hammock camping

[pastorp]

I was born in 45, guess that makes me a war baby, anyway there was all kinds of neat GI surplus gear for cheap. One of my best buys was a genuine WW2 jungle hammonck. I used that in Florida for my camping trips until I was grown.

I usually had my hammock, a mess kit, a canteen, matches, what ever food I could talk my mom out off, knife, and a pair of rubber knee high boots.
I had a back board I made from scrap lumber. I was set to go to the swamp. Sometimes I took a shotgun, sometimes a fishing pole. Those were the days, Life was good. Life was simple. Sometimes I wish I could go back to those simple, free times, with no cares.

Regards,

[Badnews Bob]

Couple of my friends have been doing this and working on equipment to use, I think it is a very good  thought, I just don't sleep on the ground well anymore and I've always found tents stuffy. Agood tarp positoned right give shelter from weather and refects/trap heat from your fire, fixing a netting will keep out bugs and not be stuffy like a tent, Alot less wieght also.

[theoldarcher]

I, too, used an military surplus jungle-style hammock for many years as a kid, a Boy and Eagle Scout, and as a Scout leader.  Today I use a Hennessy Hammock which is a great improvement in materials, etc.  I love the feel of sleeping above the ground and swaying in a breeze!

I want to put together a very light-weight camping kit (I have most of the stuff from canoe camping, out west hunting, etc.) and try using my kayak for some solo camping/fishing trips.

Arch

[snapcrackpop]

I think a hammock tent would be perfect for MN BWCA trip.
Going to have to give that a try next year....

[efremtags]

they don't work well above treeline..lol...

[pastorp]

And thats the truth efremtags . Fortunally florida where I grew up has plenty of trees.

Regards,

[Badnews Bob]

Got a few of them things here in Kentucky also. I have decided to buy a Hennessy hammock and put it to use this fall and next year.

The fall I had last year breaking my back won't hardly let me sleep on the ground, I've heard a lot of good about hammocks for bad backs so I'mma gonna try it. Also some of the places I am gonna try and camp are river banks without much level ground but plenty of trees. I have a larger geenoe,(wide flatter bottom, square stern canoe) and a fishing kayack that are gonna go down the  river with me.

[Swamp Rat]

Once you use a Hennessey you will never go back. I have been using a HH for 6yrs and have slept comfortably into single digits and woke up with ice/snow on the fly.

A couple tricks:
Get the hexfly!

Get the SuperShelter undercover and leave it on. It will act as an extra barrier in the summer to prevent skeeter from biting you in the arse. As the temps cool off you can add insulating layers as needed.

I use two(2) space blankets; one tied under the fly to reflect heat back down and radiant heat from the sun out and one under in the SS to reflect heat back up. If it is hot just push it to the side, but it is always there if you need it.

Get two sets of snake skins and rig the hammock seperate from the fly, that way you can use the tarp as cover from rain or shade for lunch without breaking out your whole kit, also up you can set up camp/hammock out of the rain.

When you rig the hammock make sure your tie points are ABOVE the tie points of the fly. The hammock will sag with your weight, the fly won't. This will keep you closer to the fly if the weather turns foul.

Keep a 2' string tied in a half hitch to the main line of the hammock and positioned just under the fly. These are drip lines and the water will run down the string instead of down the mainline to you arse.

Use biners and decinder rings to rig your hammock and the tension can be adjusted with the pull of a cord(no more untieing and retieing) and it can also be adjusted under the fly

[pastorp]

I really don't know what happened to my old jungle hammock. Maybe I'll upgrade to one of those hennesseys, that looks pretty good.

Regards,

[Dee]

A couple of years ago my wife bought me a folding cot that is also it's own little tent, complete with windows, screens, and flaps. Now if I could just get time to use more than the once I have. Just throw it on the roof rack of the Wrangler and head to the woods.

[pastorp]

Dee, I've used camp cots a lots for desert camping. Treeless areas, but mine didn't have a cover. I would just throw my sleeping bag on top and a lite tarp if I expected snow. In southwestern new mexico it did not rain often so that wasn't usually a problem in the desert.

Never had a problem with snakes or other varmits but you did need to check your boots before you put them on in the mornings. 

Regards,

[Badnews Bob]

The only problem with cots (and I like them BTW) around here is finding enuff level ground to set them up on.  That is why I am buying a henessy this spring.

[Dee]

I was born in 45, guess that makes me a war baby, anyway there was all kinds of neat GI surplus gear for cheap. One of my best buys was a genuine WW2 jungle hammonck. I used that in Florida for my camping trips until I was grown.

I usually had my hammock, a mess kit, a canteen, matches, what ever food I could talk my mom out off, knife, and a pair of rubber knee high boots.
I had a back board I made from scrap lumber. I was set to go to the swamp. Sometimes I took a shotgun, sometimes a fishing pole. Those were the days, Life was good. Life was simple. Sometimes I wish I could go back to those simple, free times, with no cares.

Regards,

Don't we all pastorp but, the truth of the matter was while you and I were doing those things we wanted to do in the 50s our dads were bustin their hump to support us. So I guess it was only free to us.
Kids now want video games, and would freeze to death at 35 degress with a pocket full of matches. Most don't have a clue how to build a fire, unless it's to set fire to a building.

[NuclearMeltdown]

I got one of the cheap imported ones for $30 a couple of years back.  Has worked well in dry weather.  When it rained, though, the cotton canvas bottom really soaks up the water.  If you use one in the rain, make sure you set up the roof so it drains the water off to the sides and doesn't hold it on top.  Tie the corners of the roof to the ground, not the tree (make it like the one in the background here) --



Mine's the one in front, and the roof is tied to the tree because it's easier.  Clear forecast that night, though.  It's a clear example of how to NOT set one up for wet weather.

Here's the inside:



I still find it hard to sleep in these, though.  I never sleep that well.  It's nice to hear the mosquitoes buzzing outside, knowing they can't get to you though.

[Junior1942]

I've thought about getting a Hennessey hammock, but you have to sleep on your back, and I don't know how that would work with my arthritic knees.

[1stcavmp77]

I got one of the cheap imported ones for $30 a couple of years back.  Has worked well in dry weather.  When it rained, though, the cotton canvas bottom really soaks up the water.  If you use one in the rain, make sure you set up the roof so it drains the water off to the sides and doesn't hold it on top.  Tie the corners of the roof to the ground, not the tree (make it like the one in the background here) --



Mine's the one in front, and the roof is tied to the tree because it's easier.  Clear forecast that night, though.  It's a clear example of how to NOT set one up for wet weather.

Here's the inside:



I still find it hard to sleep in these, though.  I never sleep that well.  It's nice to hear the mosquitoes buzzing outside, knowing they can't get to you though.

the key to sleeping in a hammock is to lay diagonally across the center of the hammock. head on one side and feet on the other. i have a treklite double hammock and a byer of maine that i hang underneath for my bottom insulation. also an 8x10 tarp overhead from wallyworld keeps me dry. i plan on doing some hammocking this winter to see how well my set up works. i think my mss bivy with a fleece liner inside is gonna be just about write for at least two seasons here since it really gets too warm in the summer for that bag and i can just use my poncho liner on top with a wool blanket in the byer underneath.