Preparing for Serious Hammocking

[cancell]

Hey HF!

First off let me just say that these forums are incredible. What a fantastic community you guys are.

I've been a backyard hammocker for a little less than a year using an ENO Singlenest and Atlas Straps. It's comfortable, but I've set a goal this year to take my setup out on the trail, at least this spring and summer.

I realize I'll need a few more pieces of equipment, including a tarp, bug net, and sleep system. My question is, should I stick with the ENO ecosystem and shell out the cash for the Pro Fly and/or their UQ, etc.? Or should I explore some other options (I.E. something lighter, cheaper (DIY), or more suitable to hiking (WBBB, whoopie slings))? Just looking for suggestions for a relative newbie. Forgive me if this type of thread has been started a thousand times before, I just couldn't find one that answered my questions directly.

Thanks for taking the time!

C

[gunner76]

Forgive me if this type of thread has been started a thousand times before, I just couldn't find one that answered my questions directly.

You are forgiven. And the question will be asked at least another thousand times. Start simple until you figure out what hammock, tarp, ect fits your style of hanging, back yard, car camping, backpacking ect.

Attend a group hang in your area to be able to see other set ups and talk to the users to find out why they picked it.

Nothing wrong with ENO's. Many people use them. I usually take one on day hikes for when I take a break. While I use a BB most times and think it is a great hammock it may not be what you need. If you really plan to backpack then something like a BB or a Papa Smurf Dream hammock may be a better choice.

[loghangin]

My understanding is the eno tarps and UQs and such are very expensive and heavy for what they are. Better, lighter, less expensive stuff to be had from the cottage guys. I have a warbonnet tarp and a Hammock Gear quilt and they are both phenomenal, and weigh and cost less than the eno stuff. Tons of good cottage products out there so you certainly aren't limited to those two brands.

As far as the hammock, you certainly don't need a new one to get going. You may want one after you have the rest of your stuff settled though.

[fiveonomo]

Not sure on the cost thing as I have never priced out the eno stuff. The cottage vendors are not cheap but you pay for what you get and the quality of the stuff here cannot be beat. I went on an overnighter Thursday night with a guy using an eno. It didn't work out for him and he ended up abandoning his set up and climbing into a 1 man tent making it a 2 man. It was 29 degrees and the wind was blowing like I have never seen it blow. Me on the other hand was snug as a bug in my WBBB XLC under my WBSF Tarp. WB UQ and a HG TQ. I really was very warm and extremely comfortable, oh yeah there was 6-12 inches of snow on the mountain.
The decisions are almost endless and there is no right or wrong. I will say that your insulation, whatever you use, will make or break you so choose wisely. There is a ton of info here on this fantastic site. Someone said it earlier, try to hit a group hang. Took me about a year but I think I have found my go to set up. Good luck my friend.

[SQWERL]

I love my ENO hammock. I have their pro fly tarp. It is a decent tarp. It has great coverage and has never had a leak. But I have what seems to be some stretching when it gets windy. It is either the tarp or the guy lines. Not sure. But I have had to get up on more than one occasion and tighten it back up. It's is on the heavy side. Almost a pound and a half. I am looking to replace it with a lighter option. I received their ignitor top quilt for Christmas. It is a nice TQ it is very comfortable and is fairly large. I'm built kinda like a turtle, short and round. However it weighs as much as my tarp and is good to about 35 ish degrees. You can get a much lighter TQ that is warmer from one of our cottage vendors for cheaper. Not to sound ungrateful but, I really wish my dad had asked me before buying it.

[Wraith6761]

I currently am using the Profly...it's okay, as long as you don't have strong wind gusts or heavy rain. If you have either of those, you're getting wet. It's very much a nice weather, light shower kind of rain tarp. On that note, I'm saving up for a WB Superfly, as some of the places I camp are known for being really darn windy.

As for the underquilts, eh...I've never actually used one from ENO, but I've seen/"fondled" them at REI, and I have to say I'm not impressed. If you're going with the ENO Vulcan (their synthetic quilt), you're paying $175 for a 40*-rated (optimistically, from what I've seen) quilt. Or, you could go to arrowhead-equipment.com and pick up a 3-season New River, rated (very conservatively) to 30*, for $155. If you went for the ENO Blaze (their down-filled quilt), you're paying $300 for a 40*-rated quilt. Or, you could go to somewhere like hammockgear.com and pick up a 20*-rated Incubator for $250. If it's something you absolutely have to have this minute for an impromptu camping trip (and you have some spare cash to burn), go with the ENO. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure everybody here will recommend going with one of the cottage vendors.

[HesNot]

This is timely - my challenge is I have a new hammock - skeeter beeter pro (a Christmas present and the SBP was a good choice as my wife could actually find it easily and purchase it - and it's cost effective) but have no idea if I'll like hanging. Only way to know is to try it out. However, to keep the costs down I did find a used tarp (DD M tarp) but am struggling with insulation. I can use a pad from my ground adventures but admit that I'm concerned about the experience - I have a single layer hammock and folks are pretty clear that a pad is a nuisance to keep positioned, to not have your shoulders/hips cold due to coverage, etc.... so I don't know if it's a fair test of hammocking to struggle with a pad. I've been trying to find a budget alternative to a pad ... but UQ's are pricey and I have no sewing skills at all...

The ENO is not affordable really - I get that there are less expensive alternatives that I'd probably prefer. However, at REI I can use a 20% member discount, apply my dividend and even use some reward points at work that I can convert to REI cards (or amazon, etc...) and get the ENO UQ for less than $100 out of pocket. And if I don't like hanging I can return it.

If I buy one from a cottage vendor, which I admit to being philosophically inclined to do, I'm out of pocket for the full cost and I would not return it (although I could resell here for not much less than I spent if it only has a couple nights on it...)

I'm also eying trying out the hammock on our next trip in three weeks and I can get the ENO in time - but likely not a cottage made quilt in that time...

I still need to swap out the suspension as the stock suspension is pretty lousy - but that is a hopefully stock order from AHE for a set of whoopies, toggles and straps...

It is certainly intimidating and one thing ENO does is make it straightforward... mostly...

[cancell]

I can use a pad from my ground adventures but admit that I'm concerned about the experience - I have a single layer hammock and folks are pretty clear that a pad is a nuisance to keep positioned, to not have your shoulders/hips cold due to coverage, etc

I actually went and bought a sleeping pad from Walmart last night. Set up in the backyard for a test run overnight in low 40s temps, and it wasn't terrible. I have an ENO Singlenest and so it didn't have a lot of room to move around, but I can definitely testify to the whole "hips getting cold" thing. My feet got cold at one point, but I think that had more to do with hanging the head-end of my hammock too high and me sliding down during the night.

I think what I'm gonna do is just make educated purchases as I need them, trying the cheaper options first and then working my way up if need be. The way I figure, there's no sense in spending unnecessarily huge amounts of money if I don't need to, especially when better options can be DIY or found here, as many of you have suggested.

Maybe in a few months I'll come back to you guys with a solid set up!

[Flemeister]

I was just in your situation. I ended up ordering a Dream Hammock Freebird from Papa Smurf. Now I'm currently laying out in my eno on campus with for sale signs on it. The eno didn't fit with what I wanted to do with a hammock (camp AND lay around). The Freebird is light and smaller and works well for what I want.
I'm looking into a Arrowhead Equipment Toxaway tarp. I just picked up a new sleeping bag at an REI garage sale. I'm well on my way, one step at a time. I'm sure you'll figure out what you want to do/buy as well.

[SQWERL]

Get some reflectix and make a makeshift UQ or side protectors for now. And put a piece under your feet. It will help and then you also have a sit pad for camp.