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Ultralight Hammock Camping


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Home Forums Campfire Editor’s Roundtable Ultralight Hammock Camping

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  • #1216520
    Ryan Jordan
    Admin

    @ryan

    Locale: Central Rockies

    A place for readers to share information about reducing the weight of their hammock rigs. Companion forum thread to Carol Crooker’s SuperUltraLight Hammock Camping article.

    #1339905
    David Plantenga
    Member

    @indianadave

    Carol Crooker’s gear reviews are just what my gear engineering mind ordered! Great service to Ultra-Lite hikers. Really enjoy the photos as I’m a “visual” learner man.
    Thanks Carol and BPL!

    #1339915
    RC
    BPL Member

    @demo

    Locale: PNW

    great article! isn’t that critter in the picture a Horny Toad?

    #1339924
    Carol Crooker
    BPL Member

    @cmcrooker

    Locale: Desert Southwest, USA

    Thanks Ryan,
    Noted in the article.

    David – thanks!

    #1339951
    Victor Karpenko
    BPL Member

    @viktor

    Locale: Northern California

    It is a Desert Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma platyrhinos. Now why would you want to call a lizard a toad?

    #1339963
    SAM LAMBERT
    Spectator

    @sammyl

    Thanks for this presentation. Appears quite idyllic — lovely view of a brief escape. You made it look easy and comfortable, despite the rain, all perfectly manageable. We need more such invitations to spend the night out.

    #1339975
    Patti Binder
    BPL Member

    @quiltbinder

    Locale: Southwestern Florida

    This hammock is a great inexpensive source of lightweight hammock fabric. I lightened mine by cuttung off and hemming one side to a 48″width(works better with underquilt). I don’t trust the holes made by the stitches in the casings on ends, so I got rid of a little more fabric by cutting open each casing next to the seam on one side and an inch away on the other, turned the raw edge under and sewed it down to the seam. I then gathered the ends in little pleats and secured them with cable ties.
    I used approx. 10ft. Air Core Plus on each end to secure the hammock to the Tree Huggers(1 1/2″ webbing) from my Hennessy Hammock. A simple girth hitch is used to fasten the ACPlus to the hammock ends.
    My modified Ultralight Travel Hammock with about 10 ft. of ACPlus on each end, and the hooks for the HH fly which I took off my HH, weighs 8.1 oz. That’s certainly enough wgt savings to use the 2.4 oz. Tree Huggers and save a few trees. My HH fly with gold reflective spectra guylines in a little sylnylon stuff sack weighs 8.5 oz.
    This was a great article. Gives me hope that I can lighten up some more. I think I’m about ready to graduate from my 1 1/2 lb pack to something lighter.
    BTW, is there a review somewhere on the pack you used?

    #1340020
    Carol Crooker
    BPL Member

    @cmcrooker

    Locale: Desert Southwest, USA

    Hi Patti,
    Sounds like some great mods to the Travel Hammock!
    The Mountain Laurel Designs Prophet 25 pack is getting some more field testing by our editor Doug Johnson, including use on an attempted triple 50 – 150 miles in 3 days. The review will be out in a month or so.

    #1340021
    Carol Crooker
    BPL Member

    @cmcrooker

    Locale: Desert Southwest, USA

    Thanks Victor, take a look at the “creature” caption now.

    #1340221
    John Davis
    Member

    @jndavis

    Locale: Isle of Man

    Carol, I’m really enjoying these articles. You’ll have to do a follow up series next year. How about SuperUltralight in the Scottish Highlands:

    Part 1 – Spring
    Part 2 – Summer
    Part 3 – Autumn
    Part 4 – Winter

    Given that Ray Jardine considers Britain unsuitable for tarps for several good reasons, it could be quite a challenge!

    #1340264
    paul johnson
    Member

    @pj

    Locale: LazyBoy in my Den - miss the forest

    John,

    If you care to enlighten me, please do so – i’d truly appreciate it.

    Why does Ray J consider tarps inappropriate for the British Isles? I could make some guesses (like rain & wind in open areas???), but I hate to assume. I’d appreciate learning something, esp. since some of the reasons might apply to my “neck-of-the-woods”.

    Many thanks,
    pj

    #1340515
    John Davis
    Member

    @jndavis

    Locale: Isle of Man

    Perhaps I’ve got this wrong. I could have sworn there was something about Britain, Scandinavia and NZ in his Ray-Way Tarp book but a quick scan has failed to find it.

    Anyway, British foul weather isn’t too bad under a tarp. You know there is nothing the wind is likely to break, although pegs might pull, and a tarp with beaks can be closed off on the windward side, keeping out horizontal rain. In the aftermath of a torrential downpour, I was staggered by two things

    1) How dry my cheap, Lowe waterproofs had kept me
    2) The high quality of existence with the tarp pitched high (open sides and ends) in a forest glade. My breath was visible, floating one way then back under the tarp, so humidity was high, but condensation was minimal.

    There have been two situations where my Akto would have been nicer than what happened under the tarp. The first was on a paying campsite which had turned to a sea of mud (although it looked grassy from a distance). Shutting out the view would have made things more homely.

    The second was, of course, major insect trouble. I don’t have the netting inner for the Cave and will not get or make one because, by that stage, I might as well take the tent. In New Zealand, possums would be the problem. They get into everything, and getting a bit radical, in his Bushcraft series, Ray Mears, in Tanzania, chose a single skin tent instead of his usual tarp because of hyenas.

    By the way, do you know how to get slug goo off a down sleeping bag?

    #1340517
    John Davis
    Member

    @jndavis

    Locale: Isle of Man

    Just remembered!

    Ray uses sticks not trekking poles to support his tarp and there are no sticks in many of the best places to camp over here – particularly the high, remote corries of NW Scotland. Fabulous places, those corries!

    #1340527
    Tony Burnett
    Spectator

    @tlbj6142

    Locale: OH--IO

    That would be “stout sticks”. They are a bit heavier and have more “head” when you pour them into the glass.<g>

    #1340528
    Mark
    BPL Member

    @mlarson

    Locale: SoCal

    If you have trouble finding stout sticks, look near large spreads of deep forest duff. Simpsons fans will recognize Duff easily, a little smoother than others.

    -Mark

    #1340598
    John Davis
    Member

    @jndavis

    Locale: Isle of Man

    Found it! Page 98 of my edition – Harsh Environments. Can’t agree. If there is one thing the UK doesn’t have, it’s a harsh climate. Any bad weather gets on to the national news. One inch of snow can cause chaos in the London area because no one is properly prepared. It’s true we get a good bit of rain and there is usually a breeze, but those of us who live here can choose when to get out and that means a high percentage of excellent backpacking weekends – with or without a tarp.

    Back on topic – hammocks. For many years I camped without a sleeping pad. The UK precipitation levels keep most of the ground soft and any hard bits, e.g. aluvial lawns, come with natural hip holes. Using bothies – simple, untended shelters – led to the purchase of a sleeping pad. Bothy floors are hard, flat and sleep-destroying without some form of cushioning. Why use bothies? Midges tend to stay out. Most of the buildings have stood against storms for centuries. The craic can be very good.

    Given the stats quoted in Carol’s article – $20 and 10 oz – it seems there is now an alternative to the sleeping pad. A hammock at that weight could be carried in case of the opportunity to use it. It could be suspended from bothy rafters on midgey nights and, on stormy nights, opens up the possibility of comfortable shelter in forestry plantations. (Plantations are difficult with tents because of the way the ground is prepared for trees. The ground looks as if a huge plough has been across it, creating ridges and ditches. The trees go into the ridges, above the low pH soil water.) I’ll be looking out for a cheap hammock to try.

    #1340599
    paul johnson
    Member

    @pj

    Locale: LazyBoy in my Den - miss the forest

    John,

    thanks for the diligent search. i’ll check p.98 of my copy. appreciate the “heads up” on the misinformation. take care, pj

    #1340831
    Craig Shelley
    Member

    @craig_shelley

    Locale: Rocky Mountains

    Can anyone tell me where this hammock can be purchased?

    #1340832
    Craig Shelley
    Member

    @craig_shelley

    Locale: Rocky Mountains

    OK. I found it in another article from the Winter 2005 Outdoor market. For others that are interested, I’ve listed it here.

    http://www.thetravelhammock.com/

    #1340899
    Hershell Fannin
    Member

    @hankfannin

    Anyone have any experience using tarps in the Grand Canyon. I’m headed there for 6 days starting Oct 1 and would rather not have to purchase a tent.

    #1340900
    Anonymous
    Guest

    I see no mention of map or knife. Maybe the paper cutter is replacing the knife.

    #1340905
    Richard Matthews
    Member

    @food

    Locale: Colorado Rockies

    29 nights below the rim with no tent in May and October. Mostly used just a poncho for shelter, but this last May I used a 8’X10′ tarp because rain was forcast. In the corridor sites a tent is nice for privacy.

    #1342443
    Tim (Slowhike) Garner
    BPL Member

    @slowhike

    Locale: South East U.S.

    carol… i noticed your comment about not being able to reach the bottom of the pot for cleaning. i made a “scrub sock” by cutting a thin scrub pad & folding it over & sewing it just big enough to slide tightly over the working end of my BPL long handled ti-spoon. it`s only big enough to cover the part of the spoon that holds food. it hardly moves my little postal scale. …slowhike

    #1346037
    August Hahn
    Member

    @august

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    fantastic articals really got me inspired to try sometimes.of all the articals i,v read about hammocks not once is there any mention of a recently new hammock by byers of maine called the moskitoe hammock it,s a new model identical to the 11oz travel hammock thats been around for years but with a netting top i,v tested it out here in sacramento along the american river and find it every bit as durable as any other hammock and 1/3 the price hope to see some testing done on this model soon to see what others think.

    #1346038
    August Hahn
    Member

    @august

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    yes august again addeum to recent comments i,v had a hennesy ultalite the old kind not asy,at 22oz it has been in it,s fair share of storms one here on the american river in sacramento where wind speeds were clcked at 65mph!and for the most part i stayed pretty dry just some small damp places along the head and foot where the fly comes to a point.i,m ready to retire it and am undecided between the adventure racer or the byers of maine mikitoe hammock whice is 1/3 the price and seems just as durable also has the added advantage of flipping over and useing it without the netting.anybody have any test results or exsperence with this model sorry to be so winded

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