Have been camping, climbing, adventuring all my life. But as you get older, married, children etc... it all gets in the way.
SO.. recently got into "micro adventures". One nighters, minimalist, local, wild camps. Quick, cheap & easy, but get the location right, and it can be great fun and recharge the batteries for life.
Have been using small tents & bivvy bags but the old bones start to feel the hard cold earth under me. So Danny (my micro adventure buddy) and I have just bought a DD Hammock each. We will be trying them out this month so just wondered if you guys/girls have any Hammock related storeys or advice to share?
SO.. recently got into "micro adventures". One nighters, minimalist, local, wild camps. Quick, cheap & easy, but get the location right, and it can be great fun and recharge the batteries for life.
Have been using small tents & bivvy bags but the old bones start to feel the hard cold earth under me. So Danny (my micro adventure buddy) and I have just bought a DD Hammock each. We will be trying them out this month so just wondered if you guys/girls have any Hammock related storeys or advice to share?
I've never slept in a hammock but I tried lying in one before and I couldn't get comfortable. It doesn't feel right when my body is bending upwards, especially my legs as it puts strain on my knee joints.
Maybe I was in the wrong position though.
For now I'll stick to good, lightweight carry mats. If they work then the cold can't get me and I'm still young and tough enough to put up with sleeping on the hard ground :P
Also there aren't many trees up mountains so setting up a hammock could prove a bit tricky.
Maybe I was in the wrong position though.
For now I'll stick to good, lightweight carry mats. If they work then the cold can't get me and I'm still young and tough enough to put up with sleeping on the hard ground :P
Also there aren't many trees up mountains so setting up a hammock could prove a bit tricky.
Finally got out for a wildcamp with Dan. Went to Blackdown in Sussex. Highest point on the Downs and a bit like the New Forest, but on a hill. Fantastic clear skies with no light pollution. Tried the Hammock for the first time which turned out great ( even though we pitched it in darkness). Found it to be most comfortable and a good night cooking sausages, drinking beer & sleeping in the wild was had. Left No Trace as usual.
Sky at night.
Lounging about.
Porridge & coffee for breakfast.
Good work, guys! Haha, that's a king-sized tarp that Dan's got there :P I think mine is about the same size though I've not yet used it so I don't know for sure.
I definitely need to try a hammock sometime. Is it much more comfortable than lying on the floor? And how warm are you?
I definitely need to try a hammock sometime. Is it much more comfortable than lying on the floor? And how warm are you?
Those are 3x3m DD Tarps. Very useful & versatile. Can be used in a million different set ups and circumstances.
I gotta give credit where due. The Hammock does provide a more comfy nights sleep. It was not a cold night but there was a breeze. Dan used his under quilt but I didn't, only using a 1 season sleep bag. I'm quite a cool sleeper so was fine but you can feel the outside temp as there is no insulation once the base of your bag compressed. If any colder then I would have broken out the quilt (which does not compress as is hung underneath). A foam or inflated mat in the Hammock would also help. The DD Hammocks here have two layer Base so a mat can be inserted and does not slip around.
However, I'm not giving up with the bivvy bag as there is a lot more faffing about with a hammock. More to carry, finding a suitable site with spaced trees etc. As you know, with a bivvy you can simply drop where you are & sleep. Although you need some huge cahooners to sleep on Crib Goch. Haha.
I gotta give credit where due. The Hammock does provide a more comfy nights sleep. It was not a cold night but there was a breeze. Dan used his under quilt but I didn't, only using a 1 season sleep bag. I'm quite a cool sleeper so was fine but you can feel the outside temp as there is no insulation once the base of your bag compressed. If any colder then I would have broken out the quilt (which does not compress as is hung underneath). A foam or inflated mat in the Hammock would also help. The DD Hammocks here have two layer Base so a mat can be inserted and does not slip around.
However, I'm not giving up with the bivvy bag as there is a lot more faffing about with a hammock. More to carry, finding a suitable site with spaced trees etc. As you know, with a bivvy you can simply drop where you are & sleep. Although you need some huge cahooners to sleep on Crib Goch. Haha.
Yeah, the thing that will always make me prefer a bivvy over a hammock is how easy it is to find 2 meters of flattish ground and just lay out my kit and go to sleep. Minimal fuss. Hammocks obviously need reasonably spaced trees. Not many of those to be found up mountain cliffs :P Still it'll be worth me trying one out sometime!
Smiley, are you on hammock forums? your profile pic looks familiar. Double D has a pretty large presence there. being (I think) the only UK courage vendor on the site
Dave, I've heard of people slinging hammocks from between boulders and rock walls in the desert and canyon lands, but I've never tried it. there's also some packable hammock stands. Setup time is a little more than would be with a bivy but similar to a tent. cheap hammock setups can weight a lot, but like most ultra light gear, the lighter you get, or the more elaborate the design, the more the gear costs... I'm probably well over $3k just in hammock kit, though I have 2 separate complete sleep systems, one to keep in my bike, and one to keep as a stealth base camp
Dave, I've heard of people slinging hammocks from between boulders and rock walls in the desert and canyon lands, but I've never tried it. there's also some packable hammock stands. Setup time is a little more than would be with a bivy but similar to a tent. cheap hammock setups can weight a lot, but like most ultra light gear, the lighter you get, or the more elaborate the design, the more the gear costs... I'm probably well over $3k just in hammock kit, though I have 2 separate complete sleep systems, one to keep in my bike, and one to keep as a stealth base camp
$3000 spent on hammock kit?? Wow, I had no idea it could cost that much. I hope you're sleeping out every other night to get your money's worth with that :P
