Looking for some wise souls willing to impart knowledge

[mudsocks]

Hi,

I'm brand new here and looking for opinions, information and experiences. At 17, as new high school graduate I toyed with the idea of hiking the AT. Ultimately the "prevailing wisdom" told me I could not afford the trail. A lifetime later and saddled with all the usual debt and responsibilities, this idea instead of fading has grown into a compulsion that is pushing me into making my fantasy a reality. So here I am.

I've done a good deal of camping and for me the (second) most unpleasant part is sleeping on heavily used/hard/rocky ground. A hammock certainly seems like the easiest way to eliminate said unpleasantness. I'm a side sleeper and having never slept in a hammock I'm curious how many others here would say the same and was transitioning to your back a problem?

I've seen a few tarp/covers and I'm wondering how they stand up to wind and wind-blown rain. In my experience the (first) most unpleasant part of camping it is being wet without reprieve. Does one stay relatively dry in a hammock?

I've done a bit of research but I'm wondering what people's real world experiences are regarding total hammock + gear weight vs tent + gear weight is?

Hammocks are open, how does one effectively keep out mosquitos/black flies/etc?

What are the upsides and downsides I haven't thought to ask about?

Thanks

[Kaptain Kangaroo]

Done properly, using a hammock will keep you just as dry as a tent & you can get hammocks with bug netting, so no problems there. My experience is that there is virtually no weight difference, you can hit a sensible (light) target weight with either.

Like most things there is no simple answer to which is best, & it comes down to hiking style, location, personal preferences etc. I have tried both & ended up back with a tent. The reason was that I am a very restless sleeper & toss around a lot. I sleep very poorly in a hammock as I feel like I am fighting it all night. For me, sleeping in a tent is much more comfortable. But there are many others on WB who will tell you that hammocks are great.

Best thing is to find a way to try one out for a while.

[T.S.Kobzol]

You can sleep sideways in a hammock for moments at a time but it was designed primarily as a lay on your back mode of resting. ... So if you insist on sleeping on your side all the time then is like walking a bicycle. :-)

Properly pitched tap offers various configurations starting from open airy canopy down to closed down wind containment. By definition the fact that you elevate of the ground you eliminate certain episodes with flooding and therefore I contend that hammock is drier in comparison.

But first you must love sleeping in a hammock and that is not for everyone.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2

[Old Hiker]

I got a soul, but I'm not sure if I'm wise; however:

I had a hammock the first week or two of my thru-attempt - 2012. It was GREAT, until the 30* or so cold, blowing rain and high winds. I couldn't figure out how to get out of bed, stay dry, change into my hiking clothes, keep everything dry until packed, etc. With the fly down to keep the wind/rain out, I had to touch the underside in the A.M. getting up with allthe condensation, etc. I had to switch to a tent. I was able to stay warm with a 0* bag (over-warm) and a closed cell pad under me. The pad kept the hammock opened up so I wasn't rolled up completely.

My hammock gave me the BEST rest I could have - up high and dry, comfortable, I could sleep on my side, it was pretty good. I have a Clark Jungle hammock. It has netting over the hammock body to keep the buggies out and worked well for me.

[louisb]

Check out hammockforums.net for a lot of good advice on camping with hammocks.

--louis

[russb]

I use a hammock year round through thunderstorms, 'noreasters, black-fly invasions, etc... For me, it is the greatest. while the hammock I use is the same year; round, I do change the tarp from season to season.

[Nutbrown]

You can get a hammock with netting, so no worries about the bugs.

It's a big learning curve, but I find it more comfy than on the ground. Others will argue, but when you look at the weight btwn hammock and tent, with all the cold weather quilts, it is pretty much a wash. Anyone can go ultra light with either tent or hammock, it's what you are comfortable with.

You can sleep on your side, but the above post is right, a hammock is great for back sleepers.

Whenever I tent, I bring my tarp along to keep everything dry. I stay dryer in the hammock. Just make sure the tarp is big enough. The minimalist tarps can let blowing rain in. If you are really concerned, you can get a tarp with doors to keep the whole thing enclosed.

With a hammock, you always have a place to hang wet stuff.

[yellowsirocco]

I am a side sleeper on the ground and turn a lot, but in a hammock I am a back sleeper and hardly move all night. What you do on the ground is not necessarily what you will do in a hammock.

[Wags]

to answer your questions:

1. yes you can stay plenty dry in a hammock. i started w/ a smaller tarp and learned how to pitch it smartly. later i graduated to a larger tarp (that was cuben, for no weight penalty).

2. ground users will be able to have their shelter system for a given senario be lighter than a hammocker. however, it is not enough to sway me away from using a hammock. i carried a 8 lb total pack weight pack for a 5 day hike last year. i consider myself an ultralighter. you can get really, really light with hammocks if you are skinny. however, if weight is your #1 overall priority, with no care for the bliss/comfort of sleeping soundly for 8 hours and waking feeling refreshed, then yes, tenting is lighter...

[kayak karl]

You can sleep sideways in a hammock for moments at a time but it was designed primarily as a lay on your back mode of resting. ... So if you insist on sleeping on your side all the time then is like walking a bicycle. :-)

Properly pitched tap offers various configurations starting from open airy canopy down to closed down wind containment. By definition the fact that you elevate of the ground you eliminate certain episodes with flooding and therefore I contend that hammock is drier in comparison.

But first you must love sleeping in a hammock and that is not for everyone.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2

what hammock do you use? i have only sleep on my side for the last 5 years and hundreds of nights.

[gunner76]

First, watch Shug's youtube videos onhammock hanging. http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB8752777861C2AA8


Second, attend a group hammock hang(tenters are welcome) as you will be able to check out a wide varietyof hammocks, tarps, UQs, TQs suspensions ect.


Third..go to HammockForums.net whereyou will find a wealth of hanging knowledge.

I gave upsleeping in a tent as the ground is just to hard and the hammock isway more comfortable.


Weight wise... tent vrs hammock its atoss up, just as there are a great variety of tents in weight andstyles, hammocks also come in a wide variety of styles and weights. A tent or hammock that is large for my wife who is 5ft 3 could beway to small for me at 6ft 2.


Tent = Hammock


Tent Rain Fly = Hammock tarp


Sleeping Bag = Top Quilt (TQ)


Foam Pad = Under Quilt (UQ)


I have hammock gear that allows me hangcomfortably from 0 degrees on up. I sleep on my sides and back. I also take a hammock with me on my day hikes as it allows me to take a break along the trail. I can set up my hammock in about 1 minute. On the AT last summer I set up my hammock along the trail and I was so close to the trail I could high 5 other hikers on the trail as they walked by.

[Feral Bill]

I am a side sleeper on the ground and turn a lot, but in a hammock I am a back sleeper and hardly move all night. What you do on the ground is not necessarily what you will do in a hammock.

Plus one on that. I haven't hit the trail with my hammock yet, though.

[T.S.Kobzol]

I start on my back, fall asleep, sometimes during the night switch to side position but it doesn't last long and I soonafter refert to be on my back and sleep well until the morning. :-) I use Warbonnet BB and GT Double

what hammock do you use? i have only sleep on my side for the last 5 years and hundreds of nights.

[Camel2012]

I am a side sleeper on the ground and turn a lot, but in a hammock I am a back sleeper and hardly move all night. What you do on the ground is not necessarily what you will do in a hammock.

This is exactly the way i am too.

I had a three level fusion on my back, and i can't sleep on the ground on my back, but in my hammock, i sleep like a baby on my back. Just make sure you like it before you invest a lot of money in one.

[flemdawg1]

My wife gave me the basic ENO "hammock newbie package" (singlenest hammock, Rainfly Pro tarp, Slap straps) for Christmas. I tried it out on the Pinhoti for a weekend trip that had rain and temps down to the mid-20s. It was the best sleep I ever had on the trail. I'm also usually a side sleeper on the ground, but slept deeper and longer on my back in the hammock than I ever could on the ground regardless of postion.

With my current setup I'm at 3.5 lbs vs 1.5lb with my tarptent. And as soon as I can afford it (have some trips to fund first) I'll replace the 22oz ENO tarp with a 10oz OES Maccat.

[mudsocks]

Thanks everyone for your replies. You've provided a lot of good information. I checked out Shug's hammock video series. A bit over the top but some good information for newbs. I'll also head on over to hammockforums.net. Someone mentioned going to a hammock hang. I'm not exactly near a major city or even a camping destination for that matter. Any pointers on where to find a "local hanging" in the Southern Maine area?

Finally there is a ton of information and online stores selling hammock gear but I'd like to see/try gear and maybe talk to someone in person before spending money on a setup that isn't right for me. Does anyone here have experience with a retailer in the New England area?

Thanks again,

octothorpesarus

[QiWiz]

Hi,

I'm brand new here and looking for opinions, information and experiences. At 17, as new high school graduate I toyed with the idea of hiking the AT. Ultimately the "prevailing wisdom" told me I could not afford the trail. A lifetime later and saddled with all the usual debt and responsibilities, this idea instead of fading has grown into a compulsion that is pushing me into making my fantasy a reality. So here I am.

I've done a good deal of camping and for me the (second) most unpleasant part is sleeping on heavily used/hard/rocky ground. A hammock certainly seems like the easiest way to eliminate said unpleasantness. I'm a side sleeper and having never slept in a hammock I'm curious how many others here would say the same and was transitioning to your back a problem?

I've seen a few tarp/covers and I'm wondering how they stand up to wind and wind-blown rain. In my experience the (first) most unpleasant part of camping it is being wet without reprieve. Does one stay relatively dry in a hammock?

I've done a bit of research but I'm wondering what people's real world experiences are regarding total hammock + gear weight vs tent + gear weight is?

Hammocks are open, how does one effectively keep out mosquitos/black flies/etc?

What are the upsides and downsides I haven't thought to ask about?

Thanks

Some quick answers:

Easy to sleep on your side in a hammock, and very comfortable. Generally can't sleep on stomach.
For ground sleeping, a comfy pad like a NeoAir might also address your comfort issue - only you can decide which you like best.

With the right gear selection, you can be as dry or drier in a hammock as any other shelter.

I have both a very light ground dwelling kit and a very light hammock kit. The hammock kit is only a half-pound heavier, unless its very cold and I have to bring my heavier underquilt, in which case it's maybe a pound heavier. Both can be very light, but good light insulation (down) will cost you $$ in either case.

For bug protection, you can buy a hammock with a built in bug net, buy an add-on bug net, or DIY one - not an issue IMO.

For hammocks you need trees or other objects to suspend from; these are not always available, though on the AT this is a minor issue.
For ground dwelling, you need relatively flat ground that does not have standing water on it or water flowing through it; this is sometimes not as conveniently found as a couple trees to hang from.

I like that I can get up, cook breakfast in a relaxed way while sitting in my hammock as a chair, pack up, and never leave the shelter of my hammock tarp in the rain until I actually take the tarp down as my last step before hitting the trail. Using tarp "skins" makes this painless.

If you want to sleep in shelters sometimes, you need to think about a pad for the shelter floor, which may not be what you would ideally want if you were in your hammock (which for me for example would be an underquilt and no pad)

Finally - go to hammockforums.net and lurk and post and learn more than you ever thought was possible