Feasibility of hammock camping

[psyon27]

I'm getting the impression that it would be pretty easy to find places to set up a tarp/hammock along the AT. I was mainly wondering what areas would be more difficult to do this.

Background info: I haven't hiked any of the AT (yet), I also don't have a hammock. However, they sound more comfortable and that would be worth the extra weight IMO. Just trying to gather some info before I jump straight into hammocking.

Thanks
Ken

[Tuckahoe]

There are trees everywhere. I have camped on a couple balds, but I was tenting then. If I wanted to hammock back then I would only have to go down off the bald to the trees.

If you havent yet, check out hammockforums.net

[psyon27]

I have been lurking over there and am meaning to register. That is pretty much what my dad said when I have talked to him about hammocking pros/cons and the possibility of the AT. I just didn't know if there were any long stretches of fields or anything.

Thanks
Ken

[kayak karl]

the whites and smokies need a little planning, but other then that no problem

[psyon27]

Ok so the whites are a lot of balds and the trail is above treeline a lot right? As tuck said as long as I camp in the low areas and maybe make a short day or 2 there to stay below treeline when I make camp I should be good.

As for the smokies, there is something about staying in the shelters and they don't let people make camps elsewhere right? How can that be planned around?

Ken

[kayak karl]

wait for the shelter to fill up and carry a pad for those days.
in the whites you can't tent above tree line either, but i skipped the huts. you have to sleep on wood floors in them and you WORK for stay.

[Dogwood]

The AT is an ideal trail to hang. Very few problems. +1 to what KK told you. Remember, just because you opt for a hammock as your main shelter you don't have to hang every single night. You can mix it up by staying at a shelter, cowboying, occasional hostel, etc

[Tuckahoe]

Check out the book Three Hundred Zeros by Dennis Blanchard. He hammocked on his thru (two section hikes but I have no issue calling them a thru).

[psyon27]

Added to my list of books to buy!

[Shonryu]

I've been hammock camping for awhile now and I've never had an issue with finding a way to make my system work. I also do a lot of backpacking with my twin brother and on average we try to do 5-6 day section hikes every month. We are both UL backpackers and he has't converted to hammocking yet. With that said I've had a lot of chances to compare systems and so I'm going to outline a few for you.

I use a UL Darien Hammock from Dream Hammocks 13.75oz for hammock, bug net, and whoopie TI hook suspension. Hammock Gear cuban fiber tarp with TI flyz, cuban snakeskins, zing it guidelines and TI hooks 6.8oz. Hammock Gear Phoenix UQ 40 degree 11.7oz, Hammock Gear Borrow 50 10.2oz TQ. 4 Vargo TI V shape stakes 1.7oz Gossamer Gear Nite Lite Pad 4.7oz Total weight 48.6oz or 3lbs give or take and that includes my my full sleep system. For colder weather I use a Phoenix -10 and a Borrow 0.

My brothers set up is a Henryshire Tarptent Notch 27oz, tyvex groundsheet 5.5oz, klymit xlite torso pad 5.8oz, Gossamer gear pad 4.7oz, and sleeping bag 24oz. Total weight 67oz or 4.1lbs including sleep system.

I perfer the modularity of a hammock set-up. If you know the conditions you are backpacking in you can pick the pieces you need and leave the rest at home. This helps a lot in reducing weight.

Also on every trip if we aren't staying at a shelter we have had to spend additional time looking for somewhere to camp because with a tent you need a flat level surface to camp on that can be cleared. I can tell you how many times I've been pissed off with my brother because we've had to put in extra miles to find a level place or a place that isnt to rocky for him to setup his tent. In a hammock it doesn't matter.

I usually keep my hammock fly on the outside of my back in my big mesh pocket. I can't even begin to tell you how many times its been a lifsaver. For downpoors my brother and I will usually set up my fly and sit under it to weight out a storm or if were having lunch and have been packing all day in a storm. Needless to say his only option would be to setup his tent or if he was creative enough he could probably use his tyvex groundsheet as a fly.

On ocassion I have been on flat treeless ground. If the bugs aren't out ill use my trekking poles to support my fly and my torso pad for when I go to ground. Torso pad serves 3 purposes for me. 1. To structure my pad, 2. for my legs since I use a 3/4 UQ. If my UQ usnt warm enough ill stick it under my back and shoulders and use my pack for my legs. 3. To provide some padding on my back if I have to go to ground. I also carry a poly ground sheet at all times from Gossamer gear. The weight is 1.3oz if I remember.

If the bugs are out I set-up my hammock bivy style with my trekking poles so I can use the bug net and tarp. Set up is kind of like the Notch except for using the poles in the center I use them on the ends and use the hammock suspension on my poles. Not one time did I ever have a situation where if I needed to stop I couldn't find a way to set up camp.

If you took the time to read this you may ask so why hasn't my twin converted into hammock camping? The truth is money. I'm saying this because when you compare our two set-ups his was about a quarter of the cost of mine. With hammocking if you plan to do 3 season and even push into 4 and are an UL backpacker that isn't into DIY you have a lot more to consider. Hands down a tarptent will most likely weight less if your not willing to shell out the money. I would highly recommend that you see if anyone you know has a hammock and experiment with it. It can end up being a really big investment. Also I say this often if you decided to go with a hammock setup don't experiment with pads like I did. I spent more money on trying to be cheap when I first started and countless restless nights surfing on my pads that I almost gave up hammock camping. By the time I figured out how much I had spent I could have bought 2 UQs. Often times people who advise that you don't need a UQ are the ones who don't own them.

[Tuckahoe]

Shonryu, thank you for such a well thought out post.

To follow up on your comments on costs, looking back I paid a total of $271 for my Lightheart Solo tent. This covered the cost of the tent titanium stakes and shipping. I later decided that I wanted to have the tent poles and put out another $40. Total of $311 for that tent.

So far for my hammock set up I have put out $348, which covers the hammock, tarp, various carabiners, guy lines, and stakes.

While i have paid out a little more for the hammock and tarp, i dont consider the difference that significant. Better yet, being cheap sometimes, I was able to puchase each piece of the system over time, which made the cost easier to bear. The other benefit, is I didnt have to buy a system that someone else put together. I was able to buy the exact pieces and parts that I wanted. It is rare to be able to customize a tent design to the degree that you are able to with a hammock set up.

As far as top and bottom quilt I chalk those costs being about the same as a inflatable pad and down bag. Only costs more if you are switching from one system to the other.

[Dogwood]

Yeah, good post Shonyu in regards to hammocking.

[Slo-go'en]

Just don't buy a bottom entry hammock. That was my mistake. Bottom entry seems like a good idea, until you find out it's difficult to impossible to add insulation under you, which is required if it's not wicked hot out.

I would suggest if at all possible to try out a hammock system before you commit to it. Try it on a cold and windy night. It's not easy to keep the tarp from fluttering in the wind and keeping you up all night.

Although they have many fanatical fans, thier not for everyone. After giving hammocks a try a few times, I much perfer a tent.

[verasch]

The first few times I hanged with the HH TH, I had a tremendous problem getting the air mat to sit right. I totally needed it as it was a mid-march overnight on the Mass section. Someone suggested I put little glue tabs on the bottom of the mat to create friction. I didn't want to see if that would work or not. But then I came across a big agnes bag with a mattress sleeve and it hasn't been a problem since. Nowadays I see more bags that have mat options to keep them suckers in place.

Of course, you could get the supershelter system to compensate for this, but the added weight sort of negates one of the major benefits of using a hammock in my opinion. Just my .02

[William36]

also, google a couple time for "set up hammock" no trees, etc.. in a pinch it can be done, not as a hammock, but as a "tent"