First hang experience

[bdaabat]

Hey all! This is my first (non introductory) post. Just thought i'd share thoughts from my first hang experience.

I bought a hammock a week or so ago. Just got a wild hare to get a hammock, so I did...just picked something that sounded good from Campmor and ordered it (Hammock Bliss Double). Then I started investigating things a bit more...and eventually found this place and i'm totally intrigued! Unfortunately, I have not really had a chance to fully try out the hammock. Weather has been miserable! Super hot and humid. Then our neighborhood lost power in a severe storm last week...it's not been ideal sleeping outside weather.

So, brought the hammock with me when traveling to visit family. Thought the kids would enjoy playing in it (which they are...I can hear them giggling in it while typing this note). We ended up having more people get together than originally planned, which made for some awkward sleeping arrangements. Took this opportunity to test out sleeping in the hammock. I volunteered to sleep in the basement of the house where we're staying where I could easily set up the hammock.

Now, I hadn't planned on sleeping in the hammock. I didn't "prepare"...didn't pack along a pad or sleeping bag or comforter or anything. Was expecting to be in a normal bed, wearing shorts.

The basement here is quite chilly...in order to get the rest of the house cool and comfy, the basement gets cold. I'd bet temps are in the 60-65 range. Got the hammock set up, grabbed a comforter, and got comfy! Took some getting used to...I found a couple configurations that were ok, and some that we're really comfortable. Fell asleep pretty quickly.

Ordinarily, I'm not a good sleeper. I typically wake up ~4 -5A, then have trouble falling back to sleep. Last night, I woke up a couple different times because a body part had gotten outside of the comforter and was chilly. Once I get rearranged, was able to get back to sleep ok. Woke up ~4:30, was more than a little chilly, and realized I needed to totally rearrange the comforter in order to stay warm. I was concerned that moving around this much at this hour would cause me to be awake for the day. Didn't happen. Fell back asleep and stayed in bed til 8:30!

Sleeping til 8:30 is a REALLY big deal for me. I can't recall the last time I slept that late. Can't totally say its due to the hammock, but I can say I'm going to be using it again tonight.

Bruce

[Brute1100]

Did the same thing for me with the sleeping through the night thing... Congratulations on a good nights sleep, that's what hammocking is all about in my book... Sleeping well and sleeping long...

[olddog]

It's great isn't it? Welcome to a future of fantastic sleep.

[bdaabat]

Thanks Brute and olddog!

Followup: enjoyed a second nights sleep, this time a bit better prepared. Had long Jammie pants, a sleeping bag AND a comforter. Got a little warm overnight.

So, I still have some work to do on dialing in insulation for the conditions. Also need to start investigating options for actual hammock camping, not just sleeping in a tent inside for a couple nights!

Bruce

[Brute1100]

We all start somewhere... I wish I could hang inside somewhere... Just my house doesn't support any on the stands currently offered... I would sleep in it every night if I could... But for now me and the bed still have to have a relationship...

[bdaabat]

Brute: I hear ya! Interesting, after getting the first decent nights sleep I've had in a while, I actually talked to my wife about getting something permanently hooked up in our basement so that I could use the hammock attached inside, and done properly. We'll see how that goes!

Bruce

[Kzoo]

It's great to have found outdoor sleeping arrangements that are even better than sleeping in my own bed. Makes me want to get out and camp more, just have to wait for this heat wave to break!