What made you a "hanger"?

[Jake2c]

Been using a tent a very long time. Saw someone in a hammock and my curiosity got the best of me and I asked. Then I spent a few hours in one, this ageing body really liked the comfort. It takes some getting used to as things are certainly different but I was willing to work through all the small challenges for that great nights sleep. After the fact I found out how easy it was to find a place to sleep and finally, I was camping with some of my buds, they were in tents and it was raining, when we packed up later and realized I didn't have to pack any mud I was sold.

[Russ3378]

@ the young age of 35 my back and knees were saying no to all the stooping and kneeling over reaching and lbs of the gear as well as the pads and extra lbs of the ground gear having to clean and hunt for a flat spot at times hiking miles in the Missouri hills in search of the right camp to accommodate me and the tent and never getting a spot that was free of rocks or sticks ooo the puncher stories I can tell...all the ants in the tent and the spiders. After running across a fellow mushroom hunter vid ( morels ) in the spring I took a second look at the hammock life ( after ditching the idea do to the air infiltration and the possibility of not being able to stretch out flat and no ground to fight mosquitos. I learned about the bug net and insulation abilities as well as the across lay, I did some research an jumped on in. After receiving my new H.H setting it up in seconds and swinging for the first time I fell asleep an awoke with out back pain !!!!!!!!!! never to return to a 4lb tent @ 2lbs and 21oz I am hooked.

[Doubletime]

I can sleep all night without my back and shoulders hurting.

[Yetti]

My first hammock experience was 30 years ago in the BWCA, when a friend brought along a surplus jungle hammock. He did not sleep well in it, and he and his hammock were ridiculed mercilessly. a few years later, we experimented with those fishnet pocket hammocks. They were great for afternoon naps. The mosquitoes also enjoyed the unfettered access they had to all sides of our bodies.

A few years ago, I picked up a Hammock Bliss double hammock on clearance at Duluth Pack. Wow! It was so comfortable that I slept in it overnight a few nights when there was no rain in the forecast. I woke well rested and with none of that normal stiffness from sleeping on the ground. I was a convert.

I started watching Shug on YouTube, which led me here. I now own a Clark NX-250 and have an HG 20 degree Incubator on order. I plan on using it on tolerable nights while I finish the final 2/3 of the Superior Hiking Trail over the next month or two.

[lunchbox1984]

I'm new to camping. My dad did a lot of outdoor stuff with me as a kid but never camping. Finally last year I bought a ton of gear with basically car camping in mind thinking it was easier and more relaxing. Once I realized how hard it is to pack everything for me and my daughter and do everything myself basically it seemed to complicated. We really didn't enjoy the tent at all, it was like a sauna, the ground was uncomfortable, and a pain to set everything up. I have a 2 door jeep and managed to cram it full. Finally I seen a few friends getting out in hammocks and thought that's a good idea for summer as long as there's trees around. About a year later I saw my buddy camping in the winter with his hammock and thought about it. I live in Michigan, unless I'm in a cornfield there is always trees around. He got me watching Shug's videos and now I'm hooked! It just seems so much easier and I can go alone if I can't find someone to tag along. Nobody seemed fond of camping in a tent with me.

[Nickhob]

well I've been camping in various forms for years, absolutely love it, it's basically the only place I can unwind and relax. Only problem is that I never ever slept well on the ground, many mats and many $'s later, could still not get a good night's sleep. So coupled to the fact that I'm a gear junkie, when I stumbled upon a review of a camping hammock 4 years ago, well the scene was set as they say for me to chuck a whole pile more money at a new 'hobby' and so so glad I did. A lot of the places that I hike are above the tree line so I'm still also a ground tarp camper and when on my motorbike and I need to stay in a campsite, a tipi tarp/tent comes with me but nothing quite like the hammock camping it just makes me smile a lot to hang from a tree (kind of makes me sound like a monkey....)

[Julius]

I realized how easy it was to take a 4 yard piece of fabric, tie it at the ends, and have yourself a comfortable shelter! I always loved the outdoors and making stuff so I ventured into the DIY ways of hammocking!

[Foghorn99]

My Daughter and I have been section hiking the AT for the last 7 years. Three years ago she bought me a ENO hammock and said she was tired of my snoring. It didn't take me long to realize you get what you paid for, For the past 3 years I have been sleeping very comfortably in my Hennessy Hammock. I joined this site in search of the perfect solution to the cold nights in a hammock.

[Tactfree]

I'm still considered a newb to backpacking and have never even been in a hammock before. I started backpacking in 2010 and have yet to get a good night's sleep. Warm-weather tenting on an air mattress is about as good as I've had - but even then it was tossing and turning all night. As I've gotten more into backpacking I've started to read whiteblaze and was amazed how many are hanging - and I had never even thought of it - and had never even seen anyone while on any of my trips (northern lower Michigan and southern Ohio) in a hammock. After reading this forum and watching You Tube, I purchased an ENO single and the accessories (straps, rainfly, net) - and an Enlightened quilt. I still need to get a ridge line. I also bought an extra wide Oware foam pad for lower insulation. I see from several of you that there may be some better systems than the ENO but it's a start. I'm planning a 2-day trip to Tar Hollow (south of Columbus Oh) some time between late March and early April to try out the new stuff - can't wait. If everything works well - I'm going to hang on my early June Michigan Shore-to-Shore 13-day thru-hike. I'm new to this site, but am curious to find information on exactly what a "Hang" is. Are they open invites to join a group trip?

If anyone has any tips on what to bring (tools, extra stuff, ...) on my first short trip with a hammock I'd appreciate that. I usually go solo - so any insight will be helpful. I'd rather go with a heavier load on the first trip than be unprepared and not have the right items.

[Bill Lamm]

I grew up camping and canoing, we always had the net hammocks and tried sleeping in them occasionaly.. (fast forward to my late 40s) My son has found that sleeping daily in a double ENO is very beneficial to him.. he pointed out a group by on ENO doubles to me so I teased him that we have to go camping this summer.. Hammock is ordered, research on pads, tarp designs and etc has begun.. found Shrug's videos and many other healpful videos and posts that have already (one week in) got me planning to make (I love to upcycle stuff) gear.. (my son is gonna be in so much trouble with his mother