[at-l] Hammock + pack question

[jbullar1 at twcny.rr.com (Jim Bullard)]

I don't really understand why you'd want the pack in the hammock with you. 
I have a Clark that has pockets under the bed to hold clothing and gear 
that I want access to and don't want to leave on the ground. The Clark is a 
decent hammock but is better for car camping than back packing IMHO. It's 
too heavy and I'd prefer a larger rain fly.

I have Ed Speer's book and went to both his workshops at the Gathering. He 
has quite a system with a stand-up shelter (the separate tarp), a hammock 
with bug net that easily doubles as a chair and a sleeping bag that goes 
around the outside of the hammock so that you aren't compressing the 
insulation. All that weighs a total of 4#. My sleeping bag weighs 3+# and 
it doesn't keep my butt warm below 50? in my Clark hammock (which weighs at 
least another 2 or 3#). Ed's solution is not to take the pack into the 
hammock with you but to put all your extra clothing/soft gear into the pea 
pod bag below the hammock so that it adds to your insulation underneath. I 
will definitely be making my own version of the Speer style hammock this 
winter. His is the most well thought out system I've seen. Check out his 
web site http://www.speerhammocks.com/ or at http://www.hammockcamping.com/.

I am also interested in getting a Hennessy Asymmetrical for warm weather 
camping (July). It is a very nice design but would be more complicated to 
stay warm in. The tie outs on the sides complicate any external bag design. 
FWIW We don't generally have a lot of really warm weather up here 
(Adirondacks). I've awoken to partially frozen water bottles in both June 
and August.  Near freezing or freezing temperatures at night are almost a 
given mid-September through May in the Adirondacks, so a system that makes 
allowance for insulation underneath is important to me.

At 05:51 PM 10/21/2003 -0700, Kelly Whitman wrote:
>Yeah, I know, but some people do take it in the hammock with them, and I'd 
>like to as well.  I've looked at the Speer hammocks, too, I just prefer 
>the Hennessy, unless there's something about a Speer that makes it easier 
>to bring your pack in with you?
>
>Kelly Whitman
>INTP
>-----------
>"There ARE no other women like me."  -- 7 of 9
>
>>If I'm not mistaken you don't take your pack in the hammock, but under it.
>>Have you look at the Speer Hammocks?  He's not only a manufactuer, but a 
>>hiker!
>>
>>Sly