Best Hammock Options for wet, buggy places

[ntxkayakr]

I grew up in Brazilian Amazon sleeping in hammocks in remote areas along border with French G. Also some time in Peruvian Andes. Insects are most of problem but occasionally a newbie would get a bat or snake inside their add on net, jump around excitedly and fall out. Lots of laughs. Thus my 1st choice is WBBB with integrated net, zipper! Take some emergency space blankets, those foil mylar sheets, go between your underquilt/blanket and hammock bottom. If you have space for it i would use synthetic uq or pad not down due to humidity, mildew will destroy it. Mold may even grow in your hair. Nothing fully drys out. Consider buying a cotton amazonian hammock down there if nylon material of your hammock does not breath well enough in heat of jungle. Up in high Andes may not be trees to hang, sm backpack, self standing tent that can stand up to 50+ mph winds may be necessary. But if you stay below treeline no problem. Hope you go in dry season. I kayak so rainy season is a requirement. Dress and eat local as much as possible. (but everything cooked! not washed raw salad, water etc. Quality water purification system a must, NOT just a filter! Log sleeve quick dry clothes for insects.) Have Fun! Ur gonna love it!

[mhutchinson]

I grew up in Brazilian Amazon sleeping in hammocks in remote areas along border with French G. Also some time in Peruvian Andes. Insects are most of problem but occasionally a newbie would get a bat or snake inside their add on net, jump around excitedly and fall out. Lots of laughs. Thus my 1st choice is WBBB with integrated net, zipper! Take some emergency space blankets, those foil mylar sheets, go between your underquilt/blanket and hammock bottom. If you have space for it i would use synthetic uq or pad not down due to humidity, mildew will destroy it. Mold may even grow in your hair. Nothing fully drys out. Consider buying a cotton amazonian hammock down there if nylon material of your hammock does not breath well enough in heat of jungle. Up in high Andes may not be trees to hang, sm backpack, self standing tent that can stand up to 50+ mph winds may be necessary. But if you stay below treeline no problem. Hope you go in dry season. I kayak so rainy season is a requirement. Dress and eat local as much as possible. (but everything cooked! not washed raw salad, water etc. Quality water purification system a must, NOT just a filter! Log sleeve quick dry clothes for insects.) Have Fun! Ur gonna love it!

Thank you very much for the info. Very valuable! On the same subject, do you think an underquilt is a good investment for the jungle? Will it often get cold enough for a lot of insulation to be necessary?

I was planning on taking my 32 degree down bag to use because its so light and packable but I didn't really consider the fact that down might be a bad idea in such humid conditions. What would you recommend? I do have a 0 degree synthetic but I figured that would be too warm and bulky.

I plan on staying in hostels for some nights so if the conditions are really bad then I probably won't camp. I also didn't consider getting a hammock over there. Would you recommend that or is it hard to come by a good one over there? I will mostly be in Bolivia, Peru, and maybe northern Argentina. One idea I did have was to go with a little less equipment and try to get as much as I can over there so that I can buy equipment that is best suited to the specific area I'm in. Then when I would go to a new area I would try to sell or maybe just give away what I wouldn't need and get new equipment when I go to a new area. Do you think that's a feasible idea?

Thanks!

[OutandBack]

I sure would not want to lug around a bunch of winter gear for the mtns when in the jungle. Can you mail your winter gear to a pick up point.

Here's what I would take on such an adventure.
DreamHammock model Darien 10'
Arrowhead Equipment- Apex summer quilts
Hammock Gear or HMG- Cuben Tarp 11'x8'

hth

[mhutchinson]

I sure would not want to lug around a bunch of winter gear for the mtns when in the jungle. Can you mail your winter gear to a pick up point.

hth

Ya, that's one of my big dilemmas. I'm gonna be going to a very wide variety of places so there's not really a good way to pack for it all in one pack. Mailing gear might be a good option. I'm gonna look into that. Thanks for the idea.

[ntxkayakr]

I grew up in Brazilian Amazon sleeping in hammocks in remote areas along border with French G. Also some time in Peruvian Andes. Insects are most of problem but occasionally a newbie would get a bat or snake inside their add on net, jump around excitedly and fall out. Lots of laughs. Thus my 1st choice is WBBB with integrated net, zipper! Take some emergency space blankets, those foil mylar sheets, go between your underquilt/blanket and hammock bottom. If you have space for it i would use synthetic uq or pad not down due to humidity, mildew will destroy it. Mold may even grow in your hair. Nothing fully drys out. Consider buying a cotton amazonian hammock down there if nylon material of your hammock does not breath well enough in heat of jungle. Up in high Andes may not be trees to hang, sm backpack, self standing tent that can stand up to 50+ mph winds may be necessary. But if you stay below treeline no problem. Hope you go in dry season. I kayak so rainy season is a requirement. Dress and eat local as much as possible. (but everything cooked! not washed raw salad, water etc. Quality water purification system a must, NOT just a filter! Log sleeve quick dry clothes for insects.) Have Fun! Ur gonna love it!

[Bayrat]

Thanks for the post -- I am dealing with similar decisions. I plan to spend about three months in Ecuador beginning in about March or April. Ecuador has coast (jungle to semi-desert), Andes and Amazon. I am leaning toward packing and carrying for heat and insects only -- and plan to mostly stick to hostels in cooler climates (or buy what I can find for cooler weather in-country then donate it when I go back to heat and bugs). Right now, I am testing a new BIAS and nanobuginater and will wait about the tarp until I decide on whether to go with this setup or something smaller. BUT — as I said, I am still planning and thinking. I should point out that I am a newbe and am trying to learn, not pretending to teach.

[LegoFox]

A cotton hammock can get moldy in the jungle

[wildjunglecat]

My back bird works well but haven't had it in a highly buggy setting yet

[mhutchinson]

I am leaning toward packing and carrying for heat and insects only -- and plan to mostly stick to hostels in cooler climates (or buy what I can find for cooler weather in-country then donate it when I go back to heat and bugs).

Honestly that's what I'm leaning towards as well. It sounds like there are hostels all over the place in those countries so it might be a better option to stick to the hostels in colder places. I am looking into the costs of shipping some equipment to certain places so I can get it when I need it and then ship it back if necessary but it might end up being cheaper to just get what I need in country. Furthermore that would allow me to get the things that the people use over there which I imagine is suited very well for that particular environment.

[mhutchinson]

Well I went ahead and ordered a Warbonnet Blackbird 1.1 Double Layer today, as well as a Mamajamba Tarp. After hearing opinions I think it's going to be a good option. I intend to use it with my Thermarest Neoair and a sleeping bag. Hopefully I'll be able to give it some practice before I leave because I am curious if the pad is gonna be a pain and if an underquilt would be that much better. Are there any other accessories that you guys would recommend? Are Whoopie slings that much better than the standard suspension system that comes with the hammock? I looked into them but I still don't quite understand what makes them so great.