What do you do with your pack?

**eric_plano** · 01-29-2007, 19:22

I have yet to get out and spend the night in my hammock and I was browsing the forum earlier and realized that none of the pictures show the hammocker's pack.

Where you do you put your backpack when you are in your hammock?
Do you simply put it under the hammock? If it is raining etc. does it stay dry there? Do you worry about anything/one snagging it?

Crazy question, but I had to ask

**Just Jeff** · 01-29-2007, 19:25

I usually do one of three things...

- Clip it on the hammock support with a biner.
- Put it in a gear hammock.
- I also use a compactor bag as a pack liner...at night I put my pack inside and lay it on the ground under me.

**blackbishop351** · 01-29-2007, 19:31

That's a perfectly reasonable concern, actually!

If you look at my gallery, I posted some pics of my setup on the Rogers trip this weekend. If you look at the ground under my tarp, you'll see a brown lump. That's my pack...or rather, it's the gear that doesn't go in my hammock, along with my pack

If you have a fairly foldable pack (which I do now), you can use a gear hammock or a similar method of stowing it and your stuff.

I haven't gotten around to figuring out the best way to use my gear hammock yet though, so here's what I do - I lay my poncho (cheap, durable from Walmart, but heavier than I'd like) on the ground, put my gear on top, wrap up as much as possible, then cover with my pack cover. It works fine, keeps your stuff dry, and isn't TOO inconvenient to get to.

IMO, a gear hammock is probably more ideal. Of course, if you use a large pack (especially a frame pack), you can put your stuff in the gear hammock but the pack itself probably won't fit.

**Coffee** · 01-29-2007, 19:44

One thing I have been meaning to try is to hang the pack underneath the hammock. Tie a rope onto each end, then tie the other end of the rope to the support line on the hammock. This hang the pack underneath the hammock and off of the ground. You could add lightweight biners to attach them.

It is on my list of this to try next time I hang.

**Ewker** · 01-29-2007, 19:44

Originally Posted by blackbishop351

- I lay my poncho (cheap, durable from Walmart, but heavier than I'd like) on the ground, put my gear on top, wrap up as much as possible, then cover with my pack cover. It works fine, keeps your stuff dry, and isn't TOO inconvenient to get to.

ditch the poncho and get you some tyvek. Lay the Tyvek on the ground and fold it back over your pack and extra gear laying out. It will protect it from the rain, snow and ice.

**eric_plano** · 01-29-2007, 19:45

I use a ULA P2 so I doubt it will fit in a gear hammock

The 'biner option definitely sounds like a good and simple plan.

Thanks to both of you for the replies!

**Doctari** · 01-29-2007, 20:08

If I use my (mostly retired) frame pack, it has to go to ground. But, my frameless pack (Kelty Brisbane) hangs nicely from my ridgeline, at the head of my Hammock. I'm going to get a gear hammock some day.
Check out the one at JRB http://www.jacksrbetter.com/index_fi...ck%20Cover.htm I think this is different than what you are thinking of.
Or, make your own from plans at Just Jeff's site http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGe...arHammock.html

I got to see some at the campout last weekend, Very Very nice.

Doctari.

**blackbishop351** · 01-29-2007, 20:28

Originally Posted by Ewker

ditch the poncho and get you some tyvek. Lay the Tyvek on the ground and fold it back over your pack and extra gear laying out. It will protect it from the rain, snow and ice.

Yeah, I've been thinking about that...I use a poncho as raingear anyway, but there's a guy near here who makes nice ones out of Tyvek. It'd be just as durable as what I have (if not more so), and weigh a lot less. It'd also work better than my current poncho as a ground cloth if I had to **GULP** go to ground.

**blackbishop351** · 01-29-2007, 20:29

Originally Posted by Doctari

If I use my (mostly retired) frame pack, it has to go to ground. But, my frameless pack (Kelty Brisbane) hangs nicely from my ridgeline, at the head of my Hammock. I'm going to get a gear hammock some day.
Check out the one at JRB http://www.jacksrbetter.com/index_fi...ck%20Cover.htm I think this is different than what you are thinking of.
Or, make your own from plans at Just Jeff's site http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGe...arHammock.html

I got to see some at the campout last weekend, Very Very nice.

Doctari.

That's what my pack cover is, actually. Very VERY easy to make if you sew. I just haven't figured out how to use it as a gear hammock with my current hanging setup yet.