How it used to be...

[ice man]

When I was a kid, maybe 10 or 12, my father had a WW2 surplus army hammock. I tried it in the back yard. In the middle of the night something bumped me underneath it. ( prob'ly the parents checking to see was I still there) Scared the bejeebers outa me. Then 35 yrs later, I found out the folks tossed that old hammock when they moved. I was so put out, that I found one on e-bay and imposed on my sister to get it for me. when I set it up it turned out to be only about 5 1/2 ft long inside! Went into a frenzy and found Clark hammocks, and got a NA. Discovered hammock forums, and now I have a small collection of hammocks. Yeah, this hanging biz is addictive. Right now I'm waiting on one of the women at work to take her outside and hang her in one of them. She made the mistake (?) of expressing interest in hammocking. Spread the addiction!

[ice man]

Yup, that did it. She pronounced "This is pretty cool. It's even got a net to keep the bugs off ya." She says She's ordering one, for out at the farm. Spread the addiction. Hehehe!

[Knotty]

And this behemoth. Probably 80 lbs of wet, smelly canvas. Steel poles, and took up the whole trunk. Leaked like a sieve. I think the stakes weighed as much as my hammock and tarp do now?
But, man, we was camping.!!

Oooh, the memories!!

gargoyle - That tent is a modern wonder compared to the one we used. Heavy army canvas tent with two heavy duty vertical wood posts with steel pins on the tope ends and a long heavy wood crossbar that sat on the pins. No floor. A neighbor gave it to me in jr. high. It was so heavy that my friend and I almost couldn't carry it the 100yds to my house.

Now I worry about whether or not a Trangia weighs too much.

[gargoyle]

Ron, we had one of those growing up, too. Had to put giant folding cots inside for "comfort".

Hard to believe we survived.

I can smell the rotten canvas ......sniff. pew!