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  1. #1
    Senior Member thecrumb's Avatar
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    WTB - beginner setup

    I'm a motorcyclist and interested in trying hammock camping.

    Looking for something like the ENO system with tarp, hammock and bugnet all included. I'd like something inexpensive as I don't have a lot of money and if I don't like it - I won't have much invested.

    Weight and bulk aren't too much of a concern - it's got to be smaller than my old tent

    Thanks,
    Jim

  2. #2
    Senior Member angrysparrow's Avatar
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    Welcome to the forum.

    Since you are looking for an 'all in one' solution to try, and want to minimize cost, I'd say look into one of the double-layered hammocks with an attached bugnet. Perhaps one of the Claytor models is a good choice.

    The reason I suggest a double-layered hammock is because hammocks require more forethought into 'bottom insulation' than a tent. Using a DL will allow you to easily use some kind of sleeping pad (which you likely already have) between the layers of fabric and not have to fuss with the pad sliding around. However, if you don't like the double-layered models and still want to use a pad, check into the Speer SPE. Of course there are other insulation methods besides pads (underquilts), but they are a more expensive approach.

    Good luck. Feel free to ask questions and let us know how your experiment goes.
    “I think that when the lies are all told and forgot the truth will be there yet. It dont move about from place to place and it dont change from time to time. You cant corrupt it any more than you can salt salt.” - Cormac McCarthy

  3. #3
    Peter_pan's Avatar
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    I ride a K1200LTC and hammock camp with it..... FWIW, since you noted the value of reduced bulk, a good point, under quilts are normally a much lower bulk approach to bottom insulation than pads..... But it will be pricier.... watch the resale posts or seek a rare irregular.

    But, hey, I'm biased.

    PM me if you want to persue a detailed discussion of MCs and hammocks.

    Pan
    Ounces to Grams.

    www.jacksrbetter.com ... Largest supplier of camping quilts and under quilts...Home of the Original Nest Under Quilt, and Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock. 800 595 0413

  4. #4
    Senior Member Tobit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter_pan View Post
    PM me if you want to persue a detailed discussion of MCs and hammocks.
    Sounds like the basis of a good article for the site.

  5. #5
    Senior Member thecrumb's Avatar
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    Thanks for the feedback - one thing to clarify - my location

    I'm in central NC and would be camping during the summer so I'm not TOO concerned about insulation. Worst case is I climb in my Aerostich (riding suit)

    Jim

  6. #6
    Peter_pan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thecrumb View Post
    Thanks for the feedback - one thing to clarify - my location

    I'm in central NC and would be camping during the summer so I'm not TOO concerned about insulation. Worst case is I climb in my Aerostich (riding suit)

    Jim
    thecrumb, et al,

    Two points,

    First, re-read some threads on keeping warm.... cold , misersble nights can ocurr even at 75 or so for many if not most.... and it will surely be lower than this most nights in the NC mountains.... Spent more than a few nites hanging in the GAS, NC, VA mountains in all seasons.

    Second, Planning to sleep in an arostitch (I wear the Areostitch Darian suit) suit after hustling through the mountain roads all day and sweating it up is a poor plan..... Almost surely it will still be damp if not moist (need I mention further, if it has been raining you will be sleeping in a wet AS or whimping out looking for a hotel)....And it may be 1000 d nylon but it is uninsulated.... it will also compress and instead of freezing after 20 minutes it will be truly cold after 40-60 minutes, quicker if the temp drops after a summer thunder storm (which is a common event).... Also airing the suit out at night is less odiferous both at night while you sleep and the following day when riding, too.

    BTW I'm a well over a 100,000 mile beemer rider, almost all touring/trip miles and at least 75 % of the nights have been spent hanging....Even July nights in the desert/ near desert of the Great SW required insulation.

    A pound or so of good low bulk insulation is surerly not to much .... heck, it is not even on your back.

    But hey, YMMV....

    Enjoy your rides and hangings... Rubberside Down.

    Pan
    Ounces to Grams.

    www.jacksrbetter.com ... Largest supplier of camping quilts and under quilts...Home of the Original Nest Under Quilt, and Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock. 800 595 0413

  7. #7
    Senior Member thecrumb's Avatar
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    Pan - thanks for the reply! I was joking about sleeping in the suit - it's WAY too funky to sleep in

    I would probably have my Thermarest with me which is what I'm assuming people mean by 'pad'?

    And can I assume a sleeping bag tossed in would serve the same purpose as a quilt while I'm getting started?

    Thanks!
    Jim

  8. #8
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    If you go with a double bottom the thermarest might be workable. The pad/quilt dialog gets quite lively and opinionated here. _For me_ a closed cell foam pad from Wally World is better than my self-inflatable. But I don't have a double bottom so I don't have a first hand knowledge. Sleeping bags are helpful, but again the dialog continues about the use of bags as bags and bags as top quilts. I use my bags as top quilts which means I still need some bottom insulation because my back is pretty well exposed to the single layer bottom, depending on my sleep wear. Some of this hammock camping business is not real intuitive if you converting from a ground dweller. I needed to "unlearn" some things I had held as sacred through decades of tent camping.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

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  9. #9
    Senior Member thecrumb's Avatar
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    Gotcha!

    So a foam pad (or Thermarest) on the bottom and then bag on top is one option

    Yeah - I need to spend an evening and browse through the forums here!!!

    Thanks!
    Jim

  10. #10
    Senior Member FanaticFringer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thecrumb View Post
    Gotcha!

    So a foam pad (or Thermarest) on the bottom and then bag on top is one option

    Yeah - I need to spend an evening and browse through the forums here!!!

    Thanks!
    Jim
    Be sure to stop by Just Jeff's (member here) site. Great hammock camping and DIY info.
    www.tothewoods.net/HammockCamping.html
    "Every day above ground is a good day"

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