Wrestling the Alligator

[dloop]

First time poster, long time lurker.

I've learned a lot from this forum and wanted to first thank you for helping me find a more comfortable way to sleep while camping.

My wife and I recently completed our first kayak camping trip with HH hammocks. All in all I would call it a great success and a lot of fun. We had a few issues, but really just a few that we still need your help on.

Hammocks? For me I got a HH deluxe and my wife got an HH asym. We already had BA bags and insulated BA pads that slide into the bag sleeves and we wanted to use them.

Before the trip I was able to mod the hammocks to add straps and SMC ring setups following the great information here.

Where we camp--on the water--it can easily get down into the 40's at night. The BA bags and pads have been really comfortable (warm) so we wanted to use these with the hammocks. But we found it is REALLY cumbersome getting into the HH, with the bag and the pad. Hence..."wrestling the alligator" as my wife called it.

Once we got settled, centered, and all zipped up in the hammock it was heavenly. It is just too difficult getting in and all squared away.

Are other hammocks that are not bottom-entry (HH) easier to use a BA bag and BA pad with?

The only other issue was loosening the straps from the SMC rings at take down time. Maybe a biner would make this easier?

Thanks!!

dloop

[gargoyle]

Nice location, swaying in the breeze, waves crashing.....zzzzzzz.
The pad wrestling for me was solved with a double layer diy hammock. I don't have any experience with the bottom entry hammock. A underquilt might be a better solution vs. the pad?

[ikemouser]

yea man, i have a ba pitch pine and ba insulated air core pad as well, in addition i have a wbbb and its really easy for me beacuse of the double layer pad pocket on the black bird. I often use my ba pitch pine with a ridgecrest pad, or sometimes use the air pad inside the back pocket on the bag, either way, its easy with a side entry hammock. sorry bro, dont know any easy ways 2 get into a bottom entry.

[HappyCamper]

Stop wrestling those alligators with 2Q&ZQ's wonderful zipper mods.

[Beast 71]

What does the BA stand for as in BA bag ang BA pad? Big Agnes?

[Peter_pan]

Try insulating the bottom... then switch to using your bags as a quilt or switch to top quilts... problem solved....

Also known as "gator gone".

Pan

[Ramblinrev]

I and a number of others are advocates of the HH Super Shelter for bottom side insulation. I haven't wrestled an alligator since and I've been down to single digits.

[MacEntyre]

+1 for the2Q/ZQ #2 Bugnet zipper mod
+1 for the HH SuperShelter
-1 for sleeping bags

- MacEntyre

[Roadtorque]

First time poster, long time lurker.

I've learned a lot from this forum and wanted to first thank you for helping me find a more comfortable way to sleep while camping.

My wife and I recently completed our first kayak camping trip with HH hammocks. All in all I would call it a great success and a lot of fun. We had a few issues, but really just a few that we still need your help on.

Hammocks? For me I got a HH deluxe and my wife got an HH asym. We already had BA bags and insulated BA pads that slide into the bag sleeves and we wanted to use them.

Before the trip I was able to mod the hammocks to add straps and SMC ring setups following the great information here.

Where we camp--on the water--it can easily get down into the 40's at night. The BA bags and pads have been really comfortable (warm) so we wanted to use these with the hammocks. But we found it is REALLY cumbersome getting into the HH, with the bag and the pad. Hence..."wrestling the alligator" as my wife called it.

Once we got settled, centered, and all zipped up in the hammock it was heavenly. It is just too difficult getting in and all squared away.

Are other hammocks that are not bottom-entry (HH) easier to use a BA bag and BA pad with?

The only other issue was loosening the straps from the SMC rings at take down time. Maybe a biner would make this easier?

Thanks!!

dloop

Like others, I use a BA bag with a pad (REI pad) in my JRB BMBH. It works great. The pad goes in the hammock's pad pocket. The sleeping bag lays in the hammock. I flip the topside backwards (like getting in a bag on the ground) sit down in the middle, pull my feet in and zip the bag up. Your problems stem your bottom entry hammock. Like happycamper said, if you get the zipper mod that should take care of your problem. The BA bag/pad combo keeps you from sliding off your pad at night. It works well...but not with an HH bottom entry

What does the BA stand for as in BA bag ang BA pad? Big Agnes?

yes BA is short for Big Agnes the brand

[Roadtorque]

+1 for the2Q/ZQ #2 Bugnet zipper mod
+1 for the HH SuperShelter
-1 for sleeping bags
- MacEntyre

How do you see yourself as a negative/bad thing