Hammock Newbie experiences so far... some advice needed

[Urduja]

Hi, this is my experience (limited as it is) so far, and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

So I was introduced to the idea of hammock camping by a co-worker. I like to try out new ideas and this one seemed totally fun and cool.
I had a cheap single hammock that was given to me as a gift - some Amazon hammock. I would just use it in the backyard to relax and never thought to actually camp in it - mainly because it seemed too exposed.

Enter my co-worker and his hammocking backpacking experience. And I was sold to the idea.

Well, with REI sales currently going on I bought an ENO DN Onelink system... tried it out in my backyard and got too cold - welcome cold butt syndrome. So, then my coworker tells me I need a UQ. I ordered the Koala Kammock (also on sale at REI). That helped a ton. I used the Costco throw as a blanket. And was warm enough - the temperature was 41 degrees with real feel of 37 degrees. I also tried to sleep in the single nest and that felt too cramped after coming out of the DN. So, now I am ordering a UQ and TQ from Underground Quilts (they seem to be on sale right now - at least the prices were slightly lower than others I was running into).

So, my experience so far is 4 nights in my backyard trying out different things, with only 2 successful nights. lol

The main cause of my 2 unsuccessful nights have been cold feet - everything else was nice and warm. I wore what i would normally wear when out - which were the nylon pants, wool socks, microfleece beanie, underarmour shirt, and a light fleece jacket.

On one of these nights I even ditched the Costco blanket for a Kelty 0 degree sleeping bag and still no success - i even changed my socks.
So, I ran into the Warbonnet hammocks with footboxes. Do those keep your feet down more? I am thinking it is a circulation problem with my feet and if I take this on a multi-day backcountry hike, that can make the whole trip awful. Or is there something else I might be missing regarding this? I am sleeping in the flat diagonal lay position and not like a banana.

Also, are there any recommendations with bugnets that are lightweight and still allow me to use the ridgeline to hang stuff on while I am in the hammock? The set up for the Eno doesn't seem to be able to do this.

My last buy will be for a lightweight tarp

I am going to probably end up with a whoopie/toggle configuration to shave some of my weight down.

Thanks everyone

[TrailSlug]

Welcome to Hammock forums. No the footbox on a Warbonnet hammock will not help with cold feet. The footbox is more for assisting for a diagonal lay. How cold of weather were you hanging in as I would have thought a 0 degree bag would have kept your feet warm. If you ever get the funds to get a good quality down top and bottom quilt those cold feet should subside as I have cronic cold feet and my LocoLibre top quilt and Warbonnet Lynx (for Ridgerunner hammocks) keep my feet warm as can be and I've slept in temps down to 13 degrees with no issues at all.

[SilvrSurfr]

Counter-intuitive as it may seem, the only solution to cold feet that I have found is to not wear socks, or anything else on my feet. Down booties or wool socks - it doesn't matter, they just trap the sweat from my feet. When I go barefoot, my feet are dry within 15 or 20 minutes and stay toasty warm. If my feet are perspiring, the down quilts do a tremendous job in allowing the sweat to dissipate through the down.

I've been down to -3* F with bare feet - seems to be working so far!

[Country Roads]

I pre-warm my quilt foot box with heat packs, then place the heat pack in the groin area to warm the blood going to my feet; I rarely keep the heat pack on my feet as it causes them to sweat and sometimes get cold again. I most generally just change into my spare, dry pair of hiking socks. Make sure your feet are warm before hitting the hammock as it is difficult to get your feet warm if you hit the hammock with them cold. If it is really cold, I will put a thin pad in the footbox area even when using a full-length UQ. Keep trying out different things to see what works for you; you will figure it out. Oh, and make sure the foot end is not too high, as that can keep blood from circulating as well to the feet. By experimenting, you can dial in just how much higher your foot end needs to be. My sweet spot is about 4 to 6 inches.

[Vanhalo]

My normal gear is a 20° 3/4 UQ, quilt liner, trail seat pad and a thick pair of possum down socks

I never get cold feet in the XLC.

Until last night.

It was 27° and windy.

I will wrap the end of the hammock with a down jacket tonight....ala Shug method.

[Urduja]

Welcome to Hammock forums. No the footbox on a Warbonnet hammock will not help with cold feet. The footbox is more for assisting for a diagonal lay. How cold of weather were you hanging in as I would have thought a 0 degree bag would have kept your feet warm. If you ever get the funds to get a good quality down top and bottom quilt those cold feet should subside as I have cronic cold feet and my LocoLibre top quilt and Warbonnet Lynx (for Ridgerunner hammocks) keep my feet warm as can be and I've slept in temps down to 13 degrees with no issues at all.

For that diagonal lay, the footbox helps keep your feet from being too elevated? Is that what it does?

Counter-intuitive as it may seem, the only solution to cold feet that I have found is to not wear socks, or anything else on my feet. Down booties or wool socks - it doesn't matter, they just trap the sweat from my feet. When I go barefoot, my feet are dry within 15 or 20 minutes and stay toasty warm. If my feet are perspiring, the down quilts do a tremendous job in allowing the sweat to dissipate through the down.

I've been down to -3* F with bare feet - seems to be working so far!

That does sound a bit counter-intuitive, but I will definitely give it a try, and I was running around all day in my hiking boots to have as similar of an experience as i can get without actually going on the trail.

I pre-warm my quilt foot box with heat packs, then place the heat pack in the groin area to warm the blood going to my feet; I rarely keep the heat pack on my feet as it causes them to sweat and sometimes get cold again. I most generally just change into my spare, dry pair of hiking socks. Make sure your feet are warm before hitting the hammock as it is difficult to get your feet warm if you hit the hammock with them cold. If it is really cold, I will put a thin pad in the footbox area even when using a full-length UQ. Keep trying out different things to see what works for you; you will figure it out. Oh, and make sure the foot end is not too high, as that can keep blood from circulating as well to the feet. By experimenting, you can dial in just how much higher your foot end needs to be. My sweet spot is about 4 to 6 inches.

My feet were a bit cold before going in... I will try to see how warming them before hand and putting a warmer in the groin area - never thought to actually heat the blood before it landed in the feet. I would have just thrown warmers by my feet.
So, about the foot end not being too high, would that be what the warbonnet foot box does?

[Shug]

Hi, this is my experience (limited as it is) so far, and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

So I was introduced to the idea of hammock camping by a co-worker. I like to try out new ideas and this one seemed totally fun and cool.
I had a cheap single hammock that was given to me as a gift - some Amazon hammock. I would just use it in the backyard to relax and never thought to actually camp in it - mainly because it seemed too exposed.

Enter my co-worker and his hammocking backpacking experience. And I was sold to the idea.

Well, with REI sales currently going on I bought an ENO DN Onelink system... tried it out in my backyard and got too cold - welcome cold butt syndrome. So, then my coworker tells me I need a UQ. I ordered the Koala Kammock (also on sale at REI). That helped a ton. I used the Costco throw as a blanket. And was warm enough - the temperature was 41 degrees with real feel of 37 degrees. I also tried to sleep in the single nest and that felt too cramped after coming out of the DN. So, now I am ordering a UQ and TQ from Underground Quilts (they seem to be on sale right now - at least the prices were slightly lower than others I was running into).

So, my experience so far is 4 nights in my backyard trying out different things, with only 2 successful nights. lol

The main cause of my 2 unsuccessful nights have been cold feet - everything else was nice and warm. I wore what i would normally wear when out - which were the nylon pants, wool socks, microfleece beanie, underarmour shirt, and a light fleece jacket.

On one of these nights I even ditched the Costco blanket for a Kelty 0 degree sleeping bag and still no success - i even changed my socks.
So, I ran into the Warbonnet hammocks with footboxes. Do those keep your feet down more? I am thinking it is a circulation problem with my feet and if I take this on a multi-day backcountry hike, that can make the whole trip awful. Or is there something else I might be missing regarding this? I am sleeping in the flat diagonal lay position and not like a banana.

Also, are there any recommendations with bugnets that are lightweight and still allow me to use the ridgeline to hang stuff on while I am in the hammock? The set up for the Eno doesn't seem to be able to do this.

My last buy will be for a lightweight tarp

I am going to probably end up with a whoopie/toggle configuration to shave some of my weight down.

Thanks everyone

You could add a ridgeline to your ENO easily enough.....
Shug

[TallPaul]

Listen I won’t stop you from getting a WB Hammock if that’s what you want - it’s a good setup
With that said, it won’t warm your feet as others said. If the foot end on any hammock is low, you will slide toward the foot end. So pretty much any hammock you raise the foot end.

Personally my UQ is 3/4 length. I have a (sitting) pad that I put in the bottom of my sleeping bag under my feet. If it is real cold, I may stuff my down coat down there as well.

[Urduja]

Listen I won’t stop you from getting a WB Hammock if that’s what you want - it’s a good setup
With that said, it won’t warm your feet as others said. If the foot end on any hammock is low, you will slide toward the foot end. So pretty much any hammock you raise the foot end.

Personally my UQ is 3/4 length. I have a (sitting) pad that I put in the bottom of my sleeping bag under my feet. If it is real cold, I may stuff my down coat down there as well.

Not really sure what i want to buy next.
Right now the Eno i have seems to be comfortable enough and i have had a couple good nights sleep in it. just that dang cold feet. i think i will try to wrap my feet with my jacket next. right now being new to this, I would definitely want to try out some different hammocks and set ups.

[Urduja]

You could add a ridgeline to your ENO easily enough.....
Shug

I will check out this video thank you