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  1. #1
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    Garage sale tent rain fly

    So this is just a story from a noob about how you should test your gear:

    i decided to get out and try my hammock backpacking a week ago, and all i had was an old rain fly from a garage sale tent.

    Actually i was a total noob and didnt try the whole setup before i set out. The first night we set up real late so i didnt have much time to figre out how to pitch the tarp.

    Problem 1- i hadnt brought enough line to do the ridgeline i needed, so i had to hang it over my hammocks bugnet rige line. It was WAY to close. Honestly, if i had brought enough, it probably would have been fine.

    Problem 2 - i hadnt brought enough line to pitch the sides out very far.

    So there i lay in my hammock with my tarp almost on top of me thinking about how this was not as cool as everyone says.

    Then it started to rain. Then it didnt stop for 4 hours...

    Problem 3 - the rain fly was leaky all over!

    My tarp started to leak down the sides. Then it started to drip on my face. And it started to get drawn down the bugnet which was touching it.. And the sides of my hammock.... and onto my sleeping bag.

    About half an hour of thinking to myself "i have to endure, i can make it til morning..." and i bailed into the tent with the other guys all warm and dry.

    So the next evening when i had plenty of time to figure out the setup (and having run into someone from the forum who was hammock camping who said to pitch it a foot or more above the hammock). I mustered up the guts to try again, picked trees that were closer together, and pitched it way up...

    And the next morning i woke up comfortably looking over the bluff to the sun rising over the river and i understood...
    Last edited by Jahull; 08-23-2011 at 21:33. Reason: Spelling

  2. #2
    Senior Member G.L.P.'s Avatar
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    the lesson here is you shoudl always test gear out at home befor you take it out on the trail

    glad to hear you got it all figured out the next night
    It puts the Underquilt on it's hammock ... It does this whenever it gets cold

  3. #3
    Senior Member Lonely Raven's Avatar
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    That's a good lesson. I actually added 4"X4" posts to my deck, just for hammock hanging/testing.

    Plus it's an excuse to fire up the fire pit and and hang outside with the puppy and a good book at all hours.

    Always try a local shakedown with new gear, no matter how nice.
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  4. #4
    Senior Member Silverlion's Avatar
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    Glad to hear it turned out for you. I've met a couple of people that gave up after the first night.
    We must all learn to live together as brothers--or we will all perish together as fools. MLK

  5. #5
    Senior Member dukedante's Avatar
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    Well done. The second time, anyhow.

  6. #6
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    Persistence...

    It definitely paid to be persistent... I wastotallyabout to give up after the first night.

    I think another factor was that i made a pillow out of my clothes bag the second night. The first night i just had a long sleeve shirt all bundled up. I think that made it a lot easier to sleep since im not a back sleeper...

    That was actually one of the things i wanted to make for next time - a breathable pillowcase.... The silny bag that i used was not breathable so i wrapped it one of my shirts... Worked alright, but id rather have something breathable....

    Plus i made a spliced up an adjustable ridgelinewhich made it a lot easier to dial in the comfort zone...

    Lots of things learned that first time out

    Biggest one is definitely the tarp. It doesnt matter how comfy you are when youre getting wet...

  7. #7
    New Member
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    finally got some photos

    Second night's hang:


    and the view

  8. #8
    Senior Member JohnSawyer's Avatar
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    Count another victim, folks! He's hooked!

    Glad it worked out!
    "Do or do not, there is no try." -- Yoda


  9. #9
    Senior Member sr1355's Avatar
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    AWESOME.... Glad you didn't give up your first night, If I were to have made a judgement regarding hammock camping based on my first night I'd still be on the ground.

    Learn as much as you can from the forum and get out in them there woods....
    Happy Hangin'

    Paul - Master Fabric Welder @ UGQ

    >>>VISIT UGQ OUTDOOR HERE<<<

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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