Group Hang Theory

[Gqgeek81]

I am hesitant to post this as I do not in any way want to appear critical against the group hangs or those who work hard to set them up.

I suppose my thread is about the expectations at a hang, specifically one that is a central gathering and not a group adventure from point A to point B.

On one hand they are and certainly should be much like a family day your employer might put on at the park or a family reunion or church gathering.

On the other hand I imagined them somewhat like going to a car show where everyone is showing off their ride. Perhaps many hangs are and I’ve missed it. Gunner76 certainly gave me the grand tour of his hammocks at the Smoked Butt hang last year. If this was going on across that hang then I missed it by arriving late.

So I have some ideas I think would be cool and allow the hang to be both the social gathering it is as well as something along the lines of going to a workshop at REI.

Mostly what runs through my mind are little competitions. Rather than the 3 legged races you might have at a family reunion, why not competitions like these?

Hold time trials to setup your hammock the fastest.
Hold races to take your packed cook kit and use it to boil water the fastest.
See who can filter water the fastest? (That one would be very apples/oranges)

Have weigh offs to see who’s various kits (FAK, cook kit, base weight ect) is lightest or for that matter heaviest.

In a bigger hang with vendor sponsors, any donated gear could go towards the winner.

Simply having a set of scales, (body weight, luggage and kitchen) would be handy for people to check and compare with each other.

I’m by no means trying to imply here that the fastest lightest gear is best, but the activity would be a great way for people to see each others gear, learn, and break any ice that needs breaking.

Maybe all of this is the norm and I’m just clueless?

[peanuts]

i will keep my keys quiet......

[Humpback]

Sorry not for me. Competitions are what I go to the woods to avoid

[MAD777]

Gqgeek, it's not that some of your proposed activities don't sound like fun, but I think Humpback sort of nailed the laid back attitudes at the hangs that I have attended.
However, we did have a bean bag toss at a hang and I believe I saw some horse shoes at another. Maybe we could have a backpack toss - light ones would have an advantage

[Aardvark]

Not throwin around my G4-Pack, just sayin!

[SilvrSurfr]

Sounds like the Boy Scouts' Klondike Derby. I hated the Klondike Derby.

If there were a group hang organized around "competitive hammocking and camping," I'd avoid it like the plague. Competitive hammocking sounds like a contradiction in terms to me.

Now if it were done for laughs, it could be quite funny, like this vid on Hammock Olympics.

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ad.php?t=57423

[inspectorguy]

At the ones I have been to, we just mostly sit around and tell lies.... er, I mean, um interesting stories.

[Ratdog]

Now if it were done for laughs, it could be quite funny, like this vid on Hammock Olympics.

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ad.php?t=57423

One of the all time best Hammock Vids...

To the OP, as was said, not a bad idea but...seeings as how I nap through half the group hangs, just wouldn't be for me. Laughing and napping, that's my bag.

Me, I like to walk a little, maybe fish, nap, eat, nap, bs around the fire, sleep, wake, eat, nap, walk, nap, eat, sleep. If I get in some reading, it's a bonus.

If I happen to be sleeping/napping through a food event, I appreciate when fellow hangers wake me, you know like at the various Pine Barrens Hangs.
"Pete, wakeup, Tinkr & Blackfoot just arrived with more food"

That said, I am always willing to share info, checkout gear and show off my setup for those interested. Just have to wake me and ask is all.

I've seen some folks organize demonstrations in a centralized area and I would be willing to sit there and work some fire building skills or splicing stuff. Equally interesting to me are the ad hoc gatherings of folks asking questions, calling over some more experienced folks and next thing you know, everyone is gathering up gear to share and another hour goes by.

Structure has it's place, me, I'll go with the flow, keep and oar in the water and continue down stream every once in a while eddying out, chillaxin as the ions free me radicals.

[SilvrSurfr]

In the competitive bear-bagging event, will Ursacks be allowed?

How about a competitive cat-hole event? I'm thinking we would have quite a few DQDTCs (Disqualified Due to Constipation). Maybe we should allow laxatives for the older competitors?

[OutandBack]

I am hesitant to post this as I do not in any way want to appear critical against the group hangs or those who work hard to set them up.

I suppose my thread is about the expectations at a hang, specifically one that is a central gathering and not a group adventure from point A to point B.

On one hand they are and certainly should be much like a family day your employer might put on at the park or a family reunion or church gathering.

On the other hand I imagined them somewhat like going to a car show where everyone is showing off their ride. Perhaps many hangs are and I’ve missed it. Gunner76 certainly gave me the grand tour of his hammocks at the Smoked Butt hang last year. If this was going on across that hang then I missed it by arriving late.

So I have some ideas I think would be cool and allow the hang to be both the social gathering it is as well as something along the lines of going to a workshop at REI.

Mostly what runs through my mind are little competitions. Rather than the 3 legged races you might have at a family reunion, why not competitions like these?

Hold time trials to setup your hammock the fastest.
Hold races to take your packed cook kit and use it to boil water the fastest.
See who can filter water the fastest? (That one would be very apples/oranges)

Have weigh offs to see who’s various kits (FAK, cook kit, base weight ect) is lightest or for that matter heaviest.

In a bigger hang with vendor sponsors, any donated gear could go towards the winner.

Simply having a set of scales, (body weight, luggage and kitchen) would be handy for people to check and compare with each other.

I’m by no means trying to imply here that the fastest lightest gear is best, but the activity would be a great way for people to see each others gear, learn, and break any ice that needs breaking.

Maybe all of this is the norm and I’m just clueless?

You should test your theory and organize one.

I have been organizing and leading group hangs for about 4 years now.
Both point A to B and group campouts.
I usually try to pick places that offer choices for the hangers, fishing, hiking, etc.
Eating dinner together and story time around the fire is about all we do as a whole group.