Hello everyone, I'm a relatively new hanger from Vancouver, WA; which is just north of Portland, OR. Last Christmas my wife got me a Grand Trunk single hammock. Not terribly sexy by this forum's standards, but it's been enough to get me hooked on using a hammock.

Over the last year I've used it off an on both in the back yard and on backpacking trips. It's taken some getting used to, but I'm now a convert. While I won't say that I'm extremely comfortable in the hammock (I don't generally sleep on my back), I am definitely more comfortable than I am on the ground; and more importantly, my sleeping arrangements and comfort level are consistent. I like that a lot.

I think I'm going to try building a simple gathered end hammock with the stretch-side hammock mod I found from YouTube - I think the poster is on the Hammock Forums as "Knotty."

Right now I use a simple, cheap closed cell foam as under insulation and either an unzipped sleeping bag or simple down comforter on top insulation.

I have a tarp that I had made from Bear Paw Wilderness Designs. I like it quite a bit and it's made the transition very well from bivy to hammock.

I'm glad to be here.