Holy Wow

[cmr_hiker]

After reading all the info here. wow, sounds like a great piece of gear.
i checked out the website. wow, wow wow.
then i checked out backpackgeartest wow wow wow wow wow

then i bought one on ebay.

i started hiking back in 98 i could say. i went through the connecticut section of the at. i was using the sierra designs clip flashlight. the quality of rest/sleep while hiking is incredibly important. i am so very excited for the gear upgrade! ill save about 2lbs and have a better night rest.

well i am just so excited i had to share!
chris

[Just Jeff]

Eh...care to share what piece of gear you're talking about?

[Heater]

Eh...care to share what piece of gear you're talking about?

I betchya he is talking about a hammock of some kind... just a guess though.

[cmr_hiker]

Eh...care to share what piece of gear you're talking about?

i picked up the hennessy backpacker asym hammock.
funny, a guy from masspirg, environmental group, came and asked for donations and we started talking about gear. hes a hiker too. oh wells yea. hammock yum

[Just Jeff]

I betchya he is talking about a hammock of some kind... just a guess though.

Heh...good guess...

Welcome to the hammocking crowd.

Don't forget to check out the hammock camping group at yahoo:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hammockcamping

And there are several hammocking pages out there, so read up! I'm kinda partial to this one:
http://www.geocities.com/jwj32542/HammockCamping.html

Enjoy your new gear.

[Heater]

Heh...good guess...

Welcome to the hammocking crowd.

Don't forget to check out the hammock camping group at yahoo:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hammockcamping

And there are several hammocking pages out there, so read up! I'm kinda partial to this one:
http://www.geocities.com/jwj32542/HammockCamping.html

Enjoy your new gear.

Ahhhh... another one's gone over to the "dark side."

(Ducks and covers.)

[neo]

welcome to hammocking,the way life should be neo

[Just Jeff]

Ahhhh... another one's gone over to the "dark side."

(Ducks and covers.)

Naw, I won't throw anything at you. I'll just let you enjoy your aching back from sleeping on the hard rooty ground, and your bad night's sleep from snuggling up next to the snorers and rats in the shelters. Kind of self-critiquing, actually.

[Hammock Hanger]

Welcome. Sue/HH

[TOW]

holy wow cow pow pow how...................

[Heater]

Naw, I won't throw anything at you. I'll just let you enjoy your aching back from sleeping on the hard rooty ground, and your bad night's sleep from snuggling up next to the snorers and rats in the shelters. Kind of self-critiquing, actually.

If I could sleep on my back, believe me, Hammock haging would be a consideration. But, I am a side/frontside sleeper and I move around a lot during the night. While hammocks are good for me as far as relaxing and napping... I don't think I could sleep comfortably on my back. Plus, I am a little claustrophobic.

A lot of people on here are real happy with their hammocks and you now have one of the best! Congratulations on your purchase and HAPPY HIKING!

[Just Jeff]

If I could sleep on my back, believe me, Hammock haging would be a consideration. But, I am a side/frontside sleeper and I move around a lot during the night. While hammocks are good for me as far as relaxing and napping... I don't think I could sleep comfortably on my back. Plus, I am a little claustrophobic.

See the first picture on this page:

http://www.geocities.com/jwj32542/HammockCamping.html

[Mountain Hippie]

My hammock has made sleeping out more of a pleasure. So much so that I may need to start carrying an alarm clock so I won't sleep until noon everyday.

[MedicineMan]

Dont know if any one has told you this, but you CAN side sleep--I do stretched out and fetal..I've even woke up on my stomach but with a slight twist. Surely you've heard this though, many committed stomach sleepers after getting into the hammock will fall asleep ON THEIR BACK and be very surprised that it happened (maybe a 15 mile day helps)....so please try, if you honestly try and dont like then let me know....I can always find a use for a slightly used hammock.....just make sure you order a Light Racer from Hennessey.

[Just Jeff]

Surely you've heard this though, many committed stomach sleepers after getting into the hammock will fall asleep ON THEIR BACK

At home, I ALWAYS fall asleep on my stomach and usually end up on my side. I hardly ever sleep on my back.

In the hammock, I almost always fall asleep on my back, then roll onto my side. Just before I wake up, I often end up on my stomach for a short time, but for most of the night I'm on my side, slightly fetal.

[Ramble~On]

Me too Me too.

At home I'm a stomach and side sleeper.
In the hammock I fell asleep almost instantly once and woke up with my headlamp still on my head. I spent the entire night on my back. That's unheard of for me. No matter what position I always seem to get a great night sleep in the hammock. I wake up rested and not sore or stiff as I have from sleeping on the ground. No matter what kind of sleeping pad the ground is still the ground.
Ridding my pack of the tent, stakes and sleeping pad shaved off pounds.
The hammock goes up in about a minute and it goes up just about anywhere.

[Heater]

Dont know if any one has told you this, but you CAN side sleep--I do stretched out and fetal..I've even woke up on my stomach but with a slight twist. Surely you've heard this though, many committed stomach sleepers after getting into the hammock will fall asleep ON THEIR BACK and be very surprised that it happened (maybe a 15 mile day helps)....so please try, if you honestly try and dont like then let me know....I can always find a use for a slightly used hammock.....just make sure you order a Light Racer from Hennessey.

I'd like to try one out. Got an extra?

I've thought about getting one from REI to see if I could sleep on my side and stomach without feeling too constrained. Then take it back if I don't like it.

I'd have to talk to REI and see if that's cool with them to do that.

[Just Jeff]

I've thought about getting one from REI to see if I could sleep on my side and stomach without feeling too constrained. Then take it back if I don't like it.

I'd have to talk to REI and see if that's cool with them to do that.

Lots of stores, including REI and EMS, have a "no questions asked" return policy. If you don't want it, for whatever reason, you take it back with the receipt and they accept the return.

FWIW, I find my homemade Speers to be more comfortable than my HH Backpacker. I think the longer one (Explorer) might be more comfy. If I had to do it again, I think I would have bought a Speer instead...

[Bolivershagnasty]

Is it cold without having an insulator (pad) under you? Just "twistin" in the wind. Or do you put a "pad' under you in the hammock? I'm a side sleeper too and I roll back and forth but I'd try it.

[Just Jeff]

Is it cold without having an insulator (pad) under you? Just "twistin" in the wind. Or do you put a "pad' under you in the hammock? I'm a side sleeper too and I roll back and forth but I'd try it.

It's comfy to ~70F without insulation underneath. Below that, you'll need something to keep you warm.

Pads are probably cheapest, but not the most comfortable, IMO. You need ~24"-30" wide to be comfortable (vs the ~20" of most pads), but there are several tricks like overlapping pads, or Ed Speer's pad extender, to keep it cheap. This way, you still have a pad for shelters/ground sleeping if you want it.

Underquilts are very comfy, as are PeaPods. They're more expensive, but worth the money if you want to be comfy in the cold, IMO. They'll get you to 30F-40F for about 30-40 oz depending on type. Keep in mind that 30-40oz replaces your sleeping bag, so it's not really adding weight over a traditional bag/pad combo.

There are some other things you can do. Some are simple and cheap, others are more involved. I have pics and explanations at http://www.geocities.com/jwj32542/HammockCamping.html if you're interested, and I'm always adding to it.