old hammocker

**Cali** · 01-09-2012, 10:22

I bought Bob Mac's BMBH last week and he was great to deal with. He is a straight up guy. Good luck with more post Bob...

**Cannibal** · 01-09-2012, 10:30

Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr

I don't think anyone is edging out Cannibal.

Come on. Who doesn't have two or three dozen (camping) hammocks laying around?

Bob Mac- I'd guess it's a fairly safe bet that you've got plenty of knowledge to share with us since you've been a hanger for that amount of time. Please share some of it with the younger hangers. This culture needs its elders.

**Bob Mac** · 01-10-2012, 09:39

For the newbies on the forum, my best advice would be to go to one of the hangers campouts and you will learn a wealth of information in one weekend. Much much more than you will ever learn thru trial and error. Going out with someone who truely knows hammock camping is well worth the knowledge you will learn in a weekend. I live in Pa. and am open to teaching anyone the ropes. All you have to do is ask. I do not hang in the winter. Winter is for hiking, cross country skiing, and comming home to a nice warm house. Making a nice warm cup of hot tea and then reading the hammock camping forum.

**Detail Man** · 01-10-2012, 10:04

Originally Posted by Bob Mac

For the newbies on the forum, my best advice would be to go to one of the hangers campouts and you will learn a wealth of information in one weekend. Much much more than you will ever learn thru trial and error. Going out with someone who truely knows hammock camping is well worth the knowledge you will learn in a weekend. I live in Pa. and am open to teaching anyone the ropes. All you have to do is ask. I do not hang in the winter. Winter is for hiking, cross country skiing, and comming home to a nice warm house. Making a nice warm cup of hot tea and then reading the hammock camping forum.

Great advice Bob Mac. The info I found on here was a bit overwhelming when I first signed on. Someone suggested I get to the Hot Springs Hang in NC which at just a few weeks away at the time. That turned out to be a great thing for me. One, I learned A LOT about different setups and ways to do things from those present. The second, and more important for me, was getting to make new friends. I was a little skeptical at first, joining a bunch of strangers I met on the internet, but I couldn't have been more surprised by the good people I met. It's been the same on all the group hangs I've been to. The family has joined me on several group hangs. I really appreciate the community found here at HF.

**nothermark** · 01-10-2012, 14:43

so did you start with CCF pads like I did ?

**Bob Mac** · 01-10-2012, 17:28

Yes, I started with a foam pad. I still have them too. Wierdest things you ever saw. I have them cut so they don't bunch up when you lay down. Every time I took them out I got asked "why did you cut your pad like that". Then when we got to camp I had to demonstrate. It didn't keep the pad from working it's way out, but their wasn't any lumps in it. It actually worked pretty good.

**Cannibal** · 01-10-2012, 18:12

No real experience with pads in a BMBH, but I would assume they lay fairly flat; sans lumps. Were you getting lumps in the BMBH with a pad?

**Bob Mac** · 01-11-2012, 08:41

I think I stated that I started in a hennessey backpacker ( which by-the-way is for sale) I would post a pic of the pad but I'm computer challenged.

**L.D. Cakes** · 01-11-2012, 09:05

Originally Posted by Bob Mac

For the newbies on the forum, my best advice would be to go to one of the hangers campouts and you will learn a wealth of information in one weekend. Much much more than you will ever learn thru trial and error. Going out with someone who truely knows hammock camping is well worth the knowledge you will learn in a weekend. I live in Pa. and am open to teaching anyone the ropes. All you have to do is ask. I do not hang in the winter. Winter is for hiking, cross country skiing, and comming home to a nice warm house. Making a nice warm cup of hot tea and then reading the hammock camping forum.

If it hadn't been for a friend who took me to my first couple of hangs I prob never would have gotten into this. Similar to Detail Man it would have been even more unlikly that I would have gone to a hang by myself to spend the night in the woods with a bunch of people from the internet.

I got a good start with a very knowledgeable and well equipped hanger and he turned me onto one of the best sites on the internet! I will be eternally grateful!

I sure hope you stick around and share your experiences and trips. I bet you have all kinds of stories we can enjoy!

Cakes

**Detail Man** · 01-11-2012, 09:10

Originally Posted by Bob Mac

Yes, I started with a foam pad. I still have them too. Wierdest things you ever saw. I have them cut so they don't bunch up when you lay down. Every time I took them out I got asked "why did you cut your pad like that". Then when we got to camp I had to demonstrate. It didn't keep the pad from working it's way out, but their wasn't any lumps in it. It actually worked pretty good.

This brings two images to mind, and I'm not sure how you cut your pad. Did you cut wedges out of the perimeter, so that the pad is no longer a true rectangle? Or did you remove material from the surface, similar to egg shell foam pads? Either way this is an innovative way to make a pad conform to the hammock. I like it. It's very similar to how folks put darts in quilts to make them bowl shaped to fit the hammock.