Hammock Camp

How many of you are doing or have tried this. I think I may give it a go this season. I have a backpacker friend that raves about how comfortable and easy it is. He said the normal "I can't sleep on my back with my feet up, it will be colder above the ground etc." concerns left the first night he used it. I have looked at them and they are light and not very expensive. The selling point he got me on is that I don't need to worry about finding a relatively flat spot I just need two trees. I instantly flashed back to a honey hole I found last year that I thought would be nice to stay in location wise but not very hospitable to sleep in.

I know a number of people who have used the hammock camp set ups here in BC and they all have had the same comments on them:

1: Mosquitoes ate me alive. with no hard bottom on them it is super hard to keep the bugs out
2: Light to pack.
3: Bring extra rope. Trees of the correct span are surprisingly hard to find.

After I posted this I had a chance to stop by and see my friend that was telling me about how great it is. He showed me his set up and it is much lighter than a tent including the extra 20 or so feet of webbing he has to string it up. He also showed me this guy who is worth watching even if you don't want to try it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7NZVqpBUV0
I looked into it and for about half what it would cost for a decent tent I can get set up and have money left over for a new backpack stove.

Wow if that's what happens to you when you have slept in one of those, count me out! Ha Ha

He does have some definite quirks! I don't plan on ever being that "hard core" but the more I look into it the more I convince myself. The size, weight and pack options are the biggest selling points for me. The ability to sleep mostly flat on a steep hill, quick set up and take down and cost also help. The set up my buddy uses is stuffed in a small drybag that doubles as a hang bag for food storage and can be clipped just about anywhere. I never would have thought about clipping a tent to my belt but with the set up he has I would definitely clip it to my belt if it meant not having to make an extra trip back in for my camp. With the amount of backpackers doing it I figured there would be more guys on here with some experience at it.

Bugs can be fixed on one simple step. Thermacell devices. I have used these for three years now, and before they were open to civilian use, they were used by military in a slightly different shape.
Years of proof they work, and my first hand use of them, I dont got out without one now.

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Originally Posted by wolftalonID

Bugs can be fixed on one simple step. Thermacell devices. I have used these for three years now, and before they were open to civilian use, they were used by military in a slightly different shape.
Years of proof they work, and my first hand use of them, I dont got out without one now.

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Thermacells sound great but they don't work well at all at high elevations, I can't even get mine to work in town at 6,000 feet let alone at 10,000-12,000 where I hunt. I don't know why the even sell them in WY.

They say on their website that they are unreliable above 4500 feet.
http://www.mosquitorepellent.com/faq.asp#18

Sorry to get off topic, I think the hammock is worth a try. I went on a backpacking trip with a guy that used one it looked like a pretty good setup but sometimes I camp above treeline so in that case it wouldn't workout.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RUTTIN

Wow if that's what happens to you when you have slept in one of those, count me out! Ha Ha

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Ha!! I agree with you man.....what a character. That system looks kinda cool, looks incredibly lightweight!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by elktracker

Thermacells sound great but they don't work well at all at high elevations, I can't even get mine to work in town at 6,000 feet let alone at 10,000-12,000 where I hunt. I don't know why the even sell them in WY.

They say on their website that they are unreliable above 4500 feet.
http://www.mosquitorepellent.com/faq.asp#18


Sorry to get off topic, I think the hammock is worth a try. I went on a backpacking trip with a guy that used one it looked like a pretty good setup but sometimes I camp above treeline so in that case it wouldn't workout.

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I have seen some of these buggers not work well from the get go. You may have a dud. Every so often they do come out just not burning well or at all. Some the piezo spark lighter wont light em up too. I live at 5000ft and hunt between 5k and 8k around here. So far no problems. Plus at camp around the dinner table, or hiking and stopping to eat, they just totally rock.

ha ha ha! That dude ain't all there, sure does know a thing or two about hammocks though.