Chicago to BWCA or bust

[BigJake]

Welcome to the group. I found this place through the BWCA forum too.

[jago0020]

Welcome! I love the BWCA and I have been hanging there to avoid my snoring friends more than I hang anywhere else...

The one piece of advice that I have as an avid ultralight hiker/BWCA traveller, is not to cut short on your BWCA luxuries. You really can afford a lot of luxury in terms of weight and space in the BWCA that you can't on the trail. If you are looking at a big, cheap tarp, but are worried about the weight, I would get it for the BWCA...not a huge issue there. Enjoy comfort in the BWCA! If you see yourself becoming a long distance hiker (10-30 miles a day) you will need to disregard everything I have said.

I find myself owning two sets of everything. My comfort gear for the canoe (even travelling 20+ per day), and my ultralight gear that hangs on my back all day.

Enjoy hanging!

[toddhunter]

Hey Feller.......Welcome to comfort and Fun Land.
I did some Hammock How-to videos. Check 'em out and you may get some insight......and hopefully some fun too. You can always skip around on them.
Hammock How-To for Noobs
Shug

Way ahead of ya, Shuggety shug shug, shug. Love the slo mo effects, and learning a lot.

[toddhunter]

Welcome! I love the BWCA and I have been hanging there to avoid my snoring friends more than I hang anywhere else...

The one piece of advice that I have as an avid ultralight hiker/BWCA traveller, is not to cut short on your BWCA luxuries. You really can afford a lot of luxury in terms of weight and space in the BWCA that you can't on the trail. If you are looking at a big, cheap tarp, but are worried about the weight, I would get it for the BWCA...not a huge issue there. Enjoy comfort in the BWCA! If you see yourself becoming a long distance hiker (10-30 miles a day) you will need to disregard everything I have said.

I find myself owning two sets of everything. My comfort gear for the canoe (even travelling 20+ per day), and my ultralight gear that hangs on my back all day.
Enjoy hanging!

My group takes too much stuff for my liking. I just wish we could avoid the double portages and I try to do everything i can to contribute to lightening the load. Not a hiker, mostly an angler, and would rather carry fishing gear than anything else.

[RootCause]

I use an 8'x10' DIY tarp in the BWCA, you can't go wrong with a little larger up there.

If you find you take too much gear as it is, try testing out cheap polyethylene tarps (the blue ones you find at Home Depot) to see which size you think works best for you. Then go all-in on a commercial version in that size. PE tarps are noisier than silnylon, and heavier, but fully functional and save a few bucks while you're in "knowledge acquisition mode."

[weaver2469]

Welcome aboard. Love me some BWCA, and I hammock while I'm there. I've got a few BWCA trip reports on my youtube page if you want to check them out. If you don't have "The Ultimate Hang" book yet, thats worth your time, heaps of good info in there. In fact I currently use the continuous tarp RL described on pg 71 of the book, its a pretty slick way to hang the ol' tarp.

Thanks for the link. Those are great videos. I might have the possibility of getting in with a trip up there this summer, and your videos have me fired up.

[Redoleary]

Thanks for the link. Those are great videos. I might have the possibility of getting in with a trip up there this summer, and your videos have me fired up.

Thanks so much, glad you liked 'em.

[Poppabear]

Welcome from Southern Maryland.