I guess I don't understand your question about what kind of shelter? I string it up between two trees, about 15' apart. I opted for the XL rain fly, so I stake that down on one side and then use my hiking staff to make a shelf above the entrance end. On a cold, wet/snowy night I will drop the shelf and close the rain fly around the hammock (it velcros along the edges).
Registered: 05/28/08
Posts: 278
Loc: Texas Hill Country
I would consider your rainfly / tarp your shelter. I'm not familiar with Clarks system. What keeps your bottom warm since your sleeping bag is compressed on the bottom side? That is a pretty substantial hammock from the photos.
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Just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.... Pericles (430 B.C)
I never believed it until I slept my first night in below-freezing temps. . . but the sleeping bag is more than enough. The pockets along the bottom (three on each side) hold a layer of air. I'll stuff the water bottles and my camp moccasins into them to expand the air pocket some and to keep my water from icing up. Since I sleep in my first two layers of clothing, that plus the bag is more than enough to keep me toasty. The first time I slept in a fleece sweatshirt, I woke up too hot and had to take it off. Ended up using it as a pillow.
One exception is on really cold nights, my toes will get cold. The pockets don't extend the full length of the hammock and so from about the knees down it feels colder. I remedy that by wearing my extra pair of socks to bed. Problem solved.
I watched my hiking buddies enjoy their hammocks for a year and a half or so before I took the plunge and bought one from ENO. The first night I took it out I made a mistake with the nylon "slap straps" that I bought with it and ended up hitting the ground around midnight. I got up and hung it back up and slept through the rest of the night. But other than that I have never had a problem with it.
Frankly I can't see myself ever going back to hiking without it. I have not been able to sleep well on the ground since I started backpacking. I have spent many miserable nights sleeping in ten to twenty minute bursts between rolling and thrashing about, trying to find at least one comfortable position. I have not had any such issues while hammocking.
In fact, after a week long trip last fall, I found my Sleep Number bed at home uncomfortable in comparison to my hammock. If my wife would let me mount some steel eye bolts in the studs in the bedroom I'd be hammocking even more!
I'm 5'10" and pretty much an averaged size guy. I have an old ponch liner that I have left over from my time in the Army. It's 5x6 and I've used it as a tarp tent when I was in the Army. Is this good enough for a shelter with a hammock if I am caught in the rain?If not, what tarp should I be looking for? I spent a night in the Ozarks spleeping among the rocks and have sworn off sleeping on the ground ever again. I've never had a good nights sleep in the field and hopefully the hammock will change that. I'm looking into getting a Grand Trunk Nano-7. Has anyone tried this hammock? It's said to be the lightest hammock on the market.
This is food watching phat trying to figure how to hang his hammock between those two huge trees. Its phat's tarp. You will notice that my green Bibler is set up and I am taking pictures. This was on the Whatum Lake trip last fall, north of Mt Hood.
This next sad photo is of BF himself sitting on the ground with Bennie trying to console him. He finally had to move to a new site 100 yards away to find two trees close enough together (and capable of supporting what is quite a bit of weight) for his ropes to fit. It only took him an hour in the rain to get set up.
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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.
Registered: 05/28/08
Posts: 278
Loc: Texas Hill Country
Originally Posted By DerrickGreen
I'm 5'10" and pretty much an averaged size guy. I have an old ponch liner that I have left over from my time in the Army. It's 5x6 and I've used it as a tarp tent when I was in the Army. Is this good enough for a shelter with a hammock if I am caught in the rain?If not, what tarp should I be looking for? I spent a night in the Ozarks spleeping among the rocks and have sworn off sleeping on the ground ever again. I've never had a good nights sleep in the field and hopefully the hammock will change that. I'm looking into getting a Grand Trunk Nano-7. Has anyone tried this hammock? It's said to be the lightest hammock on the market.
I haven't tried the Nano, but I'm with you on not sleeping on the ground, even to the point of paying a small weight penalty if necessary. I also agree with Phat, that you need a tarp with a minimum 10' ridgeline if there is any chance of inclimate weather. I have a 10 x 10 Granite Gear that works great with my Blackbird but a 10 X 8 would work also. I set it up in the rain and slept in it one night in my yard when we got 4.5", knowing I could bale. I stayed dry as a bone. However, my Switchback requires a minimum of 11', with 12' for bad weather. That's a 12' ridgeline on the setup in my avatar. The cinch rings are only about 6" inside the doors when closed. I can see where it may be a problem some day because of it's length.
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Just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.... Pericles (430 B.C)
The Nano sacrifices some space (width) for the lightness of it - some folks might have difficulty doing that famous diagonal lay in it due to the narrower width.
I'd get a bigger tarp if you're looking at some time in the rain. Size will depend some on the hammock you have - some are longer than others - and also on whether you intend to make it home, sitting under it cooking or reading or whatever in bad weather, in which case a larger tarp will do better for you. Some folks like to take a large 10x12 all the time and simply tie back the extra sections in fair weather. I have a tarp this size with four tie outs on each side - the ends can be set in like doors on each end quite easily, making it an enclosure.
You might spend some time at hammockforums doing some research, there's a lot there about many brands and their ins and outs. There's been some talk about the Nano as well.
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"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki
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