Using a hammock in winter
- Thread starter Mat
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For real cold weather a cheap rectangular sleeping bag that opens up all the way round can be zipped comletely around the hammock. Get the largest one you can.
Just open the foot zip a little to let the hammock ties out at the bottom. If you turn it so the zip is at the top rather than round the side it helps in getting in and out.
George
Just open the foot zip a little to let the hammock ties out at the bottom. If you turn it so the zip is at the top rather than round the side it helps in getting in and out.
George
Hennessy have 4 season system,
underpad with over and uncovers not sure if it is any good,
Anyone seen it?
underpad with over and uncovers not sure if it is any good,
Anyone seen it?
Well my first 'winter' night in my hammock went well. The weather wasn't anywhere near as bad as forecast (it was 15 degrees at 2200 on Saturday night 
!) but I did experience a bit of rain. I pitched the sides of my tarp at a much steeper angle and slung the hammock as high as possible. It makes it a bit trickier getting in and out but at least I stayed dry.
As for storing my kit, I just bunged it all in a dry bag and abondoned it on the floor!
My next trip is at the end on Jan so I'll see how brave I am then!
Thanks for all your tips.
Mat
!) but I did experience a bit of rain. I pitched the sides of my tarp at a much steeper angle and slung the hammock as high as possible. It makes it a bit trickier getting in and out but at least I stayed dry.As for storing my kit, I just bunged it all in a dry bag and abondoned it on the floor!
My next trip is at the end on Jan so I'll see how brave I am then!
Thanks for all your tips.
Mat
I've just finished making the insulated hammock from here:
http://www.imrisk.com/hammock/warmhammock.htm
All I can say is mmmmmmm. It's even lighter than my hammock+underquilt setup. No trouble with condensation as when a pad either.
http://www.imrisk.com/hammock/warmhammock.htm
All I can say is mmmmmmm. It's even lighter than my hammock+underquilt setup. No trouble with condensation as when a pad either.
Hmm. Getting close now.
I have the hammocks; I have one basha, and am waiting for my hex-fly.
I've got a couple of reflective windscreen covers for under my Nanok -10 bag, and my down bag.
[Thought about a couple of Airics but I'll see how I go.
Need to get to the outdoor shop and by 4 carabiners; and about 20m of climbing tape for suspending them.
Probably need about 20m of 6mm accessory cordage too, to hold the tarps up...
Went looking for sites yesterday. Found a nice one, well out of the way, and then realised it was a mountain bike trail!
I have the hammocks; I have one basha, and am waiting for my hex-fly.
I've got a couple of reflective windscreen covers for under my Nanok -10 bag, and my down bag.
[Thought about a couple of Airics but I'll see how I go.
Need to get to the outdoor shop and by 4 carabiners; and about 20m of climbing tape for suspending them.
Probably need about 20m of 6mm accessory cordage too, to hold the tarps up...
Went looking for sites yesterday. Found a nice one, well out of the way, and then realised it was a mountain bike trail!
I use a Hennessey explorer deluxe asym with supershelter system and hexfly with extra insulation in between the hammock and supershelter outer and it is brilliant!
The Hexfly is 3 x 4m and is huge, great when the heavens open and mounted at head height you can walk under it no problem with loads of room to cook etc.
I was using a katmandu 3 x 3m basha previously on the diagonal and although it was better than the one that ships with the hammock I picked up the hex from my local army surplus shop http://www.ranger.uk.com/ just cause it was there and I am a total gear freak.
I have found it better though to attatch the fly to the trees separately and not to the hammock and also use bungees to keep it taught in all weathers.
The other advantage is that if it turns windy you can drop the hex sides to the floor for increased wind protection.
I store all my kit on the hammock ropes in dry bags or under the hammock in between the super shelter part for extra insulation. This works well and also lets you detach the super shelter foam liner and still use the hammock as a chair.
The Hexfly is 3 x 4m and is huge, great when the heavens open and mounted at head height you can walk under it no problem with loads of room to cook etc.
I was using a katmandu 3 x 3m basha previously on the diagonal and although it was better than the one that ships with the hammock I picked up the hex from my local army surplus shop http://www.ranger.uk.com/ just cause it was there and I am a total gear freak.
I have found it better though to attatch the fly to the trees separately and not to the hammock and also use bungees to keep it taught in all weathers.
The other advantage is that if it turns windy you can drop the hex sides to the floor for increased wind protection.
I store all my kit on the hammock ropes in dry bags or under the hammock in between the super shelter part for extra insulation. This works well and also lets you detach the super shelter foam liner and still use the hammock as a chair.
MagiKelly
Making memories since '67
soa_uk said:
I was about to tell you that you had twice as much stuff as required but then I remembered that you have two hammocks
It is worth looking at the 3rd hammock group buy thread. Angus Og has posted a really competative supplier for tape and rings to use instead of carabiners. Rings and tape work out at £5 per hammock.
MagiKelly said:
Yes...
Tie the hammock onto the rings (tape/cordage?)
Tie the tape to the trees.
Tie the tape to the hammock, adjusting for tightness.
Sling the tarp over the hammock, probably tieng the cordage to the trees - below - the hammock tape, giving clearance to get in.
Peg out tarp edges...
Sound about right?
If so, I'll need to get some guyline cordage, and a few peggies just in case...
And this is *before* I've slept in it. What shall I do if I hate it
?
MagiKelly
Making memories since '67
Prety much correct but you set the tarp up first.
Also if you do not like the hammocks I would give you a refund if you want. There are already people on a reserve list so it would not be a problem. Anyway once tou take to the trees you will not go to ground again
Also if you do not like the hammocks I would give you a refund if you want. There are already people on a reserve list so it would not be a problem. Anyway once tou take to the trees you will not go to ground again
Mmmm, dont want to hijack the thread, and i dont want to sound ungrateful. The hammock [Second group buy hammock] that Magikelly sorted out is a great hammock for the price. I ran into a bit of a problem though, when pitching it under my four ounce aussie hootchie. The Hammock sticks out a few inches on either end, and Im reticent to purchase another tarp, has anyone had the same problem? Or got any great ideas about how to solve the problem? I know there were two different sizes of hammocks, and I should have measured my hootchie before buying really. But, for anyone buying one of these hammocks. They are v.good.
MagiKelly
Making memories since '67
Dave said:
You are absolutely correct. It is something that has made me wonder quite a bit. The hammocks that are sold throught the group buy are 2.8m long (material lenth) and this is almost exactly the same lenth as the Ecosystem which RM sells with a 2.7m hootchi. Now it does not take much to realise that this is 100mm short. Of course the hammock is hanging bent and so is actually shorter than the hootchi but not by much. Most people seem not to find any problems with this and seem to stay dry. Indeed I have used a 3.3m hammock with a 3m tarp in some wild weather and stayed dry but I was not confident. My solution is to use a hex fly which is 3.5m long (group buy available
) and I have used this in all conditions and am completely confident in it. Sometimes it still looks as if you might get wet but experiance has shown me that this is not the case.The other suggestion that I have heard is to set your tarp on the diagonal. this may help but I have not tried it. I will be interested to hear others comments on this as I have always thought you need a longer tarp for hammock use but the ecosystem set up would appear to indicate otherwise.
When my second tarp arrives, I'll be trying out a method of two tarps that can slide over/under one another so you get an adjustable shelter.
But for extending a single tarp, it either has to be on the diagonal or you have to rig up some kind of additional cover for one end. The downside of that is that you need to overlap the layers to keep the wind out which in turn means that the extension is likely to be at the head end.
I've heard of people using a bin-bag around the foot end of a hammock to extend the shelter but I don't know how effective it would be.
ATB
Ogri the trog
But for extending a single tarp, it either has to be on the diagonal or you have to rig up some kind of additional cover for one end. The downside of that is that you need to overlap the layers to keep the wind out which in turn means that the extension is likely to be at the head end.
I've heard of people using a bin-bag around the foot end of a hammock to extend the shelter but I don't know how effective it would be.
ATB
Ogri the trog
This is something I have also noticed. I use an Eco sleep system and have always thought that the hammock was too long for the hootchie. I've never got wet, but another 100mm - 150 mm at each end of the hootchie could make all the difference IMHO. In all his jungle based programmes, RM can be seen using his own sleep system, so I guess if it can take jungle monsoons, it should be ok in British rain!
I like the idea of tying a bin bag around the end. Must give it a try sometime...
I like the idea of tying a bin bag around the end. Must give it a try sometime...
Jungle monsoons tend to come straight down, while British rain is often closer to horizontal. Makes a difference.
I guess an important question is how deeply scooped is your hammock? Ray's usually look quite deep to me.
I guess an important question is how deeply scooped is your hammock? Ray's usually look quite deep to me.
I have been using a thai hammock for quite a few years now (the DD hammocks are pretty much identical design) all year round and the only place that I have ever got wet in one was the UK once a couple of years ago, I have used them all over the place in rain forests including Brunie and Kenya.
It was my own fault that I got wet as I had removed the drip lines to replace them on the thai hammock and capilliary action brought water down into the hammock off the sashes.
I have not bothered measuring the length of the hammocks and have not had problems with the ends sticking out from the basha (generally I use a jungle lightweight basha or hootchie in one of 2 weights).
I also camp all year around and find that pitching the basha nice taught, reasonably low, with the hammock with a little clearance from the basha tends to keep the weather out.
The sashes will stretch a little and tighten on the tree as you put weight into the hammock pulling the ends in a little anyway and I have not met anyone yet who can get out of a hammock in the morning with the sashes and the hammock hanging "exactly" as it was when you set it up the night before.
It was my own fault that I got wet as I had removed the drip lines to replace them on the thai hammock and capilliary action brought water down into the hammock off the sashes.
I have not bothered measuring the length of the hammocks and have not had problems with the ends sticking out from the basha (generally I use a jungle lightweight basha or hootchie in one of 2 weights).
I also camp all year around and find that pitching the basha nice taught, reasonably low, with the hammock with a little clearance from the basha tends to keep the weather out.
The sashes will stretch a little and tighten on the tree as you put weight into the hammock pulling the ends in a little anyway and I have not met anyone yet who can get out of a hammock in the morning with the sashes and the hammock hanging "exactly" as it was when you set it up the night before.
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