[at-l] hammock/tarp decision

[Frank Looper]

On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 10:47 AM, David Addleton <dfaddleton at gmail.com> wrote:
> I just bo't one of these 2nd hand from a fellow hiker for a good
> price: http://www.tarptent.com/contrail.html
> This is a new game for me, since I've done essentially *no* tenting
> for years and years, relying instead on my home-made hammock and tarp.
>
> I now use a down sleeping bag so keeping my sleeping bag dry has risen
> in priority; however, I feel the risk of getting wet in a tarp/hammock
> system is extremely low and may be lower than a tent . . . . I've
> never gotten wet in the tarp/hammock system but I have gotten wet in a
> tent . . .
>
> My 10/12 yr old nylon hiking trousers have rotted from the UV light
> exposure and ripped beyond repair on my last hike and i suspect so
> also has my 10/12 yr old rip-stop nylong tarp and hammock. A hole has
> worn thru the hammock and I fear it ripping while on a long hike. I'm
> thinking of retiring the home-made tarp and hammock and replacing it
> with a new hammock and tarp.
>
> I'd like to find a "marina" hammock made with light weight materials
> and a 10x12 sil nylon tarp. Does anyone have any suggestions? should i
> consider a Hennessy or Eno hammock? if so, why?
>

I use an Eno with a homemade under quilt and a highly modified "Neo"
tarp. My intent is to make my own replacement for both before spring.
I have been thinking of a design that uses trekking poles for spreader
bars on the hammock, and may have solved the problem of unequal
stresses damaging the trekking poles. I plan on making the tarp
11'x10', with catenary curves on all edges.

I can recommend the Eno as a store-bought. I also have two Hennessys
and a Byer Travel Hammock. I use descending rings and 1.25 webbing to
hang them all. The Hennessys, even the UL Backpacker, are just too
heavy for my taste. I bought the Byer Double for my wife. She loves
it.

The modifications that I made to the Neo tarp were to cut off most of
the tie-outs, change it from a diamond to a cat-curve hex, and replace
the heavy edging with simple hems. The tarp improved in performance
and lost over 1/3 of its weight.

Hammocking, to me, is much more restful than sleeping on the ground.
However, to do it correctly (as in warm) in the winter causes the
setup to get too heavy for me.

Summer nights in a hammock are about as good as sleeping outdoors gets!

FrankenHanger