Hammock Tents - Super linky - got one? tell us about it and post pics here!!

[Shakeyhands]

k, I've read through this thread a few times now. And I can't say I am any further along, my fault.

Here's what I want, a hammock that I can use for everthing, including in the winter. So I have a few outstanding questions...

- I'd like as flat a system as I can get, I'm a side sleeper.
- I'd like to be able to sit in it before bed (no bottom entry)
- I'd like to be able to either use my BA Insulated pad or a bottom quilt?? Which is the better way or is the BA option possible?
- I'd like to be able to really batten it down for winter camping (typical nighttime temp here of -20c or -5f)
- weight isn't an issue but over all size could be for packing on the bike

Anything else I need to consider?

[mouthfulloflake]

Shakey,

the BA pad will help, but the underquilt will help more.
Both will be needed at any temp lower than 20 F likely.
Especially if you will keep the hammock tight and flat instead of letting the under quilt 'coccoon' around you underneath.

In winter time there is little to no savings in weight/bulk over a good tent, insulated sleep pad, and down bag, In my opinion.

a down underquilt might get you there, Ive got a thin/cheap synthetic under that is basketball size pack and gets me to mid 20s with a sleeping pad in there too.

[Dan Alexander]

For moto camping that must be all you need. A thin, wide pad maybe of that good 1/4" ccf and a synthetic underquilt with a decent top quilt/bag.

The guys on HF seem to count grams and half grams and like it the colder it gets.

For now I'm really not doing any winter camping.

But, once the setup is near there it might be fun. I've always wanted to try it but thoughts of the tent on the snow never sounded very appealing. Hanging above the snow makes more sense.

[the_gr8t_waldo]

i've been looking and reading 'bout hammocks, a lot over the last few months. no, haven't pulled the trigger yet.i'm toying with the idea of getting back into backpacking- as long as i can be comfortable/and lighten my backpack a bit. hammocks seem to be lighter by a substantial amout if the temps are above 45degrees. i read with intrest that one member at HF hiked the pacific crest trail, and only had to camp on the ground about 10 nights, this on a trail that takes about 140 day to hike. for that reason, i'm looking at the wbb 1.0dbl- it's going to take a lot longer time to talk myself into buying a cuben tarp

[Land]

Originally Posted by Law Dawg

I read your HR (hang report) on HF and loved it! Did you do a RR here? Maybe a link to the HF article would help some here see the hammock end of moto travel. Please!?

Thanks, Law Dawg.

I did do a RR here. It is largely the same one I did on HammockForums, but the one here has a bit more character in the overall thread because, well, my ADV buddies are a buncha smartasses.

It's called 'Merican Month at 40.

The Hang Report on HF is Hangin' With My Motorcycle.

Here are some of the hangs from that and other trips.

Deals Gap, NC.


8,100 feet in Colorado


In the Arapahoe national Forest near Central City, CO






Difficult Campground in the White River National Forest (near Aspen, CO).


Nine Mile Canyon, UT. See that little thing that looks like a stubby wing on the near side of the hammock? That's the famous and oh-so-cool "shelf" that is part of why the Warbonnet Blackbird is so popular. It's amazing how something so relatively simple is so incredibly useful.




Ochoco Divide Campground in the Ochoco National Forest, OR


The Warbonnet Superfly tarp can be pretty stealthy if you want it to be. See it in there?


I hung my Eagle's Nest Outfitters Doublenest hammock as a gear shelf/day-lounging hammock at the BMWMOA rally in Redmond, Oregon.


Quartz Flat Campground, Lolo National Forest, MT


WestFest in Darby, MT




Outside Glacier National Park, near Babb, MT


Bowman, N.D.


Timon Campground, Black Hills National Forest, SD




Back at Deals Gap, NC



Deals Gap on another trip. (The Flat Henry Adventure)



Flat Henry's rig.


No Clever Name in Langston, AL, a couple of weeks ago.


A HammockForums hang in August on Goat Island, Lake Greenwood, SC.


Camping with LandWife. This is the Eureka Chrysalis.








Rebel Yell 2010 a couple of days ago at Two Wheels Only in Suches, GA.


Hammocks rock.


Chris

[Dan Alexander]

Great pics, thanks.

So you didn't have to go to ground in any of those places I guess. From a noob it's a concern. I see in one place you did have to go up the hill a lot though.

Thoughts on the Eureka, it looks comfy but knid of narrow for side sleeping? You could put quite a bit of gear in there with you at the ends.

[HighTechCoonass]

Chris you are the man!! great pics and info!! that BB is a big mofo!

Originally Posted by Land

Thanks, Law Dawg.

I did do a RR here. It is largely the same one I did on HammockForums, but the one here has a bit more character in the overall thread because, well, my ADV buddies are a buncha smartasses.

It's called 'Merican Month at 40.

The Hang Report on HF is Hangin' With My Motorcycle.

[Land]

Originally Posted by Dan Alexander

So you didn't have to go to ground in any of those places I guess. From a noob it's a concern. I see in one place you did have to go up the hill a lot though.

Dan, there were a couple of times that I thought that I might have to go to ground on my big trip this summer. In southern Utah, I remember thinking that things weren't looking good for hanging a hammock, then I headed up Nine Mile Canyon and found quite a few places to hang. Kansas, Nebraska, Eastern Montana -- that whole swathe of country might prove a little challenging for hammock camping. In Kansas on the way out this year (this was my first year hammock camping), I stayed with friends, so that avoided the issue there, but it would have been a challenge hanging off of I-70, I think. Some blue highways might have provided more opportunities.

Where I went up the hill was at Westfest, which was held at at place where they do logger competitions, so there was a lot of open space with no trees -- basically a fairground. The other challenging place to find a hanging spot was at the BMWMOA rally in Redmond, OR. That was at a fairgrounds, so there were precious few trees. I found some though, and there were some porch posts on some buildings that would have worked, I think.

Originally Posted by Dan Alexander

Thoughts on the Eureka, it looks comfy but kind of narrow for side sleeping? You could put quite a bit of gear in there with you at the ends.

There is quite a bit of storage space at each end of the Eureka, so that's nice. It probably is a bit narrow for side sleeping. Body size could be a factor there.

It is very comfortable for back sleeping -- which brings up something that I want to point out. In a bed, I'm a side sleeper, usually in a semi-curled up position. In my hammocks, I am pretty much a back sleeper -- and happily so. Obviously, YMMV, but don't let the fact that you're a side sleeper in a bed dissaude you from trying a hammock. You may find that a hammock suits a different style of sleeping for you. There are also different styles of hammocks -- bridge, gathered end -- so one style may suit you more than another.

The weight rating on the Eureka is realtively low. I can't remember if it is listed on the tag as 200 or 225 or somewhere between. I do know that at 225 or so, I am right at or over the advertised limit for it. I don't feel unsafe in it, and I suspect that they erred way on the side of caution in rating it. Exceed the limit at your own risk, obviously.

Setting up a hammock camping system does dig into the ol' pocketbook.
I'm still reeling a little from what I spent on my system, and I'm not really done yet because I need a topquilt (I'm using my old mummy bag for now), and I'd like to upgrade my underquilt to a down one. I'm a bit of a gear ho, too, so I have bought more hammocks than I need, and the enablers at HammockForums make that kind of excessive behaviour seem okay.

Those of you who are considering hammocks, try to get to a Hammock forums hang and check out the gear. If anyone is in my area (Upstate of SC) or passing through, or if we meet at an ADV gathering, I'd be happy to show you my setup.

All the best,
Chris

[RoundTrip]

Originally Posted by Dan Alexander

Great pics, thanks.

So you didn't have to go to ground in any of those places I guess. From a noob it's a concern. I see in one place you did have to go up the hill a lot though.

Thoughts on the Eureka, it looks comfy but knid of narrow for side sleeping? You could put quite a bit of gear in there with you at the ends.

Dan,

No reason for me to have gone to ground at all so far...

BTW, my recommendation is to just bite the bullet, buy a WBBB and a UQ from Stormcrow, get a cheap tarp like a Kelty 9x9 and use your existing bag for a TQ. You can do that whole setup for about $400 and you'll never sleep better.

BTW Dan, all of this stuff works much better if you own a BMW ComfortShell suit (private joke ).

-jeff

[Land]

Originally Posted by HighTechCoonass

Chris you are the man!! great pics and info!! that BB is a big mofo!

Thanks, HTCA! The BB is a nice, big, comfy hammock.

Chris

[leeinmemphis]

Land

You have done a great deal more hangs than I have. I ordered a WBBB last week and it is suppose to ship later this week. I can't wait until my winter uq shows up. I'm thinking about doing some camping over the New Years weekend if the weather isn't too bad.

[kitesurfer]

i'm a hanger too. i followed Land's trip report and that got me interested in hammocks. i found hammock forum and made my own. first night in it i didn't sleep waell as it was not level. once i figured out level i slep like a baby for the next 5 nights. i am a side sleeper. i was able to toss and turn at will, except i didn't need to. i probably turned a couple time a night jusat to see if i could. my only problem was that i didn't have a pillow :(

[gelandestrasse]

A lot of these look like piñatas for bears.

[Racerman27410]

Originally Posted by gelandestrasse

A lot of these look like piñatas for bears.

i guess that would make a tent a pot pie for bears ?

I've never seen a bear proof tent ( or hammock)

[RoundTrip]

Originally Posted by gelandestrasse

A lot of these look like piñatas for bears.

The two greatest false senses of security comes from tents and governments.

Just sayin....

-jeff