Prolly more than half the time I set up at home (A LOT) is in the dark. Granted, it's usually from the same 3 sets of trees, so not much in the way of a challenge there. But after doing it so often, I have it "Down to a science" & can literally do it with my eyes closed, including; setting up the tarp & guying it out, hanging the hammock & guying it out, etc.
On the rare times I need to set up (Or move) in the dark on the trail, It's not that hard anymore. Yea the trees & terrain are different, but after so many "Practice runs" It is not really any different than at home.
As pointed out above:
Keep your stuff in the exact same place EVERY TIME!
No fancy knots! The only knot I use is a Marlin spike hitch, & That I CAN tie with my eyes closed.
Set up the same way EACH time. On my set up: (Hammock first set up) I put up the head tree hugger, then the foot one, attach the head end of the WhOopie sling then the foot, snug up the foot end WhOopie, adjust the underquilts, stake out the hammock guy lines. Then; rig the tarp ridgeline & put up the tarp. I stake out in (Usually) a clockwise direction starting down one of the long sides of the tarp, corners first. If I need to, total set up time, day or night, is less than 5 minutes, unless I rush, then it takes longer.
If needing to set up the tarp first*, I do as above except I set up the tarp first.This usually takes longer, by about a minute or more & I don't know why.
All the steps are the same, it just takes longer to do the hammock.
Take down is just the reverse of the above. Due to it taking some effort to stuff the tarp & hammock, take down is about 10 minutes from start to hoisting my pack & unhooking the pack leash. Un-stuffing it all takes almost no effort.
*Usually cause its raining!
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Originally Posted by bdbart
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