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NICKTHEGREEK
05-12-2005, 17:03
http://outside.away.com/outside/gear/gearguy/200505/20050512.html A quick take on the pros of Hammocks from the Gear Guy at Outside Magazine online. It may seem like preaching to the choir on this forum, but thought you'd be interested

gumball
05-12-2005, 19:16
http://outside.away.com/outside/gear/gearguy/200505/20050512.html A quick take on the pros of Hammocks from the Gear Guy at Outside Magazine online. It may seem like preaching to the choir on this forum, but thought you'd be interested
Don't worry, not everyone's in the choir yet, some of us are still practicing! We just purchased two hammocks yesterday and are awaiting their arrival--so I'm glad to read articles like this. Thanks.

Fiddleback
05-12-2005, 21:15
Sounds like the Gear Guy isn't up on hammock hangin' much ("...don't need any sleeping pad..."). But I guess that's excusable. Gee, maybe next month he'll promo external frame packs!:clap

FB

Just Jeff
05-13-2005, 11:06
Sounds like the Gear Guy isn't up on hammock hangin' much ("...don't need any sleeping pad...").
I don't use a pad with mine and I've been to ~30F in snow and rain.

bulldog49
05-13-2005, 11:54
http://outside.away.com/outside/gear/gearguy/200505/20050512.html A quick take on the pros of Hammocks from the Gear Guy at Outside Magazine online. It may seem like preaching to the choir on this forum, but thought you'd be interested

A less than glowing recommendation. Confirmed the reasons why I will stick with a tent.

Fiddleback
05-13-2005, 19:34
I don't use a pad with mine and I've been to ~30F in snow and rain.Guess it depends on where you are when. And what your set up is. I don't use a bag but I will start using a quilt (if I can ever get out on the trail this season :datz). Only one of my nights was above 30 last year and that was during a week of record highs. Come to think about it, my first night in a hammock was in sub-freezing temps and that was during a week of record highs too...wonderful cool nights in the Northern Rockies :p .

FB

cmr_hiker
06-09-2005, 20:51
well,

look at the language he uses. he hasnt even been inside a hammock. whne he says,

(One note: I remain mildly skeptical of the comfort claim, but the Hennessy hammocks are designed to hang very level so you don't feel like a banana.)

this infers that he has not placed his body inside of the hammock. he could go on to say, i slept in one and found..." but he doesnt, he just says what they are intended for. he is mildly skeptical... did you sit in it gear guy?

he goes on to say,

One knock against hammocks is that they are a little colder than tents because they compress the insulation around the sleeping bag.

same thing happens when you sleep on the ground. sure you may very well need more efficient insulation than on the ground, instead of the earth sapping your heat, its the air. what is a "little" colder? if ther is no wind is it warmer? what steals heat faster the earth or the air?

the cold fix: (he says)

Not an issue in the summer for most places, but in colder temps pack along a Space Blanket or other heat-reflective item.

well at least gear guy goes and reads about the gear at the websites and can regurgitate info on how to further insulate the hammock.

he says,

We tend to get into ruts about gear, such as the belief that we "must" use a tent.

It is more than a rut, it is full force way of thought. very similar to, "i need food; goto store to buy it." the difference is the hammock is head over heals, 1k times more comfortable than the ground. the hammocks have completely revolutionized camping and its only a matter of time before we see these guys making a whole lot of people happy with fistfulls of cash.

i do not believe gear guy sufficiently researched his topic. gear guy seems to be a whole slew of people answering newbie questions. go check out other reviews sounds like totally different people wrote the answers. also i love how the photo is courtesy of rei. they (outside online and gear guy) sound as straight as a barrel full of snakes

to the folks that read the advertisement driven gear reviews:
you will have a more honest opinion if you goto www.backpackgeartest.org (http://www.backpackgeartest.org)


i am itching for hiking but all i can do is surf,
chris