Aussie thinking about going hammock!

Hi guy - I've been directed to this forum from another forum is frequent so here goes - I'm looking to convert my camping experience to hammocks and have read some articles already that have been helpful. I've even given the hammock thing a go with a crappy net hammock I got on the cheap. I wasn't game enough to try sleeping in it though because of the cold.

So far I'm thinking of getting a ENO and DIYing a bug net or a Warbonnet. It's irritating though that no-one stocks such things here in Oz! I've done some asking around in Melbourne and a few camping places knew what I was talking about but don't sell the products.

There are a couple of things holding me back though:

South Eastern bushland - our forrests aren't set out like beautifully arranged pine. How easy will it be to find suitable spots to set up? I'm also concerned about Widow Makers literally crashing my party and either tearing a hole in my stuff or in me! I need to know where I can camp safely.

Temperature - how much colder will it be with less insulation. I can currently camp fairly comfortably in my salewa tent and snugpak sleeping bag down to around 0 celcius. What can I expect?

Welcome to the forum. First you might want to have a look at Just Jeff's site " To the woods". It gives allot of info for people new to hanging. Also along the same line is Shugs series of ten video's on all things hammocking. You can find them on youtube or at the top of the HF window .As far as tree's to hang in that's hard for me to say as i live in Canada but there are more than a few folks in Oz who hang who could direct you to some good hanging spots but in general where ever there are tree's you can hang. As far as keeping warm in a hammock the general rule is once the temp drops below 70 degrees F then you need something underneath you whether that be a camping pad or an under quilt. Best to have a look at the two sites above and you'll get a better idea of things.

You can order the hammocks like warbonnet blackbird, tree to tree trailgear switchbacks or the claytor jungle hammock as they shipped internationally.. In fact most do.. I got a ticket to the moon hammock (which is similar to the eno) and they're great & large too!
I believe ddhammocks should be available in Aussie so you may want to check out the ddhammock sub forums!

You can find their store URL in the vendors section!

Hey, welcome! There are a few Aussie hangers around, maybe a few melbournians other than me also!

Widow Makers, drop bears etc: look up! Camp before it gets dark and scope out the stuff hanging above you.

It isn't really "less insulation" - you don't have the steam effect of the tent in a hammock, keeping you drier and thus, warmer.

There are crazy guys who sleep out in the Below-Freezing snowy winters of the Northern Hempisphere, so you should be fine for insulation anywhere you go. A pad that you've already got works for under-insulation, but it does require a little fiddling to keep your shoulders warm, but there are options out there. Your sleeping bag will carry over to the hammock also.

As for purchasing- well, now is the time to buy, with the US dollar shot and the Aussie dollar riding high at about 93 cents to the US dollar. (Of course paypal etc don't pass on the full value to you, but it's better than 50 cents to the dollar!) Shipping seems to work well, though of course at the moment the volcanic ash might be affecting airmail. I've bought stuff from the JacksRBetter (underquilt) and MacCat (tarp) and my hammock is spotlight (Bayswater) blue ripstop.

Another Aussie specific note, the forums here seem to get really exciting over their winter (our summer) when they can't be out hiking as much, and when we're bored over winter they're all out hiking and not on the forum. :lol:

Oh and the easy way to do temperature conversions is to type into Google: "70F to C" or "10C to F" (no quotes) because they have this weird non metric way of measuring temperature over there :tongueup:

again, Welcome!

TH

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Originally Posted by HandOfCod

Hi guy - I've been directed to this forum from another forum is frequent so here goes - I'm looking to convert my camping experience to hammocks and have read some articles already that have been helpful. I've even given the hammock thing a go with a crappy net hammock I got on the cheap. I wasn't game enough to try sleeping in it though because of the cold.

So far I'm thinking of getting a ENO and DIYing a bug net or a Warbonnet. It's irritating though that no-one stocks such things here in Oz! I've done some asking around in Melbourne and a few camping places knew what I was talking about but don't sell the products.

There are a couple of things holding me back though:

South Eastern bushland - our forrests aren't set out like beautifully arranged pine. How easy will it be to find suitable spots to set up? I'm also concerned about Widow Makers literally crashing my party and either tearing a hole in my stuff or in me! I need to know where I can camp safely.

Temperature - how much colder will it be with less insulation. I can currently camp fairly comfortably in my salewa tent and snugpak sleeping bag down to around 0 celcius. What can I expect?

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Hey Mate,

Good to see another Aussie taking up hammocking. I am only new to it myself so I am not expert.

I live in the Blue Mountains and have never had a problem with trees. As long as you have a decent length of suspension ( i have about 12 foot each side of my hammock which has been fine) you shouldn't struggle to find trees. Alot of the hammocks can be set up on the ground so If you start with a ccf pad you can ground camp (god forbid haha) if you have too. Even small tress and support you in a hammock so you don't always need massive ones to hang.
I recently did a hike where everyone else was in tenets and camping in a grassy field. here was a picnic shelter in the middle so i hung from the supports without a problem.


I have a Claytpor jungle hammock ( about $170 AUD including Tarp and shipping and it came within 10 days!!) Great hammock lots of space. I am 6'1 and can completely stretch out and even extend my arms a fair way. I changed out the webbing to AHE cinch buckles and webbing. Quicker to set up and gave longer webbing straps to the stock suspension. If I had my time again i would probably get a wbbb. Those things are pretty slick and the internal pocket makes me very jelous. wbbb are more expensive than the claytor and you need to pay shipping too. It really depends on your budget and features you want.

Have a chat to Jeff at amtc gear. ( he is a forum member also) He is looking to ship some claytors and wbbb's into Aus and maybe able to sort some out for you.

Widow makers: Just look above and don't camp under dead branches or if you do try not to think about it!!

As well as a ccf pad you can use car windshield protectors to help too for insulation. JRB make great UQ's I have a Summerquilt which goes down to about 4 -7C.


Let me know if you have any more Aussie Q's


Dave

TH:
There are some of us here in the states that are not metrically challenged!!!!!!:eek::lol::shades:

Easiest way to remember SAE to Metric conversions is this:

Temp: roughly 1.8*F = 1*C

Distance: 1 inch = 25.4mm
3.28 ft = 1 meter

Fluid: 1 gallon = 3.8 litres

these are values that can be used to "ballpark" a conversion. I hope this helps all of the metrically challenged people here in the states.:lol::eek:

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Originally Posted by bigbamaguy

TH:
There are some of us here in the states that are not metrically challenged!!!!!!:eek::lol::shades:

Easiest way to remember SAE to Metric conversions is this:

Temp: roughly 1.8*F = 1*C

Distance: 1 inch = 25.4mm
3.28 ft = 1 meter

Fluid: 1 gallon = 3.8 litres

these are values that can be used to "ballpark" a conversion. I hope this helps all of the metrically challenged people here in the states.:lol::eek:

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Eh, I just think it's funny that I make sure to post both grams/oz C/F but others just post the one-> confusion! (especially thinking 'degrees' is a type of unit! [yes what kind? :laugh::rolleyes:]) Just a cultural thing, I was brought up in a place where many cultures mingled. :)

I guess another "cultural thing" is that as a young person it's nothing to "context switch" to another tab and check google. :laugh:

TH

Hey thanks guys! I too have struggled with this thing called 'Fahrenheit'... I've been using the google translator a lot lately!

I think I'm almost set on a WBBB (look at me with the lingo)! Any last things I should know before I pull the trigger?

At the moment I'm thinking 1.1oz double layer with adjustable webbing straps. I already have a light-ish weight tarp designed for quick shelter building.

Any reason I should go 1.7oz double layer? I can't see myself needing the extra strength as I weigh about 75-80Kg (165 to 176lbs) but I don't know about durability. It is worth the extra 9oz?

Also this whole "Max Flatness" is a complete mystery...

Max flatness is how closely the laying down in the hammock approaches horizontal; or how much -not- like a banana you feel.

easy conversion: take C* double it, add thirty, get F* (within 5*)
to reverse- take F*, subtract 30, cut in half- get *c (approx)
the error gets rather large when you go into negative numbers, but for 'room' temps this should be useful.
HTH, KM

Hey Mate,

Like yourself I'm new to this forum and am also looking at hammocking as my camping solution. I currently sleep on a SIM, on a ground sheet under my old army tarp. But as I'm getting on a bit now (ripe old age of 36 :scared:) I'm looking at a more comfortable option.

I've also decided on the WBBB. You can pick it up, with the webbing and the Mamajamba tarp, with the current exchange rate, for about $360AUD ($336USD) with shipping. :boggle:

One thing I've found is that the "cottage industry" in the US far exceeds anything on offer in the wide brown land. The Eastern Isles (aka NZ) are the only local region that come close. I just bought a ULA Circuit and I have yet to find another pack available off the shelf locally that compares. Warbonnet is a fine example of cottage industry at it's best. :thumbup:

That said, a similar product to the WBBB is the Hennessey Hammock, which is readily available from many stores in Aust. I know Mountain Equipment stock all models.

Thanks Rusty! Mountain Equipment is the first place I've seen that stocks the Hennessey lineup online in our neck of the woods! Cheers!

I still want the WBBB though... why do I always want things that are the most difficult to get a hold of??

I'm from Brisbane, and I bought my Clark Jungle Hammock straight from the website and it got to me in like 7 days. It was great. You would probably want the North America though for the colder climate.

Man, it's so worth the change. It's carefree, safe, more convenient for cooking, better for the environment, more private as you can camp off the track abit.

With the local EPA laws though they are cutting down on people strapping or tying anything to the trees. So you just basically have to go really bush and not camp at a campsite, or convert it to a bivvy with two walking sticks.

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Originally Posted by KerMegan

Max flatness is how closely the laying down in the hammock approaches horizontal; or how much -not- like a banana you feel.

easy conversion: take C* double it, add thirty, get F* (within 5*)
to reverse- take F*, subtract 30, cut in half- get *c (approx)
the error gets rather large when you go into negative numbers, but for 'room' temps this should be useful.
HTH, KM

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All I know is -40 C = -40 F. Thats all the conversion I know.