Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 13
  1. #1
    New Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Hammock
    WBBB 1.7 dbl
    Tarp
    Mamajamba
    Posts
    7

    Question Aussie thinking about going hammock!

    Hi guy - I've been directed to this forum from another forum is frequent so here goes - I'm looking to convert my camping experience to hammocks and have read some articles already that have been helpful. I've even given the hammock thing a go with a crappy net hammock I got on the cheap. I wasn't game enough to try sleeping in it though because of the cold.

    So far I'm thinking of getting a ENO and DIYing a bug net or a Warbonnet. It's irritating though that no-one stocks such things here in Oz! I've done some asking around in Melbourne and a few camping places knew what I was talking about but don't sell the products.

    There are a couple of things holding me back though:

    South Eastern bushland - our forrests aren't set out like beautifully arranged pine. How easy will it be to find suitable spots to set up? I'm also concerned about Widow Makers literally crashing my party and either tearing a hole in my stuff or in me! I need to know where I can camp safely.

    Temperature - how much colder will it be with less insulation. I can currently camp fairly comfortably in my salewa tent and snugpak sleeping bag down to around 0 celcius. What can I expect?

  2. #2
    Senior Member mbiraman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    West Kootenays,BC,Canada
    Hammock
    Warbonnet BB DL 1.1 & Lite Owl
    Tarp
    Black MacCat Del.
    Insulation
    Yeti 3,4 & HRQ/HGB
    Suspension
    webbing/whoopie
    Posts
    4,244
    Images
    7
    Welcome to the forum. First you might want to have a look at Just Jeff's site " To the woods". It gives allot of info for people new to hanging. Also along the same line is Shugs series of ten video's on all things hammocking. You can find them on youtube or at the top of the HF window .As far as tree's to hang in that's hard for me to say as i live in Canada but there are more than a few folks in Oz who hang who could direct you to some good hanging spots but in general where ever there are tree's you can hang. As far as keeping warm in a hammock the general rule is once the temp drops below 70 degrees F then you need something underneath you whether that be a camping pad or an under quilt. Best to have a look at the two sites above and you'll get a better idea of things.
    " The mind creates the abyss, the heart crosses it."

    “The measure of your life will not be in what you accumulate, but in what you give away.” ~Wayne Dyer

    www.birchsidecustomwoodwork.com

  3. #3
    New Member viix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Singapore http://www.yoursingapore.com
    Hammock
    TTTM King, TTTM Single, Switchback!
    Tarp
    OES Custom 12x10
    Insulation
    JRB Stealth
    Suspension
    AHE Web+Whoopies
    Posts
    43
    You can order the hammocks like warbonnet blackbird, tree to tree trailgear switchbacks or the claytor jungle hammock as they shipped internationally.. In fact most do.. I got a ticket to the moon hammock (which is similar to the eno) and they're great & large too!
    I believe ddhammocks should be available in Aussie so you may want to check out the ddhammock sub forums!

    You can find their store URL in the vendors section!
    Urban Singapore Hanger
    Don't know where is Singapore? Click Here
    Video about YourSingapore

  4. #4
    Senior Member titanium_hiker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    The Wimmera, Australia
    Hammock
    DIY speer type
    Tarp
    OES Maccat
    Insulation
    JRB Nest+ORM
    Suspension
    Webbing + Slings
    Posts
    726
    Images
    18
    Hey, welcome! There are a few Aussie hangers around, maybe a few melbournians other than me also!

    Widow Makers, drop bears etc: look up! Camp before it gets dark and scope out the stuff hanging above you.

    It isn't really "less insulation" - you don't have the steam effect of the tent in a hammock, keeping you drier and thus, warmer.

    There are crazy guys who sleep out in the Below-Freezing snowy winters of the Northern Hempisphere, so you should be fine for insulation anywhere you go. A pad that you've already got works for under-insulation, but it does require a little fiddling to keep your shoulders warm, but there are options out there. Your sleeping bag will carry over to the hammock also.

    As for purchasing- well, now is the time to buy, with the US dollar shot and the Aussie dollar riding high at about 93 cents to the US dollar. (Of course paypal etc don't pass on the full value to you, but it's better than 50 cents to the dollar!) Shipping seems to work well, though of course at the moment the volcanic ash might be affecting airmail. I've bought stuff from the JacksRBetter (underquilt) and MacCat (tarp) and my hammock is spotlight (Bayswater) blue ripstop.

    Another Aussie specific note, the forums here seem to get really exciting over their winter (our summer) when they can't be out hiking as much, and when we're bored over winter they're all out hiking and not on the forum.

    Oh and the easy way to do temperature conversions is to type into Google: "70F to C" or "10C to F" (no quotes) because they have this weird non metric way of measuring temperature over there

    again, Welcome!

    TH
    Last edited by titanium_hiker; 04-18-2010 at 01:08.
    my hammock gear weights total: 2430g (~86oz)
    Winter: total 2521 (~89oz)
    (see my profile for detailed weights)

    gram counter, not gram weenie!

  5. #5
    Member pazza's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Australia
    Hammock
    Tom Claytor Jungle + WBBB 1.1 dbl
    Tarp
    Tom claytor + 3x4
    Insulation
    jrb shenandoah uq
    Suspension
    kaq webbing+cinch
    Posts
    65
    Quote Originally Posted by HandOfCod View Post
    Hi guy - I've been directed to this forum from another forum is frequent so here goes - I'm looking to convert my camping experience to hammocks and have read some articles already that have been helpful. I've even given the hammock thing a go with a crappy net hammock I got on the cheap. I wasn't game enough to try sleeping in it though because of the cold.

    So far I'm thinking of getting a ENO and DIYing a bug net or a Warbonnet. It's irritating though that no-one stocks such things here in Oz! I've done some asking around in Melbourne and a few camping places knew what I was talking about but don't sell the products.

    There are a couple of things holding me back though:

    South Eastern bushland - our forrests aren't set out like beautifully arranged pine. How easy will it be to find suitable spots to set up? I'm also concerned about Widow Makers literally crashing my party and either tearing a hole in my stuff or in me! I need to know where I can camp safely.

    Temperature - how much colder will it be with less insulation. I can currently camp fairly comfortably in my salewa tent and snugpak sleeping bag down to around 0 celcius. What can I expect?
    Hey Mate,

    Good to see another Aussie taking up hammocking. I am only new to it myself so I am not expert.

    I live in the Blue Mountains and have never had a problem with trees. As long as you have a decent length of suspension ( i have about 12 foot each side of my hammock which has been fine) you shouldn't struggle to find trees. Alot of the hammocks can be set up on the ground so If you start with a ccf pad you can ground camp (god forbid haha) if you have too. Even small tress and support you in a hammock so you don't always need massive ones to hang.
    I recently did a hike where everyone else was in tenets and camping in a grassy field. here was a picnic shelter in the middle so i hung from the supports without a problem.


    I have a Claytpor jungle hammock ( about $170 AUD including Tarp and shipping and it came within 10 days!!) Great hammock lots of space. I am 6'1 and can completely stretch out and even extend my arms a fair way. I changed out the webbing to AHE cinch buckles and webbing. Quicker to set up and gave longer webbing straps to the stock suspension. If I had my time again i would probably get a wbbb. Those things are pretty slick and the internal pocket makes me very jelous. wbbb are more expensive than the claytor and you need to pay shipping too. It really depends on your budget and features you want.

    Have a chat to Jeff at amtc gear. ( he is a forum member also) He is looking to ship some claytors and wbbb's into Aus and maybe able to sort some out for you.

    Widow makers: Just look above and don't camp under dead branches or if you do try not to think about it!!

    As well as a ccf pad you can use car windshield protectors to help too for insulation. JRB make great UQ's I have a Summerquilt which goes down to about 4 -7C.


    Let me know if you have any more Aussie Q's


    Dave

  6. #6
    Senior Member bigbamaguy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    NE Alabama
    Hammock
    Clark NX-200
    Tarp
    Clark XL-Fly
    Insulation
    KAQ NR UQ/AHE KAQ
    Suspension
    Strap/cinch buckle
    Posts
    1,693

    A gentle rebuttle!!!!

    TH:
    There are some of us here in the states that are not metrically challenged!!!!!!

    Easiest way to remember SAE to Metric conversions is this:

    Temp: roughly 1.8*F = 1*C

    Distance: 1 inch = 25.4mm
    3.28 ft = 1 meter

    Fluid: 1 gallon = 3.8 litres

    these are values that can be used to "ballpark" a conversion. I hope this helps all of the metrically challenged people here in the states.
    Par Si Vis Pace Para Bellum

  7. #7
    Senior Member titanium_hiker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    The Wimmera, Australia
    Hammock
    DIY speer type
    Tarp
    OES Maccat
    Insulation
    JRB Nest+ORM
    Suspension
    Webbing + Slings
    Posts
    726
    Images
    18
    Quote Originally Posted by bigbamaguy View Post
    TH:
    There are some of us here in the states that are not metrically challenged!!!!!!

    Easiest way to remember SAE to Metric conversions is this:

    Temp: roughly 1.8*F = 1*C

    Distance: 1 inch = 25.4mm
    3.28 ft = 1 meter

    Fluid: 1 gallon = 3.8 litres

    these are values that can be used to "ballpark" a conversion. I hope this helps all of the metrically challenged people here in the states.
    Eh, I just think it's funny that I make sure to post both grams/oz C/F but others just post the one-> confusion! (especially thinking 'degrees' is a type of unit! [yes what kind? ]) Just a cultural thing, I was brought up in a place where many cultures mingled.

    I guess another "cultural thing" is that as a young person it's nothing to "context switch" to another tab and check google.

    TH
    my hammock gear weights total: 2430g (~86oz)
    Winter: total 2521 (~89oz)
    (see my profile for detailed weights)

    gram counter, not gram weenie!

  8. #8
    New Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Hammock
    WBBB 1.7 dbl
    Tarp
    Mamajamba
    Posts
    7
    Hey thanks guys! I too have struggled with this thing called 'Fahrenheit'... I've been using the google translator a lot lately!

    I think I'm almost set on a WBBB (look at me with the lingo)! Any last things I should know before I pull the trigger?

    At the moment I'm thinking 1.1oz double layer with adjustable webbing straps. I already have a light-ish weight tarp designed for quick shelter building.

    Any reason I should go 1.7oz double layer? I can't see myself needing the extra strength as I weigh about 75-80Kg (165 to 176lbs) but I don't know about durability. It is worth the extra 9oz?

    Also this whole "Max Flatness" is a complete mystery...

  9. #9
    Senior Member KerMegan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Irving, TX
    Hammock
    not quite eno..
    Tarp
    10x12 DIY
    Insulation
    insultex+momentum
    Suspension
    DIY whoopie slings
    Posts
    2,338
    Images
    2
    Max flatness is how closely the laying down in the hammock approaches horizontal; or how much -not- like a banana you feel.

    easy conversion: take C* double it, add thirty, get F* (within 5*)
    to reverse- take F*, subtract 30, cut in half- get *c (approx)
    the error gets rather large when you go into negative numbers, but for 'room' temps this should be useful.
    HTH, KM

  10. #10
    New Member GoodTalkRuss's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Hammock
    WBBB 1.1 Dbl
    Tarp
    TerraRosaGear Adv
    Insulation
    Crowsnest 900-fill
    Suspension
    Adjustable Webbing
    Posts
    46
    Hey Mate,

    Like yourself I'm new to this forum and am also looking at hammocking as my camping solution. I currently sleep on a SIM, on a ground sheet under my old army tarp. But as I'm getting on a bit now (ripe old age of 36 ) I'm looking at a more comfortable option.

    I've also decided on the WBBB. You can pick it up, with the webbing and the Mamajamba tarp, with the current exchange rate, for about $360AUD ($336USD) with shipping.

    One thing I've found is that the "cottage industry" in the US far exceeds anything on offer in the wide brown land. The Eastern Isles (aka NZ) are the only local region that come close. I just bought a ULA Circuit and I have yet to find another pack available off the shelf locally that compares. Warbonnet is a fine example of cottage industry at it's best.

    That said, a similar product to the WBBB is the Hennessey Hammock, which is readily available from many stores in Aust. I know Mountain Equipment stock all models.

  • + New Posts
  • Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

    Similar Threads

    1. Big Guy thinking of trying hammock - which to choose?
      By saluki in forum Introduce Yourself
      Replies: 17
      Last Post: 08-19-2014, 21:01
    2. Hammock curious Aussie.
      By Snowy Mountains Mick in forum Introduce Yourself
      Replies: 8
      Last Post: 02-01-2013, 08:25
    3. Thinking about a Hammock
      By Loneoak in forum Introduce Yourself
      Replies: 10
      Last Post: 07-14-2011, 11:46
    4. Thinking about a hammock for two
      By Gumbo in forum General Hammock Talk
      Replies: 8
      Last Post: 02-08-2011, 12:27
    5. Thinking about a diy hammock, but how?
      By jons4real in forum Do-It-Yourself (DIY)
      Replies: 2
      Last Post: 09-04-2010, 20:14

    Tags for this Thread

    Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •