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  1. #1
    New Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Miami,Fl
    Hammock
    Grand Trunk SB, WBBB 1.7 DL
    Tarp
    SuperFly
    Insulation
    Poncho liner, yeti
    Suspension
    WB Adjust/web/sus
    Posts
    38

    Greetings from Florida

    Hey everyone! My name is Pablo and I'm from Miami. I've always used a tent for camping but a good friend showed me his Vietnam hammock and I've considered giving hammock camping a try. Years ago I purchased a grand trunk skeeter beater on a liquidation sale from a local store. I'd never opened it until last week and so far the reviews I've read are the same. It's a good hammock for the price. Could anyone here give me their opinion on it or any tips on hammock camping? I replaced the rope it came with to hang it with a double strand of 550 cord. Also I'm in the market for a good tarp, any recommendations on the best bang for your buck, or where I can find a good used one? Thanks!

  2. #2
    Senior Member olddog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Lakeland, Fl
    Hammock
    WL Snipe
    Tarp
    WL Tadpole
    Insulation
    WL SS UQ, WL SS TQ
    Suspension
    Dutch speedhooks
    Posts
    4,323
    Images
    3
    Welcome aboard from Lakeland. No experience with the GTSB. Did buy the granddaughters the Grand Trunk Ultra Lites. Great little hammocks for them. Only have had 2 tarps. The first was a DIY that in two years of our limited season here in Florida never saw any rain. The second a Wilderness Logics Tadpole. Hung it for the first time in Maine last summer and spent 2 1/2 months every night under it. Not a drop thru almost daily rains and never seam sealed it either. There are other choices out there and they are probably just as good or better in some ways.

    We have a few hangers from south Florida that come up here to central Florida to hang out. There are not as many options down south. We have an annual hang next month in Lake Wales Ridge State Forest. Come on up and hang out for the weekend.

    https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ad.php?t=87004
    Most of us end up poorer here but richer for being here. Olddog, Fulltime hammocker, 365 nights a year.

  3. #3
    New Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Miami,Fl
    Hammock
    Grand Trunk SB, WBBB 1.7 DL
    Tarp
    SuperFly
    Insulation
    Poncho liner, yeti
    Suspension
    WB Adjust/web/sus
    Posts
    38
    Thanks for all the info. I was going to look into the seaquest camo tarp as I'm told that quality is great and it's not as expensive as other brands. I think it measures 10x7 and I've heard the GTSB is 9x3. Is the tarp big enough or should I be aiming for something bigger? Ill look into that outing next month and see if I can make it.

  4. #4
    Senior Member FLRider's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Gainesville, FL
    Hammock
    DIY Gathered End
    Tarp
    DIY Asym
    Insulation
    DIY Modular Quilt
    Suspension
    Whoopies/MSH
    Posts
    4,471
    Images
    14
    Welcome from Gainesville!

    As to your questions: any tarp that's a minimum of 12" longer than the hammock ridgeline (not the body length; I'm talking about the actual straight-line distance between where the suspension attaches when the hammock is hung) will work. Most folks prefer 18" to 24" longer, especially with hex tarps (rectangular tarps or ones with doors designed in will help block blowing rain from the ends, as will a poncho hung from the end and/or Grizz beaks with hex tarps).

    Personally, I think that the Tadpole is probably the best non-DIY tarp on the market for coverage/weight/cost right now, but that's coming from a cheapskate who backpacks.

    Other tips regarding hammocking:

    • You're going to want under insulation until the nighttime lows here in FL reach above 70º F (so, another month or three, depending). On the ground, your pad will offer insulation against the cold ground where your sleeping bag/top quilt is compressed. In an hammock, more of that bag/quilt is pressed against you (one of the various things that makes hammocks more comfortable than ground sleeping; the total pressure of your body is spread out over a larger area, reducing pressure points that lead to sore backs/hips/necks/etc.) and its insulation value is lost in those areas. So, either a wider pad set (up to 30% wider than a standard 20" pad) or an underquilt are the two mainstream options to help you stay warm on the bottom. There're a bunchaton of ways to do this, but some research here on the forums (and a showing a the Sherpa Hang) will definitely help quite a bit with choosing one.
    • 550 is not your friend in an hammock. Life-rated lines should have a listed break strength 5x to 10x your body weight--this helps deal with dynamic forces (like when you sit down in the hammock too quickly 'cause you tripped on something or your knee gave out) and hanging your suspension tighter than recommended (at a 30º angle from horizontal, the weight on your suspension is equal to your body weight; at less of an angle, it increases asymptotically until it's theoretically infinite at horizontal). Also, nylon stretches--which is great for parachute shroud lines (they act as a shock absorber) but terrible for a static suspension (you sag during the evening, causing you to eventually wind up much lower than you started, even on the ground in some cases). What you want is a low-stretch, life-rated suspension; most folks use either a combination of Amsteel whoopie slings (a constrictor knot, like a Chinese finger trap, in an UHMWPE line) and polyester strapping or just poly strapping and a cinch buckle set-up. Both are rated to ~1,500 lbs break strength and don't stretch appreciably.
    • Please use tree straps when hanging on land that is owned by other folks (and public land, for that matter, too). We just got the state park system in Florida to okay hammock hanging last year; until then, it was illegal to hang anything from any plant in a state park. Straps and LNT principles are a largish portion of why that's changed. Whether or not straps are really needed to protect trees is not a debate I'd prefer to pursue; it's the perception of that that's important. For good or ill, tree straps are seen as a necessary component to protect trees when hammocking on non-private land.
    • Make it to a group hang (that Sherpa Hang is perfect; short hike in, lots of folks to learn from). Nothing else is going to be as valuable in terms of man-hours versus stuff learned, especially if you're a kinetic learner like I am.


    Feel free to PM me if you've got specific questions about anything. I may not have the answer, but I usually have at least a place to start looking for it!

    Hope it helps!
    "Just prepare what you can and enjoy the rest."
    --Floridahanger

  5. #5
    New Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Miami,Fl
    Hammock
    Grand Trunk SB, WBBB 1.7 DL
    Tarp
    SuperFly
    Insulation
    Poncho liner, yeti
    Suspension
    WB Adjust/web/sus
    Posts
    38
    Thanks, pm sent

  6. #6
    Senior Member doc17th's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Just outside of Philadelphia, Pa.
    Hammock
    Clark nx 250, WB xlc 1.7dbl,WB rr d
    Tarp
    OMW, vertex
    Insulation
    incubator0,phoenix
    Suspension
    whoopie,atlas,web
    Posts
    245
    Welcome from Philly.
    When I was a kid the only time we were in the house was to eat and sleep.

  7. #7
    New Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Miami,Fl
    Hammock
    Grand Trunk SB, WBBB 1.7 DL
    Tarp
    SuperFly
    Insulation
    Poncho liner, yeti
    Suspension
    WB Adjust/web/sus
    Posts
    38
    Thanks Doc

  8. #8
    New Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Cartersville, Ga
    Posts
    46
    Images
    1
    welcome from Ga.

  9. #9
    Senior Member lilricky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    San Antonio, TX
    Hammock
    DreamHammock Darien
    Tarp
    UGQ Hanger 12
    Insulation
    UGQ TQ, HG UQ
    Suspension
    Whoopie Hook
    Posts
    1,048
    Images
    21
    Welcome from Kissimmee! FLRider is right about 550 paracord and straps. I know some of the larger hammock manufacturers don't include straps with their hammocks, but its really an important issue to the State of Florida's Forestry Division. Hope to see you at one of the upcoming hangs!

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    East Central Florida
    Hammock
    WB RR, BB
    Tarp
    Cluodburst, MJ
    Insulation
    Down
    Suspension
    D-rings and straps
    Posts
    440
    Returned my Skeeter-Beater ASAP, zipper failed.

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