Too many choices

[RedRamen]

So I had a post about the Nemo Tetrapod and seems like it was not a smart choice. Whoops.

I do like the idea of supporting the cottage vendors. So i have been reading as much as I can in the forums to see what an actual good setup is. But I think I am having some information overload.

I already have an ENO Doublenest and atlas straps. Can I use these for backpacking or should I upgrade?

If I upgrade, I am thinking about getting one of these:
https://www.dutchwaregear.com/11-ft....mmocks-en.html

• Except I am not sure if I need to get the wide version or not (I am 5'5").
• I also dont understand all the different options. I am thinking (based on what I read) of getting a 1.6 fabric since it is a good balance of weight and strength. But I dont know if Argon 1.6 or Hexon 1.6 is better. Does one feel better than the other?
• Also, I know the Knobby mod will make the side not floppy. But I already read that this coincided with a footbox? Does the dutch hammock come with a footbox?
• What is the purpose of a structural ridgeline?
• For suspension systems? I know people prefer whoopies. Why is that? Is it because of the weight? Is it easy to setup?

Or one of these:
http://www.simplylightdesigns.com/ca...roducts_id/133

• Is the catenary cut really helpful?
• It has even more options that I have no idea what to do about.

People seem to recommend a fronkey bug net? Is that this: http://www.dutchwaregear.com/fronkey-style-bugnet.html

I guess I dont understand how you close it. Does it cinch closed?

Or should I get an integrated hammock/bug net? like a warbonnet blackbird?

As for the tarp, when people say noah tarp, are they talking about this :
http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/sho...8_10000001_-1_

And is a 12 foot tarp enough coverage for windy rainy days?

So confused...

[johnspenn]

Hey RedRamen, trust me, at some point all of us have felt your pain. Hang in there and don't rush, and it will come together.

For now I will tackle your first questions about camping with your ENO- yes, it is a suitable camping hammock. Our first trip was with our ENOs, and we enjoyed the trip and the hammocks.

There are of course lighter and different options, but if you already have the ENO then try it out and see what you think, make adjustments and go from there! Good luck and happy hanging!

[RedRamen]

Hey RedRamen, trust me, at some point all of us have felt your pain. Hang in there and don't rush, and it will come together.

For now I will tackle your first questions about camping with your ENO- yes, it is a suitable camping hammock. Our first trip was with our ENOs, and we enjoyed the trip and the hammocks.

There are of course lighter and different options, but if you already have the ENO then try it out and see what you think, make adjustments and go from there! Good luck and happy hanging!

Thanks good to know that I can use the ENO for now. I was actually afraid someone was going to say "NOOOOO! Dont do it! It will explode!" or something like that.

[OutandBack]

Hi again RedRoman, Congrats on reading and keeping your credit card tucked away for now.

On your ENO doublenest. I am 5'8" and my red and black ENO double is now pink and gray. It will be fine for now. You might want to check out http://www.whoopieslings.com/
for a new suspension. The ENO suspension kind of sucks and it's heavy. The fronkey bugnet is an awesome design

The 12x12 Kelty Noah tarp has excellent coverage the only down side is it is a bit heavy compared to a sylnylon but still a great starter tarp for the price.
Checkout http://www.dutchwaregear.com/continuous-ridgeline.html for the right rope to hang it with.

That's enough from me I will let others jump in with help.

[adam.skinner]

If I upgrade, I am thinking about getting one of these:
https://www.dutchwaregear.com/11-ft....mmocks-en.html

• Except I am not sure if I need to get the wide version or not (I am 5'5").
• I also dont understand all the different options. I am thinking (based on what I read) of getting a 1.6 fabric since it is a good balance of weight and strength. But I dont know if Argon 1.6 or Hexon 1.6 is better. Does one feel better than the other?
• Also, I know the Knobby mod will make the side not floppy. But I already read that this coincided with a footbox? Does the dutch hammock come with a footbox?
• What is the purpose of a structural ridgeline?
• For suspension systems? I know people prefer whoopies. Why is that? Is it because of the weight? Is it easy to setup?

At 5'5", a normal 11' hammock will treat you right. No need to go wide.

Fabric weight should ideally be paired to your own weight. A 1.6 fabric typically holds ~280 lbs. The smaller the fabric number, the lighter the hammock, but the lower the weight it will hold before it starts to unduly deform.

The dutchware hammocks don't come with footboxes. I wouldn't mess with a Knotty mod right now.

The structural ridgeline is a very important part of the hammock. It provides the hammock with a consistent geometry - provided that your ridgeline is not slack, you will always get the same hang every time.

I don't recommend whoopies, as they limit site selection too much for my tastes. My favored (and recommended!) suspension is a simple becket hitch on 10' - 15' webbing. You could bling it out with Dutchware Spiders or a cinch buckle or whatever, but it works just fine without them and there's no extra cost or weight.

Or should I get an integrated hammock/bug net? like a warbonnet blackbird?

I think the Blackbird is a great hammock. My personal favorite has been from DreamHammock. I'd recommend the Sparrow nowadays, I suppose. You're in a good position for that purchase as well: you already have a usable hammock, so waiting for a couple of months is something you can handle.

[AlanH]

We used Enos for a couple of years and still do for the boys. Work great. Love the strap suspension for them. Can't get much simpler. Noah tarps are a little heavy but work well. I upgraded my tarp before I upgraded my hammock. Went with a Superfly for coverage on my Dutchware 11ft hammock. Before that ordered a Eno Housefly and loved it. Worked great year around but wouldn't work on my 11 ft hammock. Part of the problem with hammocks is that the more you know the more you want to upgrade. I was and still am a partially ignorant soul on hammocks. Ignorance was bless.Then found this site and became addicted to several types of gear. Hang your hang. Take your time ,find out what you like and dislike about your setup. Get to a group hang. Get educated. A lot of great info here. Upgrade from there. Jut so you know we're not long distance hangers yet. We walk in several miles and hang out. Most of our trips don't exceed 20 miles total. So weight is not a huge issue. The issue is to have a good time with my sons. Good luck with your choices,
Al

[Shug]

So I had a post about the Nemo Tetrapod and seems like it was not a smart choice. Whoops.

I do like the idea of supporting the cottage vendors. So i have been reading as much as I can in the forums to see what an actual good setup is. But I think I am having some information overload.

I already have an ENO Doublenest and atlas straps. Can I use these for backpacking or should I upgrade?

If I upgrade, I am thinking about getting one of these:
https://www.dutchwaregear.com/11-ft....mmocks-en.html

• Except I am not sure if I need to get the wide version or not (I am 5'5").
• I also dont understand all the different options. I am thinking (based on what I read) of getting a 1.6 fabric since it is a good balance of weight and strength. But I dont know if Argon 1.6 or Hexon 1.6 is better. Does one feel better than the other?
• Also, I know the Knobby mod will make the side not floppy. But I already read that this coincided with a footbox? Does the dutch hammock come with a footbox?
• What is the purpose of a structural ridgeline?
• For suspension systems? I know people prefer whoopies. Why is that? Is it because of the weight? Is it easy to setup?

Or one of these:
http://www.simplylightdesigns.com/ca...roducts_id/133

• Is the catenary cut really helpful?
• It has even more options that I have no idea what to do about.

People seem to recommend a fronkey bug net? Is that this: http://www.dutchwaregear.com/fronkey-style-bugnet.html

I guess I dont understand how you close it. Does it cinch closed?

Or should I get an integrated hammock/bug net? like a warbonnet blackbird?

As for the tarp, when people say noah tarp, are they talking about this :
http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/sho...8_10000001_-1_

And is a 12 foot tarp enough coverage for windy rainy days?

So confused...

Well feller...be patient and deal with one bit at a time. It is simple and complex at the same time.
I'll answer a few.

I have a 1.6 Hexon dutch hammock. Love it. comes with the knotty mod which is real nice to have. you can tweak the hammock sides and create a psuedo-footbox. Mine is the regular width and fine for me. I'm 6' tall.
** Structural Ridgeline...see my video below.

Fronkey net cinches. I don't have one but many on here like it. I prefer the intergrated bugnet on my Warbonnet XLC and Ridgerunner. Up off my face and well away.

Tarps......https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...r4JzQgQ_iyB2RU

Enjoy the hammock quest...don't let it stress you out.
Breathe.
Un-clench....

Shug

[Intimidator]

At 5'5", a normal 11' hammock will treat you right. No need to go wide.

Fabric weight should ideally be paired to your own weight. A 1.6 fabric typically holds ~280 lbs. The smaller the fabric number, the lighter the hammock, but the lower the weight it will hold before it starts to unduly deform.

The dutchware hammocks don't come with footboxes. I wouldn't mess with a Knotty mod right now.

The structural ridgeline is a very important part of the hammock. It provides the hammock with a consistent geometry - provided that your ridgeline is not slack, you will always get the same hang every time.

I don't recommend whoopies, as they limit site selection too much for my tastes. My favored (and recommended!) suspension is a simple becket hitch on 10' - 15' webbing. You could bling it out with Dutchware Spiders or a cinch buckle or whatever, but it works just fine without them and there's no extra cost or weight.



I think the Blackbird is a great hammock. My personal favorite has been from DreamHammock. I'd recommend the Sparrow nowadays, I suppose. You're in a good position for that purchase as well: you already have a usable hammock, so waiting for a couple of months is something you can handle.

I would like to point out that a normal ripstop nylon will support different weights than the specialized fabrics created by/for Dutchwaregear and ripstop by the roll. A 1.6 hexon hammock has a rating of 350 lbs. Which is most likely a comfort rating, not a weight limit.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[RedRamen]

Enjoy the hammock quest...don't let it stress you out.
Breathe.
Un-clench....

Shug

Unclench... Ha. how did you know??

So thanks everyone for the advice. I think I was just trying to jump into this hammock camping thing too fast. So I am going to take everyones advice and just take it slow.

So I think I am going to use my ENO Doublenest for now. I know its pretty heavy, but I will use it for now until I know what I am doing and know what I want in a hammock. And then save my money for a better hammock. I am leaning towards a Dutch 11 foot netless.

But I got my first true hammock camping gear! I ordered a fronkey bugnet from Dutch!

I think I am going to get a kelty noah tarp for now to use. Since a lot of people seem to like it fine. The only problem is the weight. So i think I will use it for now until I need something better.

Thanks everyone for your help!

[OCDave]

I camped for nearly 2 years using an ENO DoubleNest and a REI self-inflating pad. Once I moved to an underquilt for insulation, the limitations of the ENO became more apparent. In my case, the pad kept the edges of the ENO off my head and toes. Switching to an underquilt launched my quest for the perfect gathered-end hammock.

My preferred gathered-end hammock is my Wilderness Logics LiteOwl. This is hammock is silky smooth 1.1 double-layered nylon. It come standard with knotty mods and whoopie sling suspension. The double-layered nylon offers a little "give" so feels softer than the ENO. The construction and attention to detail of the Wilderness Logics product is fantastic.

I have purchased several Dutchware netless hammocks. Introductory pricing made these hammocks a tremendous value and an easy trial and error type of purchase. However, with price increases and the addition cost of options such as the knotty mod and suspension, it is a more difficult purchase to tolerate getting wrong.

My first Dutchware hammock was 1.6 PolyD - Nice looking fabric, feels nice to touch but very firm. So firm that after a while, it felt hard and created painful spots under my hips and shoulders. Gave this hammock away after first use. The 125 lb teen who received it loves it.

My second, a 1.6 Argon is my favorite. The "give" or stretch of the argon feels like I am cradled. I think the stretch also makes this hammock less prone to calf-ridge. It is super comfortable all night long. The fabric is smooth and nice to touch but plain to the eye.

My third, 1.6 NylonD nearly as comfortable as the Argon but the fabric has an attractive weave.

I have purchased both 1.6 and 2.4 Hexon hammocks. I gave the 1.6 as a gift. I kept the 2.4 as an "everyday", "OK to let the kids pile in with their friends" or "share with the wife" hammock. With a 400 lb capacity the 2.4 Hexon would be comparable to the capacity of the DN. Again, as a "Firmer" fabric, I find it less a comfortable hammock in which to spend the night (though I did last night because it was already hanging). I like design of the weave and the feel to the touch of the Hexon.

So, like a firm mattress? - Hexon or PolyD suits you
Like a softer, more cradled feel? - consider Argon or NylonD


Good Luck with your search