Who has switched to sleeping in a Hammock?

[MedicineMan]

Have you switched to sleeping in a hammock?
You might if it would help you sleep better?
No and wouldn't consider it?
Thinking about it if you could find one for free?

[DebW]

Guess I'm in the process of switching to a hammock. Bought one this winter and have slept in it in the back yard about a dozen times. Have yet to backpack this year, but the hammock will be going along when I do. Just made a Speer hammock for hubby - hoping this improves his attitude toward backpacking.

[chris]

Hammocks are for laying around under palm trees in Nicaragua.

[tlbj6142]

I, too, am in the process of switching. I bought a HH last week. And have slept in it 3 nights. I will use it for a trip in 2 weeks.

Site selection is the main reason for the switch. I must have a brain disfuction as I find tent/tarp site selection one of the most difficult and tedious tasks I have to do on the trail. The ability to just pick 2 trees and go is very, very satisfiying.

[Kerosene]

tlbj6142: I think you'll be surprised at how difficult it can be sometimes to find "just" 2 trees that are the right thickness, just far enough apart, high enough branches, lack of deadwood, out of the wind, with limited undergrowth, etc. I suggest you start looking for a spot long before dark those first few times out!

[RagingHampster]

I'm 6'1/230lbs and would proabbly bring down the trees (lol). I also enjoy cooking dinner on a rainy day inside my tent (not my stove, just me). More room in my tent too (and no bugs or netting on my face). I guess I'm just bias.

[tlbj6142]

If it is that hard to find a hammock site, just image how hard it is to find a good tent/tarp site.

Switching gears...

After 3 nights, I'm still not completly convinced about the "nearly horizonal" comments you read quite often about your sleeping position in a HH UL A-Sym. Thus far, I find that to be a falsehood. Not that it matters much because back sleeping is 1000% times more comfortable than when I'm on the ground.

I can't do side sleeping (anywhere) as it kills the shoulder/arm under my body. But if I could belly sleep in a hammock, that would rock!

[chris]

Finding a good tarp/tent site is easier than lighting an alcohol stove. As a past thread has indicated, though, some people have difficulty even with the simple task of getting denatured to burn.

[MedicineMan]

Kerosone is partly right, there have been a few times when I had to make do with the trees in the area I wanted to camp in, but the vast majority of the time I have gone many many a mile without a good tent site...like Sgt Rock and Shane Steincamp I have to agree that the hammock revolution is one of the best things to come to backpacking...this Friday--> from Little Wolfe to Pearisbur I will have 4 nights to experiment with the Garlington Taco and various insulations underneath including the Golite Fur, trash bags with air/leaves/clothers/ and couple with the underquilt tested on the hike over Albert Mountain...concerning horitontal sleeping it is true that you are not flat and that means you are still curved. I discussed this before, but the curve causes venturis any time any amount of wind passes under the hammock drastically cooling it like a bridge, so I'm thinking the Garlinton Taco will be with me anytime I am hammockcamping.

[Hikerhead]

Hammock Hanger got me into the hammock hanging thing. I'm glad I did.

I have the Clark which is better for the cold.

I have the Hennessey 2.5 which is really roomy and has a weight limit of 250lbs.

I just bought the UL-A-Sym for my hiking buddy to use so it will be good to compare them side by side. We're hiking the SNP starting this Sat.

I've made a underquilt using a Survival/Space blanket. I found this blanket today, don't know if it's new on the market or not, but it weighs in at 5.5 oz. Very light, it's made of something that reminds you of tyvek. It's breathable with a cloth-like feel to it, with a reflective material on one side. (It's called the Thermo-Lite All Purpose Survial Blanket. Sells for around 10 to 12 bucks. Campmor has it for $10.)

I've attached strech cord with plastic hooks at 8 places on the blanket using dimes and they then attach under the hammock to the O rings on the hammock. It hasn't been field tested yet but so far the results have been outstanding at Hikerheads Official Testing Laboratory, my basement.

[Hammock Hanger]

for over 8 years now. Imust say that my Hennessey Asym is like the Tahj Mahal compared to my old Walmart deluxe.

For me there just isn't any other way. HH

[tlbj6142]

Simva;

Can't wait to read the reports on the taco. What material did you make it out of?

[2Ply]

I made the switch to a Clark hammock about 2 years ago and really enjoy the comfort and versatility it allows. Most folks here and at hikinghq seem to prefer the HH brand. I have to agree with HikerHead, the Clark is a great product and works well in any season, it does a good job in Georgia winters as they are not too severe.

RagingHamster - I am 6'1 and 250# and the hammock has never let me down for comfort or versatility. In the morning I just roll over, get my stove out of a side pocket and have that first cup of the day still in my bag! Can't beat it for starting the day off right.
See picture at...

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/sh...php?photo=1011

Hikerhead - I added a window to the weather shield on the Clark. When the weather starts to really blow or get too cold you still get a room with a view. Also great for checking out what is making those strange sounds during the night. See picture at...

http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/sh...php?photo=1012

2Ply

[tlbj6142]

Hikerhead;

Does the blanket you made your taco out of crinkel? Just wondering if it would make for a noisy underblanket.

[Hammock Hanger]

I re-sewed my underliner omitting the down (which worked well but I was too lazy to carry an extra pound of down.) I had the opportunity to use my new underliner on the Bartram Trail last week. It worked great. Infact one night I thought hell I'll go without tonight. I found myself out in the dark slipping it on. It is basically a footprint of the hammock made out of sil with a few pockets sew in. I slip some partially inflated plastic bags in the pockets. (Kind of like an outside air mattress.) The trapped air kept me from getting a chill on the underside. I was warm as toast and very comfy. Weight a few ounces for the sil and a couple of plastic bags. HH

[Hikerhead]

2ply---That is some really nice work you did on your hammock. I bet it won't be long when they make them like that. If I tried to do that I would screw it up in a heartbeat <Clapping hands>

TLBJ6142---This particulat blanket is not the foil type like my old one, so it absolutely make no noiseless. It's made of something that reminds me of tyvek. Very light and more of a cloth feel to it.
But, HH just told me it's not worth a poop. She was wrap up in one of these inside of her hammock one cold night and in the morning I found her buried in a pile of leave. It was too funny.
I'm not using this in that manner and I think it should work out ok.
It shouldn't be too cold next week so I guess that should be a good time to test it to see if it holds any promise.

If this works, here's just a simple diagram of what I did.

C:\My Documents\My Pictures\Survival Blanket underblanket.jpg

[Crash]

tlbj6142: I think you'll be surprised at how difficult it can be sometimes to find "just" 2 trees that are the right thickness, just far enough apart, high enough branches, lack of deadwood, out of the wind, with limited undergrowth, etc. I suggest you start looking for a spot long before dark those first few times out!

like anything you have to practice it a few times before you get the 'hang' of it.
and it's a lot harder when all those damn tenters have the trees chopped down to make room for their monstrous tents. lol

[Doctari]

I havn't voted on this yet, still thinking.

I wear a kilt, but love my tent

Would love to try a hammock, will take that free one

I like the old net hammock I have, sleep like a baby in it. Am going to carry it on the next hike for sleeping in on warm starlit nights.

Descisions descisions

Doctari.

[Moon Monster]

I sleep mostly on my stomach and sometimes in fetal. Are there any hammocks constructed for my habits?

Are there any hammocks period that compete weight-wise with a 17oz tarp-tent/groundcloth combo?

[Lumberjack]

I sleep mostly on my stomach and sometimes in fetal. Are there any hammocks constructed for my habits?
Are there any hammocks period that compete weight-wise with a 17oz tarp-tent/groundcloth combo?

Some claim to sleep on their stomach in the hennssy's and I myself do the fetal/side sleep.

Hennessy makes a UL racer model that weights in at 15 oz. It alledgedly sacrifices a bit of duribility for weight tho. The weight of the hammock alone isnt the only consideration. you have to consider the whole setup. Tarp + pad + bag ect vs Hammock + pad + bag as a hammock has different requirements. A pad isnt needed for comfort in a hammock but serves as insulation instead.

I use a UL-ASYM model with a homemade underquilt and an arc alpinist on top.

hammock - 28
underquilt - 24
top quilt - 30

total - 82 oz or 5.2 lbs