worst conditions you've hammocked in?

**jay590** · 12-07-2007, 05:40

whats the worst conditions you've ever spent in a hammock? and did you stay comfortable?

Jay

**neo** · 12-07-2007, 07:12

Originally Posted by jay590

whats the worst conditions you've ever spent in a hammock? and did you stay comfortable?

Jay

i never had a bad night in a hammock in the 5 and half years i been hammock camping

neo

**jlb2012** · 12-07-2007, 08:11

Springer Mtn. last year the day before NYE - heavy fog rolling up under the tarp soaking most everything - I did not have an undercover or hammock sock so I bailed on staying for NYE along with at least one other hammocker - I slept OK but by morning the down in the bag was half collapsed and I was feeling cold

**slowhike** · 12-07-2007, 21:23

i guess the most challenging night i've had thus far in a hammock was nov of 06 on Shortoff Mt in Linville Gorge, NC.

i knew it was an exposed location near the cliffs edge, but it was perfectly calm that eve so we took a chance for the views.
the wind began to pick up around dark & was really howling later on.

the only usable trees at that site w/ no under brush were farther apart than the cheap walmart webbing could support, so my hammock kept sinking to the ground.
after re-tightening it a couple times i knew the webbing would break if i kept tightening it, so i just let my rear rest on the ground.

as i got ready to retire to the hammock that night & began to inflate the DAM, the center of the valve popped out, leaving a straw sized hole.
i glued a stick into it & it held most of the air, most of the night.

blackbishiop & i both had to get up & re-secure our tarps at 2am because the wind was whipping so hard.

as best i can remember, the temps were 20s, but i'd have to find that report to see just what the temp was.

here's a picture of the tarp battened down over the hammock the next morn when every thing was calm & the sun was shinning.
there are more pictures in my gallery.
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...5/P2180026.JPG

it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but that night had it's challenges.
but i still stayed warm, slept good, & had a great time<G>. ...tim

**slowhike** · 12-07-2007, 21:26

oh yeah... there was another night that was actually far worse, but in a different way.
that was hanging on a steep hill side just out side Damascus Trail Days in 06, after getting food poisoning

**cameronjreed** · 12-07-2007, 22:59

My worst night in a hammock was not long ago. The end of November I went camping with my Boy Scout troop. I knew it was going to get down into the 40's. I brought a big rectangular bag (car camping) that I intended to use as an underquilt. I also brought my Snugpak Chrysalis as a top quilt.
I tied the rectangular bag up using some paracord, but could not seal the ends. It effectively turned my make-shift underquilt into a very efficient wind tunnel.
It carried all my heat away and I ended up going to ground because of how cold I was.
I have learned my lesson since and plan on building a hammock sock AND and peapod.

**BillyBob58** · 12-08-2007, 17:49

Originally Posted by slowhike

...............................

here's a picture of the tarp battened down over the hammock the next morn when every thing was calm & the sun was shinning.
there are more pictures in my gallery.
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...5/P2180026.JPG

it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but that night had it's challenges.
but i still stayed warm, slept good, & had a great time<G>. ...tim

Tim,
What is that sticking out from your tarp? It looks like a wooden ridge line, or a fence, or a sawhorse, or something weird. You haven't started carrying wooden frames with you, or your hammock stand, have you?

That could mess with the whole ultralight thing, but it might give good support!
Bill

**slowhike** · 12-09-2007, 12:17

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

Tim,
What is that sticking out from your tarp? It looks like a wooden ridge line, or a fence, or a sawhorse, or something weird. You haven't started carrying wooden frames with you, or your hammock stand, have you?

That could mess with the whole ultralight thing, but it might give good support!
Bill

LOL, yeah i know it looks that way<g>, but actually it's just the snake skin riding back onto the tarp line.
the wind probably "ballooned" it up the night before.

**nogods** · 12-09-2007, 15:10

My first backpacking trip using the hammock was mid-october of this year. We hiked into our destination at night in a wind driven downpour. We set up the tarps, then the hammocks, then changed into dry gear. The tarps and hammocks worked great. Especially given that the only ground that didn't have water running down it was the raised rocks.

**Just Jeff** · 12-08-2007, 07:35

Blizzard at Winnemucca. Winds 100+ mph, 2-3' of snow overnight, etc. Good time, stayed comfy first night but bailed into a tent second night b/c the snow was so dry it was floating under the tarp and settling on the PeaPod. The the tent blew away. Story and pics here.