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  1. #1
    RB2340
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    Hammock Heavy Use

    Greeting All. I Am A 65 Year Old Man Retiring Next Year. I Am Looking To Get A Sturdy Hammock I Can Use Every Day As I Hike My Way Across The USA. I Will Also Need A Hammock That Will Be Good In The Cold And Windy Conditions. I Bought A Hennessy Ultra Light And It Seems To Be A Good Hammock But Have My Doubts About Windy And Cold Conditions AS WELL AS MESQUITO PROTECTION. I Have Read About The Claytor And Was Turned Off By The Rain Getting Into The Hammock From The Lines And Also The Durability May Be An Issue. I Was Thinking The Clark North American But They Seem A Bit Expensive And May Have An Issue With Room Inside. I Am 5'7 And Weigh 165 Lbs, But Soon Into My Journey I Will Drop To About 140. There Are Good Things About Many Hammocks But There Is No One Hammock That Seems To Have All The Good Things In It. In Other Words If I Could Take The Best Of Every Hammock And Just Put All The Things I Like Into That One Hammock It Would Be Great. Light Weight And Roomy Like The Hennessy With Wind Protection And Rain Protection Like The Clark With A Price Like The Claytor. One Thing I Do Not Like About The Clark Is The Elastic Piece For The Rain Shield That Can Break While I Am Out In The Field.the Thing I Really Like About The Clark Is The Ability To Close The Rain Shield Into A Cocoon. I Think That Is The Best Idea Ever. It Appears I Am Drifting Toward The Clark But Need To Be Sure Of What I Am Doing. Any Advice And Suggestions Will Be Welcome. I Will Be Using My Hammock Every Day And Carrying It With Me Everywhere I Go As I Cover 15 To 20 Miles Every Day.

  2. #2
    Senior Member mbiraman's Avatar
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    Nov 2009
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    West Kootenays,BC,Canada
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    Welcome to the forum RB. It sounds like you have an interesting trip planned. Here's the thing about hammocking. There are very few hammocks that are an all weather hammock system right off the shelf but it is not hard to get a great system if you piece it together. Think of your hammock system in steps.
    1) the hammock
    2) the tarp or rain fly
    3) the insulation, Under Quilts or pads, Top quilts or sleeping bag.

    If you don't have a hammock already than i would suggest looking at the Warbonnet Blackbird hammock. Then i would check out the warbonnet tarps. Also check out tarps from OES, Jacks R better, a MacCat deluxe tarp is a good all around size. Next i would suggest looking at under quilts and Top Quilts. All the options can be checked out in the insulation part of the forum and a 2/3 UQ from Warbonnet, Tewa, Stormcrow, JRB are all good choices. This will all take a bit of research . Check out Jeff's site "To the Woods" and also check out Shug's Video's for newbies om the forum or on you tube. It might all seem a bit overwhelming at first but getting a system that you like that is warm, weather proof, flexible set up and light weight is all doable.
    good luck and don;t be afraid to ask more questions along the way.
    bill
    " The mind creates the abyss, the heart crosses it."

    “The measure of your life will not be in what you accumulate, but in what you give away.” ~Wayne Dyer

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  3. #3
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Milton, PA
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    The HH Super Shelter is a very viable and durable under insulation option for the Ultralight particularly where price is an issue. It does not pack as small as a down underquilt, but it costs i/3 the price. You already have the hammock. The Hennessy is a very durable hammock. Paired with a somwhat larger tarp you would be good to go and have a little more real estate covered if you want to cook under it or something like that.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

    "Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
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  4. #4
    Dutch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
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    Reinholds, PA
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    I think about any commercially made hammock would be durable enough for your trip. I have never worn any hammock out except for a DIY made out of Walmart material. Even that one is still usable. I'm not sure why you say the HH has a bug issue. The bottom entry lends itself very well to keeping out bugs. Although some of the double bottoms hammock do protect against skeeters biting though the hammock bottom. Water can run down any hammock suspension although I think it is overstated it can be easily dealt with. For rain protection you need a good tarp. Hammocks don't keep you dry. With that fantastic journey you are going to go on I think you may want to be able to go to ground if needed. If you are going to cross the southern part of the US there will be many places out west the trees just aren't available. The northern route should be ok as except for treeless mountain tops. I would be looking for the lightest hammock system possible and ease of setup. You may want 2 tarp set up depnding on the weather you expect. They make winter tarps with doors and even removable doors so you can send them home when the weather is warmer.

    Sounds like fun, do you need a partner?
    Peace Dutch
    GA>ME 2003

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  5. #5
    Senior Member Harpo63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Lancaster County, PA
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    WBBB DBL 1.7
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    The good thing is you have a year to figure out and learn all you can about whats available. Naturally, you are going to hear from people who will tell you that this particular hammock or system is what they recommend because they like it so much. Bottom line- you need to find what YOU feel good sleeping in. The best set up will most likely be a variety of combinations put together for your needs. I would strongly encourage you to attend one of the "Hangs" that will happen this season or summer/fall and ask to try out different hammocks and see for yourself. I can tell you one thing for sure- the cottage industry guys on this site whether its hammocks, quilts, suspension, etc... all offer very good quality products that you can definitely trust and not go wrong with even on a L O N G hike

    Best advice already given- check out Just Jeffs website and prepare to be entertained and enlightened by Shug's videos. You will come away with a much better understanding of where to start narrowing down your options.

    Lastly, congrats on your pending retirement, and dang, Im jealous of your trip!

  6. #6
    RB2340
    Guest

    hh bug issue

    Quote Originally Posted by Dutch View Post
    I think about any commercially made hammock would be durable enough for your trip. I have never worn any hammock out except for a DIY made out of Walmart material. Even that one is still usable. I'm not sure why you say the HH has a bug issue. The bottom entry lends itself very well to keeping out bugs. Although some of the double bottoms hammock do protect against skeeters biting though the hammock bottom. Water can run down any hammock suspension although I think it is overstated it can be easily dealt with. For rain protection you need a good tarp. Hammocks don't keep you dry. With that fantastic journey you are going to go on I think you may want to be able to go to ground if needed. If you are going to cross the southern part of the US there will be many places out west the trees just aren't available. The northern route should be ok as except for treeless mountain tops. I would be looking for the lightest hammock system possible and ease of setup. You may want 2 tarp set up depnding on the weather you expect. They make winter tarps with doors and even removable doors so you can send them home when the weather is warmer.

    Sounds like fun, do you need a partner?
    I THINK HH CUT A FEW CORNERS FOR PRICE BY INCLUDING A RAIN SHIELD THAT APPEARS TO BE SUB PAR AND NOT WORTHY OF VERY WET CLIMATES SUCH AS MINE. ALSO THE VELCOR APPEARS TO HAVE LIGHT SHINING THROUGH THE ENOUGH SO THAT MESQUITOS CAN ENTER THE HAMMOCK AND IS THIN ENOUGH SO THAT THEY CAN BITE THROUGH THE BOTTOM. THE INSECTS IN THE EVERGLADES ARE BRUTAL AND I NEED A HAMMOOCK THAT CAN TAKE IT. DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR IT SEEMS THE CLAYTOR MAY BE THE ONE ALTHOUGH I SENSE ONE MUST BE A GIANT TO TIE OFF THE RAIN FLY AS PICTURED ON THEIR WEB SITE. I ALSO THINK THERE MAY BE SOLUTIONS TO THE LEAKAGE PROBLEM WITH THE CLAYTOR MERELY BY TIEING KNOTS IN THE LINES. I AM VERY INTERESTED IN SOLUTIONS TO THAT PROBLEM OR SOLUTIONS TO THE RAIN SHIELD PROBLEM FOR MY HH ULTRA LIGHT. MAYBE I AM NOT SETTING IT UP RIGHT OR MAYBE I AM EXPECTING TO MUCH FROM THE STANDARD RAIN SHIELD.IT RAINED LIKE CRAZY HERE TODAY AND I KNOW SOME HAMMOCKS WOULD NOT HAVE STOOD UP TO THE MONSOON CONDITIONS WE HAD WITH THE WIND WE HAD. IT MANY TIMES RAINS SIDEWAYS WITH FIERCE WINDS. SO FAR THE CLARK APPEARS TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE WET WEATHER BEST BUT AS A NOVICE I AM ALL EARS.
    Last edited by RB2340; 04-26-2010 at 15:06. Reason: SPELLING

  7. #7
    Senior Member Knotty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Denville, NJ, USA
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    Easiest way to deal with water coming down the suspension lines is to tie a cotton shoe lace as a drip string on each side just before the suspension reaches the hammock.

    Skeeters can stick you right thru most single layer hammocks but they shouldn't be able to get in via the bottom entry on a HH. I think the entry on my HH's would stay pulled closed even if there was no velcro once you weight the hammock with your body.

    The HH tarp is a minimalist approach. To get the most protection out of it in bad weather you need to pitch it with the sides pulled down tight and close to the hammock. Since rain is a big factor where you are I'd strongly recommend getting a larger tarp.

    Unless you're only going to be using a hammock in temps above about 75F, some sort of insulation will be needed; Pads...Under Quilts...SuperShelter.
    Knotty
    "Don't speak unless it improves the silence." -proverb
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  8. #8
    Senior Member Rug's Avatar
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    May 2009
    Location
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    Stop yelling! Have you been talking to Dplant? He damages my calm too.
    =)
    I ride a recumbent.
    I like to HAM it up on the CW.
    I use Linux.
    I play go.
    Of course I sleep in a hammock!

    Rug.

    Hang On!

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
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    If you get the Clark NX 150 or 250 they don't have the elastic thingy and are much roomier. If you want to be protected from the weather it's a good choice.

  10. #10
    RB2340
    Guest

    Cap Typing

    Quote Originally Posted by Rug View Post
    Stop yelling! Have you been talking to Dplant? He damages my calm too.
    =)

    I THANK ALL THAT HAVE MADE SUGGESTIONS AND WISH YOU ALL WELL. AS FOR MY CAPS THIS IS THE WAY I DO IT AND FOR THOSE THAT HAVE A HARD TIME READING CAPS ALL I CAN SAY IS TOO BAD. SOME MODERATOR HAS DECIDE TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT MY POST AND I MUST SAY GOOD BYE BECAUSE CAP SENSITIVE FOLKS RILE ME. JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION THERE IS NO NOISE COMING FROM MY CAPS.

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