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-- Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel)

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#blossom #sunset #hammock #groenehalsbandparkiet #greenringneckedparakeet #parakeet #birdwatching #feet

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#HammockCamping Anyone?

Hybrid #Hammock / #SleepingBag

Here's an interesting idea—put a hammock INSIDE a standard sleeping bag. The bag has "ports" on both ends to pass the hammock thru. It took me a while to figure out how to pitch it properly, but once I did it worked pretty well as far as staying warm is concerned. But because you are constrained by the bag, you can't really sleep off-axis. So interesting but not really comfortable for a tall adult. Might work for a child?

https://mdpaths.com/rrr/camping/hammocks/hammock_guide/index.html

Pitching in the Cold ( #HammockCamping )

One advantage of sleeping in a #hammock is it can be very cool in hotter weather. The flip side is it gets cold fast as the temperature drops. This is a big topic so I will just summarize the highlights here:

#SleepingBags give little protection from the cold when compressed by your body weight. This is why you need an insulating #pad when sleeping on the ground. Using a pad in a hammock is possible, but it can be very tricky. I've never gotten it to work myself.

Putting on More Clothing can help. I like to wear a #fleece to bed (since it doesn't compress as much).

I had many cold nights before I invested in a simple #Underquilt. It is basically a blanket shaped like a taco. The goal is to suspend it under the hammock but not put much weight on it.

Since the part of the sleeping bag that you lie on adds very little, many serious hammock campers use an #Overquilt. These look like mummy-style sleeping bags with the opening in the back! You don't need much of a back if you are using a corresponding underquilt. This also makes them easier to get into! Overquilts generally have a collar that can be closed around your neck, but they do not have hoods, so wear a hat if your head gets cold easily!

If your fly is large enough, you can cut down on exposure to cold winds by wrapping the windward side under the hammock to make a sort of cocoon. This is very easy with a standard diamond-shaped fly.

https://mdpaths.com/rrr/camping/hammocks/hammock_guide/index.html

Continuing Thread on #HammockCamping

Some #hammocks have an absurd number of lines IMO. The fly in the first photo has eight lines! The netting examples in the second image have four or more lines *before* we even get to the fly!!

I quickly discovered that the netting and fly should be attached to the main straps (so you don't have to round the tree a second time). Exactly how this works will vary depending on the hammock design.

https://mdpaths.com/rrr/camping/hammocks/hammock_guide/index.html

Continuing Thread on #HammockCamping

Pitching on the Ground

I carry a 3x6 foot piece of "house wrap" plastic to use as a ground sheet in a pinch. Unless your hammock was designed to be used as a tent, the material does not benefit from being laid on the ground! I took this photo the first time I was forced to camp this way.

After moving the heavy picnic tables into position, I pitched my tent. I used my bath towel as an impromptu ground cloth. Notice the foot end is slightly higher than the head (see above). Also notice the vertical stick holding the netting away from my feet. This was remarkably comfortable considering no preparation and no sleeping pad!

I'm starting a thread on #HammockCamping...

Feel free to comment and even tell me where I'm wrong, or if there's a better solution.

I'll start with the big one... how many lines/ropes/straps should it take to fully pitch a #HammockTent?

I have a strong bias that the answer is no more than four!

I propose a general "Four Point Hammock Suspension Rule" (two straps for the hammock itself (with bug net), no more than two for the rainfly)

Note that the fly does not need to be diamond shaped, this is a general rule-of-thumb.

My point is: if you have more lines you increase complexity, increase time pitching and repacking, decrease access, and have more things to trip over.

Put another way: If you get the same performance with fewer lines, that is a good thing.

If more lines are required to achieve the same performance, that may indicate a weaker design.

https://mdpaths.com/rrr/camping/hammocks/hammock_guide/index.html#s3