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  1. #1
    New Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Wake Forest, NC
    Hammock
    Warbonnet Blackbird
    Posts
    1

    Fighting Directional Rain - First Hammock Trip

    Hello Fellow Hammockers,

    I've lurked here for a couple of months now. After getting my Warbonnet Blackbird, my ENO ProFiy Tarp and experiencing my first hammock hang with my son's scout troop, I thought I'd post my experience here and ask a few questions.

    The campout occurred at Camp Durant in Carthage, NC. We arrived on Friday evening and my setup was easy. I hung my tarp under my continuous ridge line using carabiners. There was a threat of rain overnight so I hung my daypack off the hammock suspension at the foot end and my duffle bag with clothes at the head end (I don't have a traditional hiking pack yet). The overnight temperature was in the sixties and I slept in a Coleman 30 degree sleeping bag with a Thermarest sleeping pad underneath.

    I was nice and warm (a tad too warm) and there was no rain. I did hang my Friday clothes off the ridge line of my hammock and changed into clean sleeping clothes in the hammock.

    First question: Where do most of you experienced hangers change? My tarp was a little low, near the hammock, due to the threat of rain so I did slump a bit when getting under the tarp and into the hammock. I changed shirts out of the hammock and still under the tarp but wiggled into dry sleep paints on my back in the hammock.

    Saturday morning was dry but the rains finally came around 5 PM. It was a directional rain so while my hammock was dry, the items hanging on the suspension near the ends of the tarp (daypack and duffle bag) were getting wet. I had an extra poncho so I wrapped that around my daypack and wrapped my duffle bag in a garbage bag I took along for dirty clothes. When going to bed Saturday night, I placed my boots in a plastic shopping bag under my hammock.

    Second question: How do you keep your gear dry? Do you resort to wrapping it like I did? I've read that several people keep their gear and packs dry under the hammock but I don't envision those items staying dry for my with the ENO ProFly in a directional, wind-blown rain.

    The temps dropped into the fifties Saturday night but I was, once again, nice and warm. Luckily it did not rain overnight so my boots were not put to the test in the plastic bag.

    My first hang in a hammock was a good one as I was exposed to some challenges. Overall, though, I learned about the advantages of staying above ground in the rain. My sleeping bag and hammock were nice and dry while some scouts and the other leaders dealt with damp and wet sleeping bags in their tents. It was also nice to pack up the hammock and tarp without them touching the ground.

    Final Question: Some of the leaders were experience hammock hangers. They used their camp chairs (I forgot mine) to keep their pack on under their hammocks and tarps overnight. Do any of you do that?

    I've learned so much from you fine folks. I look forward to learning a great deal more. Thanks.

    SoYankee
    (Southern Yankee)

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Gonzales, LA
    Hammock
    DH Darien/DIY
    Tarp
    WL Big Daddy
    Insulation
    JrB, HG, WL
    Suspension
    Whoopies
    Posts
    2,388
    I carry two trash compactor bags. One is a pack liner for quilts, clothes, and whatever I don't want wet. The other I'll use to put my pack in during rain. I have a small hole in the bottom and use a S-biner to attach the pack to suspension through the hole. Then just pull the bag over the pack. My shoes normally stay under the hammock for middle of the night excursions. A plastic grocery bag is good enough to put the shoes in and keep them dry. I always have one or two plastic grocery bags also.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Gonzales, LA
    Hammock
    DH Darien/DIY
    Tarp
    WL Big Daddy
    Insulation
    JrB, HG, WL
    Suspension
    Whoopies
    Posts
    2,388
    I change the same way you did. Normally it's dark when I change so no big deal.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Bubba's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    SW Ontario, Canada
    Hammock
    WBBB 1.7 SL
    Tarp
    WB Superfly
    Insulation
    WB and UGQ
    Suspension
    Whoopies or Straps
    Posts
    7,184
    Images
    248
    1. I change under my tarp. I usually have to hunch a bit to change or I use the hammock and a chair and sit and change. Only need to stand up a little to pull my pants up the rest of the way.

    2. I've never had a problem with just stowing my gear on the ground underneath my hammock. I'll use my pack cover to keep the gear from contacting wet ground. Your tarp is a little small so dealing with directional rain means a lower pitch. Some people carry a little ground cloth to stand on or lay gear on so gear can be laid on the ground cloth and a pack cover can be placed over top.

    3. On paddling trips when I carry more gear I bring a camp chair and a bigger tarp and use the chair for my clothes. Since a use a water proof bag for padddling trips I don't worry about keeping it protected.

    The ENO tarp is only 6'4" wide so if you really need or want more coverage, a bigger tarp might be in order. You'll have more protection for gear stored under you.
    Don't let life get in the way of living.

  5. #5
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Jersey Shore, NJ
    Hammock
    Dutch PolyD
    Tarp
    HG Winter Palace
    Insulation
    HG 0, 20, 40
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    Dutch Whoopie Hook
    Posts
    14,716
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    3
    Garbage bags work wonders, but most of the time I don't like my gear on the ground. I hang everything off my hammock ridgeline.

    Get a 4-season tarp with doors - then you don't have to worry about blowing precipitation as much.
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Tallman, NY
    Posts
    214
    I'm in the silvrsurfr camp, hanging all my gear. Lately I've been using a modified pack cover as a gear hammock.

    As far as garbage bags go, I'm a big fan, but at scouts camps you have to be careful. When I was a kid one of the adults put all his gear into a black garbage bag, and because a scout is helpful somebody came by and took his bag to the dumpsters on the far side of camp. As a kid it was fun watching the adult freaking out about where his stuff went and then after figuring it out jumping into the dumpster to retrieve his bag which was now covered in nasty wet dumpster slop.

    Now I always tell scouters to get clear bags.

  7. #7
    Senior Member SirMarkos's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Louisville, KY
    Hammock
    DIY 12' PolyD
    Tarp
    DIY 12x10 silArgon
    Insulation
    HG 0º UQ / 20º TQ
    Suspension
    Dutch Speed Hooks
    Posts
    687
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    1
    1. I usually change under or behind my tarp. My level of modesty depends who I'm with. I carry a huge 12x10 tarp which affords me plenty of space to do whatever I need to under there with minimal hunching, hunkering, etc. Having dry bags or a trash bag in your kit is optional but to have the extra protection is worth it's weight.

    2. I almost never keep my gear on the ground. Unless I'm positive there is no threat of rain. My food goes up a tree in a waterproof bear bag, my pack gets clipped onto my suspension, and my boots usually stay directly under me when I have to answer nature's call. Again, having a huge tarp is a major benefit. Having doors eliminates the majority of issues associated with a sideways rain.

    3. I usually carry a small camp stool for sitting. I'm a backpacker/hiker so a "camp chair" per se is out of the question. I use the stool at night to keep misc. items that I want to keep close at night. I use it kind of like a table.

  8. #8
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    VA, Oh, and FL
    Hammock
    HH Expedition, HH Explorer Dlx
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    Noah 12, BCUSA 10
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    JRB Nest, Old Rag
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    Stock HH w/rings
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    7,979
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    First off it sounds like you had a good time despite some challenges. Grats on a good first hang. Don't be disappointed that you are still learning. I been doing this a couple of years now and continue to learn new things every trip out.

    To answer your questions.

    I change under my tarp but my tarp is bigger than yours and I am probably shorter than you are. At 5'2" tall I can usually stand under my tarp with just bending over a bit. I also use either a 12x12 tarp which I pull into doors or I have Grizz Beaks http://www.2qzqhammockhanger.com/tarpaccessories.html that I install on my 10x10. Being a female, I do want some privacy when camping out in a group and both the bigger tarp and the Beaks will afford me that.

    My gear does not go on the ground. I would prefer not find things that crawl around in/on them I will hang my pack from a tree with a strap then put a cover or compactor bag over it. My clothing for the next morning be stuffed into a fleece sack I made and used for a pillow if they are dry. If they are not dry they are hung on my ridge line overnight and my shoes are tied up on my ridge line at the foot of my hammock so I can put them on in case of any over night needs. If my boots/shoes are really wet and muddy I place them upside down on a small piece of Tyvek which I place under my hammock to step out on to. It is also worth noting that I carry a set of Crocs with me to wear as camp shoes/night shoes and those do get hung on my ridge line inside my HH. My Crocs are one of 2 "luxury" items that I carry. The other is my E-Reader.

    Chair/stool I don't carry so that I have no answer to. I do carry a sit pad which I use in my HH to go under my feet in colder weather.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Beckyinma's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Mass
    Hammock
    DIY 10x5 w/srl
    Tarp
    DIY 10'x12' cat pu
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    DIY A90 Karo-Step
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    Whoopie sling
    Posts
    262
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    8
    I have a 4 mil plastic floor mat I use under my hammock to stow my shoes at night so I can put them on quick if nature calls. Otherwise, I have biners on the handles of my backppacks/daypacks that hook to my suspension under my tarp. I hate having gear on the ground. I have a 10x12 tarp with small doors, but haven't put it into a situation with wind blown or driving rain yet. When I had it set up in the yard with calm rain, having the half-doors pulled in really helped. As for changing, being a lady, surrounded by boy scouts for most of my campouts, modesty is key, so I've become accustomed to changing by wiggling around in my hammock under my sleeping bag.

    whatever works. the CLEAR pack cover/bag idea is great!

  10. #10
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Minnesota
    Hammock
    I have many so....
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    Blackcrow DIY Tarp
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    FrankenquiltUQ/Pod
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    Whoopie Slings
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    23,396
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    A tarp with door flaps works wonders. You handles your dilemma well)))))
    Carry forth,
    Shug

    I will offer this as well.....
    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

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