I'm glad that you've also found it! You just perfectly described it.....the sleep is so restorative. I've never hiked so well days into a trip, feeling absolutely reset and ready to go in the mornings. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. I love hearing about other people's experiences.
Great video Jetgirl!….i love how you overcame the hammock nuance's and how informative and useful your video is for the hiking community! Keep up the great channel ✌️
Thank you!!! I'm hopeful the video will help other hikers who are on the fence about giving hammocking a try. Thanks for checking out my little channel Doug!
Nice video Jetgirl! I just stumbled on your channel, so it was great to watch clips from a previous video for reference and see that you've come a long way. The hammock you have is a classic now, it is named after a dreaded jungle region in Panama called the Darien Gap. I work there leading expeditions, and that design was originally developed by Randy at Dream Hammock, specifically for those expeditions, that was back in 2012 if I remember correctly. Your experience on that first trip is very typical of many people. You were thrown out there without any prior skill on how to set up a hammock. The friend that let you borrow it obviously didn't know much about it either. Ideally you would've had a mentor. Most of us come into hammocking from a ground-dwelling mentality, and there are so many things that are new and different, and some old habits that need to be unlearned. One tip about tree spacing: your trees only need to be as far apart as the length of your tarp, because if the tarp fits, the hammock will do too. If your tarp is 12 feet long, you can easily hang between trees that are 12' 6" and onward. I wouldn't go more than 18 feet though, because the longer the distance the higher up the trees you'll have to set up your hammock suspension. So it's good idea to device a way to measure distance quickly. For example, you can lay the tarp on the floor at home and walk alongside to see how many paces it takes you to cover the length' on flat ground. My preferred method though, is using my trekking poles. If I set my poles to 120cm each, and hold them by the handle spreading my arms, I know that the distance from tip to tip is the same as the length of my tarp. So as a general rule when I get to a new camp, if I stand between the trees and I can touch them with the tips of my poles, I know immediately that the distance is too short for my tarp, and I need to look somewhere else. Hope that's helpful, and good luck on your journey.
That's too cool that you led expeditions in the jungle! Seems like that would be a pretty amazing place to hang in a nice netted environment. I'm assuming it's pretty warm and humid there, and that the air movement below you would feel great. So, was there no need to use underquilts or did you put something under to protect against mosquitos? I've heard people say that they can bite through the hammock fabric? Randy was definitely helpful when I was trying to figure out what exactly I wanted on my build, but I'm sure I tired him out with all my questions. It's certainly hard to build what you need when you don't exactly know what you need. Thank you for all of your tips. I don't know if you saw my video, but I completed the 223 mile Ouachita Trail with the Darien and definitely got much better with pacing out tree spacing and knowing how high to put my tree straps by the end of the hike. I have plans to make a video about what it was like starting a thru hike as a beginner hammocker, just waiting for this Texas heat to calm down a bit. Thank you for taking the time to write your very interesting and helpful comment. I enjoyed reading it.
Good video and I think Shug has been an inspiration on this hammock journey for many of us. I have been using a hammock setup for a few years now and there is no way I would go back to sleeping on the ground. One thing that has made a huge difference for warmth in the shoulder season is an under quilt protector. It is so light but it keeps the heat in and stops the wind from stealing the heat on breezy nights. May - September I don’t need it but you’ll appreciate it on windy rainy nights.
Thank you! I feel much more confident now as well. I was kinda thinking the same thing as I was editing this video, about the stark difference between the first "I'm not too sure about this" to the current "I'm LOVING this!" vibe. It's amazing what some research and good gear will do. The tarp and hammock I was using in the first video are both very good pieces of kit, it's my execution that was poor. 😂 Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.
I gave up tents about 20 years ago. It takes some time working out the bugs, but once you figure it all out you’ll be set. I’m to the point now that I can be all set up in just a few minutes. Keep at it. You’ll be happy you did.
Thank you for the vote of confidence! I'm already getting faster at breaking camp and getting a routine. I've still got some adjustment skills to sort out, but really enjoying the fiddle factor and learning something new. Have you seen quite a bit of changes since you first started hanging 20 years ago, or is it still fairly similar except for the fabrics and other materials?
It certainly does take some practice. Still trying to figure a few things out, but doing a lot of research before buying made a big difference for sure.
When I decided to invest in better and lighter gear, I debated long and hard over a hammock or a good tent. I was familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of a hammock from watching Jason at Outdoor Adventures on YT. Before I bought, I watched every video that Shug had. From there I was able to make well thought out purchases of gear from reputable cottage vendors. It wasn’t cheap. But I’ve always said, “Buy once. Cry once,” when it comes to dropping hard earned money. Well …. as it turns out I’ve cried more than once. Three hammocks, two tarps, two sets of quilts and various bling later, I get threatened by my wife that I may be living in my hammock permanently if I buy any more “stuff”. I’m glad to see that you gave it another try and bought good gear. You won’t regret your decision.
Thank you! I'm really enjoying getting into hammocking and learning something new. Your comment was cracking me up! Buy once, cry once. But again and your wife makes you cry. I'm already finding myself getting to that point. I already had 2 tarps before starting this endeavor and now I've bought a 3rd (DCF with doors). I first bought a WB Blackbird hammock, but it was too heavy so then I bought a lighter DH Darien and today I'm like "oooh...that monolite 1.0 fabric sure is neat". The addiction is real....always searching for that new high (up off the ground). Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Welcome to sleeping in the sky. Great video showing your journey and reasons. I also have a dream hammock and i love it so much. I have 6 hammocks and my sparrow is my favorite.
"Sleeping in the sky".....mmmm....you made the experience sound just as blissful as it is. That's a lot of hammocks! Do you have various trip types that you'll select different hammocks for? I originally started off with wanting the Sparrow, but when I started emailing them, Randy recommended the Darien since keeping my pack weight down is a priority. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 yeah different trips, I go with my GF so I bring 2 hammocks, but I have the Clark vertex which is a 2 person hammock that needs 3 trees so I bring that if we are going to a place I know I can hang it. 2 are starter hammocks that I only really use to lone people.
I thru-hiked the AT in 2021 using a hammock. The restorative sleep I got in the hammock made a major contribution to the success of the hike. It was fantastic and I absolutely loved it. I used the Standard Hammock Gear tarp with doors to block wind and allow some privacy to change. Good luck and have fun on your hikes! 🙂
Oh wow! Congrats on your AT thru! The sleep I got was amazing, better than I sleep at home in my own bed and "restorative" is the perfect word. Be ready for a million questions since you've thru hiked with a hammock. My biggest struggle right now is getting ready quickly in the morning. Do you have any helpful tips other than "practice" for this slow poke? It's taking me twice as long to get on the trail than with my tent. Thank you, and thanks for checking out my little channel.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 You're younger than I am so it may be different for you but.....even with months of practice, I only got a little bit faster in the mornings unless I didn't have coffee and hot oatmeal. It took a while to strike camp, but I confess that I didn't push and in fact, I dawdled over that coffee because it was so delightful. I got to the mindset of "What's the rush? I want to savor every minute out here." You will find a routine that works for you. After almost leaving the tree straps behind a couple of times, I learned to have a checklist in my head to ensure I didn't forget any of the bits. It also helped to have everything go into the pack the same way and in the same order every day. Sorry I couldn't be of more help on this. 🙂
Cool to hear your thoughts and working through your initial problem with hammocks. Hammocks definitely take a little more to figuring out exactly what works for you than tents do. A pad in a hammock and being cold turns so many people off to them. Underquilts are definitely the way to go when it's cold. On the flip side, hammocks are so nice for camping during the summer when it's hot. At least you get some breeze without the underquilt. And you save the weight of a pad/underquilt in summer. I have some gathered end hammocks. But I've never been able to get really comfortable in them. I need to give them another try. I don't like having to fiddle with the underquilt during the night. The bridge hammocks I've used are so much more comfortable and user friendly. But there is an increase in weight. Looking forward to seeing how it all works out for you. With you going to AR a lot or hiking in the pines, you get a pretty good choice on places to setup. It's a little harder staying at a TX state park where you have designated sites. Really takes some research to find spots where you can even hang a hammock.
Thank you! It's been a fun journey learning something new and a great reward by sleeping so much better. I did look into bridge hammocks, but decided to go the gathered end direction because of the weight savings... and being a tiny human, every ounce counts. You're not kidding about the Texas State Park camping, now I've got to sift through all the campsite pictures looking at trees.... then another friend started hanging, so now we have to look for campsites with trees for 2. Do you happen to have a favorite campsite or two at Cleburne State Park? That's our next plan as we work to knock out every hike in the "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of DFW" book.
@jetgirlhikes9155 I definitely think 46/48 are the best couple sites in the park. Direct access to the lake and plenty of trees. But they are full hookup sites and are popular. If you go during the week, there won't be many other people in the loop though. Any of the sites along the water in the Poplar Point Loop are pretty good. And nice if you want to bring a Kayak and take it out directly from your site. You'll find a lot of the sites at CSP are close together. Especially in the tent areas. If you have to get one in another loop, the Keyhole loop area is pretty good. The sites in the back have direct access to the hiking trail.
I call it 'grown up camping', no more crawling around on the ground. Twin the tarp ridgeline (one above and one below the tarp) for more gear storage. To stop sliding off while I'm rolling around, I shove the sleep pad inside my sleeping bag.
Let’s face it. Tents have a lot of advantages over hammocks, but you’ll never sleep better than in a hammock. Everything has a trade off….but what you’re pointing out in this video, is that like everything else, it’s a new skill set. Most of us are used to tents, but hammocks totally have a learning curve. I’ll share a little secret. I snore a lot, and the family hates it when we’re all in the tent. So I pretend that I’m suffering, and "doing it for them", when I reality, I have no intention of sleeping on the ground! 😀. I’ve never done it below freezing though. Very very close to it, but not below. A small tent is a lot warmer, but I keep my wool long johns on, so it isn’t terrible.
So very true! There's most definitely a learning curve and the fiddle factor is high.....luckily I like to fiddle with gear. I love your selfless reason for sleeping in a hammock, for the sake of your family. 😂 I finally got to use mine below freezing and I actually stayed warmer than in my tent, guessing cause of no drafts when I toss and turn. The only thing I need to figure out is how to keep my little bag with water filter and electronics to stop migrating from my footbox down to my ass. Maybe I'll make a leash? Hmmmmm
I've found that people that know they won't like hammocks before they use them are usually right. Using a 20 or 25 inch wide pad in a single layer hammock tends to be a frustrating experience for most. Double layer hammocks tend to lock a pad in place, but most still aren't wide enough to keep your shoulders from getting cold. At this point, if someone handed me a ten pound box and promised me I'd sleep comfortably, I'd carry it. Avoiding a night of tossing and turning to deal with pressure points is well worth the weight penalty for me. Not having to crawl in and out of tent is just an added bonus. The stiff back and headaches from not sleeping soundly are in my rear view mirror. Aside from the comfortable night's sleep, getting up and packing everything in the dry without dealing with a muddy tent is another bonus.
Everything you said here is spot on! There are SO many pros to hammocking and I keep finding more each time I go out. I've had the chance to pack up in the rain and boy was it nice! Everything was put away dry and the wet tarp outside the pack was perfect! Couldn't beat it. Someone in another comment here said that hammocking is camping for adults......no more crawling around on the ground. 😂 I loved that! Thank you for taking the time to comment and making some really great points.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 I also discovered that tent dwellers will assemble under a big tarp when it's raining. There's room for four to have dinner in the dry and play cards from their camp chairs.
@wisenber. Yes!! Another good point! On that rainy trip this happened to us! Myself and another hammocker put our tarps in "porch mode" and had all the ground dwellers over to sit and watch the rain. It was relaxing!
Great video. You understood the assignment. Lol. My age has forced me to hang. I like you clawed and scratched at first. Now you could not get me on the ground. Like & sub. Good luck young lady.
Thank you for the sub and for checking out my little channel. I definitely scratched and clawed and fought it, but my back won out....then my new hammock won me over. What was the thing that was the hardest thing for you when moving from the ground to the trees?
@jetgirlhikes9155 I was overwhelmed with the amount of gear needed. I mean at first glance it looks ok hammock straps rain fly. Cool couple pounds. WRONG now you need some covers. Ok top quilt bottom quilt another 2 pound. Now I need a place to put my gear. It just never ended. I'm sorry but it's been a couple years and the perfect kit for me is still out there. But I'm happy for now.. enjoy young lady. I call it the hammock rabbit hole. 🐇 . Lol 😆
@@jetgirlhikes9155 my buddy used a hammock when we did eagle rock loop a couple weeks ago. His first time too. He said he loved it, however, the second night he set it up between two trees that he realized too late, that were too close together. Said he slept great though.
Yes! I'm definitely loving the idea of not having spiders in my shoes and snakes in my vestibule. But now I have a new thought of wildlife walking or chillin' underneath me. Not sure if that's a realistic worry, but it's all part of being out in nature. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Fantastic editing, very impressed. Yes I'm glad I changed to a hammock. Great all round body support, no pressure points, I'm amazed. Thankyou so much for sharing.
Thank you for the kind comment! Isn't it bizarre that we take so long to make that switch? I'm half tempted to start sleeping in one at home too. 😂 Thank you for taking the time to comment, I love hearing about other people's experiences.
Wow thats looks great, I always wanted to try hammock camping, but I'm in Northern BC, skeetos the size of crows LOL Does that under quilt prevent getting bit on your back?
That's a good question! Since I'm still new to hammocking I don't have a good experienced answer for you. I have been told that a 2 layer hammock (hammock is made from 2 layers of fabric rather than 1) tends to provide added protection between you and the mosquitoes. From what I've seen with my hammock, a mosquito would have to get between the underquilt and the hammock to even have a chance at biting. The underquilt cinches very tightly under the hammock (plus mine has draft collars on each end) to prevent your warm air from escaping. I would think that it'd have to be a pretty savvy skeeter to get in there. I hope that helps maybe a little bit. If you're on Facebook, there's an excellent group called Ultralight Hammock Backpacking and another called Hammock Forums on there. Both groups have a wealth of knowledge and should be able to give you a good answer to this question.
Hi! This was the Womble Trail. It runs from North Fork Lake in Arkansas and joins with the Ouachita Trail at OT mile marker 117 (which is only 0.4 miles east of Story Creek Shelter). If you have the Underwood Map "Central Ouachita Trail", the Womble Trail is on that map with mile points noted. This was a really beautiful trail and I'm excited to go back and do a video on it once I've had a chance to do some research.
On the other video, you were almost on the ground when you were in the hammock, and this one looks even lower with that extra room at the top to change clothes. How do keep that upper space and keep it from hitting ground? Back problems and climbing out of the tent knee problems are a real thing!
I think the videos may be deceiving.....in the first video, I had that borrowed hammock hung way too high. I had to jump up to get in it. The new one (blue one) is set to the height that is like a chair when I sit in it. The underquilt hanging below it may also be making it appear lower than it actually is. In this video, the ridgeline (part above my head) was looking saggy cause I had F'd up. I'm still learning but caught the issue while filming and fixed it later (I had my tree straps too high). I'm having a lot of fun learning something new. You're welcome to lay in mine next time we camp together.
Cheaper hammocks and also suspensions have a lot of stretch in them so when you hang it it seems quite high but when you get in the drop is significant. It higher quantity hammocks ( depending on fabric) you have less, but way less in the suspension. So you set it up at chair height and the straps should be about 30 degrees when hung (if you point with your thumb up that's about 30 degrees, so easy check. When you are at that height your ridgeline will go strait across and you get your head room. It's also nice because your hammock makes a nice chair and your tarp offers you a large vestibule if you are stuck in the rain.
I put a structural ridgeline on all my hammocks. The sag of the hammock stays the same even when the suspension is horizontal. It no longer matters to me how far apart or how high I put my suspension on the trees. At a tree spread of 32 feet its pretty bouncy though and lots of stretch. @@Derchlands
I wish I hadn't waited so long to give it a second go. Check out Shug's CZcams channel. He does a lot of hammocking tutorial videos that are aimed toward beginners. I learned so much watching them. There's a link to one of his videos in the description thingie at the bottom of my video to help you find his channel. I've seen you posting on the ERL trail reports group (I also commented on your blog link). Where are you located?
Glad you found the comfort of the hammock. I really is a restorative sleep. Just got into it myself this past summer, no more crawling out of a tent.
I'm glad that you've also found it! You just perfectly described it.....the sleep is so restorative. I've never hiked so well days into a trip, feeling absolutely reset and ready to go in the mornings. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. I love hearing about other people's experiences.
Great video Jetgirl!….i love how you overcame the hammock nuance's and how informative and useful your video is for the hiking community! Keep up the great channel ✌️
Thank you!!! I'm hopeful the video will help other hikers who are on the fence about giving hammocking a try. Thanks for checking out my little channel Doug!
Nice video Jetgirl! I just stumbled on your channel, so it was great to watch clips from a previous video for reference and see that you've come a long way. The hammock you have is a classic now, it is named after a dreaded jungle region in Panama called the Darien Gap. I work there leading expeditions, and that design was originally developed by Randy at Dream Hammock, specifically for those expeditions, that was back in 2012 if I remember correctly.
Your experience on that first trip is very typical of many people. You were thrown out there without any prior skill on how to set up a hammock. The friend that let you borrow it obviously didn't know much about it either. Ideally you would've had a mentor. Most of us come into hammocking from a ground-dwelling mentality, and there are so many things that are new and different, and some old habits that need to be unlearned.
One tip about tree spacing: your trees only need to be as far apart as the length of your tarp, because if the tarp fits, the hammock will do too. If your tarp is 12 feet long, you can easily hang between trees that are 12' 6" and onward. I wouldn't go more than 18 feet though, because the longer the distance the higher up the trees you'll have to set up your hammock suspension.
So it's good idea to device a way to measure distance quickly. For example, you can lay the tarp on the floor at home and walk alongside to see how many paces it takes you to cover the length' on flat ground. My preferred method though, is using my trekking poles. If I set my poles to 120cm each, and hold them by the handle spreading my arms, I know that the distance from tip to tip is the same as the length of my tarp. So as a general rule when I get to a new camp, if I stand between the trees and I can touch them with the tips of my poles, I know immediately that the distance is too short for my tarp, and I need to look somewhere else. Hope that's helpful, and good luck on your journey.
That's too cool that you led expeditions in the jungle! Seems like that would be a pretty amazing place to hang in a nice netted environment. I'm assuming it's pretty warm and humid there, and that the air movement below you would feel great. So, was there no need to use underquilts or did you put something under to protect against mosquitos? I've heard people say that they can bite through the hammock fabric?
Randy was definitely helpful when I was trying to figure out what exactly I wanted on my build, but I'm sure I tired him out with all my questions. It's certainly hard to build what you need when you don't exactly know what you need.
Thank you for all of your tips. I don't know if you saw my video, but I completed the 223 mile Ouachita Trail with the Darien and definitely got much better with pacing out tree spacing and knowing how high to put my tree straps by the end of the hike. I have plans to make a video about what it was like starting a thru hike as a beginner hammocker, just waiting for this Texas heat to calm down a bit.
Thank you for taking the time to write your very interesting and helpful comment. I enjoyed reading it.
Good video and I think Shug has been an inspiration on this hammock journey for many of us. I have been using a hammock setup for a few years now and there is no way I would go back to sleeping on the ground. One thing that has made a huge difference for warmth in the shoulder season is an under quilt protector. It is so light but it keeps the heat in and stops the wind from stealing the heat on breezy nights. May - September I don’t need it but you’ll appreciate it on windy rainy nights.
It's funny seeing your attitude change form the past video to the current one. You look so much more confident now.
Thank you! I feel much more confident now as well. I was kinda thinking the same thing as I was editing this video, about the stark difference between the first "I'm not too sure about this" to the current "I'm LOVING this!" vibe. It's amazing what some research and good gear will do. The tarp and hammock I was using in the first video are both very good pieces of kit, it's my execution that was poor. 😂
Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.
I'm glad things worked out for you. 😊
Thank you! I'm glad it worked out as well....best sleep I've ever had on the trail.
I gave up tents about 20 years ago. It takes some time working out the bugs, but once you figure it all out you’ll be set. I’m to the point now that I can be all set up in just a few minutes. Keep at it. You’ll be happy you did.
Thank you for the vote of confidence! I'm already getting faster at breaking camp and getting a routine. I've still got some adjustment skills to sort out, but really enjoying the fiddle factor and learning something new. Have you seen quite a bit of changes since you first started hanging 20 years ago, or is it still fairly similar except for the fabrics and other materials?
Hammocking takes practice, it only gets better. Sounds like you really got a lot of great gear, enjoy the journey.
It certainly does take some practice. Still trying to figure a few things out, but doing a lot of research before buying made a big difference for sure.
So many options out there now. Love hammocking like being in a down cacoon so comfortable
Yes! I was telling a friend that I feel like I'm in a down burrito. I hope bears don't like burritos. 😂
Thank you so much for watching and commenting.
When I decided to invest in better and lighter gear, I debated long and hard over a hammock or a good tent. I was familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of a hammock from watching Jason at Outdoor Adventures on YT. Before I bought, I watched every video that Shug had. From there I was able to make well thought out purchases of gear from reputable cottage vendors. It wasn’t cheap. But I’ve always said, “Buy once. Cry once,” when it comes to dropping hard earned money. Well …. as it turns out I’ve cried more than once. Three hammocks, two tarps, two sets of quilts and various bling later, I get threatened by my wife that I may be living in my hammock permanently if I buy any more “stuff”. I’m glad to see that you gave it another try and bought good gear. You won’t regret your decision.
Thank you! I'm really enjoying getting into hammocking and learning something new. Your comment was cracking me up! Buy once, cry once. But again and your wife makes you cry. I'm already finding myself getting to that point. I already had 2 tarps before starting this endeavor and now I've bought a 3rd (DCF with doors). I first bought a WB Blackbird hammock, but it was too heavy so then I bought a lighter DH Darien and today I'm like "oooh...that monolite 1.0 fabric sure is neat". The addiction is real....always searching for that new high (up off the ground). Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Welcome to sleeping in the sky. Great video showing your journey and reasons. I also have a dream hammock and i love it so much. I have 6 hammocks and my sparrow is my favorite.
"Sleeping in the sky".....mmmm....you made the experience sound just as blissful as it is. That's a lot of hammocks! Do you have various trip types that you'll select different hammocks for?
I originally started off with wanting the Sparrow, but when I started emailing them, Randy recommended the Darien since keeping my pack weight down is a priority. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 yeah different trips, I go with my GF so I bring 2 hammocks, but I have the Clark vertex which is a 2 person hammock that needs 3 trees so I bring that if we are going to a place I know I can hang it. 2 are starter hammocks that I only really use to lone people.
Great video. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
I thru-hiked the AT in 2021 using a hammock. The restorative sleep I got in the hammock made a major contribution to the success of the hike. It was fantastic and I absolutely loved it. I used the Standard Hammock Gear tarp with doors to block wind and allow some privacy to change. Good luck and have fun on your hikes! 🙂
Oh wow! Congrats on your AT thru! The sleep I got was amazing, better than I sleep at home in my own bed and "restorative" is the perfect word. Be ready for a million questions since you've thru hiked with a hammock.
My biggest struggle right now is getting ready quickly in the morning. Do you have any helpful tips other than "practice" for this slow poke? It's taking me twice as long to get on the trail than with my tent. Thank you, and thanks for checking out my little channel.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 You're younger than I am so it may be different for you but.....even with months of practice, I only got a little bit faster in the mornings unless I didn't have coffee and hot oatmeal. It took a while to strike camp, but I confess that I didn't push and in fact, I dawdled over that coffee because it was so delightful. I got to the mindset of "What's the rush? I want to savor every minute out here." You will find a routine that works for you. After almost leaving the tree straps behind a couple of times, I learned to have a checklist in my head to ensure I didn't forget any of the bits. It also helped to have everything go into the pack the same way and in the same order every day. Sorry I couldn't be of more help on this. 🙂
Hi JG! Very good video on hammocks. Hope all is well. Take care and god bless..
Thank you Dan! I'm having a lot of fun learning something new. Always good to keep learning. Hope all is well with you.
Cool to hear your thoughts and working through your initial problem with hammocks. Hammocks definitely take a little more to figuring out exactly what works for you than tents do.
A pad in a hammock and being cold turns so many people off to them. Underquilts are definitely the way to go when it's cold. On the flip side, hammocks are so nice for camping during the summer when it's hot. At least you get some breeze without the underquilt. And you save the weight of a pad/underquilt in summer.
I have some gathered end hammocks. But I've never been able to get really comfortable in them. I need to give them another try. I don't like having to fiddle with the underquilt during the night. The bridge hammocks I've used are so much more comfortable and user friendly. But there is an increase in weight.
Looking forward to seeing how it all works out for you. With you going to AR a lot or hiking in the pines, you get a pretty good choice on places to setup. It's a little harder staying at a TX state park where you have designated sites. Really takes some research to find spots where you can even hang a hammock.
Thank you! It's been a fun journey learning something new and a great reward by sleeping so much better. I did look into bridge hammocks, but decided to go the gathered end direction because of the weight savings... and being a tiny human, every ounce counts.
You're not kidding about the Texas State Park camping, now I've got to sift through all the campsite pictures looking at trees.... then another friend started hanging, so now we have to look for campsites with trees for 2.
Do you happen to have a favorite campsite or two at Cleburne State Park? That's our next plan as we work to knock out every hike in the "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of DFW" book.
@jetgirlhikes9155 I definitely think 46/48 are the best couple sites in the park. Direct access to the lake and plenty of trees. But they are full hookup sites and are popular. If you go during the week, there won't be many other people in the loop though. Any of the sites along the water in the Poplar Point Loop are pretty good. And nice if you want to bring a Kayak and take it out directly from your site.
You'll find a lot of the sites at CSP are close together. Especially in the tent areas. If you have to get one in another loop, the Keyhole loop area is pretty good. The sites in the back have direct access to the hiking trail.
I call it 'grown up camping', no more crawling around on the ground.
Twin the tarp ridgeline (one above and one below the tarp) for more gear storage.
To stop sliding off while I'm rolling around, I shove the sleep pad inside my sleeping bag.
I love that! "Grown-up camping".....I'm going to shamelessly steal this! Great tips BTW, thank you so much!
Great video! So glad you've converted! I can't wait to get back out there.
Same here!! We're gonna have to get a proper welcome hike planned.
Let’s face it. Tents have a lot of advantages over hammocks, but you’ll never sleep better than in a hammock. Everything has a trade off….but what you’re pointing out in this video, is that like everything else, it’s a new skill set. Most of us are used to tents, but hammocks totally have a learning curve.
I’ll share a little secret. I snore a lot, and the family hates it when we’re all in the tent. So I pretend that I’m suffering, and "doing it for them", when I reality, I have no intention of sleeping on the ground! 😀.
I’ve never done it below freezing though. Very very close to it, but not below. A small tent is a lot warmer, but I keep my wool long johns on, so it isn’t terrible.
So very true! There's most definitely a learning curve and the fiddle factor is high.....luckily I like to fiddle with gear. I love your selfless reason for sleeping in a hammock, for the sake of your family. 😂
I finally got to use mine below freezing and I actually stayed warmer than in my tent, guessing cause of no drafts when I toss and turn. The only thing I need to figure out is how to keep my little bag with water filter and electronics to stop migrating from my footbox down to my ass. Maybe I'll make a leash? Hmmmmm
Great video. Makes me want to consider trying this out one day.
Thank you! Say the word and I'll let you try it using some of my gear. ❤
I've found that people that know they won't like hammocks before they use them are usually right.
Using a 20 or 25 inch wide pad in a single layer hammock tends to be a frustrating experience for most. Double layer hammocks tend to lock a pad in place, but most still aren't wide enough to keep your shoulders from getting cold.
At this point, if someone handed me a ten pound box and promised me I'd sleep comfortably, I'd carry it.
Avoiding a night of tossing and turning to deal with pressure points is well worth the weight penalty for me.
Not having to crawl in and out of tent is just an added bonus. The stiff back and headaches from not sleeping soundly are in my rear view mirror.
Aside from the comfortable night's sleep, getting up and packing everything in the dry without dealing with a muddy tent is another bonus.
Everything you said here is spot on! There are SO many pros to hammocking and I keep finding more each time I go out. I've had the chance to pack up in the rain and boy was it nice! Everything was put away dry and the wet tarp outside the pack was perfect! Couldn't beat it. Someone in another comment here said that hammocking is camping for adults......no more crawling around on the ground. 😂 I loved that! Thank you for taking the time to comment and making some really great points.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 I also discovered that tent dwellers will assemble under a big tarp when it's raining. There's room for four to have dinner in the dry and play cards from their camp chairs.
@wisenber. Yes!! Another good point! On that rainy trip this happened to us! Myself and another hammocker put our tarps in "porch mode" and had all the ground dwellers over to sit and watch the rain. It was relaxing!
I really enjoyed your video. I did want to mention when you were hiking uphill, that out here in the West we call those "hills", not mountains. LOL!.
Well here in the central US, we can climb an entire mountain in 45 minutes!
Love you mom. ❤
Great video. You understood the assignment. Lol. My age has forced me to hang. I like you clawed and scratched at first. Now you could not get me on the ground. Like & sub. Good luck young lady.
Thank you for the sub and for checking out my little channel. I definitely scratched and clawed and fought it, but my back won out....then my new hammock won me over. What was the thing that was the hardest thing for you when moving from the ground to the trees?
@jetgirlhikes9155 I was overwhelmed with the amount of gear needed. I mean at first glance it looks ok hammock straps rain fly. Cool couple pounds. WRONG now you need some covers. Ok top quilt bottom quilt another 2 pound. Now I need a place to put my gear. It just never ended. I'm sorry but it's been a couple years and the perfect kit for me is still out there. But I'm happy for now.. enjoy young lady. I call it the hammock rabbit hole. 🐇 . Lol 😆
Another great video!
Thank you! It's been a lot of fun learning something new.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 my buddy used a hammock when we did eagle rock loop a couple weeks ago. His first time too. He said he loved it, however, the second night he set it up between two trees that he realized too late, that were too close together. Said he slept great though.
I haven't had ticks or snakes since I got off the ground and into a hammock
Yes! I'm definitely loving the idea of not having spiders in my shoes and snakes in my vestibule. But now I have a new thought of wildlife walking or chillin' underneath me. Not sure if that's a realistic worry, but it's all part of being out in nature.
Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Fantastic editing, very impressed. Yes I'm glad I changed to a hammock. Great all round body support, no pressure points, I'm amazed. Thankyou so much for sharing.
Thank you for the kind comment! Isn't it bizarre that we take so long to make that switch? I'm half tempted to start sleeping in one at home too. 😂 Thank you for taking the time to comment, I love hearing about other people's experiences.
Wow thats looks great, I always wanted to try hammock camping, but I'm in Northern BC, skeetos the size of crows LOL
Does that under quilt prevent getting bit on your back?
That's a good question! Since I'm still new to hammocking I don't have a good experienced answer for you. I have been told that a 2 layer hammock (hammock is made from 2 layers of fabric rather than 1) tends to provide added protection between you and the mosquitoes. From what I've seen with my hammock, a mosquito would have to get between the underquilt and the hammock to even have a chance at biting. The underquilt cinches very tightly under the hammock (plus mine has draft collars on each end) to prevent your warm air from escaping. I would think that it'd have to be a pretty savvy skeeter to get in there. I hope that helps maybe a little bit. If you're on Facebook, there's an excellent group called Ultralight Hammock Backpacking and another called Hammock Forums on there. Both groups have a wealth of knowledge and should be able to give you a good answer to this question.
@@jetgirlhikes9155 thanks so much, it must me a common problem eh, hammock would be excellent for motorcycle camping, snow is gone already woo-hoo 😀
Love it -- what was the name of this trail again?
Hi! This was the Womble Trail. It runs from North Fork Lake in Arkansas and joins with the Ouachita Trail at OT mile marker 117 (which is only 0.4 miles east of Story Creek Shelter). If you have the Underwood Map "Central Ouachita Trail", the Womble Trail is on that map with mile points noted. This was a really beautiful trail and I'm excited to go back and do a video on it once I've had a chance to do some research.
On the other video, you were almost on the ground when you were in the hammock, and this one looks even lower with that extra room at the top to change clothes. How do keep that upper space and keep it from hitting ground? Back problems and climbing out of the tent knee problems are a real thing!
I think the videos may be deceiving.....in the first video, I had that borrowed hammock hung way too high. I had to jump up to get in it. The new one (blue one) is set to the height that is like a chair when I sit in it. The underquilt hanging below it may also be making it appear lower than it actually is. In this video, the ridgeline (part above my head) was looking saggy cause I had F'd up. I'm still learning but caught the issue while filming and fixed it later (I had my tree straps too high). I'm having a lot of fun learning something new.
You're welcome to lay in mine next time we camp together.
Cheaper hammocks and also suspensions have a lot of stretch in them so when you hang it it seems quite high but when you get in the drop is significant. It higher quantity hammocks ( depending on fabric) you have less, but way less in the suspension.
So you set it up at chair height and the straps should be about 30 degrees when hung (if you point with your thumb up that's about 30 degrees, so easy check.
When you are at that height your ridgeline will go strait across and you get your head room. It's also nice because your hammock makes a nice chair and your tarp offers you a large vestibule if you are stuck in the rain.
I put a structural ridgeline on all my hammocks. The sag of the hammock stays the same even when the suspension is horizontal. It no longer matters to me how far apart or how high I put my suspension on the trees. At a tree spread of 32 feet its pretty bouncy though and lots of stretch. @@Derchlands
I need to give hammocking a try. I need to find someone local who will "show me the ropes" haha.
I wish I hadn't waited so long to give it a second go. Check out Shug's CZcams channel. He does a lot of hammocking tutorial videos that are aimed toward beginners. I learned so much watching them. There's a link to one of his videos in the description thingie at the bottom of my video to help you find his channel. I've seen you posting on the ERL trail reports group (I also commented on your blog link). Where are you located?
@@jetgirlhikes9155 Outside of Little Rock. Bryant.
There are group hangs all over for this, go to hammock forums.net and you will find them