My gear

**SwingingBagpiper** · 07-22-2010, 07:22

People seem to like posting pics of their gear. Here's mine. Pics taken this past weekend during a car camping event with the Scouts in Reliance, TN. Using a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beater Pro, two whoopie slings and tree straps, and a Hennessey Hex Rainfly.

**NCPatrick** · 07-22-2010, 07:22

Looks great. Did you have a good trip?

**Poppabear** · 07-22-2010, 07:24

That is a good looking set up.

**SwingingBagpiper** · 07-22-2010, 07:34

Originally Posted by NCPatrick

Looks great. Did you have a good trip?

It rained some but otherwise was great. Scouts rafted the Ocoee and Hiwassee Rivers and we ate like kings. Well, the adult leaders did, anyway. Our 32 Scouts had to fend for themselves.

**Hawk-eye** · 07-22-2010, 07:54

Originally Posted by SwingingBagpiper

... Well, the adult leaders did, anyway. Our 32 Scouts had to fend for themselves.

Ha ... reminds me of the summers I taught backpacking and rock climbing at a summer camp for mostly wealthy kids the parents got rid of for the summer. Most of them were great kids fortunately.

I use to have this talk I'd give them at the trail head before each trip ... sort of Patton'ish ... explaining how their first responsibility was to protect the councilor ... if a bear attacked they were to throw themselves in front of it to allow the councilor escape. The councilor would always eat first and campers would be allow to eat the leftovers. That sort of junk. Most got a chuckle out of it and we always laughed about it later on the trail. Good kids. However once a little blonded headed kid whose parents were from Boston and obviously very wealthy ... raised his hand and asked me ... "Do you know if my father read these details in the contract?" I told him most certainly. He shrugged his shoulders and said "sounds like my father ... but wait till I tell my mother she's not going to be amused with him".

I lost it ...

**avi** · 07-23-2010, 12:54

Just curious...what would you say the length between the two trees was? I have a very similar set up with the skeeter beeter But I always seem to be too low to the ground...Maybe its that I am 5'7" and cant get it tied up high enough or that the SKP needs a much longer distance between trees.

**SwingingBagpiper** · 07-23-2010, 15:10

Originally Posted by avi

Just curious...what would you say the length between the two trees was? I have a very similar set up with the skeeter beeter But I always seem to be too low to the ground...Maybe its that I am 5'7" and cant get it tied up high enough or that the SKP needs a much longer distance between trees.

I'm not sure. They were closer than I would have liked. I'm guessing 12-15 feet. I'm pretty tall (6'2") so I'm able to put the tree straps way up the tree. The marlin spikes were right next to the tree and I had the whoopie slings shortened as much as possible.

I will admit... I woke up Saturday morning with my behind just barely in contact with the ground.

Saturday evening I found different trees.

**Bubba** · 07-23-2010, 17:13

Sounds like an awesome time for both adults and kids.

Originally Posted by SwingingBagpiper

...

I will admit... I woke up Saturday morning with my behind just barely in contact with the ground.

Saturday evening I found different trees.

What kind of tree straps are you using that they stretched so much overnight?

**SwingingBagpiper** · 07-23-2010, 19:37

Originally Posted by odds

What kind of tree straps are you using that they stretched so much overnight?

My point was that the trees were really close and I set up with the sag within a couple of inches of the ground (with me in the hammock). I'm assuming that the hammock stretched during the night, not the straps. I used amsteel whoopie slings (no stretch there) and good solid tree straps from Arrowhead. Could have been a little stretch in the straps, but I think it was mostly hammock.

The second night I had zero problems.