Back from my first hang

**mcmski** · 06-27-2012, 00:35

Hey all,

Been lurking for a while, finally decided to post something after actually putting my hammock to use on an overnight backpacking trip to Mt. San Jacinto here in Southern California.

My buddy and I took the tram up to the mountain station and hiked the 6 and a half miles to little round valley to set up camp. Stayed the night, hit the peak for lunch time and hiked back to the tram that afternoon.

I had picked up an ENO double nest and some slap strap pro's at REI's annual sale a little while back but I had only been able to set it up briefly on day hikes for a brief rest. I wanted to try hanging because I always wake up with a back ache when I sleep on the ground even with a self inflating pad. So the sale on the DN was the perfect opportunity to try it out.

I wasn't 100% sure I would be able to find a suitable place to hang with in 25' of those 4x4 posts that they have to mark campsites ahead of time so I had my self inflating pad with me in case I had to go to ground. I used that instead of trying to make or buying an under quilt. I also didn't have a tarp or anything because I figured I could get into the tent if I needed. When no rain is expected, I prefer to sleep under the stars if possible anyway so I had some options in case the hammock didn't work out.

Luckily, I found two trees a good distance a part and set up the hammock and slept great! I used my REI sleeping bag as an over quilt and tucked the sides under my body between me and the pad and that seemed to work well. Because of the stretch of the Slap strap pros I probably set up my hammock a little high and didn't really have the 30* angle that is desired, but it seemed to work out OK anyway.

I'd like to upgrade my suspension to whoopie slings and I'd like to add a ridge line to see if that helps me get a little more flat but all in all I was really comfortable and woke up much better than I usually do when camping so I'm already trying to plan another overnight soon, maybe up near Wrightwood, I remember there being a lot of trees up there so that might provide some good hang options.

Sleeping under the stars is always great, but gently rocking to sleep under the stars and waking up pain free was amazing!

Oh, and I had Shug's voice in my head the whole time I was plaing with my hammock. Almost like he was narrating the experience. His video's were a great help in making the transition into hanging.

Thanks for having this great resource, I'm really enjoying it. I think if I had a back yard I would be spending some nights out in the hammock on a regular basis, despite the fact that I'm sure my fiancee would no be happy with that. Maybe I just have to get her hanging too.

I'm sure I left stuff out, but this post is long enough already!

Micah

Oh and my user name is the combination of my initials and the Polish suffix of my last name "ski" making mcmski

**nk14zp** · 06-27-2012, 01:17

Sounds like a great time.

**Fish<><** · 06-27-2012, 05:04

Shug has great advice that's for sure, San jacinto is a great place for a first hang, and so is 2n93 road up there. I'm glad it worked out for you. Welcome to the forums from Guam! As far as not having a yard, think about doing a turtle dog stand found here on the forums. It's a light weight and cheap method to hang in your hammock inside or out. Great for car camping in SoCal with the lack of trees... Happy hangin.

**HappyCamper** · 06-27-2012, 06:04

Congrats on a great first hang! May you have many more.

. Experimenting with a ridgeline is a most excellent idea. Most find it worth it.

**samsara** · 06-27-2012, 06:09

I bought a DN a few weeks ago and have been sleeping in it every night since it arrived (I went full time in the hammock a month and a half ago). I love my DN and it is perfect for lounging, relaxing, watching tv, napping, etc. I wish it was longer, that might make it perfect for sleeping the night, but even having said that I can get an almost flat lay in it and sleep almost as comfortably as in my WBBB (and sometimes better than in my BB). Since my only perfect hammock is my big mayan, the days are numbered for sleeping every night in my DN. But until I get my mayan set up in the house my DN is my go to hammock for sleeping the night at home. I have found that it is much better than my BB when I'm trying to sleep on my side and only slightly less comfortable sleeping on my back.

As always, the best way to dial it in is to use it a lot and try different things until you find what works. Here's what I did:

Lots of sag (I'm also not using a ridgeline)
Foot end MUCH higher than head end
Sleep at the normal angle
Keep something handy for under my knees (when sleeping on my back) or between my knees (when on my side)

With all of that I can get an almost flat lay and just need a little something under my knees to keep them from hyper-extending a tiny bit. When I look at how I have the hammock set up I can't believe that I can get a flat lay in it. It looks like my feet would be 2 feet above my head, but I guess it is the width of the hammock that allows the flatness. I love lounging in it and watching tv... by putting my arm along the side it creates a nice channel that is like having an arm rest. Wonderful hammock. Play with it, use it, and tweak until you find what works for you.

Dave