Still trying to get comfortable...

**coolkayaker1** · 09-22-2010, 13:34

Lonelyraven—I slept out and used a Hennessey Hexfly tarp and I was shocked—I actually stayed dry this past Saturday night. I thought for sure either the tarp—which is only $55 on eBay new from Imaginegear, a great eBay resource—would either leak on me or water would come down my cinch suspension Warbonnet lines, but it did not! I was thrilled to be dry overnight and by morning. I also own Kelty 9 and 12 tarps, which are awesome, but don’t match our hammocks well (Kelty needs to have other options than white, IMO). But for $55 bucks, this Hennessey Hexfly (not the smaller Dryfly that comes with the hammocks stock, but the upgraded size tarp) works great. Something to consider, although I know you got your Craigslist Singer and are jonesin’ to use it I’m sure.

**Lonely Raven** · 09-22-2010, 14:16

Originally Posted by coolkayaker1

Something to consider, although I know you got your Craigslist Singer and are jonesin’ to use it I’m sure.

That about sums it up right there.

I've got 10 yards of nice olive brown Sylnylon, 12 yards of (heavy) digital camo, and several more yards of Walmart ripstop waiting to go under the needle.

**Lonely Raven** · 09-25-2010, 08:23

SUCCESS!!

I'm not sure this camera phone photo shows the setup well, but here it is.

Last night was 54 degrees according to wunderground.com

Setup: I setup the hammock pretty much as I did last time when I got rained out partway through the night. Again, the distance between the only "pair" of trees in my yard is nearly 25', so I am at the extreme and have to hang 'em high. Foot end is hung slightly higher than head end to help me keep my torso from sliding to the middle and get my knees crunched up in the foot end. This worked so well that I kept finding my feet (cold) in the foot box...so that hammock feature obviously works well.

Insulation: First off, remember, I'm a "hot sleeper". I typically sleep as "disrobed" as I can. Since I can't "hammock commando"

in my side yard with neighbors and a road all within 100' of me, I did the next best thing; boxers, socks, long sleeve T-shirt. I recently traded off my Yeti 3S for a JRB Nest...but it hasn't arrived yet. So I had no UQ for this run!

I did however have my JDempsy custom quilt and my two mini-fleece (couch) blankets, plus I brought my thermarest side sleeper pillow. This JDempsy quilt is *Awesome*. It's made a little oversized, and stuffed with 900 FP down. About 30 seconds into settling in, I started to feel the down doing it work. Good stuff!

Sleep: I crashed around 10pm last night. I meant to read for a bit, but I had a long day at work and a big dinner a bit late in the night, so I was sleepy. I remember waking up with a crink in my neck and the full moon beaming right in my eyes (no tarp yet - and if I did, it would have been stowed). I was afraid I wouldn't make it through the night again as I had some cold spots and I thought it was only midnight or so. I checked my phone and was surprised to see it was 5:30am! I usually wake up around 6am, so this was close enough.

I attempted to adjust and cover the cold spots and try to sleep in a bit. I must have tossed and turned all night, as my thermarest pillow that I put between my knees was almost under my head (which caused the neck crink), and the two fleece mini-blankets were all wadded up and at my back (hence the cold spots). Next thing I know, the sun it out and I feel quite refreshed.

Summary: I love my JDempsy quilt, but I wish it was made from a nicer material. Event and momentum would be nice!
Thermarest pillow is awesomely warm. I think I may buy another, but cut it up to make a "knee pillow" and thin "neck pillow", probably wrapped in something soft like momentum or even just micro-fleece.
I'm looking forward to having a UQ and Tarp, seeing as how much of a hot sleeper I clearly am, I'm thinking anything that doesn't leave me with cold spots will work well.
Lastly, the Blackbird is an excellent piece of gear. I knew this whole time it was my setup that was keeping me from making it through the whole night, I just needed to figure that out. Now that I've got it worked out a bit better, and I'm soon to have all my quilts and tarp, I should be able to make it till snow hits the ground (At least).

Thanks all for your guidance and suggestions, and for reading all my bla-bla-bla. I hope this might help out others who struggled as I have. I guess those who have trouble hanging are few and far between, so I'm glad I stuck it out and figured it out.

**Lonely Raven** · 09-25-2010, 08:33

I forgot to add, I'm planning a cool weather camping trip (Car carping) with some friends mid October. I should be fully setup and dialed in by then. Even though they are car camping, I'm going to park about 3 miles away and backpack to the site. It's a good practice run I figure.

**G.L.P.** · 09-28-2010, 09:03

Glad to see it's working out for ya Buddy

i like sleeping under the stars as well on a full moon night

i do it alot in the back yard ....the other night i have my monocular with me so i could check out jupiter ...i also like to star gaze

**NCPatrick** · 09-28-2010, 09:15

Good for you for sticking with it! Definitely worthwhile. Congrats!

**Lonely Raven** · 09-28-2010, 10:09

Thanks guys.

I got some more time in last night. I got a JRB Nest from Just Jeff. I hung the Nest in the dark after looking up how Jeff hung it on his site, and got it right in one try. I hopped in, and felt everything warming up within 30 seconds. I love the workmanship of the Yeti, but I really needed this larger quilt for how much I toss and turn.

Last night supposedly got to the low 40s, but it didn't feel that low to me. I was reading a book by head-lamp when I realized I could see my breath puffing out in front of me. I felt perfectly comfortable in T-shirt, lightweight workout pants, and socks. The elastic strap from the Petzel headlamp was the only thing I had for head warmth

, and I was just fine with that. Though, I'm thinking that no matter how much of a hot sleeper I am, I'm probably going to need a proper Winter UQ eventually.

I got rained out about 4:40am this morning. It was just a quick burst, but enough to wake me up and send me packing. No joke; I unhooked the WBBB suspension, and carried the hammock, UQ & TQ, blanket, pillow, waterbottle, book and all back into the house in less than 60 seconds. I loosely hung the hammock in the garage just to inspect it for water and shake it out. I was so fast in getting everything de-hung that nothing was wet!

So except for a krink in my neck still, I'm happy with my hanging. I'll make a fleece pillow to help with the neck issue and get myself a good tarp and I should be good to go. Warbonnet Edge showed up last night, but it has no suspension or anything, so I have to figure that all out. I don't think it's going to be big enough for me and two dogs though. I'm hoping to work out a big winter tarp next.

**Lonely Raven** · 10-01-2010, 08:41

Mini-update, then I'll probably let this thread die as I'm sure it's boring you all by now.

I attempted to sleep in the hammock Tuesday night. I just couldn't get comfortable. Probably too much coffee and gears turning in my head.

Last night I worked on a project till about 1am, just grabbed my new Insultex pillow (really just a stuff sack I made too big I stuffed with IX because it was there), crawled out into the still setup hammock, and next thing I know my phone/alarm was going off. I only slept 5 hours because I had to get to work, but I feel rested and quite chipper.

This IX pillow I made is *so* warm.

Temps last night got down to 42, and I was wearing nothing by T-shirt and PJ bottoms. Perfectly warm and comfortable!

Now I'm already looking forward to gearing up for sub-zero sleeping!

**spidennis** · 10-01-2010, 09:42

congrats, and we want to see some pics of you hanging in the snow!

**Lonely Raven** · 10-01-2010, 09:45

Originally Posted by spidennis

congrats, and we want to see some pics of you hanging in the snow!

I want to see me hanging in the snow too!

I have plans to make a peapod type thing (I believe is the correct term) to wrap everything I'm currently using and help me get down to single digits. At least, I think that's the correct path for me to prep for deep winter hanging.