Best way to go to ground..

**MedicineMan** · 01-05-2012, 06:43

I will never ever go hiking with the intentions of hanging without a pad...like posters above often its part of my pack frame.
I strongly disagree with Rook. Accidents happen. Material failures happen....if you have wisdom you will have a thought out and supplied plan B.
En contrast-the pad is not for luxury if I'm grounded-it's for its thermal barrier between me and the heat sucking ground.
Last couple of trips---the retro ones---I carried a huge 21"x72" 1/8 inch pad...only 8 ounces and real estate for a person to sit comfortably on both ends with plenty of room in the middle for cooking or simply spreading out gear...point that your insurance plan can have even more uses than pack framing material.

**kayak karl** · 01-05-2012, 06:54

i never carry a pad and i never will. i do not go to the ground.

**born2roam** · 01-05-2012, 09:25

If I go to ground I planned it, therefore have the right equipment

If something happens (forest fire burned trees, major failure of hanging equipment etc.) and I MUST go to ground I'll improvise. Debris and spring loaded (sticks/branches) mattress would be my logical choice , tarp on top, insulation and bug netting covered where/if necessary..... One or two plastic garbage bags are part of the carry on my person survival gear...

Not completely LNT but definitely something I cal 'Low Impact Hiking'

Bringing backup, with a backup for the backup for the backup is not my thing.

A thought out plan b, yes I agree but with as little or no extra gear as possible. As Preben Mortensen once taught me: Learn to replace missing kit with knowledge, not replace missing knowledge with kit.

I am, in progress, of changing my setup possibly to a IX UQ (Baby Orca or 3/4 other) and a footmat (part of backpack frame), so that could give me something extra when the you know what hits the fan....

Grtz Johan

**db144** · 01-05-2012, 09:44

Adding a 1/2 pound of weight in the form of a bivy is reasonable as a safety precaution. Problems occur and accidents happen and I wouldn't go on a trip without one.

d

**Owl** · 01-05-2012, 10:29

I've not had to go to ground since I started hanging...but in my case, I do more "camping" than I do "hiking"...so that's not a surprise.

With that said...I carry a thermarest OCF pad just big enough for me to use as a pad on the ground if I needed to. I've not yet had to use it in my hammock (I use the HHSS right now), but I DO use it regularly as my chair when I'm out camping. Ergo...double duty eqpt for me. It can also be added insulation in the hammock if it gets too cold out for what I'm using right now.

If I had to go to ground, I'd use my tarp for above shelter, 55gal contractor bag underneath as a ground cloth (cut open large enough to fit me), and pad for ground insulation. Sleeping bag as normal.

The comments about raising the edges of your ground cloth with dirt and digging a trench around the base of your tarp were spot on the money. It's not too hard to stay dry under a tarp like that if you're smart about how you do it.

No "extra" gear required. The contractor bag is also my foot pad under my hammock, and/or my pack cover under the hammock in bad weather.