Hammock Tenting

[polskikrol]

Starting to get into hammock tenting and currently have an ENO System consisting of a SingleNest, DoubleNest, and Slap Strap Pro. Spent a night in the Catskills and it was a little chilly and had to put on extra socks, shirt, and sweatshirt to finally fall asleep. My sleeping bag is a North Face 20 or 30 degree mummy bag. Also have a bug net should it get bad however have no had issues yet.

 

What would be the recommendations for the following:

- Improving warmth? Invest in better sleeping bag? Get a blanket or something?

- What tarp is recommended? Looks like the ENO Sil Dry Fly is out of stock and speaking with the manufacturer they are redesigning it.

[+briansnat]

I love hammocks for warm weather but they are cold to sleep in period. There are all kinds of systems that attempt to make hammocks warmer, but they all add weight to the point where using them with a hammock negates the weight advantage.

 

A better sleeping bag won't work because the problem is that the insulation is compressed on the bottom. The same thing happens when sleeping in a tent, but you have a pad to help insulate and you don't have air circulating below you. I've known hammock users who added a pad like a Thermarest underneath their bag but I think that you start losing some of the hammock comfort when you do that.

 

For hammock discussion try here.

Edited May 18, 2010 by briansnat

[+Touchstone]

My sister has done the entire PCT and AT with a hammock tent. Not the ENO system, but something similar but lightweight.

 

We also have an ENO Hammock and I spent one night in it just for kicks. A bit chilly, but not too bad.

 

Like briansnat said, I used a Thermarest on the bottom, and that seemed to do the trick.

[F.orT.heP.lanet]

Hey whats up... Just thought id chime in...Ive been sleeping in my hammock (hennessey) for a few years worth of multiple week hikes and weekenders without adding too much extra weight for cold nights...really all you need is an underpad, a cheap $6 one from wally world has served me well and kept me plenty warm.. Even when it gets down to 17*f. It does take away ever-so-slightly the "hammock" comfort..Its not even really noticeable.And hey It still beats sleeping on the ground lol!!!! But heavy rain, wind, i havent had a problem at all... I use the Hennessey HEX Tarp with plenty of room to spare to cook or shade... if ya can get a cat-cut id do that tho... actually just got back from the Sierra-Nevadas a few days ago, 8 nights in the hammock on the edge of a 40-50ft cliff overlooking a beautiful lake... Still 10-15ft of snow on most of the trails where we were and still ended up sleeping with the tarp in the SnakeSkins <----- GET Snake Skins.... they are great.... check out (*and mod edit this if im ont allowed to give sites names) but hammockforums is a wealth of knowledge...anything else ya need dont hesitate to ask me.... hey and if theres not many trees, and u got any rock climbing nuts(chocks) or cams you can highly increase your "hanging" spots.. rock-to-rock or tree-to-rock

[+Niemela]

- Improving warmth? Invest in better sleeping bag? Get a blanket or something?

I use a foam mat cut down to about 1/3 size. Like that I have my butt and lower back insulated. Many hammockers use quilts rather than sleeping bags as the bottom of the bag doesn´t really do anything but add weight. Some also add reflective insulating material to the outside of the bottom for very cold and/or windy situations.

 

- What tarp is recommended? Looks like the ENO Sil Dry Fly is out of stock and speaking with the manufacturer they are redesigning it.

Any tarp that is big enough. Personally I use the US Army poncho attached diagonally.

 

[duffmcgruff]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash...1_4398552_n.jpg

 

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2942...100000591412924

 

you can just use any rain fly from a old tent, thats what i did. i just took a rain fly from a dining tent. and as for the cold, its kinds unstoppable. but check this out

[mtbikernate]

There are only weight savings with hammocks when it's warm, but I don't sleep in one for weight savings.

 

I sleep in one for comfort's sake.

 

If you're looking at a hammock that's separate from the elements (hammock, bug net, and tarp are separate items), then don't buy them all from the same place. There are better alternatives elsewhere.

 

I have an ENO Doublenest, but I use it in combination with a Warbonnet Traveler bugnet and a giant Guide Gear tarp.

 

I use the huge tarp right now because of a few reasons:

1. can really buckle it down for wind protection, but can also set it up to provide sheltered space in a storm.

2. it's big enough to cover two hammocks at once (I'd like it if my wife found she liked hammocks, too)

3. I bought it CHEAP

 

I will probably wind up getting a smaller, lighter tarp for solo use eventually, but considering it'll cost 5-10x more than the one I have now, I'm not too anxious about doing that.

[+Mr. Wilson & a Mt. Goat]

Hmmm....

 

I don't use hammocks, but I was thinking about the warmth problem. Would an emergency reflective blanket work well? It does reflect the heat.

[mtbikernate]

Hmmm....

 

I don't use hammocks, but I was thinking about the warmth problem. Would an emergency reflective blanket work well? It does reflect the heat.

 

probably not that well.

 

Right now, I have a ~20deg down top quilt I use. Since I lack an underquilt, I use a blue foam pad from wallyworld.

 

The foam pad insulates well enough...I've been comfortable down into the upper 30's to low 40's. But it gets clammy.

 

The reflective blanket would get clammy, but wouldn't insulate the bottom. Why? the reflective blanket serves as a a sort of vapor barrier. It will reflect heat back towards you, but it doesn't actually insulate you from the cold outside. It will block the wind which can be a huge benefit, but the material itself will get cold and if you're touching it, you will get cold, too.

 

Some hammocks are a two-layer system, which allows folks to slip some insulation between the layers of the fabric. Some people have used mylar for that and it will offer some improvement in warmth, but I wouldn't expect much out of it. You will get more insulative capability out of reflectix, which essentially sandwiches some bubble wrap between sheets of mylar for a little bit of insulation. But even that will probably provide less insulation than a $10 foam sleeping pad.

 

an underquilt can be super thick and puffy for maximum insulation, cut short to save a little weight in shoulder seasons, and just loose enough to allow enough ventilation to prevent clamminess.

 

I plan on sewing my own synthetic UQ this winter - my TQ is a homemade down quilt I made a few years ago.

[+scrapes]

 

I am an adamant hammock hanger, have been for a couple of years now. The hanging learning curve is interesting, from insulation to tautness of the ridgeline.

 

I use a Hennessy ultralight, which I have adulterated somewhat, zipper mod to open the bug net, sewed the entry opening closed, went to straps and rings to hang it, aftermarket lighter sil tarp, I love it. I sleep so much better in it without the pressure points caused by sleeping on the ground.

 

I went thru all the stages of insulation, just a bag, uninflated mattress, blue foam wally world mat, silver emergency blanket, and then I bucked up and bought an underquilt.

 

All those pads that are in the hammock are a huge pain, HUGE. They slide, they curl, they crinkle. With the pad you'll know it as soon as you are off it...cold. The convection of heat from your body is amazing and quick.

 

As said the sleeping bag becomes worthless as soon as you compress the insulation, which needs loft to insulate.

 

The UQ hangs on the outside, doesn't compress and does not move around.....luxurious.

 

Pick up a 40-45 degree square bag that zips open completely and try it. With some sewing and bungees it would probably work.

Edited November 2, 2010 by scrapes

[+Kit Fox]

 

I am an adamant hammock hanger, have been for a couple of years now. The hanging learning curve is interesting, from insulation to tautness of the ridgeline.

 

I use a Hennessy ultralight, which I have adulterated somewhat, zipper mod to open the bug net, sewed the entry opening closed, went to straps and rings to hang it, aftermarket lighter sil tarp, I love it. I sleep so much better in it without the pressure points caused by sleeping on the ground.

 

I went thru all the stages of insulation, just a bag, uninflated mattress, blue foam wally world mat, silver emergency blanket, and then I bucked up and bought an underquilt.

 

All those pads that are in the hammock are a huge pain, HUGE. They slide, they curl, they crinkle. With the pad you'll know it as soon as you are off it...cold. The convection of heat from your body is amazing and quick.

 

As said the sleeping bag becomes worthless as soon as you compress the insulation, which needs loft to insulate.

 

The UQ hangs on the outside, doesn't compress and does not move around.....luxurious.

 

Pick up a 40-45 degree square bag that zips open completely and try it. With some sewing and bungees it would probably work.

\

 

Scrapes nailed it.

 

A few good links to check out.

http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCamping.html

 

http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCampingWarm.html

Check out the section pertaining to underquilts, and overquilts.

[+Mr. Wilson & a Mt. Goat]

My friend went camping with a group this summer, this is what they did one of the nights...