Flexible kit ideas, Hang + Ground

**photohiker** · 11-07-2011, 20:27

Hi Hammockers,

I'm a recent convert to Hammocking, thanks largely to Phillipsart raving on about it on the Bushwalk Australia forums. (thanks Phil)

Anyway, I now have acquired and used my starter kit: WBBB, WL Tadpole Tarp, Whoopies, DIY GrizzBeaks, 2Q&ZQ ridgeline organiser. I also bought the UQP from 2Q&ZQ but have not used it. For insulation I used my Neoair pad and 1/8" thinlight ccf with a WM Ultralite SB. Testing was a 1 week trip in the Tasmanian Tarkine rainforest.

Ah, yes. We had some hail.

All went well apart from a ridgeline tarp leak caused by some fool not adequately seam-sealing it.

As a result of ongoing heavy rain, I spent one of the 6 nights in my tent (the drip was right above my face). My only other bother was getting comfortable on the pad. Some nights were good, others were a bit of a fiddle trying to get the pad where it needed to be. UQ is on the cards now

Having stepped heavily into hammocking and enjoyed it, I am now faced with deciding what to do in locations that are treeless. For instance, my last pre-Hammock trip was the first section of the Heysen Trail here in South Australia. I had already ordered my WBBB so I spent a good amount of time looking at campsites and deciding if they were hammock friendly. Most were, however locations like this were devoid of trees and the closest trees were on private land:

I've also spent a lot of time on the west coast of Tasmania, and most of that is devoid of trees or other suitable areas to pitch a hammock. Inland, there are plenty of trees. In fact on my recent trip into the rainforest with the WBBB the biggest problem was finding enough gap between the trees without high undergrowth and saplings preventing me pitching the hammock and/or tarp!

Anyway, its clear to me that if I want to keep hammocking on my multiday walks, I am going to have to have the capability to comfortably go to ground. I could just carry the tent as well (as I did whilst testing in the rainforest) but that's 1.5kg of dead weight I'd rather not carry.

So I'm gradually hatching a plan:

* WBBB
* Larger Tarp with doors. (thinking HG Cuben, or Zpacks)
* Swap SB for TQ (also HG or Zpacks new light quilts)
* UQ
* Tyvek groundsheet
* Neoair
* Hiking Poles

The dead weight carried when hammocking is the Tyvek and the Neoair, although I can use the Tyvek as a pack and boot rest under the hammock. When on the ground, use the WBBB as bivy on top of the Neoair inside the tarp using hiking poles as tentpoles. I have not checked to see if there is enough room in the cuben tarps to suspend the WB ends to keep the ridgeline taught and the bugnet off my face.

Interested in thoughts and suggestions. Is there adequate room under these tarps when pitched on the ground as an A-frame tent?

Thanks for a great site!

Michael

**Black Wolf** · 11-07-2011, 21:39

Here's a 9'x11' tarp I made for just that purpose .. here's a few pics of the multiple configurations ... the photo with hiking pole inside is there to mark where I wanted the tie out ... the hiking pole now goes outside ... the other ground pic is a Baker mode .. block the wind .. fire in front .. great cold weather set-up when you're on the ground .. the other shows it with the 9' and 11' ridge line as well as 4 season capability ... weighs 22ozs.

I also use a 30''x48'' pad that I made from Tyvek, two 1/8'' polyethylene pads and two sheets of Mylar. Hope this helps 'ya ...

**photohiker** · 11-08-2011, 00:10

Originally Posted by Black Wolf

Here's a 9'x11' tarp I made for just that purpose ..

Hi Black Wolf, thanks for your reply. Nice tarp!

Pretty close to the dimensions of the cuben tarps (they're both 6" narrower at 8.5') I see the new HG winter palace is 11' x 10.5', so even wider again, and wider than a superfly! Watching Watermonkey's video of it, I think it's maybe even too wide for this use.

My poles extend to about 52" basket to top of handle so an A-frame setup would have a floor width (with a 10.5' width tarp) of about 71 inches if my Pythagoras is up to speed. That's pretty wide, even for an A-frame. If I went for the 8.5' tarp and a 48 inch wide floor, height at the ridge would be 45", so about as high as it is wide - not too bad, could maybe even sit up in that.

What about pitching? I guess it might be a bit of a faff until a few points are staked. Stake each end of the tarp at the right width then use the ridgeline from ground to pole, under the tarp to the other pole and back to ground. Use watermonkey's shockcord door tie setup. Could be fun in the wind...

Looking at the tarp sizes on zpacks.com, noticed the cuben bathtub groundsheets. Hmm... They look just the ticket.

Michael

**keg** · 11-09-2011, 20:51

I'm not super weight conscious but in your situation I'd throw in a portable bug net and not use the BB as a bivy (too worried about tears).

My big trip last summer I actually brought my hammock and a lightweight tent (did I say I'm not weight conscious - beyond my own that is) but that was in part because with the expected amount of rain I didn't want the possibility of being soaked under the tarp. Yes I probably should have just left my hammock at home but why would I want to do that?

**exup** · 11-09-2011, 21:17

Sounds to me you're set man. A hammock set up becomes a ground set up with use of trekking poles (to tie hammock ends up which would be lying on the ground if not), and a ground sheet big enough to protect your hammock from moisture and any type of abraision. A pad would be nice but not needed as ground is last resort if you're in a hammock.

If you think you're going to need to go to ground, just avoid the hammock in general and bring that nice scarp tent.

**photohiker** · 11-11-2011, 00:49

Thanks for the responses, sounds like I'm on the right track.

I'm up for an UQ anyway, the rest I'll have to save for. We're about to hit summer here and there isn't much camping worth doing once the heat starts due to wildfire and water issues, so I should be able to get this sorted by autumn.

Cheers,

Michael

**E.A.Y.** · 11-11-2011, 01:12

If you decide to use the WBBB as a bug bivy, try shortening the ridgeline temporarily for that mode. It will do a better job of keeping the bugnet off your face than at the usual length.