A workmate and I managed to get permission to camp (with fire) in a local farmers woodland, only five minutes down the road from me, for Easter weekend, result! So as I've just got some new kit I decided that a pre-Easter "dry run" was on the cards to see how I got on with my new sleep system, seeing as I haven't even really been camping in years. Some good lessons learned and a good laugh was had.
It was my first time setting up my hammock properly, and first time setting up a tarp that big. The DD jungle Hammock went up in a matter of minutes thanks to the treehuggers and whoopie sling combo. Pictures 3-6 below is it set up on my mates land last weekend. I used my mates ex army poncho liner as a makeshift underquilt and this plus a 3 season mummy bag made for a very warm night (when I actually figured out how to get into it!). Overall apart from the wind (mentioned below) I had a really comfy warm sleep for my first night in a hammock.
Tarp was a bit of a struggle to get up, mainly due to its size. I opted for the DD 4x4 mainly so that I have a large covered admin area should the weather get a bit ropey. The outcome of that though was it being a bit too slack and the ridgeline a bit too low I think as it was touvhing the hammock in places, Wind went into overdrive after we turned in and managed to get under the tarp and force it loose a few times, whipping it into the hammock which ended up waking me up a few times during the night.
My mate (pictured trying to shelter our fire from the wind) brought his 2 man tent along, however I think he's buying a hammock this month to take for Easter.
So lessons learned:
Sleeping bags do not play nice with hammocks!
Get myself an underquilt for a warm nights sleep
keep my tarp taut and ensure the ridgeline is high enough to keep it off the hammock
learn some bloody knots! (any help appreciated
)
Link to a few pictures. didn't get many as we were too busy chatting and feeding trees into the fire
Any comments/feedback/questions greatly received.
It was my first time setting up my hammock properly, and first time setting up a tarp that big. The DD jungle Hammock went up in a matter of minutes thanks to the treehuggers and whoopie sling combo. Pictures 3-6 below is it set up on my mates land last weekend. I used my mates ex army poncho liner as a makeshift underquilt and this plus a 3 season mummy bag made for a very warm night (when I actually figured out how to get into it!). Overall apart from the wind (mentioned below) I had a really comfy warm sleep for my first night in a hammock.
Tarp was a bit of a struggle to get up, mainly due to its size. I opted for the DD 4x4 mainly so that I have a large covered admin area should the weather get a bit ropey. The outcome of that though was it being a bit too slack and the ridgeline a bit too low I think as it was touvhing the hammock in places, Wind went into overdrive after we turned in and managed to get under the tarp and force it loose a few times, whipping it into the hammock which ended up waking me up a few times during the night.
My mate (pictured trying to shelter our fire from the wind) brought his 2 man tent along, however I think he's buying a hammock this month to take for Easter.
So lessons learned:
Sleeping bags do not play nice with hammocks!
Get myself an underquilt for a warm nights sleep
keep my tarp taut and ensure the ridgeline is high enough to keep it off the hammock
learn some bloody knots! (any help appreciated
)Link to a few pictures. didn't get many as we were too busy chatting and feeding trees into the fire
Any comments/feedback/questions greatly received.
