Camping with no tent, hammock

[Rusty Ole' Bucket]

I don't want to hijack Black Fly's thread, but if anyone is interested, I'm about to build whoopie slings and ridge lines for the new hammocks I have coming out of 1/8" Amsteel. I love Hennessy hammocks, except for their suspension. If anyone is interested in the process just like this post and I'll start a new thread with all the build info and pictures.

 

[Whit30]

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I bought an inexpensive hammock off Amazon several years ago thinking Id give it a go. But I'm a side sleeper and I have no good trees at home to try it out. I haven't bothered taking it on a trip and futzing around learning to use it.>>>>

Did an overnight a few wks back and took the hammock. Took me quite a while to get comfortable but I finally figured out a position where I got some decent sleep. Performed good as a tent bug wise. Tarp kept me dry making coffee during the morning thunderstorm. Next time I'll get a better hang, which will improve things significantly. Overall it turned out ok considering it was my first attempt.

 

[Dana]

I haven't used a tent for years, except for privacy in a group setting. For wilderness camping, it's a bivy sack and a ground cloth. If I'm expecting rain I'll bring a light tarp. If there's unexpected rain I just pull the bivy over my head and go back to sleep. I sometimes bring a hammock if I expect I may not be able to find a flat dry campsite, but a bivy doesn't take much space. I generally don't camp during bug season.

 

[Rusty Ole' Bucket]

Did an overnight a few wks back and took the hammock. Took me quite a while to get comfortable but I finally figured out a position where I got some decent sleep. Performed good as a tent bug wise. Tarp kept me dry making coffee during the morning thunderstorm. Next time I'll get a better hang, which will improve things significantly. Overall it turned out ok considering it was my first attempt.

I'm glad you took the plunge; first let me say, it looks like you did a great job for your first time.

Mind if I make a few suggestions after looking at your set up? I think there are a couple of things you could do that will help with comfort in your hammock. First I'd add a ridge line to the hammock, it will set the sag for you. It should be about 83% of your hammock length. You need to use something tough like Amsteel or something similar. A lot of people use a product called Zing It, it's tiny but super strong, another dyneema rope. This small addition will make it so no matter if your suspension is at the perfect angle or not, your hammock will always be. Try to get your suspension to the trees at a 30° angle, use your thumb and fore finger in an "L" shape to check the angle. That forms about a 30° angle and makes an easy gauge. Last thing, set your feet slightly higher than your head, it makes it easier to stay in place in the hammock and makes you much more comfortable. This illustration might make it a little easier to see what I'm talking about, there's several other good tips on it was well.



The last thing I'd suggest is something that will make your tarp last much longer and be much easier to pitch. Add a full length ridge line to it with prusik knots and clips to hold the tarp, just paracord works great. It will make your set up much more versatile and you're not putting a ton of strain on those center eyes, that always seems to be the first place a tarp starts to come apart. Let me know if I can help in any way, I'd be glad to. From one side sleeper to another, once you get it right and can repeat your pitch, you'll never go back to sleeping on the ground.

 

[Whit30]

I'm glad you took the plunge; first let me say, it looks like you did a great job for your first time.

Mind if I make a few suggestions after looking at your set up? I think there are a couple of things you could do that will help with comfort in your hammock. First I'd add a ridge line to the hammock, it will set the sag for you. It should be about 83% of your hammock length. You need to use something tough like Amsteel or something similar. A lot of people use a product called Zing It, it's tiny but super strong, another dyneema rope. This small addition will make it so no matter if your suspension is at the perfect angle or not, your hammock will always be. Try to get your suspension to the trees at a 30° angle, use your thumb and fore finger in an "L" shape to check the angle. That forms about a 30° angle and makes an easy gauge. Last thing, set your feet slightly higher than your head, it makes it easier to stay in place in the hammock and makes you much more comfortable. This illustration might make it a little easier to see what I'm talking about, there's several other good tips on it was well.

View attachment 149983

The last thing I'd suggest is something that will make your tarp last much longer and be much easier to pitch. Add a full length ridge line to it with prusik knots and clips to hold the tarp, just paracord works great. It will make your set up much more versatile and you're not putting a ton of strain on those center eyes, that always seems to be the first place a tarp starts to come apart. Let me know if I can help in any way, I'd be glad to. From one side sleeper to another, once you get it right and can repeat your pitch, you'll never go back to sleeping on the ground.

I discovered a few shortcomings of the bargain basement Amazon special. No ridgeline provided for the tarp. Next time I will def do one. Also the bug net eyelets were weirdly positioned. Instead of just one row down the center of the net to hold it up it has 2 side by side rows, neither in the center, I couldnt figure how they were supposed to work so I strung a line on either side of the 2 trees to hold up the net, but it didn't work that well. Next time Im gonna try tying a big loop of paracord around thru the whole mess and stringing a center line under that, or add some short pieces of cord on there somehow that I can run a center line thru. Tree straps were provided but the hammock was missing a carabiner on one end so I had to tie on my own with a spare I had. Overall I think I got the pitch about right but sag from the new rope/knot attaching the missing carabiner made me wind up a little off and low to the ground in the morning. I'll give this set up a couple more tries and if Im still liking it will invest in a better rig.

 

[Cruiser]

I don't want to hijack Black Fly's thread, but if anyone is interested, I'm about to build whoopie slings and ridge lines for the new hammocks I have coming out of 1/8" Amsteel. I love Hennessy hammocks, except for their suspension. If anyone is interested in the process just like this post and I'll start a new thread with all the build info and pictures.

Maybe consider 7/64", 1/8" is pretty beefy for those jobs IMO.

 

[Cruiser]

I'm glad you took the plunge; first let me say, it looks like you did a great job for your first time.

Mind if I make a few suggestions after looking at your set up? I think there are a couple of things you could do that will help with comfort in your hammock. First I'd add a ridge line to the hammock, it will set the sag for you. It should be about 83% of your hammock length. You need to use something tough like Amsteel or something similar. A lot of people use a product called Zing It, it's tiny but super strong, another dyneema rope. This small addition will make it so no matter if your suspension is at the perfect angle or not, your hammock will always be. Try to get your suspension to the trees at a 30° angle, use your thumb and fore finger in an "L" shape to check the angle. That forms about a 30° angle and makes an easy gauge. Last thing, set your feet slightly higher than your head, it makes it easier to stay in place in the hammock and makes you much more comfortable. This illustration might make it a little easier to see what I'm talking about, there's several other good tips on it was well.

View attachment 149983

The last thing I'd suggest is something that will make your tarp last much longer and be much easier to pitch. Add a full length ridge line to it with prusik knots and clips to hold the tarp, just paracord works great. It will make your set up much more versatile and you're not putting a ton of strain on those center eyes, that always seems to be the first place a tarp starts to come apart. Let me know if I can help in any way, I'd be glad to. From one side sleeper to another, once you get it right and can repeat your pitch, you'll never go back to sleeping on the ground.

Everything here is spot on IMO, I will add a couple of points to ponder:

1) the 30 degrees mentioned is with the hammock loaded and at the head end. Setting up at 30 with no load will certainly not be 30 when you get in, likely closer to 35 ... so it is a good idea to get help with the measurement when you do the initial setup, have a helper measure the head angle when you get in ... and then adjust accordingly, to determine what the initial angle needs to be, to end up at 30 when you get in.

2) the diagram (almost all represent a hang this way) gives you the general idea, but they always depict the hang as symmetrical (head and foot same angles). Reality is that you will always sag more at the head end of the hammock. Your body is not symmetrical about 70% of the weight is above your waist, when you lay in the hammock, your waist is about middle, meaning there is a lot more weight at the head end. The end result is that the head angle is always steeper than the foot angle and for this reason, the head end suspension will always carry more of the load.

There are quite a few advantages to using a properly fitted ridge line, convenient, repeatable setup, convenient place for a storage pocket, easy place to hang a flashlight or other items.


Brian

 

[Rusty Ole' Bucket]

Maybe consider 7/64", 1/8" is pretty beefy for those jobs IMO.

7/64" is certainly a viable option and I have used it in the past for some things. I use 1/8" because of have broken both hands and have arthritis in both now. The 1/8" is easier for me to grip and work with.