reuben
Trail Wise!
Gonna need more Camels at the next refugio...
Posts: 11,209
Member is Online
|
Post by reuben on May 18, 2016 15:24:59 GMT -8
Need at least a little, tiny barrier between me and nature. Even for purely psychological reasons. So, get a bug net for the hammock. And you'll have a tarp over it for rain as well.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 18, 2016 15:31:42 GMT -8
So, get a bug net for the hammock. And you'll have a tarp over it for rain as well. Reuben - spoken like a pro! Let me swallow my first hike, then maybe you can talk me into it. My son is already begging for a hammock. lol!
|
|
reuben
Trail Wise!
Gonna need more Camels at the next refugio...
Posts: 11,209
Member is Online
|
Post by reuben on May 18, 2016 16:01:48 GMT -8
Check out hammockforums.net. Tons of great people with experience over there. You'll want an asymmetric hammock to lie flatter. You lay sorta on an angle in them, and stay flatter. Recommend double layer so you can insert a thin foam pad for warmth when temps are 70F or below (you'll be cooler in the hammock than on the ground), but now we're getting into more details. Regular inflatable pads like you'd use on the ground in a tent don't work well in a hammock. There are a few hammockers here as well, but hammockforums.net is the place to go. Be sure to check out Shug's videos. He's a great guy with lots of fun and helpful videos (in real life he's a clown). You may be able to pick up a hammock that suits you there if someone's selling. That's where I got mine.
|
|
driftwoody
Trail Wise!
Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
Posts: 15,030
|
Post by driftwoody on May 18, 2016 16:06:15 GMT -8
Of course, then there's the question of hammocks... Nope. Nada. no way. Need at least a little, tiny barrier between me and nature. Even for purely psychological reasons. I was a tent camper for decades, then I tried a hammock. The only way I'll sleep on the ground now is where no suitable trees are available. A good backpacking hammock like the Warbonnet Blackbird has an attached bug net, and you pitch a tarp over it. Do you dislike creepy crawlie things that slither on the ground? A hammock keeps you above that environment. It also keeps you off rough, uneven, wet, dirty ground that can disturb your sleep, puncture your tent floor, and leave you packing a wet/dirty tent. If it's raining when you reach camp, your tent can get pretty wet inside & out by the time you get it erected and affix the fly. With a hammock the first thing you do is set up the tarp, which shelters everything else as you empty the contents of your pack. Of course, you can always pack a lightweight tarp in addition to your tent to have rain protection first. If you have a freestanding tent you can erect it under the tarp then move it to the sleeping spot. Getting back to the psychological reasons, I feel at least as secure in my hammock because I can exit very quickly. Rather than having to wriggle out of a mummy bag, I toss off the quilt (I currently use a sleeping bag in a quilt fashion); unzip the side zipper, swing out my legs, put on my camp sandals, and I'm good to go. Neither a tent nor a hammock provide any real barrier against the likes of a bear (the threat of which is vastly overrated) but in a hammock I don't get that feeling of not being able to sense or see what is on the other side of a tent. All that aside, the biggest reason I prefer a hammock is that I sleep much more comfortably. The Blackbird is cut asymmetrically, so that you sleep at an angle a little offset from the line of the hang. This allows me to sleep nearly flat on my back, and I can also side sleep though I almost always sleep on my back in bed. If you sleep on your stomach or like to move around a lot, a hammock might not be for you. My problem in a tent has always been that my glutes need a concavity or my lower back stiffens up. I kept buying cushier sleeping pads until I ended up with an Exped Downmat 9, but even that can't compete with my hammock for comfort. I was fortunate enough to be able to borrow a Blackbird before purchasing one, because you never know if a hammock is for you until you try it. The hammock & tarp together cost about as much as a good lightweight tent. It's possible to use a sleeping pad for under-insulation (which I tried at first) but an underquilt works much better. Another advantage to backpacking with a hammock is that you can camp anywhere with suitable trees. I don't have to worry about hiking miles to a backcountry campsite only to find the one patch of level ground is already occupied. I'm not suggesting you ditch your tent at the outset of your foray into backpacking; I'm just trying to give you a better feel for what it's like to hang above the ground instead of sleeping on it.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 18, 2016 16:15:35 GMT -8
driftwoody - Wow! Just wow. At some point, I will show your very informative post to my son...but not till after a trip or three. He will start jumping up and down clapping with glee. lol! He is my dare-devil, adventure kid pushing me out of my comfort zone. You have given me much to chew on Thanks.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 18, 2016 16:16:47 GMT -8
@reuben - Thank you for ALL the info! I will research this next.
|
|
crawford
Trail Wise!
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.--Edison
Posts: 1,775
|
Post by crawford on May 18, 2016 18:03:48 GMT -8
So you say a hammock with a tarp that has doors is still on the table?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 18, 2016 20:34:52 GMT -8
I've been presented with a thorough, well-spoken, and different perspective to consider
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 19, 2016 8:24:48 GMT -8
Question - When I was being fitted at REI for my backpack, they showed me the correct packing ratio (weight distribution). I think it went something like light stuff in the bottom, heavy in the middle, light on top. Does this sound right?
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,708
|
Post by rebeccad on May 19, 2016 8:47:42 GMT -8
Question - When I was being fitted at REI for my backpack, they showed me the correct packing ratio (weight distribution). I think it went something like light stuff in the bottom, heavy in the middle, light on top. Does this sound right? Well, that's the received wisdom. It's never completely worked for me, partly because of the realities of access with a top-loading pack, and partly because I find it more comfortable with weight low and close to my back. But maybe I even it out, because the water bag ends up on top (no place else for it in my pack), and the food is kind of down the middle. Food and water are heaviest. My packing style changed and evolved with gear changes--used to be the sleeping bag filled the whole bottom of the pack, but now it's tiny, and everything goes in vertically. You may have to play around. I do recall reading somewhere that women often find it more comfortable to carry the weight lower. Maybe because we're used to it? ;p
|
|
reuben
Trail Wise!
Gonna need more Camels at the next refugio...
Posts: 11,209
Member is Online
|
Post by reuben on May 19, 2016 8:59:35 GMT -8
As rebecca mentioned, heavy stuff is generally more comfortable close to your back. Weight further away from your body requires more strength to stay upright, leading to sore muscles and shorter hiking days.
Want proof? Hold a five pound weight at arms length in front of you. Walk with it this way for 5 minutes (if you can). Rest. Repeat, but do it with the weight held to your chest.
ETA: Some hammock tarps have doors on the end. They're generally used for winter camping when spindrift or when heavy rain is a possibility, but can also be used for privacy and peace of mind.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 19, 2016 11:18:59 GMT -8
Ok, I will start with heavier at the bottom and see how it goes. Thank you guys so so much!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 5:16:17 GMT -8
Did my overnight camping test-run - which led to more questions: 1. Some of the morning dew seeps into my ultralight tent (can't imagine a storm) - should I spray waterproof product on it? 2. I was snug in my sleeping bag, but at one point wishing for one more layer. Is there an ultralight blanket anyone recommends? Overall, it was a success! Gonna spray all gear down today in prep for next week's adventure.
|
|
reuben
Trail Wise!
Gonna need more Camels at the next refugio...
Posts: 11,209
Member is Online
|
Post by reuben on May 22, 2016 7:12:36 GMT -8
Most likely dew isn't seeping in - it's condensation. You can fight it by various means, or just do simple things and live with the consequences. Air flow is the simplest and best thing you can do, so if you can leave a door or two open that will help, but it's not necessarily a cure in all conditions.
Use dry base layers in your bag if needed, or just get a warmer bag. The reality is that some nights you'll be a bit warm and some nights you'll be a bit cool. That's the way it goes out there - no thermostat. Maybe a beanie on your head. Does your bag have a draft collar at the zipper? Is there another one near the head?
Spray your gear down with what?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 22, 2016 8:50:29 GMT -8
@reuben
Ok, that's what I was told by someone else too - condensation. I am showing my newbie colors in various shades of blinking neon! Haa!
I had a smart wool base layer on and so thankful for it! A beanie just got added to my packing list. Thank you for the suggestion.
Yes, my sleeping bag has a draft collar - I was wondering what it was for until last night! That is my new favorite part of the bag.
Spraying my gear down with Permethrin Insect Repellent. I've been warned that ticks are really bad this year.
Thank you for responding. I don't know where else to ask my questions. Seems easier to list them here.
|
|