Hammocks !

[mattmacman]

Hey guys im just getting into the idea of hammock hiking i live in perth so my local tracks would be the Bibbulmun and the cape to cape, which incidentally are in most cases great for hammocks in summer (i know theres some hard core guys out there who hammock it up in winter .. thats not for me) im looking for the bees knees of hammocks ive looked at some of the hennesy hammocks and the warbonnet black bird, ive also looked at ENO hammocks but there not for me... What are peoples thoughts i want to get the best possible hammock so that i dont have to upgrade two weeks later, i dont mind carrying extra weight, im looking for easy setup with easy entrance, id also like the tarp to be usable by itself if im not using the hammock. Hope to hear from you all soon! cheers matt!

[HitchHiking]

Hi Matt,

Yeah the hammock is a great way to sleep while out in the bush! I have a Warbonnet black bird and have enjoyed it now for just a little over two years. Prior to that I used a very simple gathered end hammock (which I still use on occasion) and it was great as well. The difference is that the Warbonnet had the "footbox" and allows for an easier diagional lay and a few other good features of course.
Here is a video I posted a few weeks back after another hammock discussion that might be of intrest. If your not planning to use it in the winter then insead of an underquilt you would most likley get by with a blue ccf mat or a windscreen reflector. The tarps of course are a great shelter for the hammock and then can be used alone while sleeping on the ground.

[mattmacman]

Hey Evan Im a relatively small guy (im 14 so =P ) 5'10" 55kgs so im not too concerned about hammock size and ill lie diagonalley in most hammocks pretty well im somewhat bias towards hennessy hammocks because of their nice entry exit design but the WB Blackbird is nice aswell with the foot box ! Advice ?

[HitchHiking]

I have not had as much time in Hennessys as I have in the others . Some members here have and can add more info for you on that. The bottom velocro entry of the hennessy has been a discussion for ages and opinions vary. Tom Hennessy released, a short while ago, zippered versions of his hammocks as well for those how may not like the bottom entry as much, so you have some good options.

The best way of course and is always the hardest with this stuff is to give them all a try and see what works best personally.

[forest]

Hi Matt

I made the switch to hammocks for 95% of my trips about 18 months ago.
There's so much info on the net like usual but my prefference is for a Warbonnet Blackbird (Mines a 1.0 double)
The Hennessy's are good too but the bottom entry was not for me..... Like Evan said though that's a personal thing.

If you do end up going all hammock crazy the side entry designs allow the use of a UQ a little easier as the split bottom hennessy design hampers that a little.

Goodluck

[ULWalkingPhil]

Hi, I'm also very keen on hammocks for my future hikes, been reading this topic with interest. Saving up for a hammock, fly and possible UQ for the past month, want to purchase all at the same time saving on freight. In the mean time I'm doing as much research as possible. What hitchhiker mentions, try them out first is great advice, I wish I could or even have this opportunity to lay on one to make sure they will suite me, but where I live, this is not possible, so I have to take a risk and hope they suite me. After reading as many reviews as I can find, most appear to be very happy, particularly with the Warbonnet Blackbirds.

I was originally looking at purchasing a Hennesy hammock, but was not to keen on the bottom entry, when I noticed a newer version with a zip option. I mentioned to hitchhiker recently, not sure if it was on a private message or on a post somewhere on a forum I wanted to join this hanging brigade, Hitchhiker, suggested to me to consider a Warbonnet Blackbird. Never heard of a Warbonnet Blackbird till than, so I jumped online and looked into these hammocks and everything I read about them appear to be very positive. I like the features, particularly the footbox and the storage shelf and off course very important where I live, a fly screen.

I've recently had the pleasure to meet hitchhiker in person while out holidaying in Sydney. We was going to go hiking for a few days in the blue mountains, but something came up and had to cancel the trip. I still went myself and had the best time, but I decided to stay at a hostel at Katoomba and do day hikes from there. At the time I was not aware of the popularity of hammock camping, hitchhiker mentioned something about hammock when I first met him, I thought to myself, that's a bit strange camping in a hammock with winter looming just around the corner, particularly at the blue mountains. My initial thoughts was these southerners must not feel the cold. I was wondering how do you keep warm in a hammock, exposed to all those elements. I initially thought he must be crazy. But now I realize his probably a lot warmer than I am in my tent.

I can't wait till I finally order my hammock, I've decided after reading numerous reports online to purchase a Warbonnet Blackbird 1.1 Dbl. A camo Superfly and if the funds allow a Warbonnet 3 season under quilt.

Looking forward to my first hang, somewhere out there in this wonderful land of ours.

[HitchHiking]

Hi Phill, I bet your excited for your new kit when it comes along! It was good to see you when you were down this way as well. Next trip we will have to get a hammock hang in! Im due for a trip up to Queenslands soon so Ill let you know when that comes about.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Keep me informed when you want to head up to QLD. There's lots of options in south east QLD for hiking with all the great walks, such as Cooloola, Sunshine Coast, and Gold Coast hinterland, and not forgetting Fraser Island. Plenty of trees up this way to hang from.

Yes, very excited. I think I will order tonight. I'm going to get the 3-season UQ from Warbonnet as well. Do you think I should get some of that rope he has for sale? I wouldn't mind getting the woopieslings as well.

[ULWalkingPhil]

I've got the money saved now for the Hammock, Fly and UQ,, Kind of nervous spending the money, without trying out one of the Warbonnet Blackbirds. I hope it will work for me. I think I'll need at least 6 to 12 hours to build up the courage to click on Pay.

[mattmacman]

Hey guys im having trouble deciding between the Hennessy backpacker ultralite or the warbonnet blackbird 1.1 dbl layer, itd be great if you could send me a pm philipsart or even better post the results on the site, i actually like the idea of the velcro bottom but i havent really ever seen the wb blackbird in relation to entry and exit and thats the reason for the toss up i like the idea of the foot box for the flatter lay but im a pretty small guy (im 15 so meh) so im not too concerned about a flat lay i know its better but its not a neccesity, im really confused as to the differences between the warbonnets variants 1.1 dble 1.1 1.7 dbl 1.7 im confused!

[ULWalkingPhil]

Hi Hammocks, There's a video on Warbonnets website on how to enter the Hammock, it's in the video on the hammock, it also shows how to setup the hammock. I'm also taking a risk, because I've never seen one. But from all the great reports and after reading numerous reports that there finding the hammock more comfy than there tents and even there own beds, I think we should be safe. It's not very easy handing over the money without knowing for sure, but so many people surely could not be wrong.

The 1.7 dbl is for heavier, larger people. There's a section on Hammock 101 on Warbonnets website that describes the difference between the 1.1 and 1.7

[Maelgwn]

Hi Hammocks, There's a video on Warbonnets website on how to enter the Hammock, it's in the video on the hammock, it also shows how to setup the hammock. I'm also taking a risk, because I've never seen one. But from all the great reports and after reading numerous reports that there finding the hammock more comfy than there tents and even there own beds, I think we should be safe. It's not very easy handing over the money without knowing for sure, but so many people surely could not be wrong.

The 1.7 dbl is for heavier, larger people. There's a section on Hammock 101 on Warbonnets website that describes the difference between the 1.1 and 1.7

I get your point about handing over money sight unseen BUT given the interest in hammocks at the moment (on this forum especially) you shouldn't have trouble reselling if its not your thing. It should hold its value pretty well.

[Marwood]

On the Hammock Forums I've seen that there's at least one Hennessy owner around Perth, and there may well be someone with a Warbonnet over your way as well. Might be worth your while to contact them through the forum to get their feedback on their setup for local conditions. You may be able to organise a look-see at their gear as well.

[ULWalkingPhil]

I did it.

I have managed to click on that Pay Now button on Warbonnet in the last half hour.

I am now the proud owner of a Blackbird 1.1 Dbl. A Camo Superfly and a 3-season yeti under quilt. Just have to wait for it all to arrive in the post.

I would have purchased earlier, but I been corresponding back and forward with Brandon the designer and maker, to clarify on which straps to chose. Apparently if you going to use Woopie Slings it's best to chose the Line/strap suspension and not the adjustable suspension. The reason for this, the adjustable suspension would need to be cut shorter and stitched. The line/strap suspension needs no modification, all you do is replace the line on the hammock with the Woopie Slings.

[HitchHiking]

I did it.

I have managed to click on that Pay Now button on Warbonnet in the last half hour.

I am now the proud owner of a Blackbird 1.1 Dbl. A Camo Superfly and a 3-season yeti under quilt. Just have to wait for it all to arrive in the post.

I would have purchased earlier, but I been corresponding back and forward with Brandon the designer and maker, to clarify on which straps to chose. Apparently if you going to use Woopie Slings it's best to chose the Line/strap suspension and not the adjustable suspension. The reason for this, the adjustable suspension would need to be cut shorter and stitched. The line/strap suspension needs no modification, all you do is replace the line on the hammock with the Woopie Slings.

Congrats on your new set up Phill. Youll have to get a heap of pics up when it arrives!

Swapping the webbing for whoopie slings is very easy, you wont have a problem with that when it comes time.

[Marwood]

Here's Watermonkey's YouTube video of how to swap out the suspension on a Warbonnet for whoopies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO1jXGAChg8. He also shows you how to restore the original suspension if you change your mind.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Thanks Evan.

I've also ordered a lot of extras from woopieslings.com. Such as tarp ridge line with prusiks to connect the fly and for easy adjustments and 4 of those tarp lines with the silicon tensioners. Also got those cool looking plastic attachment devices for the tarp ridge line. Cost a fair bit all up. But I'm sure it will be worth it. Should be setup in no time now.

[nq111]

Nice buying.

You'll also find a hammock opens up camping through the summer in Queensland - you can keep a lot cooler than sleeping in a tent.

Just be aware that it can take a while to get used to sleeping in a hammock - some people sleep like a log first night, some take a few days or week of nights to relax properly and sleep well (i did - but sleep better than a tent now), some never seem to get comfortable. Message is to stick with it for a while and give it a proper go if you are not in the first category.

[mattmacman]

Hey guys i only really have one question left what is a whoopie sling how does it work and what are its components?

[Marwood]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7NZVqpBUV0

http://www.whoopieslings.com

[ULWalkingPhil]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw6P3pHt8KI

[HitchHiking]

Youll have some good fun messing with the Whoopies

[ULWalkingPhil]

Youll have some good fun messing with the Whoopies

I love saying Woopies, No one knows what your talking about.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Just been doing some maths on weight.

Total weight of Hammock, fly, rope and Under Quilt is 1.6kg
All of this will be replacing on my solo walks, Tent 3.6kg and Downmat 1.2kg Total 4.8kg

Summer time i'll be saving even more weight, because I will not need to take the Under Quilt with me, saving a further 354 grams. I've also saved some weight on my pack, replacing my One Planet pack with a Aarn Bodypack, saving a further 500 grams.

Weights: (all these weights are what's supplied on makers website)
Warbonnet Blackbird 1.1 Dbl with Woopie slings 681 grams
Warbonnet Superfly 538 grams
Warbonnet 3-season UQ 354 grams
Guy lines for Superfly 40 grams
Ridge Line 31 grams

Plan to reduce weight further by purchasing a lighter stove and Top Quilt in the future.
With purchase of a Top Quilt for winter use will reduce pack weight down by a further 500-700 grams in weight, depending on which top quilt I purchase. My Trangia Stove weighs apx 700grams, which is not to bad on it's own, problem is the extra weight in fuel that need to be carried. Looking at a Jetboil, with a potential weight saving of apx 800-1000 grams.

Basically my sleeping system is 1.6kg not including Sleeping Bag. I know there are lighter tents out there, but by the time you add the Sleeping mat, your looking at least 1.6kg in weight, and I bet I'll be a lot more comfy in my Hammock, than you will be in a tent.

[HitchHiking]

Gee Wizz, Thats some good kit Phil!

The quilts are excellent!

[Bluegum Mic]

Just out of curiosity has anyone tried the hammock bliss no see um no more. My local store sells them and they are very reasonably priced. So much so that it would not blow the bank to buy one for the occasional trip. My local bush (berowra valley) has loads of walks and I think a hammock would be great as campsites are limited (basically around crosslands). As I do a lot of exploring in my gorgeous backyard I thought this might be a fun way to try. Thoughts??

[Marwood]

Hi Mic,

First a caution: hammock camping is highly addictive and you may never want to go to ground again, so don't say you weren't warned .

I haven't seen too much info on the Hammock Bliss hammocks, but did check them out a while back after I saw them in the store. They do seem to be an OK product for the price, but some caveats:
- as you'd expect, they're heavy compared to high end camping hammocks like the Hennessy or Warbonnet.
- the bottom is only single layer. This means you'll need either an underquilt for bottom insulation, or have a sleeping mat under you in the hammock which may tend to slip out from underneath you, causing you to wake up cold through the night.
- You'll need to buy the tree straps separately if you want to hang the hammock from trees, as the rope that comes standard with the hammock will cut into the bark. Most camping hammocks come with straps as standard.
- I've seen reports from users of these hammocks that the fabric is quite stretchy and that they don't allow you to lie in them on the diagonal very well, which may reduce comfort for some people.

Don't forget you'll probably want a tarp as well if you don't have one already.

Based on reputation, I took a leap of faith and shelled out for a Warbonnet Hammock as a start to hammock camping, and just had to hope that I liked it. Fortunately I did, and the expense hasn't been wasted. The Hammock Bliss hammock looks like a good way to try out hammock camping and keep your initial outlay under or around $100. Another couple of options for the same are to make a DIY gathered-end hammock, or to get one of the DD Hammocks, sold in Oz by a distributor up in QLD.

BTW, a couple of good "hanging" sites near Crosslands are Blackash Campsite to the south, and Calna Nth to the northeast.

[andre35]

http://www.mosquitohammock.com/junglehammock.html

Got one of these. Works well, good quality, decent price, works for me.

[HitchHiking]

Just out of curiosity has anyone tried the hammock bliss no see um no more.

Very good starter hammock and hammock in general! I have one and have a good amount of nights in it. A few quick and simple mods on it made it great. I put on a ridge line to keep the sag even. Changing the suspension on it is very east as it is a channel end hammock meaning that the end has a channel where the rope passes through. This makes a very even gather at the end with no pressure points. I added a couple of tie outs on the side to keep the bug net off me a little better.


This was at the park when I first got it. and was messing about with it.

[Bluegum Mic]

Thanks guys.

Great feedback and excellent food for thought. HH if I get around to getting a hammock I'll be sure to get one of your lovely tarps