Hammocks

[Gary Knowels]

If you can swing the extra cost and wanted one-stop shopping, I would buy from Dutch. And if you aren’t sure about hammock camping and just want to try it, I would buy this package on sale from Dutch. For $96 all-in, you can’t go wrong.

Thru-Hiker Hammock Complete Package | DutchWare

Thru-hiker Hammock package comes with just about everything you need to start your hammock camping adventure! Made from quality materials including ripstop nylon hammock fabric, polyester sil tarp fabric, quality netting, and more!

dutchwaregear.com

I love my dutchware 11' double. I'm 6'0, 300lb though. I bought just the hammock and suspension at first, then sourced the rest of the components (bug net, tarp, top quilt, ridgeline organizer, etc) a couple years later from hammockgear.com, which I've been super happy with

 

[Jerry Daschofsky]

If you can swing the extra cost and wanted one-stop shopping, I would buy from Dutch. And if you aren’t sure about hammock camping and just want to try it, I would buy this package on sale from Dutch. For $96 all-in, you can’t go wrong.

Thru-Hiker Hammock Complete Package | DutchWare

Thru-hiker Hammock package comes with just about everything you need to start your hammock camping adventure! Made from quality materials including ripstop nylon hammock fabric, polyester sil tarp fabric, quality netting, and more!

dutchwaregear.com

That's what I did with my set up. I went with a double because of weight capacity. I don't like pushing the limits right off the get go with most singles. Lol.

Great info on double hammocks. I wonder if mine is truly a double. Mine has length and not a lot of extra material. Like I mentioned above I would hate to fit 2 in it. But had a super heavy capacity. I know my son, though he hated the hammock, had plenty of room being 6'6".

 

[Freestone]

That's what I did with my set up. I went with a double because of weight capacity. I don't like pushing the limits right off the get go with most singles. Lol.

Great info on double hammocks. I wonder if mine is truly a double. Mine has length and not a lot of extra material. Like I mentioned above I would hate to fit 2 in it. But had a super heavy capacity. I know my son, though he hated the hammock, had plenty of room being 6'6".

Jerry, people use the term double” to describe two different things: Double width or Double layer/two layer fabric which increases the weight limit, helps prevent mosquitoes from biting you in the butt and allows you to put a pad between the layers.

Is yours a double wide hammock or double layer?

 

[Jerry Daschofsky]

Jerry, people use the term double” to describe two different things: Double width or Double layer/two layer fabric which increases the weight limit, helps prevent mosquitoes from biting you in the butt and allows you to put a pad between the layers.

Is yours a double wide hammock or double layer?

You know the add just said "double hammock" even on the paperwork. I was shooting for the higher capacity. Like boats I don't want one that's right at it's capacity at load out. Work a 700# capacity, and can sleep sideways (asymmetrical? ) I was sold. Especially at the $60 price tag with tarp. Bugnet, straps, etc.

 

[Seaalki]

If you can swing the extra cost and wanted one-stop shopping, I would buy from Dutch. And if you aren’t sure about hammock camping and just want to try it, I would buy this package on sale from Dutch. For $96 all-in, you can’t go wrong.

Thru-Hiker Hammock Complete Package | DutchWare

Thru-hiker Hammock package comes with just about everything you need to start your hammock camping adventure! Made from quality materials including ripstop nylon hammock fabric, polyester sil tarp fabric, quality netting, and more!

dutchwaregear.com

Freestone, thank you again, snagged this set-up for my son, was a single parent for many years, our, us against the world chapter, many great adventures, this will appeal to his one robe, one bowl, Zen Spirit, up off the Skagit, Mt. Baker, off grid retreat, this is his front yard and the tree’s where it will “ hang “ and some of his neighbors, should make for a great image, lot of trust there.

 

[Driftless Dan]

I used a hammock while camping once. I had two issues:

1) I am a side sleeper, and you just cannot do that in a hammock - my body only hinges forward. Same with sleeping on your stomach.
2) even though I camped in the summer, my ass was cold. I note that newer camping hammocks have this issue covered by insulating pads on the hammock itself.

Nowadays, I just camp on an air mattress in a small tent. My old Walrus backpacking tent fits a queen-sized air mattress perfectly, as it turns out, with a small space at the front for my shoes.

 

[Freestone]

@Seaalki What a lovely spot! I hope that he enjoys it!

Please let him know that he should not leave it set up when he is not using it, however. Modern synthetic fabrics degrade in the sun so they should never be left outside when not being used. In the case of a hammock and straps, doing so could lead to a catastrophic failure.

 

[Brian Miller]

I used a hammock while camping once. I had two issues:
1) I am a side sleeper, and you just cannot do that in a hammock - my body only hinges forward. Same with sleeping on your stomach.

I am also a side and occasional stomach sleeper and have found I do both comfortably in my Clark. Was roll axis stability causing the "hinges forward" issue? Some gathered end hammocks benefit from side tieouts for roll stability but the Clark is extremely roll stable and doesn't need tieouts.

Hammocks need to be pitched right to be comfortable. Every hang site is different. Diameters and distance between trees, height of both the head and foot ends' tree straps for that tree distance that affect tension of the suspension, hang angle (hangle), hammock "seated height"... Different hammocks will have slightly to greatly different setups, and every person's height, weight, and sleeping preference is also different.
IMHO, that means hammocks require more experience and practice to recognize and visualize a good hang, to offset an excessive amount of time required to actually achieve a good hang. The experience and practice kinda requires a commitment to hanging that reinforces itself.
Many (perhaps most gathered end) hammocks benefit greatly from a continuous ridgeline (CR) that can simplify setup by reducing variability in tenson that can cause shoulder squeeze, calf ridges and otherwise impede getting a comfortable "flat lay".

However my Clark with the hoops at the ends doesn't allow use of a CR so experience and practice becomes even more critical. The hoops and built in top cover do provide visual cues for a good lay as it is being rigged and tensioned. A "Whoopie Sling" or buckled strap end suspensions really speed up the tensioning process

All that said, IMHO there is less variability with a tent setup, but tents aren't as comfortable for me.

 

[Freestone]

@Driftless Dan

Ditto everything that @Brian Miller said. I am only a side sleeper and I sleep on my side with no problem in my gathered end hammock, as well as in my Hennessy Hammock. It is about having a long enough hammock (which you will probably not find in any store, but only online from a cottage industry supplier). Then, you have to play with pitching it to suit your preferences. I use a continuous ridgeline once I have figured out a particular hammock. This makes the set-up repeatable without so much fussing.

Another good option for side sleepers is a type of hammock called a “bridge hammock”. It creates a nearly flat platform. I have slept in ones borrowed from @Mumbles but I find I sleep better on my side in my gathered end hammocks. The reason is that the sides of a bridge hammock are stiffened (with something) and are under tension. The way I sleep, my knees hit the edge and the stiff edge under my knee is uncomfortable. I could look into buying or making a wider one but I like my other hammocks just fine so I haven’t.