SteelShooter
NES Member
I'm bringing my trail cam with me this weekend in the Pemi, going to set it up facing the hammock and see what I get, Not really sure I want to know lol.
-
If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership The benefits pay for the membership many times over.
-
Be sure to enter the NES/Pioneer Valley Arms February Giveaway ***Smith & Wesson SD9VE 9MM***
Hammock Camping Thread
- Thread starter CoastieRon
- Start date
I'm bringing my trail cam with me this weekend in the Pemi, going to set it up facing the hammock and see what I get, Not really sure I want to know lol.
CoastieRon
NES Member
This is a really good idea......
CoastieRon
NES Member
I only camp with the dogs up at the property, and my wife sleeps in the camper with the dogs, and until recently, the kids. I find that the hammock is more comfortable than the camper (the pictures in my other post are on our property up north). All of my other trips are with the Boy Scouts or with friends/sans family/dogs
SteelShooter
NES Member
My dog is not used to it yet, I've had her in the backyard a couple of times and she gets rambunctious after a few hours. She's only 20 pounds so she sleeps to the left of my legs. I also put my sleeping pad in when I try to sleep with her I'm afraid her claws will poke through the bottom. I'm definitely not as comfortable with her in there than without, so for now she just comes when I have the tent. I'll keep trying though.
Would a GI poncho liner work inside the hammock better than these gizmos on the outside and for the feet? It seems simpler to just use a liner instead of under-slung quilts and foam to wrap your feet in.
Anyone tried it?
Inquiring minds want to know what y'all think.
Anyone tried it?
Inquiring minds want to know what y'all think.
The problem with using sleeping bags or poncho liners inside the hammock is that as you lie on it the filling compresses and becomes ineffective - that is why people use foam pads (they do not compress) or the underquilts.
Many people do modify the poncho liners to use as underquilts. These can be a much more cost effective way of having an underquilt compared to the price of some of the dedicated underquilts.
A nice underquilt that is fairly inexpensive is the Arrowhead Equipment Jarbidge http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/store/p312/Jarbidge_River_UnderQuilt.html
They go on sale every so often so you can sometimes get a really nice underquilt for about $75. I really like mine.
You can us a poncho, throw some leaves or light, heavy leafed branches in it and tie it under the hammock. You're just trying to create an air pocket buffer against natural air convection and wind.
CoastieRon
NES Member
On sale right now.
http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/store/p510/Anniversary_Jarbidge_UnderQuilt.html
I'm waitinig until next year to really get kitted out. Upgrading the hammock and getting an underquilt
SteelShooter
NES Member
I got nothing on the camera this weekend, except me going out at 1 AM for a visit to the woods. Going to try again this weekend, going to be out in the Great Gulf wilderness.
CoastieRon
NES Member
Me and the kids all hung out this weekend by the lake. Tested out my new fly (love it), some cool carabiners, and a make shift hammock for my daughter.
This week I'm making ground coverings with Tyvek and grommets that I already have. My daughter liked sleeping in the hammock, and the hammock I got my son worked out pretty good as well.
This week I'm making ground coverings with Tyvek and grommets that I already have. My daughter liked sleeping in the hammock, and the hammock I got my son worked out pretty good as well.
I don't know how well the Velcro holds up on the hammocks but it has been my experience with Velcro that the more you use it the less effective it becomes at staying together.
Going on 4 years with mine, no reduction in effectiveness of the velcro.
Frankly the way the hammock is sewn for using the self closing operation, you can probably remove the velcro completely and still it would stay shut and keep bugs out.
Frankly the way the hammock is sewn for using the self closing operation, you can probably remove the velcro completely and still it would stay shut and keep bugs out.
CoastieRon
NES Member
So, let's revisit the underquilt thing. Who has one, what do you have, and how comfortable are you in say, November. My buddy and I are going to do a 3.5m hike in and hang out in November, and buying an underquilt this year is a little earlier than I had expected to do.
SteelShooter
NES Member
I've got one and it made a huge difference in 40 degree weather, I can only imagine it would be compounded as it gets colder. I literally went from not being able to sleep and getting up at 3 AM to put it in place to feeling rather warm half hour later. I did not add the reflective quilt yet.
Underpad
Radiant bubble pad
dingbat
NES Member
Think I may have mentioned it earlier in this thread, but I'm using an HG Incubator 10* quilt. It'll go from -8*F (With proper top quilt and tarp) to warm enough that I don't need a quilt. YMMV.
Thanks for the answer. How often are you able to get out and use it per year?
Xtry51, did you ever get the chance to check if 3/8" AR500 would stop XM193.
I know 1/4" won't and you had said 1/2" would. Thank you.
Xtry51, did you ever get the chance to check if 3/8" AR500 would stop XM193.
I know 1/4" won't and you had said 1/2" would. Thank you.
I know you had said 1/2" does but did you ever get the chance to test 3/8" It's only an 1/8" more than 1/4" so it probably won't but if it does that would be good since I don't have any 1/2".
CoastieRon
NES Member
So, you use the underpad you linked? I don't have a Hennessy, but for $29.95, I'd be willing to try it in my skeeter.....
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
SteelShooter
NES Member
Yes, that's what I use. It's also a backyard tester item. You'll need to make several adjustments to get it to fit right, at least I had to. The first few times it was very tight to the hammock and actually restricted the spread of the hammock enough that the netting became slack and would fall in my face. Even in 50 degree weather you can notice a difference in comfort.
I did my first overnight in my hammock a few weeks ago up at Mt. Graylock and really liked it a lot. I misjudged the weather and only brought my bag liner with me, but everything stayed surprisingly warm (except the bits of my shoulders that were exposed). Seems like everyone uses some sort of quilt or layer under their hammock for warmth. How would you say the pack size of the quilts compare to what you would need for a tent? For instance, my main interest in moving to a hammock was to get off the ground, but I assumed that I would also be reducing weight and volume with a hammock. While the cube of my hammock components (hammock, bug net, rain fly, atlas straps) is probably pretty similar to the backpacking tents I have, the weight is less. Would the quilts take up the same size as a sleeping pad?
dingbat
NES Member
CoastieRon
NES Member
So, we have been slowly converting our Boy Scout Troop to hanging on the trips. Next month's camp out we will have 3 adults and 4 kids hanging in hammocks. We have been looking at making a couple of these for the Camperee in October at Loudin:
http://theultimatehang.com/2013/04/3-person-hammock-stand/
My buddy (one of the other ASMs/Marc) is going to be making an underquilt from a poncho lining, I'm going in a different direction and grabbing a 3 season KAQ from Arrow Head, because the price is right and the reviews are good. http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/store/p310/New_River_Regular_UnderQuilt.html
This last weekend was so hot up at Pawtuckaway that I ended up on top of my bag.
On another note, I've said before that I have a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beater Pro. It's done a great job so far, and I will continue to use it until it is unserviceable. The Scoutmaster (Mac) was curious to see what the fuss was about so he mentioned to his wife he would like to give it a try. She bought him a Hennessy Hammock and he was able to sleep in it on Saturday night (he had never set it up before and it was dark by the time he was ready to make his own accommodations, so he set up his tent instead Friday night). Me and Marc both have fairly basic hammocks, and we saw the Hennessy as a bit complex. When it was finally set up, it looked a little on the small side, but perfect for Mac. He said while it was unusual and took some getting used too, it was the best sleep he had ever gotten on a campout. We'll call that another win. I do like the way the fly sets up on the Hennessy, as well as the bug net.
http://theultimatehang.com/2013/04/3-person-hammock-stand/
My buddy (one of the other ASMs/Marc) is going to be making an underquilt from a poncho lining, I'm going in a different direction and grabbing a 3 season KAQ from Arrow Head, because the price is right and the reviews are good. http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/store/p310/New_River_Regular_UnderQuilt.html
This last weekend was so hot up at Pawtuckaway that I ended up on top of my bag.
On another note, I've said before that I have a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beater Pro. It's done a great job so far, and I will continue to use it until it is unserviceable. The Scoutmaster (Mac) was curious to see what the fuss was about so he mentioned to his wife he would like to give it a try. She bought him a Hennessy Hammock and he was able to sleep in it on Saturday night (he had never set it up before and it was dark by the time he was ready to make his own accommodations, so he set up his tent instead Friday night). Me and Marc both have fairly basic hammocks, and we saw the Hennessy as a bit complex. When it was finally set up, it looked a little on the small side, but perfect for Mac. He said while it was unusual and took some getting used too, it was the best sleep he had ever gotten on a campout. We'll call that another win. I do like the way the fly sets up on the Hennessy, as well as the bug net.
Last edited:
CoastieRon
NES Member
