Hammock in survival

[mugs]

Holy Cow

I make a post and come back a few days later (busy at work) and there's a books worth of reading to do. This topic has stirred quite the lively conversation. And there has been a ton of great information on the subject. All of which I will have to weigh out. Now that I am done reading all the responses I will respond some more.

It seems alot of us have varied opinions on just what survival is. Or what constitutes a survival situation and what a BOB should consist of. Some of the responses have been humorous and some a little to much on the radical side (for me) Then again if I gave the real reason of why I have a BOB I more then likely would be labeled a nut job and sent to the island of perpetual tickling

So with that in mind I will explain a little more about my BOB and why I have it. Then again if you saw my backpacking kit you would say that it is a survival kit (it does only weigh 4.8 lbs for a reason)

My BOB and the one I have in my wife's car are the same. it is a dual type application. For the most part it is a survival kit...Lots of fire making stuff, and a self made shelter kit...in case we are in a driving situation (say the desert) where shelter making items are not readily available. 3 days worth of food, water along with water treatment items. Some sleeping and first aid items as well. and the basic ten essentials, There is more but that's it in a nut shell.

Part of it has hi vis items like an orange signaling material, mirror, whistle etc. Items that will make it easier to be seen. Other parts are more for the escape and evasion end of things. Camo tarps/ materials, face paint. etc. Now before I go on some of you may be saying what is the point of having camo shelter when that is probably going to be the best things SAR sees...the bright orange material is big enough to cover the one side of the tarp.. so on and so forth, ok let me digress more

Now that the BOB is sort of explained I will explain some theory thoughts. First I am the only one that really has the skills to survive in the woods, my wife would do better in the city. And yes she thinks I'm a little cooky with this thing in her trunk, but she feels safe knowing it is there in case her car breaks down some where....but that is another issue. Part of not breaking down is making sure we have good running cars. And me as a mechanic plays into that. She does about a 20 mile commute form home 3 days a week, or when were on a road trip etc. The rest she could care less about and more or less thinks of it as camping gear. On some of the camping trips we go on I try and show her a little bit each time we go out. But she only enjoys the car camping thing in remote areas, I am the only hiker in the family.

Now for my end of things. First I figure if the excrement hits the air moving device in a red dawn type situation that last place I want to be is in the city. (I will keep the religious belief end of things out this portion) I will be heading straight to the mountains and where I live that is not hard at all, I am surrounded by them. So for me the woods will be my friend not my enemy. Granite I have an escape wilderness area (that I hopefully will be able to drive to) that I know very well, and go there at least 4 times a year just to do scouting type trips. And also practice my survival skills. But if not then the local mountains will have to suffice. I have been into survival stuff since I was about 8 years old. And it has been a good thing for me to do. Especially when I was in the military the skills played greatly within my chosen MOS.

I don't own, and don't plan on owning any guns. Which is weird given my previous occupation. For me it will be all about stealth and avoidance. So my BOB is small, packed. easily carried, and ready to go at all times. This give me the ability to punch into places that most will figure are too hard to get to and also that the authorities will likely see as there's no way some one is in that area. Keep in mind in a situation like this even the "touron" factor plays a role. If you can get past the 3 mile mark you have dropped about 50% of the population, 6 miles another 45%, 10 miles now your down to about 1% of people who go to the woods. And yes I plan on staying out there for how ever long it takes, if that means the rest of my earthly life then so be it.

For natural disasters again I may not be able to get home, which is why the BOB is in the car. But I would more then likely try and find some remote area to avoid the mayham and then come back in when the dust has settled. The rest is just good to have in the car if a break down occurs. Especially in the winter time where I live.

I think that is about all I have to say thus far. Thanks again for such a great response. Have I decided on whether or not a hammock should go in my BOB, no not yet, but it is something I am really leaning towards. Even in an escape time situation I think it could eventually play a good role, if anything it could be used as a bivy sack which will only add to ones warmth comfort level. But I will agree that in an evasion situation low and stealthy is going to keep you alive better then hanging up high.

[NCPatrick]

Wolverines! Well, almost anyway. Here's hoping you never need to utilize your "Red Dawn" plan.

[Festus Hagen]

But I will agree that in an evasion situation low and stealthy is going to keep you alive better then hanging up high.

On that note, before I got into hammocking I used to use a Sportsmansguide camo bivy tent. I liked the thing pretty well, used it down to -14F in the ADK, although I'll admit I never was caught in rain with it so I can't comment on how waterproof it was. You can see it easily when right on top of it as in the photo, but it DID blend right in once you were a few feet away... I'd have trouble finding the thing sometimes! As stealthy as some hammock rigs are, I guess a good ground solution is tough to beat in that regard...



Wakey wakey eggs and bakey!


This was the cold one.

[joggerjohn]

I have one of those Sportsman Guide camouflaged bivy tents. The one I have works great in the rain. Used it all the time before I got my first hammock. I found it to be pretty waterproof for a inexpensive tent.

[sturgeon]

After SARS hit Toronto a few years back, (and was luckily contained), and Swine flu cropped up on the horizon, my wife had to do planning for a pandemic situation at work. The civil defence "experts" she consulted said the Bug-out or SHTF situations (Red Dawn type) in this thread are pretty unlikely. The most likely scenarios are natural disaster and pandemic. And most of us live in cities and would be unable to leave.

The natural disaster is probably localized, meaning help will come eventually. Guess that means you'd need 3-5 days of food, water, heat. Maybe add a little civil unrest as those without try to get what they need.

The pandemic is worse because when 1 of 3 people is dying or about to die, everything stops: food isn't delivered to food terminals, no transportation at all, water treatment plant shuts down, electrical grid not repaired, massive gridlock and possibly quarantine by armed forces, etc...length of time is impossible to guess, probably weeks.

So no hammock. Just stay home. Sleep in your bed. Get a good lock for the door. I'm in an apartment building. Sleeping bags, kerosene heater in case it's winter, barrels of water, preserved food, camp stove, a way to flush away or store waste--these are more important than a fantasy of making it out of the biggest city in Canada (which is hard to get out of on the best day!) and living in the bush in my hammock.

[hikinghombre7]

I don't get why hammocks can't be as "low and stealthy" as a tent or bivvy. Just hang it low to the ground. Just sayin'......

[L.D. Cakes]

[QUOTE=XexorZ;371484]Any Douglas Adams fan will tell you not to bother with a hammock in your BOB.. in fact, you done even need the bag... just bring your towel.[QUOTE]

And a thumb that is a electronic subetha signaling device for hitchhiking the galaxy.

[Law Dawg (ret)]

Actually our kit is based on stuff we use for camping. It is set to hold us at our home for a couple of weeks or more. Think multi use and add some water containers (1 gallon per person per day). There is little chance of "The Enemy" dropping from the skies in our burgs. We will face natural disasters and that can bring civil unrest but normally not even that. If stuff does get nasty as in looting etc we will gather with folk we know and trust. Suffice it to say my sector seven will be very secure and so will my friends. We have the luxury of living in a more rural community and that is a big plus.

Hammocks will be used simply because they are portable beds in the event that the house is flat (it's California ya know) and we need to set up. They also really could come in handy if you group up...space will be limited and I am going to be comfortable. If things need to be watched outside I am sleeeping out there (in a secure area) as a sort of listening post.

So paranoid? No but ready for whatever.

[jloden]

Coincidentally I have been working on my own BOBs for our vehicles recently and naturally hammocks came into consideration

It occurred to me this is a great application for the Grand Trunk All Terrain Hybrid Shelter. If you're not familiar with it, it's basically a large hammock made out of waterproof PU coated nylon. Because of the tougher, waterproof fabric, it can be used as a ground sheet, tarp, makeshift bivy, lean-to etc.

My thinking was in this case I could justify a hammock because it has multiple, practical uses. I will also have ponchos & liners, blankets, and at least a minimal ground pad. Basically the hybrid hammock would be a "luxury" if used as a hammock, but still reasonable/functional as a ground sheet or small tarp. With a conventional camping hammock I would be a lot less likely to put it in my BOB, or at least put it further down the list.

I might also consider throwing in something like my Nano 7 just because it's so small and light that it's almost negligible. However, it doesn't really have much in the way of multiple uses so it'd still be a 'luxury item' to my mind.

[Theo]

I don't get why hammocks can't be as "low and stealthy" as a tent or bivvy. Just hang it low to the ground. Just sayin'......

Even when slung low, you are still higher than a tent/bivy system.

Site selection is everything. A camo tent/bivy set in the middle of a field or trail is not very stealthy. With proper site selection, my hammock is just as stealthy as ground systems and way more comfortable. YMMV, HYOH.