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#111275 - 02/14/09 01:40 PM Re: Why are hammocks so great? [Re: lori]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada
Originally Posted By lori
In some cases hammocks enable someone to keep going out and enjoying the wilderness - I'm all for that, I like hiking companions who share my level of gimptitude.


"my level of gimptitude" - heh. ok I really like that one..
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Any fool can be uncomfortable...
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#111277 - 02/14/09 01:45 PM Re: Why are hammocks so great? [Re: Pika]
BrianLe Offline
member

Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
Pika said: "A couple of panicked elk chose to run between those particular trees when he was in the hammock. The elk won that one. He wound up with bruises and a few scrapes; the hammock was a loss. I hate to think of what would have happened had he been on the ground and the elk went over the top of him. Probably would have depended on where they stepped as to whether it would have been an "oof" or an "ouch"."

I'm a person that's done quite a few nights in a (HH) hammock; I ultimately came to prefer dirt camping again, but I see advantages in both approaches.

In terms of wildlife safety, I'm inclined to agree with hammock hangers for the most part (that hammocks are safer), particularly insofar as you tend to sleep away from places animals are habituated to.

The exception for me is elk. In mating season, male elk like to "spar" with things, and hammocks are nicely situated to make me an elk pinata. I'm not concerned about bear or other critters, but I can recollect a couple nights hearing elk bugling not too far away and having a brief feeling of disquiet.

To be fair, I've never heard of anyone being poked by an elk antler while in a hammock, it's akin to the discussions of lightening strikes (only with even less empirical basis). But FWIW, I would nevertheless rather be on the ground with Elk about. I've had large elk come quite close to me when I was in just a bivy sack on the ground, with no problem; they likely knew where I was and were disinclined to get so close as to step on me.

I guess the real bottom line, however, is that wildlife should IMO make no difference to choice of backcountry shelter. The statistics are way in your favor of sleeping safe.
_________________________
Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle

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#111278 - 02/14/09 01:51 PM Re: Why are hammocks so great? [Re: BrianLe]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada
Originally Posted By BrianLe

The exception for me is elk. In mating season, male elk like to "spar" with things, and hammocks are nicely situated to make me an elk pinata. I'm not concerned about bear or other critters, but I can recollect a couple nights hearing elk bugling not too far away and having a brief feeling of disquiet.


Heh. well, with me it's a little different. hearing an elk bugling means only one of two things:

1) I'm out of "the park", so there's a feeling of excitement as I'm getting a bearing on the bugle and digging out cow call and rifle smile

2) I'm in "the park" and wondering how many stupid freaking photographers crowding bulls to get pictures to sell to the "hunting" magazines will get deservedly skewered... although I'm completely at peace and certainly not worried about them bothering me when the have photographers and japanese tourists to spar with...

("the park" meaning waterton-banff-jasper...)

_________________________
Any fool can be uncomfortable...
My 3 season gear list
Winter list.
Browse my pictures


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#111338 - 02/15/09 08:39 PM Re: Why are hammocks so great? [Re: bigfoot2]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
Originally Posted By bigfoot2
One thing about the Blackbird...it's love at first site! But "Love is Only A Feeling":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50EALZU4D6A

Hope you have a great time!

BF cool


Love is only a feeling. A warm hammock on a cold night is worth the price of admission.

Hammock report
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

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#111341 - 02/15/09 09:50 PM Re: Why are hammocks so great? [Re: lori]
bigfoot2 Offline
member

Registered: 09/17/06
Posts: 1432
Loc: Eugene , Oregon
Lori,
Pictures?????????????

BF cool
_________________________
Hammockers aren't stuck up, they're just above it all.

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#111344 - 02/15/09 10:21 PM Re: Why are hammocks so great? [Re: bigfoot2]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
Originally Posted By bigfoot2
Lori,
Pictures?????????????

BF cool


Ok...

A pretty good shot of the shelf:


That's what a nine year old looks like while being eaten by a Blackbird. laugh

Big feet in a big footbox:


Head end with JRB Hudson River:


Shelf sticks out over the side of the quilt.


The coolest things about this hammock:
Side zipper runs the length of the hammock. I was able to lay in the hammock, adjust the gather of the head end of the underquilt, feel how much loft I had underneath me, and adjust the foot end.
The bugnet can be flipped back and fastened out of the way if there are no bugs.
The foot box - I can lay on my right side, left side, my back, do a body twist (believe it or not you can lay on your side *and* your back in a hammock) - it was hard to be UNcomfortable in this hammock.
The roominess - lots more space with the bugnet in place than in my Hennessy.
The adjustment of the lines - I like the tri rings and straps. The setup is long enough to use trees 15-20 feet apart.
The shelf held a fat book, headlamp, socks, gloves, camera, wallet, and several other small items without becoming a nuisance.
Works really well with my underquilt/top quilt, both JRB Hudson Rivers. These are 3 season quilts. Very warm and light, very happy with them.

The ridgeline appears loose in the pics - when I got in the ridgeline went taut as it should be.

Added: in the third picture, there is a bag at the far end of the hammock; this is the double ended stuff sack it goes into. It's about a third the size of the stuff sack of the Clip Flashlight tent my bf and his 9 yr old slept in. The 10x11 tarp fits into an even smaller sack if I force it; I used a 4x6 sack for it. On this setup I need two stakes for the hammock and 8 for the tarp.

[img:left]
[/img]

Bet you can't do this with two tents! We were expecting the clouds to blow up and rain on us.


Edited by lori (02/16/09 09:30 AM)
Edit Reason: add another pic
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

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#111346 - 02/16/09 01:57 AM Re: Why are hammocks so great? [Re: lori]
kevonionia Offline
member

Registered: 04/17/06
Posts: 1322
Loc: Dallas, TX
Lori:

Thanks for those pix and the multiple posts that taught me alot. I just reread this entire thread -- may be one of the best ever -- and it has really got me on the edge of the abyss to at least try sleeping in a hammock. Fantastic input.
_________________________
- kevon

(avatar: raptor, Lake Dillon)


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#111350 - 02/16/09 09:30 AM Re: Why are hammocks so great? [Re: kevonionia]
chris Offline
member

Registered: 01/26/09
Posts: 26
Loc: kentucky
I got to try out a Blackbird this past weekend. It's everything Lori just said. The quality is top notch and it is truly hard to get uncomfortable. It was windy out and the bungie tieouts only allowed a gentle sway which was really nice. I'll be ordering mine this week, probably today!

chris

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#111351 - 02/16/09 09:35 AM Re: Why are hammocks so great? [Re: kevonionia]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
Originally Posted By kevonionia
Lori:

Thanks for those pix and the multiple posts that taught me alot. I just reread this entire thread -- may be one of the best ever -- and it has really got me on the edge of the abyss to at least try sleeping in a hammock. Fantastic input.


You're welcome! If you want to try before you invest serious money, you can either make Risk's test hammock out of fabric from a bargain bin (google it) or you could go with a premade like an ENO or Byer's (both on the rack at REI) for less change than the Blackbird or Hennessy. Throw your sleeping pad into the hammock on the diagonal, climb into the sleeping bag from a standing position, sit down, swing feet up. If you think it might rain, a cheap plastic tarp from Walmart works fine in the backyard or car camping.

Or you can borrow. I bet there's a hammocker in your area. It would be easy to find out with a post on hammockforums.net.
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

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#111353 - 02/16/09 10:10 AM Re: Why are hammocks so great? [Re: lori]
jpanderson80 Offline
member

Registered: 07/28/06
Posts: 292
Loc: Memphis, TN
Thank you, Lori!

Also,
Thanks to everyone for the comments. I feel like I have far fewer skewed presuppositions because of all the comments. I really appreciate the community here. You guys/gals are alright!
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I always forget and make it more complicated than it needs to be...it's just walking.

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