockforums with little or no loss of the money you spent.
bearpaw is right about that suspension. it is the easiest, but check out the Warbonnet before u buy. there are many other options.
Doc Mike
04-22-2011, 13:01
amazon now sells hennessey hamock.
Just ordered one for my brother in law
Everything you need to know about hammoncks can be learned by watching Shug's videos. http://www.youtube.com/user/shugemery