Grounding my Moskito (and other stuff)

[Seracer]

Always looking for ways to lighten my pack, I got a Moskito this year. It's about a pound lighter than my Trek Light double with netting settup, which means that rather than 2lbs. I am down to 1lb. Splitting hairs for some, but I like messing with stuff like that (and I get a new hammock!). So while I play with learning how to hang and lay in the new hammock, I decided to see what going to ground would be like as well. I have a silnylon Equinox 10x12 that is my shelter of choice. After some playing around, I found this setup seems to work pretty darn well in the backyard anyway:



Basically, it's a simple staking of the two grommets each side of the ridgeline grommet in the back, then staking the middle and corners in the front, using a treking pole for the front and a guyline to keep tension in front. Huge amount of room inside and low to the wind in the back. I then stake the Moskito in the back on the ground to the back ridgeline grommet and run the netting cord up to the treking pole in front up high. The treking pole goes through the front loop of the Moskito into the ground. With my CCF pad on the bottom and my 3/4 Thermarest inside the hammock lays nicely with just enough headroom to be comfortable. I spent the night in this setup last night (a bit cool and windy here in Washington State, perhaps 45F with breeze to 7mph) and slept well.

I am also testing the range on a homemade quilt-thingy my wife and I worked on. It's a copy of a Nunatak Back Country Blanket (of which I have one also) but using Climashield synthetic insulation. It's a bit larger so it works as a bottom for a couple's bag (when my wife goes camping with me). We just velcro the down BCB on top of the synthetic "body bag" (her name) and have plenty of room for two. It also works as a wet-weather version of the BCB for single use. I can also velcro it shut around the BCB and have a very warm double bag. And, it also works as an underquilt of sorts under the Moskito. Still experimenting, and it is lots of fun!

[east_stingray]

Uh... does that thing have a door? Or is your only hope to angle the opening away from the wind-driven rain?

[Cannibal]

I've got one of those hammocks. I'm pretty sure I like it, but it does have some issues you should be aware of ahead of time.

Disclosure: I've only got about 6 or 7 nights in it, so take that.

First and foremost; the suspension. The suspension is actually the main reason I bought it. I sleep in Brazilian hammocks at home, which use a similar style of connecting the hammock body to the connection point. I really like the lay of my Brazilians so I thought this might be close. It is close, but not quite. I think if they'd make the fabric a bit longer, it would be marvelous. Anyway, those little cords have a nasty tendency to get tangled when stuffed away. While you are playing with the set-up, be sure to play with the packing too. I've tried about 10 different methods of wrapping to prevent tangling; some good, some not so good. Figure this out before you go to the woods; makes for a very irritating evening.

Second, I have a small separation where the netting attaches to the hammock body by one end. It is the end that I normally have my head. I actually just, finally, repaired it last week. Just a cautionary warning because mine tore after the 4th night.

Once you get the wrapping down pat and maybe some reinforcement (or a watchful eye) on the netting seam and I think you'll enjoy this hammock. I'd make it bigger if (when) I made a clone, but otherwise I like it.

[Cannibal]

Uh... does that thing have a door? Or is your only hope to angle the opening away from the wind-driven rain?

They have a side zipper.

[Seracer]

If you are meaning the tarp east_stringray, no, there is no door. And being a tarp, yes, you have to stake it such that the opening is away from possible heavy weather.

Cannibal, thanks for your comments. I also found the first couple of times in the Moskito much different than my Trek Light. It is cut different, and the cords restrict the lay of your head and feet at each end, even on the diaganal. In my Trek Light double, there was lots of room and a "wall" of material to one side of my head and feet when I lay down. Not so with the Moskito. In fact, my head lays just inches from the edge, which is not neccessarily a bad thing. I can see much better from this hammock.

The netting does concern me. It seems pretty delicate. But I bought this hammock to save weight and that just seems to come with the territory.

Surprisingly, the end cords don't seem to tangle, but the netting cord is a pain! I have to come up with some way to handle that.