Treated myself to a hammock and got a second one

[BornthatWay]

Well I treeated myself to a Hennessy Survivor Asym Woodland Camo Hammock and got snake skins and a youth hammock for ordering during the holidays. I have such a bad back so I have been reading and decided to bite the bullet. Sooooo since they were giving free snakeskins for my hammock and a free youth hammock wiht snakeskins why not. My granddaughter is 4 so it is time we take a little camping trip and see how we do with these hammocks. Guess we will wait until spring when it wamrs up a little to go. She like to go out and have a campfire nad eat so maybe we will try to spend the night in our hammocks. I cannot wait until then to do this.

I have read on here about how some of you really like them so I guess I will see if it does my back as much good as some of hte others. Plus I do not have to hire crane to come help me get up in the morning after sleeping on the ground all night.

[crashdive123]

I hope it works our for you. Let us know how it works.

[Rick]

That does sound like a great deal and a pretty darn good plan. I'd like to hear the report, too.

[BornthatWay]

Well it has been pretty warm here so far this fall and now winter so I may have to try it out for myself if we continue to have this great weather. During the days it is usually into the 50's or warmer. Of course January is right around the corner and January and February can be pretty darn cold. So we shall see what the weather brings in the next couple weeks and assuming the darn thing is fairly well put together when it arrives.

[vahtryn]

I have a hennesy hammock. I love it. It's stupid comfortable for sleeping. Here is the down side though: You will get cold as all hell sleeping in the thing. The other is the tie line in it. I highly suggest cutting that bastard out, and putting in two strands of paracord that can be hooked together with a carabiner or something of that nature. This way the bug net can be let down and you can use it as a chair in camp without any worries. Then when you go crash just clip the paracord together and you're mosquito free.

As for keeping warm with the hammock I have found using one of those emergency sleeping bags (not the standard small blankets) definitely helps. I have an ultralight sleeping bag (it's great for socal) but adding that plus a bivvy increased my ability to stay warm.

[BornthatWay]

Yes staying warm is my main concern. I have a bad back so I know that getting it cold will not make for a comfortable sleep. I ordered their winter survival kit that is supposed to make it alot warmer. We shall see when it arrives how it does. If all else fails I might use a heet sheet but really want to not use one because in a survival situation you won't have them to use every night.

[garethw]

Yes staying warm is my main concern. I have a bad back so I know that getting it cold will not make for a comfortable sleep. I ordered their winter survival kit that is supposed to make it alot warmer. We shall see when it arrives how it does. If all else fails I might use a heet sheet but really want to not use one because in a survival situation you won't have them to use every night.

Your best bet for warmth ultimately will be an underquilt. But you can improve the warmth greatly by a simple Thermarest type camp mat or even cheaper a closed cell foam mat. Bottom insulation is the secret to being comfy and warm in a hammock. I used a self inflating mat for much of my camping this last year, but have recently switched to a Snugpack underblanket, which is far more cosy. The mats do tend to move a bit, but with your hammock they won't fall out.

Finally I find it far easier in conjunction with a mat or underquilt to use my sleeping bag as a quilt on top. I just leave it unzipped... use it upside dwon, pop my feet into the foot box and then tuck it in around my body. This way I'm insulated all around, yet not tied in knots by the bag. Mummy bags are not very roomy at the best of times but in a hammock you quickly get totally tied up by the things...

Just my two cents worth after over 40 nights out since April... Coldest was down to -1°C.

cheers
Gareth

[TresMon]

on staying warm in a hammy

Yeah like was said above an under quilt is reported to help a lot by many. However Im a po boy and can't afford one. The best trick I came up with is closed cell foam insulation for convertible car tops. It's basically the same as the cheap blue closed cell ground pads at walmart, but it is half the thickness. Also it comes on 6' rolls. I get mine at the local Foam rubber outlet let shop. It's weighs next to nothing, works like a charm and is cheap. I carry a PLENTY big piece of it- the thought was I could double it if need be. I have never doubled it in the hammock but have used it as a picnic blanket of sorts under the hammock to cook on etc.

Lastly- I have always used the rule better to have and not need than need and not have when it comes to backpacks and sleeping bags. I get BIG packs and just cinch down the unneeded space and I get −20 or −30F rated sleeping bags. I used them as a blanket 3 season and get in them per normal in winter. These two tricks have kept me warm hammock camping around camp and on (high altitude) backpacking trips in the dead of winter for the last two decades.

Lastly- if you stand right next to your hammy and get mostly zipped up in your mummy bag THEN hop in- it eliminates all the normally required cussing to get your bag sorted out with you in it & in the hammy.

Please do let us know if your unit works with tender backs. I have a few friends that oft lament how they wish they could sleep in a hammock as do I.

[Rick]

Seriously? There is such a thing as a foam rubber outlet shop? Who knew?

"What do you want to be when you grow up, Little Johnny?"
"I want to own the biggest foam rubber outlet shop in the nation. I'm gonna be livin' the soft life. No bouncin' checks for me. I plan to have it pretty cushy."

[TresMon]

Good one! But your not serious are ya? No foam rubber shops in your neck of the woods were you can roll up, walk in and have a foam rubber mattress cut to any size you want out of whatever thickness you want? not to mention firmness? Are you from (high rent) Sealy-posturpedic county or sumthin?

[Rick]

Nope. Nothin' like that around here. Lot's of mattress stores, though.

[TresMon]

Well heck fire. Come to TN and I'll see that you get a little culture.

[BornthatWay]

Thanks for the tips on staying warm. I am still waiting for the hammys to arrive. The weather has turned a little colder so I will definitely be able to test out how cold it is and what I need to do to keep warm in the hammy. Will definitely let you know how it does for a tender back as I have the crappy back to give it a test for comfort.

[TresMon]

Thanks so much!

[BornthatWay]

Well the hammocks arrived this afternoon about 5:30. So tonight will be reading about the hammocks and looking at them and waiting to se if tomorrow will be fit enough to go out and trying hanging for awhile. I hope it is farily warm and not raining so I can give it a tryl I have some woods about 100 yds from the house so I should be able to get there and back in the same day. LOL!!!

[natertot]

.........I have some woods about 100 yds from the house so I should be able to get there and back in the same day. LOL!!!

Just be sure to let someone know where you will be at and when you plan to return. Also, make sure you have detailed topo maps for at least 500mi in each direction. A GPS locator probly wouldn't hurt either. If we don't hear from you after a few weeks, I'll see if Rick will deploy some F.A.R.T.s!

[Rick]

Deploying F.A.R.T.s is easy. Getting them to do anything once deployed is the iffy part.

[crashdive123]

Oh they do something......at least that's what Mrs. Crash says.

[BornthatWay]

You guys are such a hoot. If I need to have the F.A.R.T.S come to find me I probably qulaify to be president of the association. But then a woman cannot hold a candle to a man F.A.R.T.S but then I do not think they would want to. LOL!!!!

[Rick]

It would be extremely dangerous to hold a candle to a man F.A.R.T.s........you might burn one of us. If you do get lost over at Betsy Bell Park or Wilson Park or even one of the others then just find a tree and sit down. One of us will be along eventually. If bacon is involved then we'll figure out a way to get the F.A.R.T. boat up the South River at least as far as Jefferson Highway bridge. We can hitch hike in from there and just follow the bacon smell. Don't give up!!! We'll be there.

Oh, If you have a choice of where you'll be lost we suggest the Food Lion or Lockhart's Market since we can pick up bacon at the same time. That's just a helpful survival hint.