PG+LT+WD+AD

Sounds like a good way to test out a few options. From a totally webbing based system to a whoopie system you should have about a 2-3 oz weight savings. Once you decide what you like for the suspension you could eliminate the ring and just loop the suspension right through the end channel on the hammock. That should make a bit of an weight savings as well. I like carabiners over toggles on the webbing, just a little bit easier and quicker --especially for winter hanging wearing gloves and everything. I'm not real familiar with ENO's bug net, but most folks find there accessories on the heavy side. Check out Warbonnet Outdoors for their traveler bug net. It is one of the lightest on the market -- 7 oz seams to stick in my mind.

Yah a Strait ridge is the way to go for hammock tarps a cat ridge will just be more work and no real benefit. For groundling tarps it serves a purpose but on a hammock tarp it would just be extra work. Are you thinking of doing all six sides cat or just the ground edges? When I get my line of tarps up for sale I am thinking about doing all three ways just to cover budget --> deluxe From just strait cut lines to cat ground edges to full cat cut. Quest has been ok on the orders I have placed with them and pretty helpful on a special order that I am working on for a customer. And Tru-Hiker has been a lot of help the couple times I have called him with some questions. What other suspensions where you thinking of trying? That is a lot of what we are doing right now. We have about 5 or 6 choices in different suspensions right now. And a lot of different materials choices for them. Whoopie's are real popular we ship tones of pairs of them out every week but we are still doing a lot of webbing based systems as well.

Give the whoopie slings a try they aren't that bad to make and are the lightest quickest and easiest system out for adjustability. We sell a tone of them with both the 7/64ths and the 1/8th inch line. A pair of tree straps and carabiners or toggles and you are set to hang. Try OWF Inc for fabric, great service and one of the only shops on this end of the country for technical fabrics. I would start with a strait line cut tarp rather than a cat cut, if you get the geometry right it will still pitch close to as tight and will be a lot easier to "inject thread" to.

You will probably find that the water will pass through pretty fast as most of the Parachute fabrics are not coated with any water proofer. But for camping you will likely want a tarp to keep the rain off in the first place. Hammock camping takes it's own system of gear just like tent camping dose. Most tent campers have a tent, with a rain fly, a pad and a sleeping bag of some sort. Hammock campers use a hammock of one nature or another, a tarp, a bag or a quilt and either a pad or an under quilt for warmth as being up in the air allows for convective cooling from even the slightest bit of air movement. A good tarp will keep you just as dry as an enclosed tent, gives you more storage space than tents, you can cook from the comfort of the hammock and most of us feel sleep a lot better. PG

Now we are talking my language--Hammocks I got into hammock camping this past spring and kind of went over board! It started as a "that could be cool" and had grown into an almost full time job. I was reading about backpacking on a couple of forum as I wanted to get back into it this year. Found out about Hammock Forums and started really learning about the in's and out's of it. After a few months of getting the knowledge I stated playing around with making my own gear and from there started making some for other folks at Hammock Forums. It kind of went over board from there, I took over a few pet projects from other members, then bought another members company making gear and it has just continued to grow from there, I now have my own sub forum and am making tons of gear for hammock camping. And I now sleep peacefully at night in the woods rather than tossing and tuning non stop. If you want all sorts of questions answered about your eno's come on over to HF and ask away. Yah the eno tarps are small, the slap strap suspension is heavy and kind of limited on adjustment. Lots of better ways of going with either of those items. Keep in mind to that there are a lot of little things to learn about hammock camping that may not be the first thing you think of but can make a great hammock suck if not planned for. PG

I have not posted here for a wile, been off doing other things more than caching lately. But this summer I came across somebody talking about the comfort of sleeping in a hammock and they recommended to check out Hammock Forums. So I have been spending a lot of time over there learning all about how to use a hammock for camping. There is a tone to learn about all the differences. I started with a Hennessy this summer and quickly found I did not like it one bit. But one of the vendors over at HF makes just about the sweetest hammock ever made for camping. And with some knowledge to back you up sleeping in a hammock is far more comfortable and lighter than a ground system. And warmer too. I actually started a small business a couple months ago making some accessories and gear for camping and hammocks. And for the first time in years I can wake up totally refreshed, with no aches and pains, no sore shoulders, sleep for 8 hours strait like I were in a coma. My pack weighs less than ever (about 15 pounds for weekend trips - full weight) Don't diss it if you don't have the full picture. Their are lots of us hangers that have camped in temps that would blow you mind and there are ways of staying perfectly warm, one guy has had his hammock to -26 in the Minnesota winter. Their is a lot that goes into making a hammock system work and it takes time to learn how to make it work for you. But I can have my hammock and tarp set up and ready to relax in within 2-3 minutes. And as to the OP's question yes a hammock can be used effectively on the ground like a bivy (the hennessy is the worst one to do it with, but doable) but that is last resort for most of us hangers. But that's JMO Paul

In conjunction with a regular Gps unit the Ipod touch with the Groundspeek app is a very useful caching tool. I got a Touch for christmas and the first thing loaded was the Groundspeek app. No you are not going to use it to find caches in the field with but you will be able to go totally paperless with no extra software, no cables, no databases to maintain. Just pick all the caches you are planning on hunting for the day and load them to your Gpsr then use the Ipod to find and save them in the Groundspeek app. Then when you get out and need the hint to help find the cache its right there, or the description for some detailed instructions for the cache. Saves tones of time verses any other paperless option I have tried. Get the Ipod with the Groundspeek app it works great, Best Cash I have spent to help find Caches.java script:emoticon('',%20'smid_4')

I love my Vista HCX. Years ago I bought a ETrex Yellow when they first came out, about a month later the rest of the Etrex line came out on the market. A couple years later I got my dad a legend, and my first vista. Last year for Christmas we got me the HCX. I really like it. But I would have to say that the best advice is, if you are going to use it quite a bit you should get the one that is most comfortable for you to use. If you find it difficult to use you won't use it. Don't make a half way investment. No mater how much any of us like or dislike a particular unit dose not mean it will work for you. Good luck, both are great units. Paul

Hi MJ, I have been an avid snowshoer for about 10 years now and have had a chance to try just about everything on the market. When I first started out I rented a bunch of different types and brands. If you have a good outdoor or ski shop near by I would defiantly recommend trying a few pairs out before you buy. As I got more into it I finally decided on a pair. I ended up with a pair of TUBBS. They worked well for me and the type of snowshoeing that I was going to be doing. (mostly as seep of terrain as I could find, with a heavy pack to remote areas no body else would even try to go to winter camp in total solitude) A few years latter I got a job at an outdoor shop in Boise and sold a lot of snowshoes through the winter months. At the shop we ran a promotion that if you rented a pair of snowshoes and then purchased a pair within the next month the price of your rental would be applied to the purchase, so ask about these sorts of programs if you find a place to rent from. While I was there I had the chance to buy a pair of snowshoes for my wife on a promotion, so I got her a pair of MSR Denial EVO'sMSR Snowshoe page She liked them so much more than the others I had rented or borrowed for her in the past, and a buddy form the shop had talked them up so much that on our next trip out I checked out a pair. I really liked them, they are supper light and really maneuverable. MSR's stuff is a little none traditional looking but it preforms at least as good if not better than anything else I have ever used. Good luck. Paul If you have any other questions email me I love to talk gear.

Try This MacCaching I have been wishing I could spring for a Mac for a while now...well not just this but the ten thousand other reason to get a Mac also. Good luck.

Here is a link to some great topo maps of Canada (free download) Ibycus Canada Topo Hope that helps Have Fun PG

Hi All, I have been hoping somebody would do a map set for idaho but have yet to see anything. Is anybody working on them? A wile back somebody in Washington said they were but I never heard anything more about it. I would give it a try but I have the processing speed of a hamster on prozac, and pretty bad bandwidth as well. I am mostly interested in the Sawtooths area centered around N44 1.570 W 114 56.400 Thanks again to all that are working to make this kind of data available. PG

Dale, Thank You! I have only had a chance to play around a little bit but Idaho is spot on perfect! I live in a sorta rural area and even many of the drive ways in the area show up. Great work. java script:emoticon('',%20'smid_4') See that you are thinking about topo and I am sure you will come up with more great data for all of us. Thanks again.

Idaho please. Thanks for all your work on this

Would love to have something for your neighbors to the south. Idaho really dose not have very many options available. BTW all of the first maps look great. Thanks for making this available to everybody.

Bit of a nob question but here goes. I have downloaded several of the custom map sets for Mapsource as listed here in these forums and others. And they all work great, but is there a way to open more than one at the same time. For example I have a set of topo maps loaded for Utah and a set of trail track maps as well. Is there a way to open both so that I can see were the trails are relative to info on the topos (roads, cities, ect.) Overlaid as it were. All I have as official Garmin product is the Trip and Waypoint manager but I have seen screen shots of these custom trail maps overlaid over other map-sets in Mapsource. Thanks for any help PG

I have a buddy running a mac and I keep trying to get him into caching. Just saw this and it may help. mac cachingIt's got me wishing I could find the bucks for a mac. You may also check this out cachemagnet Not sure if it is mac compatible but it is still in development and may be one day. I have been using it for a couple months and it works great. Hope that helps. Paul Wishing for my own Mac Book Pro

Those photos are great! Just what I was thinking about. Mainly I wanted to know from those that have ammo cans placed like these how long one last befor it begins to rust out. This one would be one that through the winter is unavailable do to the amount of snow in this remote wilderness area. I also suspect that the spot I am thinking ices over. Summer water temp probobly dose not break 50. After patteling across and back in a float tube I had to do some jumping jacks to get warmed up. But on a warm summer day wading out into the lake:)

Thanks to those that had some ideas. Here is a pick of the area near the spot I am thinking about hiding this cache. Not me in the photo but the fishing was well worth the trip alone, may as well add a cache to.

I have a great spot in mind for a underwater cache. The water depth is only about 4-5 foot deep. I have seen a few forums with other underwater cache discusions. My question is, if the seal is in perfect shape and the can dose not leak or have any dents, dings, rust ect. when its placed in fresh water how long could it last befor needing to be replaced? I'm assuming that eventualy it will rust no mater what is done--painting, coating with rubberiser, ect. Any body out there have an ammo can cache thats been submerged for an extended time. Thanks Please exscuse my bad spelling.

Google POI Factory, they have dozens of icons Good luck

This is great! I'm up in Idaho and don't get to CO or Wy very often but I love it. I'm sure the list is growing by the hour with people looking for you to do there state. But I have to through it out there love to see Idaho done to. I know get on the waiting list and see you in 1 to 10 years. Thanks for doing everything that you have.

I have a question about the software, which is awsome by the way. I am not a prem member so all I get is the loc file. which is fine because we only have time to go caching once or twice a month. But I would love to use my Ipod to carry the description and hint. But when I try to open the caches properties and copy/paste from the cache page it dose not stay after I close the description. I can load the file to the Ipod and open the note though explore and paste it there but that is extra steps. I tried to create my own new waypoint and get the same result. Any help would be appreciated

I have a question about the software, which is awsome by the way. I am not a prem member so all I get is the loc file. which is fine because we only have time to go caching once or twice a month. But I would love to use my Ipod to carry the description and hint. But when I try to open the caches properties and copy/paste from the cache page it dose not stay after I close the description. I can load the file to the Ipod and open the note though explore and paste it there but that is extra steps. I tried to create my own new waypoint and get the same result. Any help would be appreciated

I worked at a store that sold these a few years ago. I thought that they were a little hokey. Untill the owner invited the inventor to come and do an in store demo. We trucked snow in from 300 miles away to the parking lot because that was the closest snow to boise in december that year. I and one other guy got to use the form and the inventor gave us some direction as we went. I took a cople hours to build. And in the mid 30's and low 40's it lasted for about 3 weeks in the parking lot. I have tried to build snow caves and other snow shelters in the past and this was lots less work and probably stronger than any of them.