GreatBigDave here from New Jersey

**GreatBigDave** · 11-02-2014, 22:29

Hi! I'm a BSA Assistant Scoutmaster and new to hammock-ing. I was introduced to the idea of hammock camping by one of the other Assistant Scoutmasters in our troop. I'd spent a lot of time looking for a shelter that was packable and would allow me to stand. I'm a big guy and have RA - wriggling around a backpacking tent to enter, exit, and change is painful on my best days and impossible when I'm feeling stiff. From where I stand now, it looks like hammock camping will let me get out into the woods for several days at a time.

Really happy I found this forum - Thanks!

**PapaSmurf** · 11-02-2014, 22:34

Welcome from Ohio. I think hammock camping may be very well suited for you. Many of the larger tarps would provide you with enough room to stand and move around.

**Zilla** · 11-02-2014, 22:38

Welcome, there's quite a few of us 'big guys' here in jersey.

**miyanc** · 11-02-2014, 22:48

Papasmurf is right. I had a kelty noah 16 ( not sure if your looking for car camping or backpacking, either way the noah 16 is doable, but heavy) kelty makes a 12 too. Both not from the lighter side of things but big beasts of a set up. I have been to a bunch of hangs and seen some silnylon or cuban fiber (very expensive but the lightest), if you want complete coverage get a tarp with doors. Doors and some sort of poll mod will give you enough room and still be able to keep the hammock high enough.

As long as you keep the tarp close to the hammock you can get coverage from other kinds of tarps. Just make sure you have your straps and suspension locked in, the higher you hang the farther you fall.

I would recommend you try and get to a hang somewhere in your area. You will have many set ups to look at. Many of us have extra gear to lend out for the hang to let someone experience life above the ground. Good luck. Happy hanging

**GreatBigDave** · 11-02-2014, 22:54

Thanks PapaSmurf - that's why I bought a SuperFly - Size and plenty of privacy for Scouting outings.

Thanks Zilla, I look forward to meeting you at a non-scouting outing.

Thanks miyanc, I lurked here long enough to find Brandon's fine equipment.

**SilvrSurfr** · 11-02-2014, 22:57

Welcome from the Jersey Shore - quite a few of us 'small guys' too! Thank goodness I don't have any arthritis, but I've got a ton of old injuries from being a total reckless idiot when I was young. Just for an example, my friends and I used to go white-water rafting - without the raft. That's one of the milder things I did when I was young. I was definitely pretty reckless (and still am, to some extent). Sleeping on the ground reminds me of every ache and pain from every injury I ever had.

Hammocks have allowed me to sleep without exacerbating old injuries (including a rebuilt left knee). They've gotten my butt out in the woods and hiking further than I could have ever dreamed four years ago when I started. It's such a relief to know that I can sleep and not have to pay all night for past transgressions/injuries like I did on the ground.

Plenty of group hangs coming up in Jersey - keep an eye on the Trip Planning section. This is prime camping and hiking season!

**GreatBigDave** · 11-02-2014, 23:09

Thanks SilvrSurfr I'm looking at the winter hang in the PB - I'd really like to fit it in but Scouting takes a lot of time and comes first for me. Fingers crossed. I also had a fair amount of stupid fun back when it didn't hurt so much. Body surfing on LBI in hurricane seas put me in a neck brace for six weeks. It was awesome, swallowed so much sea water I barked on the beach three times but kept going back. Couldn't get out of bed the next day. Whitewater waterslide sounds like fun.

**SilvrSurfr** · 11-02-2014, 23:15

The Pine Barrens crew are fairly active - I'm slackpacking the Batona Trail (53 miles in 3 days - ugh) this weekend. Slackpacking requires logistical support so some of my HF homies are helping me out. We'll be staying at Batona Camp Friday and Saturday.

We also usually have a Thanksgiving and Christmas hang, and I hear that might be a Harriman hang this month as well. So keep an eye out for local activity. And the NJ Winter Hang totally rocks - I'm not sure if this is my third or fourth year attendiig.

And I plan on at least one, if not two, canoe trips in the Pine Barrens before the end of the year.