Hammock camping for dummies!

[jamie18thmo]

Hi All,
I got a DD Hammocks camping hammock recently but haven't had a chance to christen it yet.
I'm just looking for a bit of advice/know-how on what/what not to do when using one of these (or similar) with/without a basha.
Specifically....What do you do with your boots! Keep 'em on? hang'em up?Someone said put them on two sticks you have stuck in the ground next to the hammock.
What do you do?
Also, is it better to use them mostly in better weather and do without a sleeping bag or wrestle with bag and hammock in the pitch black when you have had to get up for a pee in the middle off the night?
All pearls of wisdom welcome!
Cheers,
J

 

[JonnyP]

Hi All,
I got a DD Hammocks camping hammock recently but haven't had a chance to christen it yet.
I'm just looking for a bit of advice/know-how on what/what not to do when using one of these (or similar) with/without a basha.
Specifically....What do you do with your boots! Keep 'em on? hang'em up?Someone said put them on two sticks you have stuck in the ground next to the hammock.
What do you do?
Also, is it better to use them mostly in better weather and do without a sleeping bag or wrestle with bag and hammock in the pitch black when you have had to get up for a pee in the middle off the night?
All pearls of wisdom welcome!
Cheers,
J

First...Get in it, not on it...Less chance of falling out (they are not the widest of hammocks). You will need some insulation under you, thermorest, deer hide, kip mat etc. Use in any weather, rain on the tarp is theraputic (I think). set the hammock closer to the tarp and not too far off the ground, if bad weather is expected. Check the trees are ok above you and not about to drop dead branches on you. Dont pitch under beech trees. Boots on sticks is best, to keep any damp out. For peeing, some people use a water bottle (clearly marked) and just pee into it over the side. I still get up, bump into trees, get entangled in the brambles and trip over the dead log, going to find somewhere to go...
Great things for sleeping in, enjoy it....

 

[Graham_S]

hang a ridge line between your tarp and your basha, it's handy for hanging your stuff from (i hang my glasses from mine)
some people use a mesh hammock as a gear loft.

when getting in, i open up the side zips on my bag, and zip myself up once i'm in.
some people get into their bag, pull it up to their chest and get into the hammock. I've tried both and it's horses for courses.
the british army sleeping bag with it's central zip is almost perfect for hammock camping. it's very easy to get into/out of in a hammock.

I've used mine in all seasons and weathers. if the weather is bad, i just pitch closer to the ground.

another little tip,
once you've set up your hammock, get in and have a bit of a swing about. then, once you've done that get out and re-tie it higher up as your hammock will have sagged a bit.
this stops you waking up with your bum on the ground.

also, check out the hammock underblanket group buy threads, they're well worth having if you have the funds available.

 

[gregorach]

Specifically....What do you do with your boots! Keep 'em on? hang'em up?Someone said put them on two sticks you have stuck in the ground next to the hammock.
What do you do?

I just leave 'em on the ground in the position my feet are going to hit when I sit up and swing round to climb out. It's not like they're going to get wet sitting there, unless you're pitched really high in a crosswind, which isn't a great idea anyway...

Also, is it better to use them mostly in better weather and do without a sleeping bag or wrestle with bag and hammock in the pitch black when you have had to get up for a pee in the middle off the night?

I don't find getting in or out of my bag to be a problem. Once you're in the hammock, you can move around quite a lot without risk of falling out. OK, you might need a bit of practice...

 

[oops56]

Its been years that i had one. This is how i get in back up to it pull the hammock down the edge to the middle of legs then sit in it works for me

 

[Ogri the trog]

Jamie,
Theres advice by the bucketful on this and other forums - but until you get out there and try it, you won't know what works for you.
I hang my boots over the ridge line of my tarp by tieing the laces together - or just leave them somewhere accessable if the weather is not too bad. I struggled and fought with a sleeping bag for one night and gave it up as a bad joke - that led me into making my Ogripod (have a search) which is great for cold weather but will be too hot soon - so I'm making an underblanket. Theres a theory that when in a sleeping bag, the insulation between you and the ground is crushed, and so, much less effective. This is even more detrimental in a hammock as the sides of a sleeping bag get compressed as well, therefore cold weather hammocking means getting the insulation on the outside of the hammock where it can't be squashed.
Theres loads of ideas on www.imrisk.com or hammockforums, or Sgt Rock.
It does take a bit of getting used to, but its a great way to spend a night in the woods.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[John Fenna]

I use a coffin shaped self inflating mat in my hammock and my days clothing as a pillow. Wet kit is hung nearby but still under the tarp. Boots either hang up on the tarp ridgeline or sit under the hammock. A small ground sheet is placed below the hammock as a carpet to dress/undress on (I sleep in the rawin my bag year round if my bag is warm enough - max clothing T-shirt and Ys). Getting in/out - sit on edge with bag around chest then swing legs in/out.
Always ensure that the hammock is strung bar tight (pitch it sit in it ,swing in it re-tighten it sleep in it)as it will ease overnight. Hang it loose and you end up sucking your own toes - how RM manages to sleep in his bananna hammock is beyond me. Midnight pees - get out , walk to edge of carpet, pee. This is fine for one night stops. For multi night stops or on often used sites- pee bottle (in or out of hammock), store till morning, dispose of hygenically. Bad weather - bivvi on ground or very close to it in hammock - or get seasick! I find hammocks too warm in hot weather - I like to toss and turn and spread out if I get warm - but great in spring /autumn and have never yet got too cold in one!
John

 

[spamel]

I wear a pair of neoprene beach shoes in my hammock at night. They are so comfy I hardly know I am wearing them and can get straight out for a pee if I need one without messing about.

 

[bambodoggy]

Specifically....What do you do with your boots! Keep 'em on? hang'em up?Someone said put them on two sticks you have stuck in the ground next to the hammock. What do you do?

That's exactly what I do.... two 1" diametre sticks, sharpened at one end and flat at the other, about 18" long. Hammer into the ground next to each other and to one side of you (you don't want to be hitting them each time you move in your hammock or worse land on them if you fall out! lol) then just upturn your boots and put them on the sticks....simple!

The above pic was taken the feb before last and it rained all night....my bald head may have got wet but my boots stayed dry

Hope that helps,

Bam.

 

[Pablo]

jamie18thmo
If you can hang on until the weekend, I'll be doing a vid about my DD hammock (if it's not raining). It will only show what I do and might not be suitable for you, but I'll give you a shout on this thread when I post it.

Pablo

 

[Tadpole]

Hi All,
I got a DD Hammocks camping hammock recently but haven't had a chance to christen it yet.
I'm just looking for a bit of advice/know-how on what/what not to do when using one of these (or similar) with/without a basha.
Specifically....What do you do with your boots! Keep 'em on? hang'em up?Someone said put them on two sticks you have stuck in the ground next to the hammock.
What do you do?
Also, is it better to use them mostly in better weather and do without a sleeping bag or wrestle with bag and hammock in the pitch black when you have had to get up for a pee in the middle off the night?
All pearls of wisdom welcome!
Cheers,
J

Were I to offer any advice, I'd say test it first somewhere really close to home, as from my own experence, DD's are not "user friendly" straight from the box as it were. The "ropes/strings" supplied were rubbish. I complained and the company supplied new tapes. but had I been in the field I'd have been stuffed. 20m of 7mm blue nylon rope (b&q special) is a good standby to have in your kit for a first outing of the hammock the breaking strain (static load) is 350kg which, even with a couple of knots still, give a decent breaking strain. I use the tapes supplied as a ridge line to hang my dressing/washing kit off of. YMMV

 

[Zodiak]

My mini hammock was small, a pain to get into and out of but strangely I didn't get cold, even in winter, possibly because being net my bag didn't crush down.

The big problem with these is that they only seem to last about 20 goes before the suspension paracord snaps, and once one strand has gone the rest soon follow.

My group buy hammock is much easier to get in and out of and more comfy but definatley colder on my back. In fact I though underblankets were pointless until I used this one.

There is one big drawback though, last Sunday morning I was trying to get some sleep at scout camp before driving home and I woke up to some brat peering over the edge and screaming "Akela there is a man in it!!"

My boots live under my hammock, normally with my socks over the top to keep twigs and bits of crap out. If I need a pee I put my boots back on but tuck the laces down inside so I don't have to tie them up to avoid tripping. I always go 10m or so even if its overnight just to avoid the smell next morning if its warm

I wear easticated no fly cotton shorts in my hammock, for when I need a pee, but they are normally pushed down to my ankles by morning

 

[JonnyP]

I wear easticated no fly cotton shorts in my hammock, for when I need a pee, but they are normally pushed down to my ankles by morning

Sorry, but thats far too much information.......

 

[Zodiak]

Sorry, but thats far too much information.......

Err what I SHOULD have said is that relevant to the bit about what you wear, I wear shorts, but my sleeping bag is so warm that I normally end up taking them off but to save losing them and struggling to get them back ... this isn't any better is it?

 

[BushTucker]

I actually use a DD hammock and DD tarp purchased recently as i knackered my Hennessy, I think its nice kit,

When you first set it up, sit on it for a while then adjust the ropes, mine stretched quite a way ( my fat bottom touched the floor ), also i found that it was actually quite stable, sit on the edge, swing in and your done. You do need a foam mat or simular under you , the cold for one and to hold your sleeping bag in the same possition for you to wiggle into it.

The tarp is massive, 3mx3m, so if you place your hammock between 2 trees tied off at head height, then it will cover it all like a tent, brill.

 

[Gailainne]

I also have a DD hammock, only slung it in the back garden as yet One of things I noticed was the weight of the tarp 1.7kilos , I'm thinking of replacing it with a KT version 3mts x 2.5 mts. Weight; 575g, the pack size will probabily be smaller also.

Stephen

 

[BushTucker]

That is true, the tarp is a bit weighty but i dont carry my tent any more and have saved 2.3 kilos

 

[ferrol]

Err what I SHOULD have said is that relevant to the bit about what you wear, I wear shorts, but my sleeping bag is so warm that I normally end up taking them off but to save losing them and struggling to get them back ... this isn't any better is it?

Zodiak hehe You kill me!

 

[Pablo]

As promised, I've posted a video on how I set up my DD. Just an idea.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=prmaklpboo

Hope it helps.

Pablo,

 

[jamie18thmo]

Thanks Pablo,
Nice video! I hope you have many comfortable nights in it.
Thanks to everyone else too for all the really useful info.
I can't wait to spend a night in mine now!
Cheers,
J