A Photo History of my Camping Hammocks

[OutandBack]

To celebrate the new camping hammocks folder in the Hammock Camping forum I'd like to share some photos of my favorite camping hammocks.

This was my first real camping hammock a Limited Edition in Black WBBB.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8444/7994514424_64b6765602.jpg

My second camping hammock is a Tree to Tree Trail Gear Switchback.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8047/8100076804_c5ae6228cd.jpg

Wanting a netless hammock I picked up a Wilderness Logic Snipe

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8317/8027052573_3c468ac107.jpg

Then I wanted a covered hammock for winter hanging. This is a custom Dream Hammock called a Winter Gnome

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8368/8389784823_3e235ae300.jpg

And Last but not least I always wanted to try a Bridge Hammock. This is a JacksorBetter Bear Mtn Bridge UL with a modified Warbonnet Sock.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2837/12660358604_4b5d319283.jpg

[videus]

Great photos, thanks for sharing. The obvious question is, which do you like the best?

[GoatHanger]

Nice hammocks you have there, and in some beautiful settings.

I'm jealous of that spindrift sock. What modifications were made to it for the BMBH?

[OutandBack]

Great photos, thanks for sharing. The obvious question is, which do you like the best?
Hi videus, Welcome to the forum. I actually don't have one hammock that rules them all.
Each has its own unique features that make it special for a certain time of year or weather conditions.


Nice hammocks you have there, and in some beautiful settings.

I'm jealous of that spindrift sock. What modifications were made to it for the BMBH?

Hi GoatHanger, Colorado is a wonderful place to hang a hammock.
The mod was not that hard. Next to the 4 Eyelets for the amsteel suspension lines I cut and reinforced 1" slits.

[GoatHanger]

Ahh, cool. That sounds fairly painless.

Do you have any condensation issues with it, or is venting by unzipping a little enough to prevent most of the condensation?

I don't mean to throw your thread off track by getting too far into condensation talk. I have just been considering this spindrift more and more recently, so it's nice to ask questions directly to an experienced cold weather hanger that owns one.

[12trysomething]

Very nice to see the progression, collection, obsession! Thanks for sharing and inspiring...I may pull together mine and follow your lead.

[GoatHanger]

Obsession is definitely the right word! I have several hammocks as well, but not as much experience yet as most of the guys here. It sure is fun!

[OutandBack]

Ahh, cool. That sounds fairly painless.

Do you have any condensation issues with it, or is venting by unzipping a little enough to prevent most of the condensation?

I don't mean to throw your thread off track by getting too far into condensation talk. I have just been considering this spindrift more and more recently, so it's nice to ask questions directly to an experienced cold weather hanger that owns one.

No problem I don't mind questions. The post was really just to celebrate the new folder in Hammock Camping Forums.

IMO the spindrift is the best designed socks out there but it does have ventilation/condensation issues.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7408/12294456796_0bc8e9f5e5.jpg

You have to sleep with the flap open when conditions are right for condensation. A head and foot vent would really help when temps hit <32F

I have a hammock test lab setup on my deck and sleep 1-2 nites a week out there year round.

Here's what I'm test right now.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7560/16119875091_8904eda549.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7542/15935724709_27266af0a8.jpg

[OutandBack]

Very nice to see the progression, collection, obsession! Thanks for sharing and inspiring...I may pull together mine and follow your lead.

Heah 1 2, I would love to see your collection. Collecting hammocks is fun and I it is really nice to have a choice for different weather conditions.

[GoatHanger]

Thanks, that's what I assumed. I guess a frost bib or similar is still in order when using a sock.

My personal low temp is only 22°F so far. I didn't use a sock or bib, so there was a bit of frost on my TQ when I woke up. Didn't use a tarp that night.

What exactly is that you're testing now? Is that the elusive and mysterious 2QZQ prototype sock you've mentioned working on before?

[JSH]

Thanks for sharing your hammocks. There is a wealth of information in your examples.

I noticed the height you were hanging just now scrolling through your examples. Bet that helps when you need to drop your tarp low for wind or colder conditions plus you just look comfortable drinking coffee from your hammock in your first hammock.

Threads like these are good teaching tools. Appreciate you sharing.

[OutandBack]

Thanks, that's what I assumed. I guess a frost bib or similar is still in order when using a sock.

My personal low temp is only 22°F so far. I didn't use a sock or bib, so there was a bit of frost on my TQ when I woke up. Didn't use a tarp that night.

What exactly is that you're testing now? Is that the elusive and mysterious 2QZQ prototype sock you've mentioned working on before?

22F and cooler is where the fun begins, you will love it.
Hammock camping below freezing is a whole different world and controlling your breath and perspiration (sweating, transpiration, or diaphoresis) is the challenge.

Here's my best. Colorado doesn't really get much colder than this.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8501/8381720436_873659dbb9_m.jpg

I'm testing and XLC with winter cover.


Thanks for sharing your hammocks. There is a wealth of information in your examples.

I noticed the height you were hanging just now scrolling through your examples. Bet that helps when you need to drop your tarp low for wind or colder conditions plus you just look comfortable drinking coffee from your hammock in your first hammock.

Threads like these are good teaching tools. Appreciate you sharing.

Hi JSH,
Thank you. Funny you should mention the coffee.
Now that I am retired I live such a simple life. Many of my hammock camping trips have one goal.
Catch the sun rise with a hot cup of coffee from the hammock. Pack up and go home.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5506/11635453833_f77213e2f1_n.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/11635201965_689eb96707.jpg

[GoatHanger]

Well, I am looking forward to lower temps. So far, any time I've hung 32°F or lower, I didn't use a tarp but once. I didn't have much condensation that time... I think it was 26°F that night.

I'd like to experiment with a sock. It's funny though, that my reason to want to try it is to raise the temp of where I sleep a few degrees, but to deal with condensation you have to vent... which lets the heat out.

Tricky business!

[OutandBack]

Well, I am looking forward to lower temps. So far, any time I've hung 32°F or lower, I didn't use a tarp but once. I didn't have much condensation that time... I think it was 26°F that night.

I'd like to experiment with a sock. It's funny though, that my reason to want to try it is to raise the temp of where I sleep a few degrees, but to deal with condensation you have to vent... which lets the heat out.

Tricky business!

Yes it is and the colder it gets the more you have to vent so it kind of defeats the purpose.
However there are many other reasons to use a sock.
Even with a large vent you still get a lot of wind protection.
All the stuff you bring into the hammock stays there or at least its somewhere within the sock and has not fell on the ground where the wind blows it away.
You get the splash protection like an UQP. Ever try to keep a TQ and or pillow in an open(netless) hammock without being in the hammock to keep it there?
Everything falls out of an open hammock when you get out to water the trees.

The two times you can close the sock up pretty tight is in high winds.
Which is nice if you get blowing snow that whips around in all directions making your tarp useless.
Or Spring/Fall winds above 50F.



There is a learning curve to using a sock properly and it is not intuitive.

[GoatHanger]

Yes it is and the colder it gets the more you have to vent so it kind of defeats the purpose.
However there are many other reasons to use a sock.
Even with a large vent you still get a lot of wind protection.
All the stuff you bring into the hammock stays there or at least its somewhere within the sock and has not fell on the ground where the wind blows it away.

The one time you can close the sock up pretty tight is in high winds. Which is nice if you get blowing snow that whips around in all directions making your tarp useless.

There is a learning curve to using a sock properly and it is not intuitive.
Thank you for those tips. I have used my UQP to help break the wind (no pun intended), and it did help to keep the warmth in my UQ, as opposed to being blown out of it. I can imagine a full sock is far better at it.

Congratulate yourself on helping me to spend more money... I think I'm off to order a Spindrift now. The other incentive is the bridge speed hooks I just got. Now it will be quicker and easier to get the sock on and off.

EDIT: Yep. Just ordered a double door sock and a pole tip set for my RR :thumbup:

[gargoyle]

Only 5 hammocks? :rolleyes:

[OutandBack]

Only 5 hammocks? :rolleyes:
Counted 6 with the new XLC but I have not been at this as long as you. :cool:

[JSH]

Hi JSH,
Thank you. Funny you should mention the coffee.
Now that I am retired I live such a simple life. Many of my hammock camping trips have one goal.
Catch the sun rise with a hot cup of coffee from the hammock. Pack up and go home.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5506/11635453833_f77213e2f1_n.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/11635201965_689eb96707.jpg[/QUOTE]

I'm heading to the Blue Ridge in the morning. Getting there between weather systems. Might be a bit of snow on the ground. Hope I'll squeeze in a sunset like the one you shared. I'll have hot coffee though. Not sure why it tastes so good in the woods.

Thanks for posting the pictures. Good reminders of what is waiting.

[OutandBack]

I'm heading to the Blue Ridge in the morning. Getting there between weather systems. Might be a bit of snow on the ground. Hope I'll squeeze in a sunset like the one you shared. I'll have hot coffee though. Not sure why it tastes so good in the woods.
Thanks for posting the pictures. Good reminders of what is waiting.
Have a great time and don't forget your camera or the hot waterbottle trick.
I would love to see a trip report on your return.

[sloth69mustang]

My hammock collection grows every year as well. you can never have too many hammocks :cool:

[AUTiger]

I have 3 and I don't think I'll slow down anytime soon. I have a Grand Trunk SBH-Pro, a DIY 1.9 with whoopies and a scavenged bugnet from my other RIP'd (see what I did there?) GT SBH-Pro, and a DIY 1.0 HyperD w/ whoopies. The latter one weighs about 17oz w/ tree straps and toggles.

I absolutely love hammock camping/backpacking. My hammock setup for "winter" camping weighs about 6.75lbs... that includes a 45oz sleeping bag and my AHE UQ (30oz). :) In the summer I will trade up for my 1.9 and bugnet, asym tarp and SOL Escape Bivvy.

[Mouseskowitz]

Nice setups! One of these days I want to play around with a bridge but haven't found the time or money yet. I'm also still trying to master the winter moisture issue.

My wife and I started out with these monsters, double layer upholstery fabric.
99672

Then we made me a 10' double layer 1.5 oz ACU.
99670

My wife's second one doesn't justify a picture, it was a scrap bin piece of 1.9 that wasn't that great. Her third one she loves, it's a 10' 1.9.
99669

I still haven't hung my third one up. It's a 12' 1.4 oz PolyD. I need to get a hammock stand built so I can get the sag dialed in inside. I don't mind sleeping outside when it's cold, -3° at the moment, but playing around with ridge lines and such isn't much fun.
99671

[OutandBack]

Nice report Mouseskowitz thanks for sharing your collection. That PolyD looks pretty cool.

[cougarmeat]

I ordered my WBRR sock with the following modifications - two zippers (one on each side) and internal D-rings. Because the sock is tapered for the RR, there is a definite head and foot end. With the standard zipper on one side, you may be in a situation where you want to face one way for a view, but enter/exit from the side opposite the standard zipper opening. With the RR, in order to put the sock on, you have to disassemble the suspension up the the apex connection, run the lines through the sock and reconnect them. So one doesn't want to have to take it on/off very often. with both zippers open it is almost like not there for summer use. But then the bungee on the built-in bug net has no where to go. By putting small D-rings inside the sock at the top ends, I can connect the bug net to them. The cost of those mods, requested when I ordered the sock, was very small, especially when I consider the number of years I plan to use it.

Double zippers are not required on the gathered end (Traveler) sock because unlike the RR sock, the Traveler sock can be put on to open on either side. But it is made for a hammock shorter than 11 ft So I add 2QZQ extensions - though that gets spendy. Maybe better to find a sock already designed for 11 ft.

[VATriker]

O&B,
I am really interested in how you modified the warbonnet sock to work with the BMBH. Can you discuss that and/or show some photos of the mods you made? It looks like you use amsteel for the suspension triangle on one end and the stock straps that came with the BMBH on the other end. Is that correct? Also, did you have to shorten the foot end spreader bars to fit the sock? Thanks!

[OutandBack]

O&B,
I am really interested in how you modified the warbonnet sock to work with the BMBH. Can you discuss that and/or show some photos of the mods you made? Thanks!

Sure it really is very simple. I can't sew so if you can that would be a big plus.
Basicly the four corner straps have to exit the sock. So I just took that measurement and cut 4
1" slits using a soldering iron and using 100% silicone adhesive I glued some cordura reinforcement patches on the inside where the poles would rub on the sock material.
It's very crude but works quite will. I am not a very good DIY kind of guys so I didn't take many picts of this project.

Here's the best pict I've got. hth

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/12294055613_5908aa9d52_z.jpg

EDIT: One last thing. This bridge hammocks strap triangles use steel rings at the peak where the two come together and they are not removable.
So I dremeled them off and use 2 AL climbing biners.

[Frank1960]

The sock looks interesting how much condensation do you get in it at night?

[OutandBack]

The sock looks interesting how much condensation do you get in it at night?

The trick with socks and condensation is proper venting for a given temp.
When it gets really cold you have to do even more like find a way to trap the moisture in your breath.

A spin off of shugs breath catching bib I am experimenting right now with American Indian Shemagh's made from different materials.

Time stamp 4:20 for the tying method I am testing right now.

http://youtu.be/pi_-6kI5Bzw

hth

[Frank1960]

The trick with socks and condensation is proper venting for a given temp.
When it gets really cold you have to do even more like find a way to trap the moisture in your breath.

A spin off of shugs breath catching bib I am experimenting right now with American Indian Shemagh's made from different materials.

Time stamp 4:20 for the tying method I am testing right now.

http://youtu.be/pi_-6kI5Bzw

hth

Could be a good winter wrap also unfortunately I wear glasses so that wouldn't work but for sleeping looks like it would be warm ya might end up with ice buildup on the outside though

[OutandBack]

Could be a good winter wrap also unfortunately I wear glasses so that wouldn't work but for sleeping looks like it would be warm ya might end up with ice buildup on the outside though
Yep the goal is to keep the ice off your TQ and the inside of your sock. You just carefully shake off the ice from the Shemagh.

[Tom18C]

Nice to see the evolution

[philbio75]

Great looking hammocks!
Every time I come to HF I see or read about another piece of gear I have to have!!

[ps22285]

Sweet setups and beautiful locations!

[Big_Country]

Nice gear. The bridge looks awesome.

Cheers

[peterhase]

Nice collection, OutandBack! Very jealous :)