I lost my Cherry last night!

[Bucephalas]

At last I've lost my hammock virginity!
Last night I spend my first ever night hanging in a dense woodland on my lonesome and what a learning curve it was.

As I'm off to my first meet this weekend (with guys from here), I thought I should at least get my DD Hammock and tarp out of the bag and tested out.
I knew I failed before I even set off when I tried to lift my rucksack and get it on my back!
I did take an axe, video camera and both Zebra billy can and mess tins but even so. I now need to look at my kit and get the weight down big time.

Sunset in this part of the world is around 5pm here, but under a dense try canopy it was dark at 3.30 which caught me out.
I did take and setup and video camera but managed to record about 5 minutes of intro before the light faded fast and I started to worry that I would be setting up for the first time ever in the dark, so the video went on the back burner. Never mind, next time for sure.

I bought the DD Frontline Hammock and am quite impressed with it so far. I also bought a suspension set (too lazy to do my own) which is great and very easy to set up.
I set the tree huggers at about shoulder height and in hind sight I guess they could have been slightly lower but with more tension. A few times in the night I found myself sliding down the hammock.

I guess I have to learn to sleep in a whole new way now. My wife tells me i'm a ****** in bed (begins with a T ends with R and meens I toss and turn in my sleep) and this sort of behaviour doesn't lend itself to a good night when swinging.
On a couple of occasions I was aware that I was sleeping on and suspended by the mozzi net and not the hammock.

I had a hell of a job finding two sticks small enough to support the mozzi net. This weekend I intend the sew the ends of the supporting tabs of the mozzi net and finding a bamboo stick or an old tent pole etc to use.
I'll also sew some stops into the side zip of the mozzi net so they don't travell all the way to the very end.

My self inflating bed roll was used under the hammock topped with a silver reflective bedroll and these worked just fine. In the woodland it was suprisingly warm. The wind could be heard in the treetops but nothing at ground level and this morning it was a little chilly but not uncomfortably so, yet when I walked out of the wood the temp was -4 degrees and the difference was surprising.

I think I may look for a light weight something or other to go under my bedroll. If i can fix the width of the hammock then that will help avoid the cocooning effect.
Otherwise, I loved it!

Can't wait for the weekend.

 

[woodspirits]

good for you! first night in a hammock, and alone too. double whammy! yep its a constant learning curve as you say, theres always something to tinker with. happy hanging

steve

 

[gandelff99]

fabulous post report, sounds fantastic.
gear wise ,well you'll suss it out as you go along, me i tend to take just the one mess tin,normally a zebra,depends on wether your a heavy tea drinker or just a first thing in the morning one, did you have a small campfire or did you do it on the q.t, winter wise hammocking,tends to go much heavier on the back with the extra kit required,i'm at the point now where its comfort i'm after ,so extra weight sleeping bags,insulation,steaks for the fire(always a fire) beer etc so before you know it the whole thing weighs a ton.
however you seemed to have a great time,would love to see the vid if you get it uploaded, and i hope you have a swell time with your next hang.
gear wise, well very individual thing,you find what works best for you, my mate uses a homemade hammock made from an extra long curtain made from velvet,we take the pee out of him all the time but man its comfy long and very very strong(now where have i heard that from before lol)maybe you can utilise that idea/concept for the use of your under unsulation? it can be a length of nylon cloth etc.
be great to hear how the weekend goes,will be back from mine then too.
have fun,stay warm and safe

 

[munkiboi182]

well done!! i remember my first night in a hammock and waking up at 4am with a sore face and a mouth full of dirt. a few little tricks i use are,
-use spreading poles, whittled out of hazel (or other suitable substitute). to prevent cocooning.
- tie off the corners with paracord to stop you from rolling out. i usually tie them off at the same point i tie my tarp .
- use a U.S Army poncho liner underneath you as a bit of extra padding and prevent cold from underneath
- string your mosi net to the corners of your tarp to keep it pulled to shape and up out of your face.

hope this helps

 

[garethw]

Hi there
Well done on your first night out. Therre's no gong back now!!!!

As others have said you'll mess around for a while until you find the best system that works for you. The learning curve is steep, but if you dig out Shug's videos you'll get a lot of info there.

I got my DD Travel hammock back in April and have probably done over 40 nights out, since. (I was out on the weekend last)

Firstly I've fond that all the videos and posts that tell you to pull the DD really tight are wrong, (for me). I've found that its most comfy with more sag. Finding the right amount so you don't get pinched and cocooned takes some trial and error. Sometimes a few inches adjustment makes a big difference. Too loose and you get a ridge down the centre, too tight and your shoulders get pinched right in.

I bought some zipper pulls in a camping shop which I attached to the mozzie net zip tabs. Makes finding and closing it far easier. I've not used the mozzie net since August, but next Spring will certainly cut down some old ali tent poles to stretch the netting out.

Whoopies were a great investment.... so much easier to get that right sag.

I tried the snakeskin thingie, but found that while the hammock was stowed in it fast enough, it was very cumbersome to then either pack in the stuff sack or roll up into my pack. Instead, following Ray Mears' lead, I found a "camo" dry sack in a surplus store that I now use in place of the original and rather small one. The hammock stuffs in it really quickly and its waterproof, so my hammock is always dry.

I messed around with all sorts of configurations of mats, but was never entirely happy. I have since invested in a Snugpak Under blanket and it is to my mind far superior. I tied up the shock chords at each end to mini biners and they clip on to prussiks on the whoopie slings. It clips on in seconds. It is very snug and warm and combined with one of two centre zipped military sleeping bags (one summer & one down winter) used upside down as top quilts I've been warm as toast.

Happy Hanging!

Gareth

 

[rik_uk3]

After the thread title the content was an utter let down

 

[pauljm116]

Congratulations! I remember my first night alone hanging in the woods - one of the most uncomfortable nights of my life, but know what Im doing now and love every minute of it. I use a DD camping hammock (a bit like a coccoon hanging between trees) and once Im zipped in can toss and turn all night, even rolling right over and I dont need to worry about falling out as Im contained. may you enjoy many nights hanging in the future.

 

[Bucephalas]

Thanks for the words of support guys.

-use spreading poles, whittled out of hazel (or other suitable substitute). to prevent cocooning.
- tie off the corners with paracord to stop you from rolling out. i usually tie them off at the same point i tie my tarp .
- use a U.S Army poncho liner underneath you as a bit of extra padding and prevent cold from underneath
- string your mosi net to the corners of your tarp to keep it pulled to shape and up out of your face.

Great tips, thanks. I'll add them to my setup.

garethw
I bought some zipper pulls in a camping shop which I attached to the mozzie net zip tabs. Makes finding and closing it far easier. I've not used the mozzie net since August, but next Spring will certainly cut down some old ali tent poles to stretch the netting out.

I was planning to attach a few inches of elastic to the zipper but I didn't realise I could get zipper pulls, and I'm planning to do the same with the mozzi net. I found that the loops on the net are a tad too small really.

rik_uk3
After the thread title the content was an utter let down

:vio:
Sorry about that!

 

[Teepee]

So your first night in a hammock, on your own, at -4?

Well done that man!

I'm glad you enjoyed it, sounds like your hooked. The moving about usually stop when you get used to sleeping in a hammock. My legs are akimbo in bed and I never sleep on my back. In a hammock, I sleep all night on my back without moving.

 

[Biker]

So your first night in a hammock, on your own, at -4? Well done that man!

Yeah, I second that. Well done! I so must get myself out and try out the hammock again. Thanks for the incentive.

 

[adestu]

I get what rik is saying.

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