same here. thanks ShugOriginally Posted by Thunder Adventure Co
same here. thanks Shug
I hated the pain that came with sleeping on the ground. I was always the first one up because I would get too sore to lay down any longer. A friend of mine bought one and I couldn't wait to try it out. I've only slept in a hammock once and I've become a true believer. I'm currently working on a DIY under quilt so I can hang the night before I go hunting.
Though I love the idea of tent camping in perfect conditions, (flat, soft, level ground & large enough) during extreme weather, hanging on the AT allows much more access to many beautiful spots and vistas to make camp. No more worries of the ground just find 2 trees and I'm good. I have a plan to hang in the mangroves over water (NO GROUND) here in South Florida, can't do that in a tent.
My friend, SMJerry, showed me his set-up at a Boy Scouts Order of the Arrow function in early 2013. Knowing that I was going to spend a week at summer camp, I decided I wanted to to be more comfortable than I ever am in a tent or on a cot. I purchased a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beater a month or two later. I also purchased a Warbonnet Mamajama. Not knowing about UQs, I used a closed-cell foam pad as insulation. It was okay, but it didn't cut it, and I wasn't quite comfortable the week of summer camp. In December I decided to try and make a UQ. I took my 0 degree mummy bag and cut out the zipper, then seamed it up. I also cut a hole in the footbox and sewed four loops around the edge so that I could cinch it up. Every year our Scout troop participates in Klondike, a winter camp in February. It just so happened that this year we had a major snowstorm, dropping 10" in an area which barely gets 1" the entire winter. I was looking forward to trying my new UQ at Klondike, but due to road conditions, we decided to cancel Klondike. So, I set up in my back yard and used a plain blue tarp to create a door on one end. The first night I wasn't quite comfortable, so I slipped an emergency blanket in between the UQ and the hammock. The next night I slept like a babe. A few weeks ago I made a new UQ using a summer weight sleeping bag, and today I finished making a Turtledog stand which I will be testing tonight.
I went on a camping trip in the Adirondacks with a group from NYFirearms.com this summer. The first night I took on close to 2 inchs of rain in my tent. Several of the group had hammocks. That is when I wanted to become a hanger.
Grew up on a peaceful lake in the Midwest, then moved to NYC after I graduated college. It didn't take long before I found out fast that I wasn't a city person. Promised myself for months there that when I left the city I'd buy a hammock (not sure where that seed was planted from) and just spend as much time away from civilization as much as possible. Eventually I did move back, this past summer, and got my first hammock. Soon after I discovered the mass amount of people REALLY camping in their hammocks and quickly fell for it. I've been hanging every weekend reading or camping. When I go to large overnight family events I'm the one sleeping in the middle of the corn field between two old fence posts. Now I've got more insulation and plans to take this through the winter. I'm pretty excited!
I happened across some of Shugs videos and then started researching hammocks. I did a solo trip in a tent in July and it rained hard most of the weekend. I was miserable and bored in that tent. Always worried if the floor was going to get wet. Worries no more!! Love the hammock!
Camping with the scouts I've gone through different phases of sleeping arrangements. I started out with the traditional tent for many years. Then decided that I wanted to stand up to change clothes and bought a bigger tent. Next adventure was making a little teardrop trailer. I used that for a couple of years and then moved on to my hammock. I researched the web and found the forum. I bought a used Skeeter Beater in 2008 from the For Sale and have used it the last 6 years. Last hang the zipper tab broke, so I search and found a guy selling his lawson hammock. It arrived today and I'm excited to try it out.
I took my girlfriend camping at Delaware Water Gap for her 1st time. That night i slept on 3 BIG rocks, I had the worst night sleep ever. That morning their was a Boy Scout group and a kid with a Hennessy Hammock. Went home started doing research. The I found Shug's videos..............I WAS HOOKED EVER SINCE (2012)I have been noticing, especially on this forum but also on general hiking forums, there have been several new "hangers" popping up and introducing themselves. Out of sheer curiosity, I wanted to ask all of you fine new hangers exaclty how/when/why you first decided to give hammocks a try?
Is it something you saw in a magazine ad? Is it something you saw on the trail? Or was it something your friends talk about?
I first started seriously considering hammocks after searching for DIY quilt instructions, when I came across Just Jeff's site. I soon realized that if I can sleep under a tarp on the ground, I can do it above the ground.
the rest is history! (thanks, Jeff!)
so, how'd you learn the ways of the Ewok?
i am 67 yrs. of age Amercian Indian from the free state of LOUISIANA,i started camping at the age of 9. my first camp with a hammock was in 2004 ,like some here i am sure i had used a hammock but the thought of a hammock here in Louisiana where the state bird should be the mosquito never crossed my mind then
i saw a Hennessy review on you tube ,bought a safari lux and if you ain't hanging you are missing out.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks