First night in Hammock

[Jim S]

Hey
I went out backpacking on the McKenzie river in Oregon yesterday and I tried out three of Bigfoots hammocks and selected a "castaway Hammock" by Pawley Island. Its nice because its made of three pieces of nylon with the two outside pieces cut larger than the middle so you can have support on the sides without being squeezed in the middle.

My suspension consists of 2 x 15 foot .5" flat nylon climbers tubing for either end, and 12' of spectra climbing slings rigged as the ridge line. The strength rating of the suspension system is a minimum of 3,000 lbs everywhere so I can grab the ridge line and easily slide my self up in the hammock. The higher end is the head end. I hung a marmot stuff sack on the ridge line to put stuff in and hung a glasses case. Oh the tarp and suspension weighs 2 lbs 2 oz.

It could be lighter, but I have zero investment in the setup so I'm not motivated to go buy lighter materials, besides I can put the tubing around a tree and hang between to trees 35 feet apart, or two 3 foot diameter trees 20 feet apart, which is not an uncommon set up in Oregon Douglas Fir groves.

Now I need a tarp. I'll probably use a plastic sheet for a while, since thats free too.
Jim S

[BillyBob58]

How'd 'ya sleep?

[Jim S]

Frankly I found it hard to sleep. The insulated pad extender kept folding under me and my feet were cold, so I put my sit pad under them. I used a mummy shaped Big Agnes air mattress which was warm but hard to stay on top of. It was kinda cold. I was pissed that I felt stuck in one position and almost went to ground only I couldn't were I was set up, which is why I tried a hammock. Finally I managed to curl up on my side with enough sleeping bag under and over me that I wasn't cold.

I'm thinking or using a piece of a z-rester sideways under my shoulders and torso and a piece of roll up blue foam lengthwise and skipping the air mattress.
Jim S

[Mule]

Don't get discouraged, improvise a different pad or a do it yourself underquilt made out of an old sleeping back for a starter. Pretty easy, and better than a pad.

[OldnSlow]

what you are describing is much like Sgt Rock's wing set up. Check this out for a low cost way to keep the pads from movinghttp://hikinghq.net/hammock/wing_pad.html

John

[bigfoot2]

"Hang" in there, Jim...you'll find your sweet spot. Try using a sleeping bag as a "peapod" like we talked about on our last hike.

You might like this sleeping bag/hammock combo:

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ed+wallcreeper

Or my Exped Wallcreeper used as a peapod:

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/a...7&d=1227924801

Or a tarp/ground cloth/hammock hybrid:

http://www.thetravelhammock.com/Prod...aspx?prodId=71

BF

P.S.
Glad you like my old "Save the Tatas" Hammock!