Hammock Camping Thread

Just in case anyone was wondering, I emailed UGQ about their underquilts and got a very promp reply. They said they should have some underquilts back in stock on the 17th but didn’t say which ones. They said the prices are the same whether you have one custom made or bought an in stock one but that the in stock options are limited. I am glad I ordered a custom one now sense I am getting exactly what I want just going to have to wait a little longer but that doesn’t bother me.
 
Just out of curiosity have you ever handled or used one of their quilts? They don’t look like they have and baffling. I would be weary of the insulation settling after time but could be 100% wrong.
 
Brian5582 said:
Just out of curiosity have you ever handled or used one of their quilts? They don’t look like they have and baffling. I would be weary of the insulation settling after time but could be 100% wrong.
Click to expand...
I have the New River underquilt (3 season) as well as the White Cloud (and before that the Owyhee). They are synthetic quilts, not downfill. I have slept down to 29 degrees with that kit, with a fleece sleeping bag insert.

I keep the quilts in their stuff sacks only when transporting/hiking. Other than that, they are either on my hammock or hanging up in my garage.

hammock 1.jpg

That said, this underquilt is getting passed to my son (he has out grown the 3/4 quilt - Jarbidge), and I am getting a 4 season to do some winter camping.
 
Not hammock camping but my 6y/o son wanted to try “camping” so I bought a Big Agnes Blacktail 2 tent so we could camp out in the yard this weekend. So we set up the tent in the back yard, had a little fire in the fire pit, made s’mores and camped out Sat night. Had a good time, he was a little freaked out by all the sounds of nature but enjoyed it. I live in relatively quiet Douglas and my house is about 2000’ off the road. He was worried about coyotes and of course the howled like crazy for a good half hour a couple times. Can’t wait till he’s old enough to carry a pack and go real camping. Probably going to have to stick with a tent till he gets old enough to want to sleep alone and I will get him a hammock. My back felt pretty good surprisingly. I do want to get a thicker sleeping pad. My Thermarest Prolite is a little to thin for my messed up back.

I know this is a hammock thread but Blacktail 2 seems like a decent semi light weight tent. Cost me $230. Easy to set up and came with the footprint. Can be pitched with just footprint and fly for lighter weight.
 
Hit 13 Falls again this year with some lifescouts. Need a new pack. Mine has shit the bed. That's what I get for going EMS branded... Anyway, got down to 34. Used my regular kit, plus a sleeping bag insert. Was plenty warm.

Fell in on one crossing....
IMG_3845.jpg

My son assured me that he didn't push me in....

IMG_20180922_144242.jpg

Luckily I had an extra pair....

IMG_20180923_082517.jpg
Was a good time. I need a new pack though. I was running an EMS 70L bag, but the bag itself was heavy too. Open to suggestions, needs to carry my winter kit. Ordering winter quilts for me and the boy (he did not sleep well, didn't have bottom quilt adjusted well)
 
Brian5582 said:
Not hammock camping but my 6y/o son wanted to try “camping” so I bought a Big Agnes Blacktail 2 tent so we could camp out in the yard this weekend. So we set up the tent in the back yard, had a little fire in the fire pit, made s’mores and camped out Sat night. Had a good time, he was a little freaked out by all the sounds of nature but enjoyed it. I live in relatively quiet Douglas and my house is about 2000’ off the road. He was worried about coyotes and of course the howled like crazy for a good half hour a couple times. Can’t wait till he’s old enough to carry a pack and go real camping. Probably going to have to stick with a tent till he gets old enough to want to sleep alone and I will get him a hammock. My back felt pretty good surprisingly. I do want to get a thicker sleeping pad. My Thermarest Prolite is a little to thin for my messed up back.

I know this is a hammock thread but Blacktail 2 seems like a decent semi light weight tent. Cost me $230. Easy to set up and came with the footprint. Can be pitched with just footprint and fly for lighter weight.
Click to expand...
I took my son for his first back packing around that age to mt greylock. The primitive campsite is only a couple miles in so he could carry his own personal gear for an overnight without overdoing it. His pack ended up looking bigger than him but he did it!
 
Just want to say l love this thread!
The wife and I camp every year for 20yrs.
We had to cancel this year do to health reasons.
Last year might have very well been our last trip.
Reading this thread brings me back to the woods.
Keep up the great hiking/camping and post lost of
photos! We’ve never done the hammock thing
but it looks like great fun. Anyone camp with their
motorcycle? Looks like the hammocks would pack
great on a bike?
Keep posting your photos! Remind us sick people
that the woods are still there!

Here’s a photo of our camp site. 14x14 spike tent. Just like home! We finally got sick of small tents and bit the bullet. We got the canvas tent about 5yrs ago. We’ve never looked back. Huge difference being able to stand up in the tent and have coffee and heat inside!

3OxyQqG.jpg
 
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Brian5582 said:
Not hammock camping but my 6y/o son wanted to try “camping” so I bought a Big Agnes Blacktail 2 tent so we could camp out in the yard this weekend. So we set up the tent in the back yard, had a little fire in the fire pit, made s’mores and camped out Sat night. Had a good time, he was a little freaked out by all the sounds of nature but enjoyed it. I live in relatively quiet Douglas and my house is about 2000’ off the road. He was worried about coyotes and of course the howled like crazy for a good half hour a couple times. Can’t wait till he’s old enough to carry a pack and go real camping. Probably going to have to stick with a tent till he gets old enough to want to sleep alone and I will get him a hammock. My back felt pretty good surprisingly. I do want to get a thicker sleeping pad. My Thermarest Prolite is a little to thin for my messed up back.

I know this is a hammock thread but Blacktail 2 seems like a decent semi light weight tent. Cost me $230. Easy to set up and came with the footprint. Can be pitched with just footprint and fly for lighter weight.
Click to expand...

I have a Big Agnes Copper UL4. Awesome family tent. It what we used before we all went hammocks. I also still have my older North Face expedition tent. Both great 3-4 people tents if you like family camping. 2 person if want gear inside. My wife and 3 small kids could all snug inside either when we backpacked.
 
So here is where my pack broke:

Pack.jpg

The deadpool side completely ripped out making the shoulder harness connection worthless, making for a fairly uncomfortable 18 miles worth of hiking. Any suggestions? Needs to be able to carry top and bottom quilts, hammock, rain fly, clothes and food. This one is a 70 liter, but am open to going a little smaller (60-65), and definitely a little lighter. My load out was 28 pounds with water this weekend.
 
I have an Osprey Aether 60 and Northface Terra 40. No complaints on either. The Northface is a little on the heavy side for the size it is but they are both very comfortable. I usually use the Osprey because it’s half the weight and more comfortable, especially in warmer weather. Even if I don’t need that much room. I have various “tactical” molle style packs for just day hiking. Ones a 5-11 and I can’t remember the other off the top of my head. The Osprey also has a lot more points to lash stuff to the outside. 4 loops on top and bottom plus a bunch on the front. Lower compartment for sleeping bag or whatever, several compression straps and a zipper on the front so you can get to the upper inside compartment without taking everything off the top of the pack.
 
Ordered a couple of 4 season under quilts as Christmas presents for me and the boy. He has "outgrown" his 3/4 quilt and it was time. We got a couple of Arrowhead Equipment New Rivers, one in Hexcam 5-Echo pattern and one in Hexcam Wasteland pattern. I got myself a longer underquilt this time.
 
Curious what everyone else is doing for suspension. Being a minimalist in terms of potential failure points and weight, I rigged Amsteel continuous loops on the gathered end of the hammocks and flat 1" synthetic webbing (3 nylon, and 1 polypro because I didn't have enough nylon) for tree straps, bent onto the Amsteel loops with a double becket. Originally just a figure eight knot to put an eye on the straps, just stitched a loop on them last night with a bar tack-box stitch-bar-box-bar. (If that stitch pattern won't hold, I broke a half dozen needles to go back to the figure eight knot...)
 
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AntiHippie said:
Curious what everyone else is doing for suspension. Being a minimalist in terms of potential failure points and weight, I rigged Amsteel continuous loops on the gathered end of the hammocks and flat 1" synthetic webbing (3 nylon, and 1 polypro because I didn't have enough nylon) for tree straps, bent onto the Amsteel loops with a double becket. Originally just a figure eight knot to put an eye on the straps, just stitched a loop on them last night with a bar tack-box stitch-bar-box-bar. (If that stitch pattern won't hold, I broke a half dozen needles to go back to the figure eight knot...)

Anyone have a simpler and sturdier solution? (I'm a Boatswain's Mate - a rigger by trade, so I have no fear of splicing or rigging any better solutions)
Click to expand...
I use whatever came with my hammock. Heavy duty webbing with Dutch hooks sewn in. Beatle buckles to attach to continuous loops in hammock
 
Gonna do some overnighters in the white mountains this summer. Just ordered a hammock tent on amazon. The consensus is that hammock tenting is 100% better than ground.
 

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