Hiya,

I am getting into backpacking in my slow, methodical way after many years of not doing it - I am doing sort of a combo of backpacking and car camping (car packing - stuff it all in the backpack, drive to campsite, set up tent, use the rest of the gear on day hikes). Ever so slowly I am accumulating the items necessary for actual multiple night hikes - I am a water filter short of being a 3 season packer.

I am finding that my longstanding claustrophobia is acting up, however. I have always disliked feeling confined - this is how I end up with a two bedroom apartment and there is only one of me, a four door sedan rather than a tiny compact, etc. The two person tent I have is fine for me and my gear, but after being in it zipped up in a mummy bag overnight I'm waking up anxious and swearing at the zipper (it sticks) then leaping out of the tent.

After lots (and lots and lots) of reading online in various forums I settled on a Hennessy Hammock, to which I shall add various suggested items (ccl pad, space blanket, etc) to make it warm enough; I intend to use the mummy bag as a quilt to fend off my zipper anxiety, until such time that I have saved my pennies to pick up one of the lovely sounding down quilts I keep reading about. I have trekking poles and intend to practice setting it up as hammock and with the poles before heading into the wilderness.

Does anyone feel claustrophobic in those hammocks? I like the thought of having the netting overhead and maybe tying the tarp high when it's not rainy so I can see around me and get more ventilation. I also like that one can use the tarp to shield your cookstove, which isn't possible with the tiny vestibule of the tent. I'm just not sure how it's going to feel sitting/laying in it - I'm sure not getting a peapod any time soon! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Lori