Where do YOU store your pack, boots etc when hanging?

[Toby_T]

Hello all!

I know this MUST have been covered on the forums here a hundred times, but I can't seem to find any previous threads on it! Perhaps a wise and learned member can point this newbie in the right direction!!

Whenever I go camping with my HH expedition A-sym, the question I always ask myself is:

"Right, where am I going to keep my backpack, muddy boots, bottles of beer etc?"

So I'm curious, what's the best solution for storing your belongings overnight when you're safely wrapped up inside your hammock? Particularly when it's raining (which it does a LOT here in Wales!) or you don't want the creatures of the night getting into your bags etc.

I've had the pack in the hammock with me (not comfy!), I've suspended muddy boots inside the hammock with me too (they didn't stay there long! ) -

I dream of a way of having more space between the top of my bug net and the tarp, and hanging everything from the ridgeline of the tarp up above me - is it feasible?

Thanks in advance, folks!

Toby.

[Ewker]

I hang my boots over the ends of the hammock suspension along with wet socks, stuff sacks etc. I put my pack in a trash bag (that I use as a liner in the pack) and lay it under the hammock or hang it from a tree...oh yeah forgot the tyvek that goes under my hammock

[Acer]

I normally carry a small piece of plastic just big enough for the pack and shoes to lay under the hammock. This weekend,,I didn't carry the plastic,,and just used my poncho (piece of rain gear) and stored shoes on it and hung everything including shoes off hammock under my tarp. I normally hang clothes and pack off hammock under tarp all the time as well.

[JaxHiker]

I use a tyvek footprint under the hammock so I can get in and out without worrying about dirt or mud. If I expect were weather I'll hang the boots at the foot suspension line and put a pack cover on my gear.

[pvmusicman]

I put mine right underneath me with its cover on. if its raining i put it so the cover is on the ground

[Shewie]

Presuming you've got the standard diamond fly with your Exped then you don't get a lot of extra coverage, you could throw up a second ridgeline under your tarp and hang your gear from that.

I think you're limited with the small fly as to what you can do, it's either going mean putting stuff on the deck or trying to squeeze then under the tarp without compromising your sleeping space.

One option might be to carry a couple of large trash bags and just put your gear in those at bed time, your boots won't get chance to dry though which can be a pain.

The ideal solution would be to look at upgrading your tarp for something a bit bigger, the Hex would work well, that way you can hang stuff underneath and not be bothered by it.

[Shug]

All over....! On a piece of plastic and on hammock ridgeline.
Shug

[Toby_T]

Thanks for the excellent advice so far guys! And so lightning fast too!

Shewie, upgrading to a larger tarp is precisely the next thing I want to do!

I've always used the standard A-sym tarp, I've always thought it was tiny, and just struggled on not knowing just how many alternatives are out there!

I have struggled with adjusting that thing in every direction I can imagine, and I think 50% of my nights in it I've got wet!!! For the best part of five years! I must really love hammocks to still want to do it... My mind has been blown by the bigger tarps available!

[Allytk]

I have a net (nylon) hammock i set up underneath to keep things off the ground

[Teegs]

Am I the only one that doesn't have trouble with the stock HH asym?

I just dump my stuff right under the hammock. The coverage, while minimal, has been just fine for me. If it's sideways rain, I just pull the sides down more. I think the only concern has been splashage from drops off the tarp...

And as far as a ground cloth, well I suppose if the ground was muddy it would be nice to have one, but the truth is I can hang most of the gear from the ridgeline. And who cares if the bottoms of your boots get wet... they're wet already. If water is going to get into your boots sitting underneath you, I suspect you'd have more problems than just wet boots.

That being said, when the day comes to upgrade, I'll probably get cuben in a larger size.

Edit:

I have a net (nylon) hammock i set up underneath to keep things off the ground

I do like this idea as an alternative to a ground cloth. Whats the weight addition?