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Lets talk hammocks

GCTerpfan

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Garrett County, MD
My 12 yr old expressed some interest in trying backpack camping so I thought we would try an easy overnight camping trip next month. I have an EWO hammock set up that I have spent a total of two nights in and I have also spent a handful of nights in the Tentsile tree tent that I purchased from @longbowwoman. I have decided to purchase another hammock instead of a backpacking tent. Since my hammock experience is limited what do people recommend? Single layer with an under quilt?, double layer hammock with a pad?, ridgeline or not? Asymmetrical design? Size?

I started to buy another set up from EWO but, decided to see what other options were out there and have started falling down a rabbit hole. Someone help me out. Not looking to break the bank but, I think it's something he will be interested in (as long as I make sure all of our trips involve fishing) so I don't mind spending a little on comfort/quality.
 
I love to hammock camp. My hammock is the Hennisey hammock. Mine is the Explorer with the zip-in bug net. I have two sons who also love to hammock camp. I bought my oldest a hennessey hammock when he was 12 but I bought him the same one...but in the scout. Up to 125lbs for the scout. I ended up having to buy two more hennessey's as both my boys out grew their hammocks. Personally, I would buy him the Expedition Zip hammock. It comes with a bug net and rain fly that flat out works. 169.00 for the complete setup. As far quilts go...with him being 12, a 30 degree sleeping bag will be sufficient for now. Both of my boys and I have an under quilt, I have a top quilt and my boys use their 30 degree sleeping bags.
As far as the suspension goes...I'd go to dutchware.com and buy these items.
1. https://dutchwaregear.com/product/june-bug-buckle/
June bug buckle
2. https://dutchwaregear.com/product/spider-poly-straps/
Get the 15' straps.

With the hennessey you can girth hitch the june bug buckle to the rope that comes with it...but the straps really work best.
 
I have tried a lot of different hammocks and setups over the years and even though I prefer to sleep on the ground now that I have an ultralight cot and a bad back, I have hammocks that never leave the truck, one in the car and two in my wife’s suv for a quick unexpected overnight. I am no expert, but I know enough to make a recommendation and my opinions

Most hammocks are created equal… don’t get tied up in spending money on the hammock. EWO, although I have not used one, has a great price and I expect it is a great choice.

if temps are below 70deg you will want some sort of under quilt Or pad. If you and your son sleep like a rock and never move any wide pad will work. If you move at all in your sleep and want a pad you will need a hammock with a sewn in pad sleeve or you will end up under the pad and waking up with a cold butt. I recommend a quilt over a pad, just preference for ease, weight and multiple use but you will have more money tied up into a quilt unless you know someone who wants to sew up an old sleeping bag or simply add hangers to a sleeping bag to make a quilt which isn’t hard and can save you hundreds putting you back into the price range of a pad. a few cloths pins and a fleece blanket will get you down into some impressive temps (Pro of going with a pad is also the ability to set up on the ground if you need too)

two things I feel need to go with a hammock is a rain fly and bug net. Army surplus has bug netting and making your own can run you $5-10. If you have a quilt or pad under you and a rain fly above you, you just need some material to keep them from bridging the gap between the two. If you get a rain fly be sure it covers at least a foot up on the hammock ropes by your feet and head. If it rains, you will want to tie a rope around each to catch the rain and direct the water down rather than traveling to the hammock and waking up wet.


One big tip is most people do not know how to sleep in a hammock and wake up sore. Your back should not be bent much at all. When you climb in you want to be at an angle from the ropes making a narrow X with your body and the center line of the hammock. Watch a video, you will be amazed at the comfort you will gain using it correctly

so at the end of the day, eno, EWO

best quality and longest lasting Warbonnet
 
U better give ur money to dano ....hehehe

I got the ewo also, all decked out rainfly/bug net and I'd put it up against any other hammock of that same style. I haven't tried many but at the Suwanee music festival I go observe the habits of the free range florida hippies in their natural habitat....those weirdos go overboard with the hammocks and ewo is on par with all of them

Screenshot_20220719-134550~2.png
 
Dano's probably going to at least some of my money. I will probably buy the tarp and possibly bug net from him. I'm just curious what other options are out there with hammocks. I'm curious what I may be missing.

The two nights I spent in my EWO hammock were on a sleeping pad and a 20 deg bag, it got down to the mid 50's both nights and I was fine but, I did have to fight keeping the pad under me a little bit. I am curious if I double layer hammock would help that. Then I saw companies advertising asymmetrical hammocks and that design seems to make sense to me.

Also, just a note my 12 yr old is 5'8", 125lbs and doesn't seem like he is going to quit growing anytime soon so I think we are into full size hammock territory.


I would buy him the Expedition Zip hammock.

This hammock was the first place I saw the asymmetrical design mentioned. Does it make a difference?
 
I would take a serious look at the Kammok Mantis setup, although I'm not saying that's the only brand out there. I have one and I love it, although I did switch out the included lightweight asymetrical tarp to a larger (enclosable) size! Top quilt and underquilt for insulation should be serious considerations... I use the 6oz Arrowhead Equipment quilts and I've had them down to below 30 degrees F. I've changed a few things since this photo, but overall primarily the same setup.

I did see that laying diagonal was mentioned, and that is a definite must, but also typically hang your foot end about 6" higher than the head end (you'll migrate less around your hammock if you flop in your sleep lol).

Check out Kammok, Arrowhead Equipment, and Dutchware. For quilts, etc.; check out Arrowhead Equipment, Enlightened Equipment, and Outdoor Vitals.

20210724_062321 (1).jpg 20210724_062237.jpg
 
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Looks like @DanO's going to get some more of my money. I had both a Hennisey set up and a complete Onewind set up in my cart at different times but, just cant get myself to drop $200 on a setup when the EWO setup is $90. I have some 7/64" amsteel laying around to add a ridgeline and I might DIY an underquilt @Weldabeast style. We'll see how interested in he gets in backpack camping.

Thanks for all of the suggestions!
 
Dano's probably going to at least some of my money. I will probably buy the tarp and possibly bug net from him. I'm just curious what other options are out there with hammocks. I'm curious what I may be missing.

The two nights I spent in my EWO hammock were on a sleeping pad and a 20 deg bag, it got down to the mid 50's both nights and I was fine but, I did have to fight keeping the pad under me a little bit. I am curious if I double layer hammock would help that. Then I saw companies advertising asymmetrical hammocks and that design seems to make sense to me.

Also, just a note my 12 yr old is 5'8", 125lbs and doesn't seem like he is going to quit growing anytime soon so I think we are into full size hammock territory.




This hammock was the first place I saw the asymmetrical design mentioned. Does it make a difference?
Were you not using an underquilt? They’re are suppose to eliminate the need for a sleep pad. Are you familiar with them?
 
Were you not using an underquilt? They’re are suppose to eliminate the need for a sleep pad. Are you familiar with them?

Yeah, I am familiar with them. I already had a sleep pad so the two nights I spent in a Hammock I just used it. It got down to the low 50's and I was fine in a 20 deg bag, even though I was only partially on the pad for most of the night. That was one of the reasons I thought about getting a double layer hammock, to see if I liked a pad between layers or an underquilt better.
 
Yeah, I am familiar with them. I already had a sleep pad so the two nights I spent in a Hammock I just used it. It got down to the low 50's and I was fine in a 20 deg bag, even though I was only partially on the pad for most of the night. That was one of the reasons I thought about getting a double layer hammock, to see if I liked a pad between layers or an underquilt better.
I used a spare sleeping bag as an under quilt a couple nights to see if it worked, and to see if I liked it. It was very warmand and less trouble than the sleeping pad sliding around. The biggest issue I had was the pressure on my knees and hips. Each were sore after sleeping in the hammock. I kinda gave it up after that.
 
Yeah, I am familiar with them. I already had a sleep pad so the two nights I spent in a Hammock I just used it. It got down to the low 50's and I was fine in a 20 deg bag, even though I was only partially on the pad for most of the night. That was one of the reasons I thought about getting a double layer hammock, to see if I liked a pad between layers or an underquilt better.

Klymit or Kammok also make pads literally designed for hammocks!
 
Yeah, I am familiar with them. I already had a sleep pad so the two nights I spent in a Hammock I just used it. It got down to the low 50's and I was fine in a 20 deg bag, even though I was only partially on the pad for most of the night. That was one of the reasons I thought about getting a double layer hammock, to see if I liked a pad between layers or an underquilt better.

I have a sleeping bag that doesn't have any insulation in the bottom, since it loses it's insulation value when its compressed, and instead it has a sleeping pad sleeve built in. I use it for hammock camping and tent camping when I backpack, and it prevents the pad from slipping out from beneath you. Its another option to consider if you don't have an underquilt...
 
I have a sleeping bag that doesn't have any insulation in the bottom, since it loses it's insulation value when its compressed, and instead it has a sleeping pad sleeve built in. I use it for hammock camping and tent camping when I backpack, and it prevents the pad from slipping out from beneath you. Its another option to consider if you don't have an underquilt...

Big Agnes?
 
I used a spare sleeping bag as an under quilt a couple nights to see if it worked, and to see if I liked it. It was very warmand and less trouble than the sleeping pad sliding around. The biggest issue I had was the pressure on my knees and hips. Each were sore after sleeping in the hammock. I kinda gave it up after that.

For what it's worth I quickly realized the small inflatable pillow that I have was much more comfortable under my knees than under my head.
 
Check out hammock forums,com , lots of hammock stuff there. Also check out Shug Emery utube ,learn more about hammocks than you care to know. Good luck
 
Learning to hang one for comfort takes a minute. I’ll be honest. I got allot of my stuff off Amazon and it’s just as good as eno and all. I do have a big Agnes echo park zero degree. It zips off the pad sleeve for a quilt or can add a wedgie and make a smaller mummy
 
Was about to post a new thread asking who hammock camps but I reckoned this crowd doesn't mind sleeping in an oversized saddle!

For our 10th anniversary my wife and I are planning a camping road trip next month. I've always enjoyed camping but my back hated sleeping on the ground. Last summer I experimented with an inflatable mattress in my ENO-style hammock and wow... best sleep I ever had in the woods. Really looking forward to trying a whole trip in one.

You folks with bug screens, do you tie a short guy line directly onto your hammock straps, or do you run a separate guy line on the trees? I am soon to buy a bug screen and have been seeing both methods. I figure a separate guy line could also serve as a ridge for a rain tarp?
 
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