Speeding up camp entrance/exit times

**viix** · 06-03-2010, 16:32

The whole point of going on the trail is to do it at a leisurely pace.. But like OP, I've a habit to minimise time wastage (or plain laziness) since my army days.. My pack is organize so I can grab what I need without having to unload stuff just to reach the bottom of the pack.. I avoid unpacking stuff I don't need this way since it's just a quick reach thru proper gear organisation.. The trade off is having to have a habit of remembering where the stuffs are, which shouldn't be an issue if you've packed long enough it's become like muscle memory ;p

The same goes for my hammock and tarp packing.. There's only 1 way to pack and unpack, and I've place it that it's one continous clip unravel peg and lie anti clockwise movement that the queen's says I'm ocb, especially when she sees my daily carry bag is neatly placed so I can grab my stuff blind or in the dark!

it's sounds extreme but I do it at a leisurely pace and am not as anal as I use to be

it's more about enjoying the journey than reaching the destination faster.. I've a ocb habit only cause during my service I had readiness turnout twice everyday for 2 years doing standbys.. Now, I just learn to chill and relax..

**TOB9595** · 06-03-2010, 16:37

Who really cares about "RUSH"
I like this question. I want to see how folk pack their hammock, quilts, net, tarp with the easiest way possible.
Easy usually translates to quick...

Ikemouser, please post some pics of your hammock bag, if you can.
Regards
To all
Tom

**ikemouser** · 06-03-2010, 16:44

Originally Posted by Cuffs

I am all about being effecient and orderly, but I have to ask... What's the rush? Sometimes I find some awesome (stealth) sights and take my time packing up do I can enjoy them as long as possible before moving on.

The rush is i have practically no time to hike, right now i get around 1-1.5weeks a year, so i like to do high mileage. Until i move to my true profession, teaching, i won't have any time.

**ikemouser** · 06-03-2010, 16:49

Also i have always been more of a hiker than a camper, if i find some nice spot with a great overlook or beautiful waterfall of course i will take my time, but i prefer to hike than camp.

**pgibson** · 06-03-2010, 17:00

To each there own

I have made a few of those jumbo stuff sacks to fit hammock, quilt and all into. They can be kind of tricky to figure out just how big to make for a "good" fit. But if they are slightly oversized then you can pack them a bit easier, squish them around to the shape of your pack rather than a tight ball in the bottom that nothing will fit well against. But even using one I can't see more than a minute or two saved versus packing it all separate or loose in the pack. Again YMMV.

**flair4040** · 06-03-2010, 17:02

Originally Posted by Riverpirate

Sounds like you are going through life too fast. Get my age and you will wish you had spent time enjoying stuff.

If he likes to go fast let him go fast. To each his own. We each enjoy the adventure in our own way. If you like to take your time that is great. If he likes to cover mile after mile and sleep on a pine cone....no worries. Hike your own hike and enjoy the crap out of it. That is just my thought.

**myles to go** · 06-03-2010, 17:05

I like to pack my setup complete with bugnet , under quilt , and top quilt attached all stuffed into the bottom of my pack inside a pack liner. This is for simplicity more than speed but I find that it takes much less space in my small pack (Golite Peak) with out the individual items packed separate . My Tarp is in the front of my pack and can be set up first or last depending on rain or sun.
When I arrive in camp I set up my tree huggers and Tarp ridgeline and the rest is just clip on and adjust .

**Doctari** · 06-03-2010, 17:28

My "Speed tips":
My underquilt stays attached, it & the hammock & whoopie slings go into a Black Bishop Bag. The top quilt has it's own stuff sack & goes into that pretty quickly. Total take down / set up time of Hammock & quilts is about 3 - 7 minutes.
Tree huggers have Dutch clips, 30 second take down / set up. My toggles (aluminum rods) stay attached at the average place I use them.
Over the top ridge line for my tarp, with 3 Prussic knots: 2 for attaching the tarp, & 1 for adjusting the length. Each end of the ridge has a mini biner for quick attachment / set up. The tarp has figure 9s, for easy attachment to the prussic knots & can do double duty if I don't use the over the top ridgeline. The tie out lines for my tarp are semi permanently attached. Tarp set up about 3 minutes, take down about 5.

**T-BACK** · 06-03-2010, 18:55

I'm with you Ike!

I hike slow these days due to my Lyme disease turned Rheumatoid arthritis. All the more reason to get up and get rollin'. Likewise I can hike until dark or later if I choose and set up camp quickly and hit the hay. I guess it depends on why you walk. Do you hike to camp or camp to hike?

I keep my tarp separate and it is first up and last down in the rain. I don't use a top/under quilt. Instead I have a mummy bag that goes around my hammock when it is cool outside. I wear my cocoon jacket to bed so that I don't have to put on warm clothes to get up in the morning. On my old set up, my hammock straps separated from my hammock in case they were wet. The sleeping bag stayed on the hammock and the cinch buckles were slid off the straps. The hammock was stuffed into the bottom of my pack without a stuff sack. The tarp was rolled up and the with the no tangle lines just thrown inside and my skin was pulled over the tarp. Tarp and wet straps go into a stuff sack in an outside pocket and I'm off. I stop an hour or so down the trail at a water source for breakfast.

I now use a Molly MacPack (thanks again Mac!). This allows me to pack up everything extra the night before and just put my new hammock in a stuff sack and lash it on the pack.

On a short hike it's OK to stop and smell the roses. On a long hike, minutes add up to miles. Miles add up to extra meals or even lost days. Meals mean extra weight which in turn slows down the hiker and so on and so on....In extreme cases this can even cause you to lengthen your hike and get into adverse weather. Many trails are time sensitive. Even a slow hiker can knock out some serious miles each day by starting early and ending late.

**Riverpirate** · 06-03-2010, 19:34

Well since you put it that way I see your point. Not being a hiker, I thought hikers hiked to see nature and just enjoy being in the woods. If you are just out for a "run through the woods" that is a whole different story.