new with newbie questions

[kgbenson]

Hello,

Never had a hammock but am keen to try them out. I live in Columbia SC and am wondering what I may or may not need by way of quilts and so forth. I have watched Shug's videos (great info and laughs) but I am still wondering what I need to get started.

It is pretty darned hot here for most of late spring till early fall so I am wondering how much "stuff" I need.

Any info would be helpful,

Keith

[Bubba]

Hello and welcome! First, you need to tell us what you intend to do. Are you a car camper, canoeist, backpacker? Will weight be an issue? How much do you want to invest in new gear? This place can get addictive once you start.

I, like many others started by getting a simple gathered end hammock such an ENO doublnest. They run about $65.00. The HammockBliss Double is $5.00 cheaper for the same thing. They are great for lounging but for camping or backpacking you need more.

For bug season, you need either a separate bugnet or a hammock with an intergrated bugnet. For weather protection you need a tarp and for insulation you need a top quilt and an underquilt. Those are the four main components for hammock camping.

You don't need to buy all the fancy gear right away. You could get away with a cheap blue tarp from Walmart. For top insulation you can just use an old sleeping bag. If you are a do it yourself kind of person there are ways to make hammock gear like an under quilt from an old down sleeping bag or jacket. There are so many options that its hard to sum it all up.

Bottom line, try a less expensive hammock at first and see if you are comfortable in it and take it from there and read and watch videos. You'll catch on quick and keep asking questions.

[MadRacDad]

I'm a noob also, so, take that into account. Like bubba I would advise you to buy something and just get started. If you are a DIY type of person, spend $20 on some ripstop and make you own hammock. That is what I did and I feel very good about my progress. My wife just bought me a WBBB for my birthday (sorry guys she is taken) and it is truly awsome. In my several backyard hangs I have found I sleep quite cold. You might be suprised how chilly you get in a hammock. In short, go for it, try it out and welcome!!

[kgbenson]

Thanks or the reply guys.

I would like to use this for everything from camping to backpacking. Generally several day trips to get out, hike and maybe fish a little - mostly in the south east.

Bubba you mention the ENO double nest. Any reason not to go with a single nest?

thanks again guys!

Keith

[SwampFoot]

Make sure when you sleep outside in a hammock you either have a sleeping pad or an underquilt...otherwise you will be cold and never do it again....all of these guys on HF are very experienced hammockers....I was lucky when I joined...I had a member do a step by step with me...if you have the right gear you will love it and be hooked for life....I live in NC and share your misery but trust me...at night in the woods even in 75 degree weather you will get cold from the bottom without bottom insulation...I have been usuing sleeping pads but am now going to underquilts....when you are talking hammocks a little research goes a long way....Warbonnet or Mosquito hammock by Claytor...both double layer...check them out...semper fi bro!

[Bubba]

...

Bubba you mention the ENO double nest. Any reason not to go with a single nest?
....

The DN offers more room to lay diagnoal and therefore a little flatter. A SN is fine as well but I found I'd rather have a little extra material then not enough. Truth be told I modified mine by cutting off the excess side material making it 10 inches narrower but still wider than a SN.

Take a look at the Warbonnet Traveler. The material is less stretchy, you can pick up a Warbonnet Bugnet down the road. You can get a double layer so you can use a sleeping pad in between the layers until you invest in an underquilt. Warbonnet is owned by member Warbonnetguy and is made in the US so you'd be supporting a local business and he makes the Blackbird which probably the most recommended camping hammock around here and for good reason. I have one and love it! He makes top quality stuff.

[Shug]

All you need to get going is a hammock....sleeping bag and a pad. Maybe a hammock with bug-net.
Then get to the woods and it will be a work in progress.
Have fun. Go.
Shug

[Dudorino]

This place can get addictive once you start.

Bubba's right and I recommend that you get out now before you're hooked too! Most of us here are now gear addicts looking for that perfect combination of stuff for every occasion.

Seriously, you are in the right place to find out about whatever you need. There's so much information on so many topics, it will take you time to sort through it all. Recognizing that you want to get going now, I'm going to recommend that you start with a WBBB (Warbonnet Blackbird). Everyone say's they're the Cadillac of hammocks and I agree. Also get an underquilt and a tarp; you can use an open sleeping bag until you get it figured out and get a real top quilt later. There are a lot of choices in these areas and it really does depend on what you want to do.

The biggest choice you'll have is whether to go down or synthetic. If you're planning to do much backpacking, down is about twice as light as the lightest synthetic. If you don't care about weight, I'd go with synthetic since it works wet and is normally a bit less expensive. I have a combination of both.

Hope that helps and have fun dangling between the trees. Welcome to the forum.

[Cranky Bear]

Since you say you have never been in a hammock before I would suggest looking at getting a Eno or Grand Trunk hammock and upgrade the suspension to webbing and rings or buckle!

Then the next part is easy------wait for it--------------wait for it------------------

Go out and hang the hammock and take a nap (in sunny warm weather of course), and see if you like it, if you do then you can start to look into other hammocks if you choose! If you do it this way you might be looking at spending 70$ or so and that is probably on the high side if you were to look around on the net I'm sure you can find a hammock that is around 20-30$! The suspension is easy as well, look in the suspension thread for ideas, or do a search for rings suspension or buckle suspension!

You will need a tarp, insulation, and everything that goes with it all!

As already mentioned you can use a pad in a hammock, it was done by many for quite a long time before underquilt's were even a thought! Now it may not be as comfortable as a underquilt, but it will do the job, and a lot cheaper!

If you choose to go all out and buy the Warbonnet Blackbird, or a Hennessy Hammock, or a Tree To Tree hammock, or a ______ hammock, or a _______ hammock is up to you, but it will be slightly costly and if you find out that you don't like it of course you can sell the items on here in the For Sale section, you might take a slight loss (usually not much on the bigger named products) as long as they are not damaged or anything!

[kobold]

perhaps have a look at the jack'r better mount washingtom 3-season convertible for underquilt:
http://www.jacksrbetter.com/Mt%20Was...MW3Convertible
after that, a summer top quilt like the shenandoah, or offerings from hammockgear.com or see all the other vendor sections... they are all excellent! and welcome to hf of course! :-)