FINALLY!

[Wickett]

After 3 years of living in Sacramento and going backpacking in Yosemite solo, I finally will get to take my wife next week! This will be the first time that we will be away from our two little monsters. I can't wait! I think I will try and go up the Merced for her trip since she won't be making any more for a long while.

[DanTheMan]

My wife is joining me on her first backpacking trip Memorial Day weekend as well. It's funny we have 2 little monsters too. 7 yr old and a 5 yr old. Have fun!!

[wookiebh]

little monsters? love you too dad...

[Bart.T]

kind of wish we had been able to get away as a couple for a trip sometime. you are a lucky guy!

we backpacked in yellowstone when our oldest was 3. we tried another trip when her sister was 1, a simple out and back to a lake about 2 miles from the TH. that was 7 years ago this summer. sigh. we now have yet a third monster who is now 5, so we have pulled a permit for a 6 night trip in yose this summer. can't wait!

[richC]

Trust me. they will only be "little monsters" for a short while, then........

[Wickett]

The trip went well, my wife did great for her first time out. I only gave her her sleeping bag and her clothes in her pack so it was light. She had a few complaints but stopped when she tried to pick up my pack, she couldn't even get it off of the ground.

We had a nice treat on Friday morning, we woke up to 3 inches of snow covering everything. We camped next to the large rock at Morraine Dome so I threw everything up on the rock to dry out in the sun.

We used the tent, I forgot how uncomfortable tents are, I will get her a hammock like mine before she goes again.

[bill-e-g]

Wickett. ok. you are the second to say hammock.
Can you put down what hammock you have so I can look into it.
Almost, can you do the same please.
Anyone else?

I end up camping like this a lot:
(this was last Saturday)

[Wickett]

There are benefits to each. I like my hammock for the better quality of sleep. I have a NX-250 from Clarks Jungle Hammocks. I have had it in a snow storm at 16 degrees F and still didn't have to get all the way in my sleeping bag. When I sleep on the ground my arms constantly fall asleep, when I switched that stopped, along with the stiff back in the morning.

When the weather will cooperate I normally just throw my sleeping bag on the ground to save weight.

I don't seem to have any pictures of it set up on this computer, I will post one later when I have the other computer handy.

[AlmostThere]

Hi bill, I almost missed this thread entirely.

I have a Warbonnet Blackbird - some call it a fad, I call it much more comfortable and roomy and versatile than the Hennessy I used to own. I use it with pads and tarp on the ground when I can't hang, or if I am going to familiar areas I take an underquilt for the ultimate comfort sleep. It is the only sleeping gear I have been able to sleep 10 hours through without waking in - that includes my bed at home.

In your picture I would be down in those trees on the right, with a large winter tarp, with my 0 degree underquilt, sleeping out of the wind.

I do have a tarptent. The only way I could stomach the purchase of a tent was if it were lighter than my hammock setup - not many regular tents can compete.

[bill-e-g]

Thanks. I'll probably PM you for more info.

For me, number 1 priority is the view. The wind almost always dies
down so I'll pretty much camp anywhere. The other thing I've
really enjoyed and grown accustom to is dinner and bfast in bed.
I have everything within arms reach and cook and eat from sleepy bag.
This is really nice during much of the year where it gets cold
(which seems like the entire year this yr).
Once I'm in my sleepy bag I don't get out until the sun shines
(4 me a pee bottle is must have gear now).

Still... I'm so entrigued by the hammock but want to do it right.

Thx

[Wickett]

On my hammock there are pockets underneath that will keep all of your gear handy. If you strung it low you could easily cook while staying in the hammock. One great thing is the warmth inside, I don't realize how cold it is out until I unzip my weather shield and stick my hand out.

I haven't tried the underquilt yet, I sleep on a thermarest pro pad and it has been fine for me. I will buy an underquilt when I get some spare $$$.

[ceeps]

I love trekking with hammocks. Last year I used a Hennessy Ultralight on our trip over Buena Vista Pass and it worked out great. A couple of complaints I have about the Hennessy was A) the process of setting up the under layer for cold weather camping and b) the fact that you can't take off the over head netting when you want to have your face to the stars. That's why this year I am going to give a Clark Jungle Hammock a try like the one Wickett has, except I opted for the North American model which is a little lighter and apparently a little less roomy because of the absence of 2 poles that arch across the head and foot sections. Clark hammocks basically address the two complaints I had about Hennessy hammocks. The Clark seems like it will be quite an improvement because of the built in pockets for under insulation and the fact that you can zip away the overhead netting. I just hope the Clark hammocks are as comfortable as the Hennessy ones.

[bill-e-g]

Thanks for all the tips and comments!

I'm thinking of getting the Clark Jungle Ultralight.

If anyone has any red flags about this one or just any comments
at all about it I'd much appreciate it.

I figure what's another sleeping option?

O. I really toss and turn a lot during the night. It seems this
is not an issue with this hammock. Any comments?

Thanks!

I guess we could change the title to "FINALLY! ... a hammock?"

[ceeps]

Just got my Clark in the mail today, maybe I'll set it up in my yard tonight and test it.

One note about hammocks. I think they take a little getting use to at first. At least that's how it was for me.
I toss and turn a lot too and at first I felt like I would wake up a lot sleeping in a hammock. But I think in the back of my mind I was comparing it to sleeping in my bed. When I tried sleeping in a tent again after sleeping in a hammock many regularly, I quickly realized the difference in quality of sleep between sleeping on the ground vs. hammock sleeping. I think the quality of sleeping in a hammock is way better for me than the ground. Last but not least and most obvious is the weight comparison to a tent. Compared to a bivy, I don't think there is a comparison really because hammocks can pretty much be used as bivys anyway. All this comes from my experience of sleeping in Hennessy Hammocks, so it will take me a little while to see what I think of the Clark when it comes to comfort.