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Hammocks 2010
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Mar 29, 2010 at 12:19 pm #1257074
Why should I Consider adding a hammock to my "quiver"? What's new in the lightweight world of hammocks? What hammock would you buy? What "accessories" What's the coldest temps practical for a hammock? Thanks!
Mar 29, 2010 at 12:47 pm #1592011Because Hammocks Rock….I am a stomach sleeper so I only use them for back country naps and SUL overnights. A hammock for me adds to my outdoor enjoyment and is worth the extra cost and weight.
Mar 29, 2010 at 1:17 pm #1592028Lightweight hammock camping is an area that is undergoing rapid evolution right now. Comfort is probably the main thing that initially draws people to it, but they find that there are a lot of other advantages, such as a really nice camp seat and the excellent synergy that hammocks and tarps have together, and the nice living space it creates. As long as you have trees around you get a lot more options for site selection and it's well suited for stealth camping and leave no trace. Concerning gear selection, that's a deep subject. There are many hammock options available and many choices to make on accessories, such as suspension methods and bottom side insulation. If you are interested in learning more about this, I would join hammockforums.net and also check out JustJeff's great hammock website at http://www.tothewoods.net/. At the Hammock Forums you will get many knowledgeable people to guide you through the maze of options. There are also several good tutorials and videos to watch. There are people there that hammock camp down to subzero temps and they will tell you how it's done. The weight penalty for hanging vs ground dwelling has become pretty small these days for 3 season use.
Mar 29, 2010 at 1:36 pm #1592038Well, they're certainly not for everybody. But, for me, personally, I sleep far better in a hammock than on any pad on the ground. This winter I had mine down to 3 degrees and was quite toasty all night long.
I don't know that there's all that much that's 'new,' but certainly cuben underquilts/topquilts help lighten them up alot, as well as cuben tarps overhead. And whoopie slings have replaced adjustable straps to save a few ounces as well.
I own, and am quite fond of, the Warbonnet Blackbird hammock. Nice design, quite comfy, well made, cottage gear maker. Arrowhead Equipment makes a breathable covering (Bear Burrito Oven, because bears like a hot meal too — gotta love humor on a website) for the Blackbird that helps in colder temps. JRB and Te-wa make great UQs (and I get my cuben UQs/TQs from enLIGHTened Equipment). MLD has a cuben hex hammock tarp, but I've having one custom made soon that will give more coverage.
Mar 29, 2010 at 1:50 pm #1592048don't hammock. people are starting to take all the good trees!!!!
Mar 29, 2010 at 2:28 pm #1592065Why hammock?
*diy projects:
whoppie slings (suspension system-UL at that)
uq's
tq's
tarps
etc
all these can be done yourself
*comfort
*awesomenessThere is so much to learn, u need to goto hammockforums.net, make membership(its free), join, and begin your education. it will take awhile to learn, but there are diy articles, helpful members, a whole sub directory of members who make and sell cottage/custom made gear, and more.
Mar 29, 2010 at 2:49 pm #1592076" don't hammock. people are starting to take all the good trees!!!! "
LOL isn't that the truth.Learn to sew and do a lot of DIY for weight saving
Mar 29, 2010 at 6:02 pm #1592147I just got a hammock and knew ahead of time that many users find it cold where your body touches the hammock, but I was surprised at how cold it really felt. I had to experiment with different pads to sleep comfortably even in moderately cool weather (40s), not even cold weather. I am realizing the hammock is mostly for warm weather camping. I guess that's why it used to be commonly known as a "jungle hammock."
Mar 29, 2010 at 6:02 pm #1592148Somehow I missed out on Tim Marshall making quilts; though I think I visited his website when he first announced it here I think. Those things look NICE. he do custom bottom quilts?
And what a bonus is that our "own" Steve Evans on the video? Zion Steve? ( soon to be!)It's great to see folks making such good gear and hopefully a decent living as well.
Doug would you share with us any details on your tarp? Cat ridge line? sides? dimensions etc.
Mar 29, 2010 at 6:08 pm #1592152John,
Many of us use an underquilt when using hammocks. I'm never cold against the hammock, in fact I'm usually quite toasty all around, winter and summer.
Mar 29, 2010 at 6:12 pm #1592156Hey Cola,
Tim will customize the quilt however you want it! He's great to work with and his stuff is top notch. When I pick up my cuben UQ from the post office tomorrow it'll be the second quilt of his I have!
As far as the tarp, still in fabrication stage (well, actually, still waiting for the cuben to be delivered!). I'll post about it when I get it, hopefully in about 2-3 weeks.
Mar 29, 2010 at 6:33 pm #1592166I became a hammock convert because of the comfort…and the flexibility to camp almost anywhere there are trees (no need to find a level spot!!). It's heavier than tarp, bivy and pad combo, but there's no contest for overall comfort.
I'll add to the cottage gear maker hammock honor roll…
Stormcrow at http://www.theperfecttrees.com/ for underquilts and top quilts…with options to custom-make what you want.
sclittlefield at http://backwoodsdaydreamer.webs.com/ for tarps.
brian at http://www.outdoorequipmentsupplier.com/ for tarps (including custom work.
Opie at http://whoopieslings.com/ for whoopie slings, tarp guy lines, ridgelines, etc.
Brandon at http://warbonnetoutdoors.com/ for hammocks, tarps, underquilts and top quilts. Home of the legendary Blackbird hammock.
Paul Gibson at http://arrowheadequipment.webs.com/ for a variety of odds-n-ends, quilts and notably a replacement for the now departed Amigo water filter. His is called the Aquasimple.
Mar 29, 2010 at 7:12 pm #1592181What's the purpose of the double layer bottom? Holding the underquilt? Is there no other way or is this the best way?
Mar 29, 2010 at 7:23 pm #1592190The UQ should always 'hang' snugly on the underside of the quilt, not in a layer (otherwise it would compress and be fairly useless). Some folks like to sleep on pads, so you can slip the pad in between layers to keep it from moving around. I never use pads, I love my UQ, so I have a single layer bottom.
Mar 29, 2010 at 7:33 pm #1592196Hi Doug,
Thanks for the explanation of the double and single layers; makes sense. I've also been reading the Warbonnet "101" series of tutorials along with this but some of the stuff is still a little hard to visualize.
And Beep, Thanks for the links!
Mar 29, 2010 at 7:47 pm #1592202Douglas I was wondering what does the cuban UQ and tarp weigh?Dimensions of tarp? And the biggie….cost?
Mar 29, 2010 at 8:15 pm #1592219"I am realizing the hammock is mostly for warm weather camping."
Well, dang. What will I do with this 0 degree underquilt?
Seriously tho, that's pretty much a myth… you don't need to be cold in hammocks, if you look around some at hammockforums there's a ton of ways, some of them even not so expensive. Search at youtube for Shug's subzero hammock adventures, or Turk's adventures in hammocking with titanium stoves, hammock huts, peapods and quilts.
Of course, not everyone goes that far – some will mix it up with tents in winter and hammock three seasons. I'm pretty much destination dependent, when it comes to hammocking, but still manage to do it 95% of the time – really much warmer and drier with underquilt and top quilt than I ever was on the ground, and very happy to no longer have sore hips.
Mar 29, 2010 at 8:21 pm #1592222I pick up the cuben UQ tomorrow, but Tim said it weighs around 14 oz. This for a UQ that will take me well below 20 degrees! The tarp isn't made yet, so you'll have to wait on that.
Cost. Expensive. But to me, worth every penny. Since I get custom stuff, prices vary. If you have something in mind, Tim would be happy to provide a quote.
Mar 30, 2010 at 5:34 pm #1592592Another lonnnngggg day but I managed to daydream a few times and read a little more last night and have some more neub questions.
Most of these hammocks seem to be @ 10 feet end to end. Waht's the optimum distance apart for the trees? ( at least 11 to 12 right? whats too much?
And what's a whoopie sling? I looked at the website but not the video. And how about the "ridgelines" Are they almost like a plumbline to show you how to get the "hang" right every time?
Mar 30, 2010 at 6:01 pm #1592597Optimum distance is probably about 13-16 feet. It actually depends more on the size of the tarp since you want the hammock to be well under it at the ends.
No such thing as too much :-) ok maybe more that 25 feet. The trouble is that the farther the trees are apart the higher on the trees you have to tie to allow for some sag. Some of us are not tall enough to hang in a 30 foot spacing.;-}
A Whoopie sling is a way of suspending the hammock. They replace the traditional ropes at either end of the hammock. Their length is easily adjustable so you can raise and lower and center your hammock between the trees.
A ridgeline for a hammock allows you to get the exact same amount of sag to the hammock every time you set it up no matter how tight or loose your suspension is. Without it you will have more guess work involved each time you hang your hammock.
-Mark (aka SlowBro)
Apr 3, 2010 at 9:51 am #1593833Thanks for the information about an underquilt — I will learn more about it.
Apr 3, 2010 at 10:22 am #1593840I started this thread some time ago about my Cuben Hammock.
My Cuben Hammock was to be used with the lightest gear list I could make. It might seem small for some but works fine for my size. The picture shows me in the Hammock as best as I could get in it within my cameras 10 second self-timer limit. The sides of the Hammock come up more then the picture shows.
I have changed the strap system and have dropped a bit of additional weight.
I also have been using my Silk / Polar Guard Delta MYOG Tunic / Quilt as an underquilt. I don't have a picture of that yet.
Apr 3, 2010 at 7:32 pm #1593988Whoppie slings:
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=9349
If you weigh around 170 or less, you can use 2mm dynemma, if more use 7/64 amsteel line.
Easy Ridgelines for tarps using speer no tangle line(can also use other lines like dynemma 2mm, etc):
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=10115&page=2
For the guylines, you can use dynemma to splice fixed loops in the ends that goto the stake, attach a prussic to the line then connect the prussic to the tarp dring.
These kind of setups will allow you to tie no knots, and setup quickly.
Apr 4, 2010 at 11:32 am #1594107Mark,
Thanks for pointing in the right direction. I've been digesting your info over on hammock forum and look forward to making my own whoopie slings. So much to do so little time!
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