Full-time, cold weather outdoor hammock

**dean** · 07-20-2012, 11:54

I've been kicking around the idea of spending the majority of my nights sleeping outside this winter. I slept in a hammock last winter inside (where there was no heat) and it got pretty **** cold. That's without having to deal with wind, rain, or snow directly.

What kind of a system would I need to be comfortable in pretty much anything a Delaware winter can throw at me? I want the hammock to be able to stay outside all of the time during the winter so I don't have to worry about setting up or breaking down.

**Cannibal** · 07-20-2012, 12:23

Beyond just finding the right spot to make camp, which would involve a lot of natural cover, I'd focus on U/V durability.

If it were me, at a minimum my tarp would be canvas. I'd consider the PVC tarps, but the noise would bug me after a while. My quilts would be synthetic, to combat the humidity and possible water exposure. In all likelihood, I'd have a small wood burning stove under the canvas to maintain some level of comfort outside of the hammock. Course, that's going to require some engineering to maintain a minimal level of safety.

There are probably a bunch of other things, but that's what came off the top of my head.

**lattie11581** · 07-20-2012, 13:28

May be out of the price range but you can put a wood stove in it too

http://www.snowtrekkertents.com/shortwall.html
jason

**dragon360** · 07-20-2012, 13:34

If you have a spot set up - would it really take you all that time to set up and take down come morning?

**720fly** · 07-20-2012, 13:42

If you gather some debri from the surrounding area and build a 3 or 4 wall structure around camp then just make a simple fire pit. The heat will stay with you. If you make a roof over your camp just make sure to leave a open area above the fire to let smoke escape.
I camped many a winters in my ski bumming days. As a ground dweller and this simple structure along with Proper gear kept me alive in the middle of the rockies

**BrianWillan** · 07-20-2012, 18:00

Your main issue for a permanent setup will being dealing with moisture accumulation in your insulation. A way to dry it will needed. Whether that be bringing it inside each morning, or finding some way to heat your shelter enclosure which will dry out your insulation.

Cheers

Brian

**dean** · 07-20-2012, 18:57

What if I were to sew in some zipper tracks on the outer edges so that the hammock could be closed from the outside or the inside? Would that be adequate for dealing with moisture?

**oldgringo** · 07-20-2012, 18:58

As above, canvas and a woodstove, like this. Brian has one that is similar, also OutandBack and Smokehouse both have sil versions.

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...hanging+canvas

**oldgringo** · 07-20-2012, 19:02

Originally Posted by dean

What if I were to sew in some zipper tracks on the outer edges so that the hammock could be closed from the outside or the inside? Would that be adequate for dealing with moisture?

No offense, but dealing with moisture is a lot more complicated than that. You have a lot of reading to do...the Wet Wiggy's thread would be a place to start.

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=45601

**Hiknhanger** · 07-20-2012, 19:09

Originally Posted by dean

What if I were to sew in some zipper tracks on the outer edges so that the hammock could be closed from the outside or the inside? Would that be adequate for dealing with moisture?

I designed my double layer with magnets sewn into side seams. They stick together when packing up or out of the hammock if you want. http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=53014

Outer layer is waterproof. Sounds a little like what you are kicking around in some respects.