I have all the gear I need for my first official hang, which is planned for May. I imagine it's going to take a while before I can just look at two trees and know they are the right size and distance apart, as well as having setup being more or less automatic with a little tweaking.
I realize most people are constantly tweaking gear and techniques, so imagine your first few times out. How long did it take you to get comfortable with the setup process?
A couple of set-ups is all you need.
People like to speak of learning curves. While it does in fact exist, it isn't as intimidating as some will lead you to believe. My general rule is to not hang from anything smaller than my forearm. The smaller the diameter, the more likely wind blowing will cause you some rocking and rolling in the hammock, but failure is unlikely when using a healthy tree. Distance is a function of your strap length. The thing to remember there is, the longer the span, the higher you'll need to tie to the trees. If you like climbing trees, this isn't a problem.
Just get out and hang! You'll me a 'Master Hanger' before you know it.
Trust nobody!
We haven't implemented the live broadcast, peer review exam process yet?
Nah, just kidding of course. I still twiddle and tweak my hammock whenever I get out. I enjoy fiddling with it. I don't even think about it any more, just get out and have some fun with it and you'll be golden in no time.
"Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities." - Mark Twain
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” - John Burroughs
i agree with Cannibal set up a few times in the yard play around with your gear and get to know it and get out there and use it
the only way your going to learn is if you get out there and use your gear
but i'm a firm believer in getting to know your gear before you take it out on the trail but don't get caught up in learning curves you will learn as you go
It puts the Underquilt on it's hammock ... It does this whenever it gets cold
Once you think you have the hang of setting up your gear, set it up in the dark with a headlamp. (Do this in your yard, with bailout option, just in case) I found that setting up in the dark with my headlamp taught me to know my gear, and to keep track of all the little stuff like tarpflys, pegs and carabiners. It is hard to find dropped stuff in leaves with a headlamp sometimes.
"No whining in the woods"
Set up is pretty straight forward and easy....fiddling with your gear and set-up is just plain fun
A few practice runs will definitely help familiarize yourself with your current setup. Now, if I could only keep my current setup without changing it all the time!
The handing of the hammock and tarp was pretty simple for me after one or two practices. What took me a good while to accomplish, was looking at two trees and being right about the distance.
Early on I had a tarp that was much longer than my hammock. It was a nice day so I hung my hammock first; it looked beautiful. As I was admiring my handiwork with the hammock, I dug into my pack and pulled out my tarp that WOULDN'T FIT between the two trees! Oh well, I learn something every time I go out.
Mike
"Life is a Project!"
Practice makes perfect. Wait, that isn't correct. Practice makes permanent. Personally, I've honed my setup skills each time I hang and I keep getting better at it. A learning curve, yes, but it's more like the end of a hockey stick in that you figure out a lot after your first hang. Exponentially more on the second.
Syb
Enjoy the elevation
I agree with everyone who has suggested practicing at home before you go. I did one practice set-up and thought I'd be good to go. Silly me. After a long hike my brain malfunctioned. I suddenly forgot all the knots I had learned. Ended up just tying the Superfly on each end to the tree and cutting it free in the morning. Wasted Zing-it. Another thing that might happen is it could take quite a bit longer than you expect to get everything set-up. It took me about 90 minutes. I was thinking it would take 30 being my first time and all. Just something to keep in mind if you are hiking and dusk is approaching. Set your pace accordingly. And finally the storing of gear. I am used to sleeping with everything but my food in the tent with me. I managed to rig something up on the ridgeline for my little stuff but I had to fiddle with it for 20 minutes and kept knocking it off the ridge line causing my stuff to fall out. I think a practice set-up with everything you'll be carrying is a good idea. Car keys, lighting, knife, etc. Where will you put it all? This is probably a big duh for the experienced, but being a tenter all my life I just planned to have all this stuff in the hammock. Never even occurred to me to put it in a stuff sack and hang it from a tree. That's why a full run through seems liek a good idea to me. (Sorry for being long winded)
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