packs and hammocks

I recently started getting into hiking and primitive camping, i've always enjoyed car camping but only after losing 150 lbs. has real hiking become an enjoyable experience. I am now in the market for some gear. I've been getting by on borrowed gear and a wal mart tent thus far but now im wanting to stretch my hikes to over 10 miles a day.

I plan on spending 3 days out at a maximum, realistically most trips will be two days and I am curious about a good, reasonably priced pack and whether a hammock is preferable to a tent.

I had been borrowing a REI ridgeline 65, and I felt it was a little small, but it was stuffed with a ton of stuff i didn't use. Granted my clothes take up a ton of room because i am a 3xl. I was looking at some 35-40 litre packs and wondering if those could carry a hammock system, bottle of whiskey, change of clothes and a little food?

I had been carrying a tent, lawn chair and huge sleeping bag, but i recently purchased a smaller bag and figured a hammock could replace the chair.


i've never done any hammock camping but i've spent many nights sleeping in the dirt with a tarp so i figure it would be similar. any recommendations on brands or possibly even good light tents that would be better.

I live in Texas. Most camping and hiking will be done in temperatures above 50 degrees. And the only real big concern is boar in the piney woods.

Help me out.

Welcome!

Realizing your pack carried a whole bunch of stuff you didn't use is the first step in lightening your load. As far as which pack to get, the conventional wisdom is to wait until your other gear list is "set" and then get the pack which carries that gear. I put set in quotes because for some this never happens as some are constantly changing their gear list. Sometimes due to changing preferences, other times because the trip requirements change the gear list. But anyway, I would recommend getting a little more settled with your other gear before shopping for the pack. If you need a pack to get by, try a used one. You can get great deals on almost new packs at a lot of backpacking forums. In fact, most of the packs I currently use were purchased used.

As to hammocks, I have been using a hammock exclusively for a few years now. While they aren't for everyone, most who use them say they provide the most comfortable sleep they ever experienced int he woods. Some even use them at home instead of their bed. The choice of hammocks is almost as diverse as choice in packs. You can get a cheap single layer hammock for about $20-30. The hammock doesn't excuse the need for insulation underneath you. If you have a pad, you can use that but it may not be wide enough for your shoulders in the hammock. The second problem is using one in the cheap single layer hammock, for some they are hard to keep in place. An option to try out hammocks is to make your own with a few yards of fabric. Doing this, you can even use double the fabric to make a "sleeve" to hold a pad in place. An easy way to make one can be found here: http://www.imrisk.com/testhammock/testhammock.htm
Some like their DIY hammocks better than anything they could buy. some have even started cottage industries selling their own hammocks. If you end up with the hammock addiction (either just sleeping in them or making your own) their is a forum just for them too (hammockforums.net).

I hope I didn't ramble too much, again welcome to the forum. Happy hiking.

You may need a bigger pack. Hammock has a lot of things to go with it. You will need a tarp, some ropes, stakes, under quilt or pad, a bug net if you choose get it separately, and of course your sleeping bag or quilt. It a lot of moving parts to account for. I like camping in my hammock, but in the winter months I'll probably stick to a tent.

Popular hammock companies to purchase from:
Warbonnet
Wilderness Logics
Hennessy

You can also sew your own using ripstop nylon. The directions are located here: DIY hammock

Keep in mind you'll have to create a hammock for your body weight. A single layer 1.1oz ripstop nylon can hold 200 pounds. Warbonnet's website explains which hammock is right for you base on how much you weight.

A friend recently purchased a doublenest by Eagles Nest Outfitters, any experiences with those hammocks?

I've laid in one, and me being short it was nice. They are just heavy. My complete hammock set up is 2.8 pounds. If you buy all Eno's product it 4 pounds, I think?

Another hammock to take a look at is Clark. They're all-in-one systems with permanently attached bug netting and removable rain fly. I really like my Ultralight. http://www.junglehammock.com/

Check out the gear lists and other articles on the home page of this site, left-hand column. This will give you some idea of weights to aim for.

Hammocks are like shoes. If you get one that doesn't fit, you won't like it. Hammock forums really is the best place for hammock advice.

For pack size, that really depends on your other equipment. Your sleeping bag will be the main deciding factor. It takes up the majority of the room.