first hanging experience

**lazyDonkey** · 06-26-2009, 13:45

Well being new to the forums and new to hammocking I figured I would share my first hanging experience. I was introduced to hammock camping from one of the guys I worked with. So after buying all of my ground gear last year, I waited and saved up some money to buy more gear. Why does that always seem to be the case.

Anyway, my first hang was last weekend. I had a 15 degree sleeping bag i used as a quilt and a close celled foam pad. I couldn't tell you how cold it was, but I was a bit chilly and woke up a couple of times with a few good cold spots. My buddy was in a tent and he said that he was a bit chilly too. And after reading all of the posts about staying warm in the mid 30's I was nervous for two reason, one I only set the hammock up twice without a tarp, and two I read all of these stories about cold spots without the correct gear. So I went out and bought some fleece pants and top. We got to camp and I set up the hammock with the over sized tarp cause it started to rain. Setting everything up went pretty well. But besides being a bit chilly over night, I am completely sold on hanging now.

So after my chilly experience, I decided that I am going to order up a under quilt. I ordered it I believe on a Sunday night and it got to me yesterday. Talk about great shipping and fast service. Thanks Jack's. And after ordering that up and finding out that it was coming the same week, I had to go out and buy a bunch of 4x4's to make a stand, to make up for the lack of trees in my yard. The stand was fairly easy to build, took me about 4 hours with a hand saw, none of these electric devices. And while I was researching hammock stands, I saw a few of you guys finished up the stand and it started to rain. Guess what, it happened to me the exact same way. But being determined to test out the JRB Nest, I still set up the hammock. Slept in it last night and so glad that I got the JRB. I slept with fleece bottoms and a fleece blanket and was fairly warm though out the night. It seems the more I use it the more things start to click and I figure out. So I am taking it that there is a nice learning curve to hanging. I guess I just have to get out even more now.

And hopefully in the next week or two I will start sewing a top quilt together. If I have enough money to get the material after paying all of my bills.

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**Cannibal** · 06-26-2009, 13:54

Sweet! Another mile high hanger.

Cold spots are a constant issue when you're just getting started. Excellent choice going to an underquilt.
What do you mean it rained? It doesn't do that here, haven't you heard about how it's so arid out here?

Let me know if you have any hammock issues and I'll be happy to meet up with you sometime. Or, if you want to try some different hammocks.

Welcome to the forums!

**cavscout** · 06-26-2009, 15:24

Nice setup.

Keep an eye on the "feet" of your hammock stand. Over time the swinging of the hammock could rip the bolts out of the horizontal beam (unless you through bolted them, unlike me

) At some point the stand will just start leaning....leaning...leaning....boom.

I ended up moving my feet out to the ends, mortising and bolting them to the verticals. This gives me a much more stable and secure base.

Of course, unless you have a bunch of kids using your stand as an extension of their swing set, yours may hold up just fine as is.

**Just Jeff** · 06-26-2009, 16:48

Good report...welcome to the forums! Colorado has some nice places to hang!

**HappyCamper** · 06-28-2009, 05:37

Originally Posted by lazyDonkey

It seems the more I use it the more things start to click and I figure out. So I am taking it that there is a nice learning curve to hanging. I guess I just have to get out even more now.

That's exactly how it works!

Originally Posted by lazyDonkey

And hopefully in the next week or two I will start sewing a top quilt together. If I have enough money to get the material after paying all of my bills.

It's when you stop paying your bills first that indicates an addict. Be careful!

The trail to addiction starts out so innocently with hammocks!

**lazyDonkey** · 06-30-2009, 13:24

Thanks eveyone for the warm welcome.

Cannibal, thanks for the offer to try out some different hammocks, I might try to take you up on that offer. Considering one of your other posts said that you had a dozen of your hanging at one time.

cavscout, I actually looked at your plans for the stand and worked my way off of them. I had the feet closer together and found it to be a little wobbly so I ended up moving them to the ends. I will have to bolt them to the horizontal beam, right now, I just screwed them in. So I will have to do something about that later on. But thanks for the advice. Good thing i don't have kids. haha

HappyCamper, hopefully I continue to pay the bills first and then gear second. I will keep you posted on that. But I do have a problem with gear. I just can't seem to get enough gear, hopefully the DIY top quilt doesn't suck me in too much, but I hear that's where it starts.