What made you a "hanger"?

[finskie]

I feel that my choice to hang was based alot on my position of sleeping. Laying on your side on the ground is always terrible, unless you bring a full-on air mattress. This was not possible because I backpack much more often than car camp. My hammock is light, small to carry, no fear of water, and can sleep in any position comfortably. I think the reason why more people don't hang is simply contempt prior to investigation. Because once you try a hammock, why go back to being a ground dweller?

[te-wa]

I think the reason why more people don't hang is simply contempt prior to investigation.

also, i think it has much to do with the way "camping" is advertised. in all the books, commercials, ads, billboards, signs and other media you almost always see a TENT in the picture. this method of identifying "tents" with "camping" has been going on far longer than i've been around.

i guess you can say that we hangers have "think outside the tent" mentality, and thats ok by me~!

[Fronkey]

I moved up to the Twin Cities area of Mn to be with my girlfriend who I met while working on Princess Cruises. I was looking up videos on you tube to see what Superior hiking trails and came across Shug's videos. After watching some of them I thought hammocking looked like a blast and I've been hooked ever since.

[jumpmaster]

I saw someone on another forum I'm on post up a pic of his setup...thought it sounded like a good way to relax out in the back yard, so I headed to my local outdoor store and found the ENO Singlenest in stock!

Originally got the crappy "pro-straps" and found they stretch...a LOT. And that's when I found hammockforums...learned about Amsteel and whoopieslings, Dutch clips and Biners and sort of tweaked my setup a bit.

It's nice resting in the back yard in my hammock...I go there and hang out when I'm stressed and need to relax. It works very well for that.

I need to take the setup out camping now.

[kayak-dan]

When I lived in S. Florida one of my kayaking friends was into hammocks. He used one on a one night backpacking trip we took in Big Cypress. Fast forward 12 years, I now live in the Chicago area, a couple of my camping/kayaking friends have just gotten into hammocks and are pulling me in. My HH arrives this week and my whoopie slings next week. Hoping to use it on a kayak trip on the Buffalo River this spring, the Apostle Islands this summer, plus some backpacking trips.

[Shug]

I moved up to the Twin Cities area of Mn to be with my girlfriend who I met while working on Princess Cruises. I was looking up videos on you tube to see what Superior hiking trails and came across Shug's videos. After watching some of them I thought hammocking looked like a blast and I've been hooked ever since.

Funny! I performed on Princess for many a year. My 19 year old daughter was conceived on the Sovereign of the Seas.
Shug

[Law Dawg (ret)]

I had both knees replaced (along with a few other set backs) and wanted to find a way to be able to keep moto camping. While researching cots and chairs (still want me a Kermit chair BTW) I stumbled upon a Hennesy pic and thread (who knows where). Thinking that this would be perfect as a chair/couch and tent replacement I started the research. Somehow found HF and things kicked into overdrive;
1-WBBB 1.7 dbl & Kelty 12x12.
2-Assorted S-biners and different line sizes.
3-Byer Vario hammock stand...backyard experiment station.
4-Warry Mart brue pads.
5-KAQ NR DW UQ (an entire sentence using acronyms! ).
6-More "stuff" (shock cord, Triangle Thingies, tree straps) ordered from Paul at Arrowhead Equipment and waiting.
7-Yet another WB hammock enroute. Traveler 1.1 dbl.

Now all I need is to be set free from LEO workmans comp "purgatory" and retire so I can get outside into the high country and actually set up in the woods.

[Fronkey]

Funny! I performed on Princess for many a year. My 19 year old daughter was conceived on the Sovereign of the Seas.
Shug

Haha That's awesome! You know when I first started watching your vids it reminded me of acts that I had seen on princess, except way funnier. There isn't enough Sling blade on the seven seas.

[hikelite]

I'm not sure how I missed this thread for all these years, but I didn't really post here until recently.

In '95, my friend and I spent 10 weeks backpacking in the Sierras. We both had a mesh hammock in our, monstrous 75+ lb, packs. We would mostly use them on our layover days to lounge around in, but it never occurred to either of us to sleep in them overnight. Even though I spent many hours sleeping in them

Fast forward a few years, and I was trying to arrange a thru hike of the PCT. I tried a couple years in a row, but it never worked out. During that time though, I was exposed to Ray Jardine's ideas and started making my own gear. While researching different designs and materials, I stumbled upon Ed Speer's book. I ordered a Hennessy Hammock, but didn't care for it. I promptly built my own per Ed's instructions. That was several years and dozens of hammocks ago.

I never liked the bulk of the knots in Ed's design, so I started looking for alternatives. Eventually I found my way here. Ironically, I had already tried many of the methods I found here. It was reassuring that to find that my ideas weren't as crackpot as I thought they were (like zip tie whipping) at the time.

Anyway, that's my story. Not all that different from others.

[Syb]

Haha That's awesome! You know when I first started watching your vids it reminded me of acts that I had seen on princess, except way funnier. There isn't enough Sling blade on the seven seas.

+1 on the Sling Blade reference. Shug's impersonation is spot on.
Mmmm hmmph.

Syb