Learning to hang

**PrimalArcher** · 05-31-2013, 12:02

So, I like archery hunting and have gotten into back country hunting here in Oregon over the past couple of years. I have been using a small two person tent and sleeping on a Thermorest. During Turkey season I packed into area and stayed overnight and on the way out I was thinking about what I could do to lighten my load a bit. I have a hammock I bought from military supply store and I tried it once before and woke up with tons of back pain, but I thought maybe I will give it another try. So I did a bit research and found that I needed to sleep diagonally. The next weekend I grabbed the hammock and packed into one of my favorite fishing spots on the Deschutes river. The temps at night were still getting down to the low 40s and so I thought I would just bring a wool sleeping bag liner and some heavy closes and leave the sleeping bag at home. Needless to say I woke in middle the night not with back pain but freezing my you know what off. So I filled my MSR Dromedary bag up with boiling water stuffed it up my shirt and made it somewhat comfortably the rest the night. So the next weekend I decided I would take the sleeping bag and that would take care of the issue. Well the temps dropped below freezing and around 3 am I woke up freezing again so again I filled the Dromedary bag full boiling water and was able to get through the night. So there is little back ground about me and the sequence of events that have brought me here searching for answers. I really like the idea of hammock camping especially the stealth part. I would like to setup up in out of the way places because while I am out hunting I leave a lot of expensive gear behind and I would like it to be there when I get back. Plus now that I know how to sleep in a hammock it is much more comfortable than sleeping on the ground and I like not having to find a flat place to put it. I need to figure out a solution for the cold that will not require me to spend hundreds of dollars and add a bunch of weight to my pack, if your remember lighting my pack is what brought to the hammock idea in the first place. So I have been reading through the forum and have come up with lots of good ideas and will be trying them over the next few weeks.

**grannypat** · 05-31-2013, 15:33

Welcome to the forums and have fun figuring out what works for you.

**gunner76** · 05-31-2013, 15:57

welcome to the madness

**PrimalArcher** · 05-31-2013, 16:10

Working on making a hammock today, did the sewing yesterday and putting the whip end with ridge line in today. Hope to be swinging in it tonight suppose to be down to 35F tonight. I made a revised Garlington Taco so we so how it works

**PrimalArcher** · 06-01-2013, 18:42

So after much deliberation and thought I made my decision after dabbling in dyi hammock building and researching the different hammock options from the different manufactures I decided that I would rather be out in the wild using my hammock than at home making one. So I looked at all the options out there and for me it came down to either the Hennessy Expedition Deluxe or the Warbonnet Blackbird so after looking at YouTube videos and reading through posts on this forum I chose a little of both

I ordered the Warbonnet Blackbird for my hammock and ordered the Hennessy Explorer Ultralite Rainfly 30D Silnylon for my tarp. It was the dual layer on the BB that sold me over the Hennessy plus the option to add the Travel Sock on at a later date, the shelf and the foot box appealed to me as well. As far as tarp goes I like the parallelogram shape of the Hennessy tarps plus I could get it in Silnylon and at $80 dollars it was quite a bit cheaper than the offerings from Warbonnet. So anyway supper excited can't wait for them show up.

**Tacoma96** · 06-01-2013, 20:42

As far as the hammocks go you cant go wrong with either.

**MDSH** · 06-01-2013, 21:24

Welcome, Primal.

My brother used to live in Bend and was an avid hunter around there.

I've always wanted to pack in to the hunting grounds over night. I only knew one man that did that. He was a former Army Ranger that served in Vietnam. He took it a step further, though, sleeping in his poncho -- got a huge buck in Maine by setting up on his trail the night before. Now you've got me thinking that way again!

You'll be happy with the DL so that you can beat the cold.

.

**PrimalArcher** · 06-01-2013, 23:06

Thanks guys for the welcome i am so excited that i typing this from my diy hammock that i plan on sleeping in tonight. You know i got it bad when i choose my hammock over my sleep number bed