Pak-it-lite Hammock questions

[CJPepa]

Hello there!
Anyone on here have any experience with the pak-it-lite hammock system?

I don't need the lightest set up, but want something that is a very flat lay with superior weather protection and warmth. Double layer and a tarp a must.

I'm 6 foot 2 and about 225lbs.

Any help would be appreciated

CJ

[JKDmoo]

Hi, I don't know anything about the company but I watched the setup video in their website. I saw some things which might be problematic:

-No tree straps, more likely to damage trees
-No 30* angle means more force on the trees and the lines
-I think the setup looked complicated and hard to adjust
-Rain fly and hammock hung from the same line means the fly won't stay tight

I am not familiar with the material used so despite these problems they might be very comfortable hammocks. I'm still figuring things out so anyone with more knowledge is welcome to correct me.

[CJPepa]

Thanks for the reply! I live out west anond where I hike I'm not too worried about the dthe owneramage and stress on the trees. Mostly Douglas fir and Ponderosa Pine with HEAVY bark and the only issue I see is finding two trees small enough for the straps to go around...Lol. seriously I'm looking at replacing the suspension anyway to whoopie slings eventually so I can adjust the angle pretty easily and add a pair of 12 foot straps.

I mainly was interested in the double bottom and weather shield incorporated in the hammock.

Fyi about the company... I emailed them on new years eve about 330am (I work graveyard) and the owner Tony called me back about 11am New year's day to answer some questions I had in person! Wow very impressive customer service. We spoke about 30 minutes and he ids really a great guy!

[CJPepa]

Thanks for the reply! I live out west and around where I hike I'm not too worried about the the damage and stress on the trees. Mostly Douglas fir and Ponderosa Pine with HEAVY bark and the only issue I see is finding two trees small enough for the straps to go around...Lol. seriously I'm looking at replacing the suspension anyway to whoopie slings eventually so I can adjust the angle pretty easily and add a pair of 12 foot straps.

I mainly was interested in the double bottom and weather shield incorporated in the hammock.

Fyi about the company... I emailed them on new years eve about 330am (I work graveyard) and the owner Tony called me back about 11am New year's day to answer some questions I had in person! Wow very impressive customer service. We spoke about 30 minutes and he is really a great guy!

[JKDmoo]

12 foot straps!

You guys must have some big trees. I think a straps and whoopies mod would make setup and adjustments much easier. If you do end up getting one be sure to do a review for the rest of us.

[SilvrSurfr]

Hammocks don't provide much, if any, warmth - that's why there's insulation. Those pockets might let you stuff some clothes in there, but it's not an insulation system by any means.

The tarp appears to require a hiking pole, and attaching the tarp to the hammock suspension will probably induce sag, as mentioned.

If you were getting a great deal on this, I'd say go for it. However, there's nothing cheap about this setup, and you'll need to modify the suspension (unless you want to use their rope on trees and incur the wrath of HF members - it's not good for our reputation to use rope. And it's bad for the trees).

Additionally, this brand of hammock doesn't appear to have a huge customer base (I only found a few posts on this forum and one other owner), so you won't have a robust support system of other HF members to bounce questions off and share experiences.

[theseakayaker]

Hi, I don't know anything about the company but I watched the setup video in their website. I saw some things which might be problematic:

-No tree straps, more likely to damage trees
-No 30* angle means more force on the trees and the lines
-I think the setup looked complicated and hard to adjust
-Rain fly and hammock hung from the same line means the fly won't stay tight

I am not familiar with the material used so despite these problems they might be very comfortable hammocks. I'm still figuring things out so anyone with more knowledge is welcome to correct me.

JKDmoo, My hammocks have a fixed ridge line so you don't need to do the 30% rule thing. The new suspension system makes set up a lot easier. As long as the hammock is set up, as per the instructions, http://camphammocks.com/instructions.html, you will have no sag in the fly. Also, a hiking pole does not need to be used to set up the fly. It's only an option if you wish to raise the peak to allow you to stand at the hammocks door while under the fly.

[ShellHammock]

JKDmoo, My hammocks have a fixed ridge line so you don't need to do the 30% rule thing.

following the '30 degree rule thing' is important even if yu use a hammock with a fixed RL. Ignoring the rule can put a surprising amount of stress on your anchors. I recommend consulting the Hammock Hang Calculator to see just how much stress a 150lb person can put on trees with a shallow hang angle:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1431468742.818501.jpg

[theseakayaker]

following the '30 degree rule thing' is important even if yu use a hammock with a fixed RL. Ignoring the rule can put a surprising amount of stress on your anchors. I recommend consulting the Hammock Hang Calculator to see just how much stress a 150lb person can put on trees with a shallow hang angle:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1431468742.818501.jpg

You can't do 30% with a fixed ridge line with out changing the sag that is designed into the hammock. As for tree stress, the wind puts more long term stress on a tree than your hammock ever will. I hope you not setting up on trees with a smaller caliper that can handle your weight. As for damage to tree bark, yes there are some species that have an outer layer that can become damaged, like Birch. Unless you are hiking in a Birch forest, I would suggest setting up on other, more robust species of tree. Some Parks require webbing or other methods of hanging as to not damage the tree. I spoke with Dr. Don Marx, who won the Wallenberg Prize in Forestry about this. I think he is still laughing. Here is what he explained; In areas of high use, like a national or state park with campgrounds that get a lot of use, the trees will go though other stresses induced by environment, like pavement and sidewalks or camp pads that encroach on the root systems of the surrounding trees. Protecting the trees from other stresses is needed. Hench, using web straps or protection against possible bark damage. Tree's in the wild are very resilient, the stress created by hanging you hammock for a few days will in no way effect the life of the tree. Unless, again, you are hanging between two trees that are too small in caliper to hold your weight. But, that's just common sense - right?

[ShellHammock]

camp pads that encroach on the root systems of the surrounding trees

That's a good one! Another argument against ground dwellers! I'll be sure to remember this when talking to people about advantages of camping hammocks to ground shelters ️

You can't do 30% with a fixed ridge line with out changing the sag that is designed into the hammock

First, I assume you mean thirty degrees and not percent.. even still, I'm not sure what you mean by this... I understand that Pack-It-Lite Hammocks are built differently than a standard gathered end hammock but the thirty degree rule is really just about putting less force on your anchors. Less force on trees or posts or cars or hammock stands or whatever your hanging from IS just good common sense.

The point of a fixed RL is so you can hang the hammock consistently, regardless of where or what you are hanging from. It just happens to be the point at which your RL isn't drooping too, (that WOUKD change the sag). When hung at an angle shallower than thirty degrees the feel of the hammock doesn't really change, which is the point.