NEW to hammocks

[Takahike]

Morning - I have a few (rookie) questions, started the a.t. last year in a tent and had to go off trail due to injury. Decided at last minute to pick up where left off this year-late-as a 57 year old woman, the tent hurts in morning! Hammock seems great way to go BUT I'm concerned about set up of tarp and hammock. Watched and read videos still concerned, but really want the comfort of wb
Any help or suggestions appreciated
Sorry for lengthy post. Ms.Step

[curlymaple42]

If there is any way you can get to a group hang organized here, DO IT!!!! It is a great place to learn all this stuff! Other than that, once you figure out what hammock and tarp seems to be the right combination for your needs, get it and set it up out back of your house or locally and practice setup and tear down. I have not even hung anywhere but our back yard yet and I really appreciate the learning I have done out back setting things up, tearing them down, tweaking things. Looking VERY forward to the group hang in MA this weekend as I still have questions. Stuff like I think I want a continuous ridgeline on my tarp and I am really not sure just how tight the tension should be on my guylines.

[Takahike]

Thank you, I am going to go out on a limb and try to learn fast, ie last min decision to get back on trail and really want to hang! Hoping to use permanent guy line and rig those little hook thingies (sorry) to guy lines to avoid tying knots. Is this feasible?

[TrailSlug]

Check out the Shug youtube channel. He has dozens of videos from beginner to advanced. Here's a start:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7NZVqpBUV0

[curlymaple42]

Certainly! Guylines can be stored separate or left attached. Attached they can tangle and be annoying to deploy, but not a huge big deal. We have the NiteEyz Figure 9 guyline setups on our four points on our tarps right now. I would prefer some Dutch bling but they work fine for now and are light. This

https://www.amazon.com/Nite-Ize-9466...teeyz+figure+9

I would suggest Tarp Flyz or a continuous ridge line on your tarp for quick deployment as well. Larkshead the zingit with Dutch tarp flies installed onto the Drings of your tarp and go! The various continuous ridgelines are easier to adjust and I may go that route soon though. Just make sure you try stuff out in your yard first before you go!! Insulation is important as you are in the air. So a good under quilt is key. Get a UQ at the coldest you expect to hang. My 20 degree Wooki UQ has been fabulous from 14 degrees up to 46 degrees so far! Top Quilt you honestly can use a decent sleeping bag, just only zip it about a foot or so up and tuck the sides around your shoulders. ANything under you is a waste as it is compressed. Down is more compact and light but I am not sure what through hikers feel about down for that type of trip because of stuff getting damp. Someone will have to comment on that. Synthetic might be better but it is heavier and bulkier too.

[Takahike]

I plan on buying wb blakbird dl and sliding my pad in for now, will other tarps work for it?

[Takahike]

Thanks for the link!

[TrailSlug]

I plan on buying wb blakbird dl and sliding my pad in for now, will other tarps work for it?

Nearly all tarps will work you just have to decide on how much weight you want to carry and how much coverage you will get. The Warbonnet Edge tarp is a good light weight tarp for 3 season use but is light for a reason as it's about as small as you would want to go.

[Karla "with a k"]

If there is any way you can get to a group hang organized here, DO IT!!!! It is a great place to learn all this stuff!

Coincidentally, there IS a hang this weekend- less than 3 hours from where you live. I've PM'd you and event host to connect. I hope you can make it!!! (The link is in my signature profile at the bottom)

[curlymaple42]

We have three WBBB1.1dbl hammocks actually. My daughter hung with a pad slid in and her synthetic bag and it was 47° that night. She was fine and slept great!

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