Hammock or Ground?

[Adam Savage]

I've never slept in a hammock, but what puzzles me is, where do you put your gear if its raining badly? will it stay dry under you, or would you have to put it under its own cover etc?

It usually stays dry under you/your tarp, but a lot of people either make a tripod to hang their pack from, or set up a netted hammock to store kit in, sometimes overhead (a kit loft), sometimes underneath (kit sling), sometimes alongside (tandem), sometimes under it's own tarp nearby. I personally never put kit directly under me, or on top, as if any knots give way, or cordage breaks, it ends in tears .

[Ben Casey]

I just stick mine against a tree somewhere

[AdrianRose]

I just stick mine against a tree somewhere

I think on a dry day this is fine but in wet weather the rain water will just run down the outside of the tree and straight onto ones backpack.

When I know the ground is going to be wet I sling a net under hammock below my main hammock ( I think it cost me £5). I put my Bergen in this and the majority of the contents are attached/hung from a utility line strung below the tarp & above the hammock. I do tend to slide all the gear towards the foot end tho just incase.
Ade

[tadpole]

I’ve tried hammocking, what a week of misery, took several attempts to get it right, (level and comfortable) but I’d sleep for an hour, then wake up, then try to drop off, an hour later I was awake again. My DD was too short and to narrow, the cords have too much give and either stretch so much I’m folded in half by the morning or as happened the last time let in the rain so I ended up with wet feet. Getting out for my midnight walk was a pain. The mat never stays where it is meant to, and I ended up with cold spot and a sore neck. I love my (magikelly) hammock for kipping for an hour in the garden, but ground dweller I’m doomed to be.

[Adam Savage]

I think on a dry day this is fine but in wet weather the rain water will just run down the outside of the tree and straight onto ones backpack.

When I know the ground is going to be wet I sling a net under hammock below my main hammock ( I think it cost me £5). I put my Bergen in this and the majority of the contents are attached/hung from a utility line strung below the tarp & above the hammock. I do tend to slide all the gear towards the foot end tho just incase.
Ade

Great method there Ade. i have a net hammock that cost around £5 (kindly gifted to me by Paul Standley), which I use from time to time. Asda I think it came from.

[Adam Savage]

I’ve tried hammocking, what a week of misery, took several attempts to get it right, (level and comfortable) but I’d sleep for an hour, then wake up, then try to drop off, an hour later I was awake again. My DD was too short and to narrow, the cords have too much give and either stretch so much I’m folded in half by the morning or as happened the last time let in the rain so I ended up with wet feet. Getting out for my midnight walk was a pain. The mat never stays where it is meant to, and I ended up with cold spot and a sore neck. I love my (magikelly) hammock for kipping for an hour in the garden, but ground dweller I’m doomed to be.

It certainly isn't for everyone, no matter how they try to fix the issues, there are always problems that can't be fixed. You either like it or you don't. Maybe one day, someone will come up with "the" perfect hammock, that all will like....but I doubt it lol.

[Al21]

I’ve tried hammocking, what a week of misery, took several attempts to get it right, (level and comfortable) but I’d sleep for an hour, then wake up, then try to drop off, an hour later I was awake again. My DD was too short and to narrow, the cords have too much give and either stretch so much I’m folded in half by the morning or as happened the last time let in the rain so I ended up with wet feet. Getting out for my midnight walk was a pain. The mat never stays where it is meant to, and I ended up with cold spot and a sore neck. I love my (magikelly) hammock for kipping for an hour in the garden, but ground dweller I’m doomed to be.

It does take a bit of adjusting to get a hammock rig to suit. I struggled to get mine right until I camped with some regular hammock users who kindly helped me sort things out.

Here's my set-up:



That's a DD 3X3 tarp with a Nomad XXL hammock and a Snugpak underquilt. I found my thermarest wouldn't stay in place either, but the underblanket raises the comfort stakes to luxury levels! The real secret for me was lying at a slight diagonal in the hammock as this flattens out the hammock nicely.

While the image shows the tarp rigged square on, if the weather is unlikely to stay dry then I'll rig it diamond fashion to give better coverage and ensure the crabs are covered properly.

To be fair, using a hammock is a perfect excuse to spend lots of time faffing about and tweaking your camping set-up. Though I still find it hard to believe whole forums have sprung up dedicated to there use.

Al

[tadpole]

Ok soooooooooooo, next time I'm out (it will be March now) I'll pester a few tree dwellers to show me how to set up my magikelly and ebay 3x4 tarp. (still going to take my tent and set that up)

[Al21]

Ok soooooooooooo, next time I'm out (it will be March now) I'll pester a few tree dwellers to show me how to set up my magikelly and ebay 3x4 tarp. (still going to take my tent and set that up)

Can't fault having a back-up plan!

Al

[LandRoverMatt]

www.mattthehammockcamper.co.uk
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