View Full Version : Tall Guy getting started
Hi all,
I've been backpacking for a while and after hearing my sister talk about her new ENO I've gotten pretty excited about the idea of leaving the ground on my trips. After doing some initial research I got pretty psyched about picking up a DoubleNest, I'm a tall guy (6'4", 175), and it seemed like the right choice. However I came over here to HF and it seems like the sentiment is pretty anti-ENO. Why is that? It is shorter than some other hammocks but also wider. Wouldn't this be better for lying at an angle?
I'm curious why you all aren't fans but I trust you. Where should I look next? Seems like Dutchware might be a good option. I'd love to hear all of your input. What should a tall thin guy get without breaking the bank. How about tarps and bugnets? Thanks!
Welcome from Florida!
You'll want an 11' hammock for your height. The ENO 's are too short for you. The "Double" label denotes a wider hammock (but not for 2 people).
SilvrSurfr
04-07-2015, 20:50
Shorter, heavier, overpriced, not a good value, deceptive advertising - they have no presence on HF because they're not marketing to people who research hammocks - they're preying on people who know absolutely nothing about hammocks. That's my short list on ENO.
Dutch hammocks are a great value, as is his Fronkey-style bugnet. The HH Hex or Kelty Noah 12 is a good budget tarp, but for a few bucks more you can get something lighter like the Warbonnet Edge.
Glad I found HF then. I'll look into Dutch. Any off the bat preference of PolyD over NylonD?
Polyester doesn't stretch as much as nylon. One is not better than the other. Some people like a soft mattress and others like a firm mattress. I would pick based on your mattress preference.
It's no big deal anyway as you'll end up owning several hammocks!
:D
SilvrSurfr
04-07-2015, 21:11
I'm a fan of polyester hammocks, my first was a BIAS Hiker Lite, then I made some polyester taffeta tablecloth hammocks, and now the Dutch PolyD 1.4 is my go-to hammock.
Great! Might have to order my PolyD this afternoon... Time to start researching suspension systems.
weaver2469
04-08-2015, 09:37
I will give you the standard new guy welcome. If you haven't already, watch the 10 part series on hammock hanging by Shug Emery. Well worth your time and pretty entertaining. Here is a link to the first one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7NZVqpBUV0
Those videos answered questions I didn't even know I had, thanks!
I own a Dutch Argon and Poly D hammock. I actually prefer the argon material better. The poly has no stretch which seemed to make it easier for my top quilt to keep sliding out and the static is more than the argon. Just my two cents. Definitely want to stick with an 11' hammock. I am 6'2" @210 lbs and love the 11'.
pulsemod
04-10-2015, 09:31
However I came over here to HF and it seems like the sentiment is pretty anti-ENO. Why is that?
Most of it has to do with tribal alliances towards the locals. The rest has to do with the R and D the locals have done over the years. Bottom live, the locals have far more evolved designs. ENO always was and still is more of a "put it out there" corporate product whereas the local's designs evolved out of the needs/ideas/field-demands of the "grass roots" so to speak.
yeah there isnt really a hate on ENOs but more a favouring of the alternatives
in the same way everyone seems to hate on walmart but everyone goes...
albertoes
04-11-2015, 09:40
So, this thread has been of great interest to your's truly. Like the poster, I'm tall (6'6") and ~210# and have always used Nylon hammocks, assuming, incorrectly I see now, that the biggest difference in materials was about strength, weight, durability, and not strechy-ness or comfort. Boy was I under-informed. So, a little history: about 5-6 years ago, before the XLC, Brandon was kind enough to make a Traveler for me, but after recently measuring it's overall length and ridge line length, I discovered that it is way too short for a tall guy, so I ordered an XLC a couple weeks ago (still awaiting, sadly but patiently :_( hoping for a hammock with greater comfort due to the extra length and foot box. (I never have slept well in the Traveler, feeling too cramped, and to my back it definitely feels "saggy" and in need of more support). Anyway, reading the comparisons folks made to mattress firmness vs materials, and as one who likes/needs an extra firm mattress, I'm now wondering if I should try out the PolyD material for a hammock.
So, what thinks you's? Does the lesser give of the PolyD compare to a firmer mattress for those that need the extra support, or am I hoping for too much?
Thanks for your input, and if this should be a new thread, please let me know.
Albertoe
Another tall guy here, 6'10", My Hammock is 11.75 feet or so? I got 4 yards of JoAnns ripstop to make mine then I rolled the edges for a hem. I like the extra length. I would like to try a wider hammock though. I think I'm gonna do a XL table cloth hammock next, there 132x90, so not as long as id like but alot wider.
Another tall guy here, 6'10", My Hammock is 11.75 feet or so? I got 4 yards of JoAnns ripstop to make mine then I rolled the edges for a hem. I like the extra length. I would like to try a wider hammock though. I think I'm gonna do a XL table cloth hammock next, there 132x90, so not as long as id like but alot wider.
What do you do for a tarp? Not many of the standard hammock tarps will cover a hammock almost 12' long...
albertoes
05-15-2015, 11:22
Bigguy,
where will you obtain your material, and what will you use (i.e. Joann's and ripstop? 1.7? 1.1? etc)? 132 x 90 would allow for a fantastic diagonal lay, which I find to be the most beneficial.
thanks!
What do you do for a tarp? Not many of the standard hammock tarps will cover a hammock almost 12' long...
I'm not nearly as tall as big guy (it's not often I feel like I could fit inside someone's pocket), but at 6'5", I have three tarps that works perfectly with my 12' X 72" hammock, each with a 12' RL. The first is a SLD Winter Haven (my favoritest tarp ever), a Wilderness Logics OMW, and a sub-$100 Aqua Quest tarp that I found on Amazon that has really outperformed my expectations. With that said, I've successfully used my 12' hammock under a WB Superfly, too.
I just went back and checked, and that Aqua Quest is actually 13 X 10.
Remember that a 12' hammock will have about a 10' RL, so that's why even a WBSF will cover it. But a tarp with a 12' RL is a little better in storms and for moving around under, especially if the tarp doesn't have doors.
What do you do for a tarp? Not many of the standard hammock tarps will cover a hammock almost 12' long...
I currently just have a DIY asym. Blue tarp, that just barley covers it, but I haven't done an overnight stay at all. I plan on doing a DIY Gear Supply Hex tarp in a few weeks, and I'm gonna make it with a 12' ridge line
Bigguy,
where will you obtain your material, and what will you use (i.e. Joann's and ripstop? 1.7? 1.1? etc)? 132 x 90 would allow for a fantastic diagonal lay, which I find to be the most beneficial.
thanks!
https://diygearsupply.com/product/tablecloth-hammock-blank-xl/
I would like to try a WBBB XLC some time in the future, but its down the list.
publicalias
05-15-2015, 13:38
I currently just have a DIY asym. Blue tarp, that just barley covers it, but I haven't done an overnight stay at all. I plan on doing a DIY Gear Supply Hex tarp in a few weeks, and I'm gonna make it with a 12' ridge line
https://diygearsupply.com/product/tablecloth-hammock-blank-xl/
I would like to try a WBBB XLC some time in the future, but its down the list.
FYI, a budget friendly Kelty Noah's tarp 12x12 has a reduced price right now.
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=110036
FYI, a budget friendly Kelty Noah's tarp 12x12 has a reduced price right now.
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=110036
Great tarp, which I also have, but since it's dramatically cat cut, the RL ends up quite a bit less than 12'. Just something to keep in mind. It's still longer than the WBSF, and at <$60, it's a fantastic deal.
$w1n6-5h!ft
05-15-2015, 14:35
Just my two cents on ENO,.. and hammock length. I used an ENO double for years, decided to pick up another and went with simplicity, I picked up a one link system. (hammock, tarp, suspension, bug-net, carabiners, all in one package. Shortly after putting up my new system for a few nights sleep in the Eugene Oregon weather I noticed that the stitching at either end of the hammock near the gathered ends was pulling through the fabric. This surprised me a bit because my old hammock was still going strong. I returned the hammock for another one and the same thing happened. upon inspection it appears my old hammock (picked up some 12 years ago) was made of a thicker, more durable fabric than this new hammock. So I swapped it back out for a Kammock Roo because of a higher weight ratting (I weigh in at about 345 lbs) It's only 6 inches longer and slightly more narrow than the ENO double, but when I lay down on the asym it feels quite a bit more roomy. I can only assume that an 11' hammock would be even more spacious.