Warm/Hot Weather Hammock?

[Davexx1]

Hi All

First time poster Dave from Central Florida writing. I have no experience with hammocks, but would like to learn and enjoy the experience.

I am 60, 5' 10", 175 lbs, average build, etc. and love the outdoors. Temps here range from mid-70's at night to high 90's during the daytime. We have lots of big mosquitos and no seeums. What are some good choices of hammocks for comfort in very warm weather, biting insect protection, etc.?

Found this one via an Internet search: http://www.hammocks.com/hammocks/fab...sonhammock.cfm

I am a stomach/side sleeper, do move around during the night, and am wondering about trying to sleep in the inverted arc position. Is that difficult to get used to? Having a large hammock with room to move about would be probably be nice. Weight and bulk is not a concern. A good rain cover would be a necessity.

In warm weather, do I need any kind of bottom pad for inside the hammock? Do bottom pads provide a flatter surface to sleep on and prevent the hammock from pulling up tight around the sides of your body?

We have some big mosquitos here. Some have a leg span that can easily cover a quarter. They can bite thru your clothes and hurt when they bite. Can mosquitos bite thru the hammock material that is pulled tight against your skin?

Thanks for any helpful hints and information.

Dave

[Just Jeff]

When you lay in a hammock correctly, you're not in an inverted arc position. Depending on the model and how you set it up, you're almost flat. It's difficult to sleep on your stomach in most models, but many stomach sleepers (including me) find that sleeping on our backs is very comfortable in a hammock and it isn't an issue. Side sleeping is pretty easy in most camping hammocks...helps to have a pillow (or clothes in a stuff sack) between the knees though.

Re: mosquitos, kinda depends on where you live. Some models are marketed as skeeter-proof but Florida skeeters can bite thru them anyway. If you're not opposed to chemical, spray permethrin on your hammock and you'll be good to go. Otherwise, just hang an undercover under your hammock.

Not many people here have used that particular model, but for the same price range there are several models that users rave about. Check out at least these models before you buy - JRB Bear Mountain Bridge, Warbonnet Blackbird, Speer Hammocks, Hennessy Hammocks. The first three are made in America if that's important to you, and they're also made by members of this forum so your customer service will be top-notch. The last one is a popular model as well.

You can probably save some money by buying a used from someone here...then you can try a few models and find out what you really want.

[Ramblinrev]

Found this one via an Internet search: http://www.hammocks.com/hammocks/fab...sonhammock.cfm

Maybe it is just me... but I would be very worried about the hammock unit becoming unattached to the arc poles. Then where would I end up? The idea of being able to go to ground easily is most likely aimed at the tent camper who doesn't want to embrace the hanging lifestyle. For my money, I would go with the proven technology of the Bear Mountain Bridge hammock over something thiat. Or jump on the DIY band wagon and become a disciple of Grizz and the other bridge gurus on the forums.

The bridge design is a very viable option but that design has me scratching my head.

Skeeter issues can be dealt with in a variety of ways including sprays and/or double layers.

The inverted arc as you called it is not really a problem if you sleep diagonally in the hammock as most gathered end camping hammocks are designed to allow.

[gRaFFiX]

Very cool design, but too heavy for me. Always like to see different hammocks to feed the obsessio.... I meen gain perspective...... yeah thats what I meant....

[Just Jeff]

Rev - that model is similar to the Crazy Creek brand and I never saw any chance of poles becoming detached while I was in it. Actually, I think poles like that would be awesome on a Bridge hammock.

The problem with the Crazy Creek, and I suspect with the Blue Ridge, is that it isn't cut like a Bridge so I could never actually get flat in it without the Downmat 7 in it. It was very comfortable (even stomach sleeping) with that 3" inflatable pad but I didn't want to take that on every backpacking trip.

And to answer the original question about pads, it depends on what kind of pad you want. Wide and thick pads do open the hammock up more and can make it more comfortable...lots of folks use insulated inflatables for that. Normal camping pads (like the closed-cell foam pads at Walmart) don't really help much with that, and I think it'll be uncomfortable in the Florida heat to lay on a sticky pad like that. If you're trying to stay cool in the heat, I'd recommend staying away from pads.

Below ~70F you'll want some kind of insulation under you...ranging from a layer of sleeping bag to normal camping pads to expensive (and comfortable) underquilts designed just for that purpose.

Some of the info here might prove useful to you:
http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCamping.html

[Ramblinrev]

I misunderstood the suspension arrangement of that hammock. I might be convinced to try it out if I had the scratch for it. But as it is... I would still opt for a more traditional design. Those Byer type suspension strings look like a tangle fest waiting to materialize.

[Just Jeff]

Yeah - no argument on that. The Crazy Creek didn't have those.

[Ramblinrev]

I think poles like that would be awesome on a Bridge hammock.

Now that I understand what their purpose is I am thinking my wife would really like that too on her bridge. I'm going to play.

Pan... Smee... Grizz... anything I should about that before I too deep into the sand trap?

[Just Jeff]

The ones on the Crazy Creek were metal...probably aluminum if you look it up. They flexed a bit when weighted but overall they were pretty strong, and pre-curved to fit the hammock. I wouldn't try to use flexible tent poles. Actually, might be worth calling Crazy Creek and ordering a pair of poles, then building your hammock around that.

[Ramblinrev]

I wouldn't try to use flexible tent poles.

Why do you say that? My first impulse was to grab a set lying around... but I'm not sure they bend enough over a short enough distance for what I have.