Where to Keep Pack/Gear, Keep Dry?

[packeagle]

I put my pack cover on the pack and lay it pack cover side down under my hammock. That way any water running under the hammock hits the pack cover and not my pack. Seems to work well for me.

[Cincyjp]

I put my pack cover on the pack and lay it pack cover side down under my hammock. That way any water running under the hammock hits the pack cover and not my pack. Seems to work well for me.

When I start doing overnights while backpacking, I plan on doing that with the addition of a piece of Tyvek under the pack.

[Take-a-knee]

My ULA pack has a centered top lash strap. This goes over the head end hammock rope. Food is hung PCT style nearby. My cook kit is stored in a roll top drybag, also hung from the hammock line. My boots hang from a line dangled through the Hennessy slit. All is dry, nothing blows away.

[Flangler]

Nope. It's not about the food smell. All my food is in the bear canister, where it stays for the duration of the trip.

Bears in Yosemite know what a pack looks like. Also what an ice chest looks like. If you leave an empty, clean pack somewhere, they will grab it - if you leave an empty clean ice chest in the back of the car, they'll break into the car.

Bears in Yosemite figured out how to defeat even properly hung bear bags, so that just does not work. They do not bother people's shelters, however, unless you have actual food inside with you.

Three summers ago camping in the Yosemite backcountry my buddy and I were harrassed by a big tagged male all night long. Our food was in a canister jammed in some rocks over 100yrds away and we left our packs open and exposed (as was recommended by a park ranger) another 75 yards away from our camp. Neither was ever disturbed, but that bugger circled our camp all nght long and woke us up several times sniffing our tents. Thrown rocks were hardly a deterrent. We were incredibly careful about food and any kind of smells in our tents, to no avail. Worst night of sleep of my life, and it had nothing to do with being on the ground!

He was obviously a problem bear, well conditioned to being around bear-friendly tourists and their yummy, smelly handouts and trash (he played soccer with another group's canister earlier that day and paid no mind to their shouts), and I hate to say that I hope he has been removed.

I'll be sure not to hang or store my pack or anything that might even have a hint of a scent anywhere near me next time I'm around those conditioned Yosemite bears. I'll have no fears doing so back here in the East.

And now back on topic with a noob question....does hanging anything of significant weight from your suspension or, say, your ridgeline, have any ill effects on your hang? Or is it all good? I just put stuff on the ground under the tarp to give my dog something to snuggle.

[bonsaihiker]

I use this, in gear hammock mode, slung underneath my hammock with dynaglide.

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...er+jerry+chair

[termite]

In regards to this general thread, what is the "allowable" weight you can hang from the support lines?

My pack minus my hammock (HH Ex Deluxe) food and cloths (in dry sack=pillow/behind knee rest) weighs about 10 pounds, now before anyone freaks out that includes a usually full 100oz camelback.

Would that be too much to hang from the foot end of a HH? I was thinking you could d-ring the pack to the support line or ridgeline and hang it just outside the entrance. With a silnylon pack cover and the over hang from the tarp I figured it would stay pretty dry.

[SteelerNation]

I started off hanging my pack off the head end of my hammock. Not much weight - definately under 10 lbs - but definately changed the feel of my hammock. That's why I've decided to go with the gear hammock. Haven't been out with it yet, though.

SN