A Leap of Faith?

[UncleMJM]

I'm very close to purchasing my first hammock and tarp - a purchase driven by how extremely uncomfortable I was sleeping on a pad in a tent.

But in the area I live (southern Vancouver Island) hammock camping seems to be completely unheard of, or at the very least, slightly on the lunatic fringe.

Was moving to a hammock a "leap of faith" for you?

Moving off the ground into the trees is a decision you will not regret.

For me it was about comfort. I'm not gonna lie, the novelty of it was appealing too.

One other benefit, the view is usually better from the fringe.

[Sidewinder]

I live in northern California and a few years ago, I was getting back in to backpacking. I was a avid backpacker about 20 years ago and then started a family. It took a while for the kids to get big enough to carry a pack but when they did, I started to think about better ways to camp and wanted to see what the state of the art was at the time. I think Just Jeff's site lead me here. I didn't know of anyone in my area that was into hammocks, so I bought and later returned a Hennessey Hammock from REI. I could not sleep in it for anything, so I returned it. I realized that it was a better way to go but I need something that could lay really flat in so I tried a bridge hammock. That worked and it started me down this road. Since then I have trained myself to sleep in gathered end hammocks and use those exclusively.

When I tell people I camp in a hammock, they look at me puzzled and are mostly curious. This usually leads to a lengthy educational experiance for them. I have even offered to demo some of my hammocks for them but none so far have taken me up.

It is somewhat of a leap of faith but not in the way you may be thinking. You are probably thinking, Will I like this and will it work for me? I already know that answer. Yes you will like it and yes it will work for you. The leap of faith you really are making and don't yet know it, is how much this place and the hammocking lifestyle will change you.

Take the leap,

S

[Coffeedrinker]

Hello Everyone!

Each of your replies proves that Hammock Forums has the best people! Thank you so much for writing and sharing those first moments of hammock camping. Thank you, thank you, and thank you again.

Coffeedrinker,
Victoria, Vancouver Island

[Caribou Bentspoke]

I bought most of my gear before I had even seen a Hammock, it was a leap of logic, I knew the ground was hard and knew a hammock had to be softer, and I was right.
The Hammock craze was started near Victoria, I wonder if you could visit Hennessy and try one out.

[FortHanger]

I was walking around MEC in Edmonton looking for a new tarp to sleep under when I stumbled across a Hennessy. I remembered a friend talking about how hammocks were good for the back. Plus, the thought of getting off the cold, hard, wet ground was very appealing. It was a couple years in the Hennessy before I learned about UQ’s. I hope I never have to go to the ground ever again! Yeah... hammocking is still observed akin to a lunatic fringe here too. I have yet to see another hanger in Banff, Kananaskis, or Jasper.

[Coffeedrinker]

I bought most of my gear before I had even seen a Hammock, it was a leap of logic, I knew the ground was hard and knew a hammock had to be softer, and I was right.
The Hammock craze was started near Victoria, I wonder if you could visit Hennessy and try one out.

I've been in to MEC several times to look at the Hennessy Hammocks...very nice hammock but I'm afraid I am too near their load limit. I wanted a hammock that has lots of capacity for my weight!