nice.. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Very nice work on the hammock AZ Fishead. Now you just gotta start sewing up some tarps, and you'll be REALLY set...

Speaking of tarps, I got a chance to try out my newest custom ordered tarp (from Outdoor Equipment Suppliers) this weekend, and it absolutely ROCKED!!!


The basic design of the tarp goes like this: Take a Speer Winter Tarp, but make it 12x10, instead of 10 x 11, and add six extra tieouts - in the center of each of the largest cat cuts, as seen in this picture. The BLUE tieouts are the ones that I had added, which are not on the Speer tarp, and add tons of flexibility in pitching options



So, that gives you four extra tieouts in the centers of the left and right sides, and two extras along the long side.


What do all those extra tieouts do for me? Why, I thought you'd never ask.

They let me do things like this:



So what you see there is two hammocks, hung from four trees, but it would work even better with a three-tree hang. On the narrow end, where the trees are close together, or if there was only one tree at that end, I tied the main center ridgeline tieout to the tree. That's the end farthest from you in the picture.

On the other end, where the two trees are spaced farther apart, I tied the two tieouts in the centers of the cat cuts to the trees, so the roof of the tarp formed a triangle between those three tieout points. This makes it absolutely cavernous inside, and I was able to stand fully upright in between the two hammocks with plenty of space to spare.

Add some hiking poles and ground stakes to make walls on each side of the tarp, and we've got a good bit of rain protection with a huge space in the middle.

In fact, there was so much space in the middle, that we hung the Blackbirds with their openings facing in towards the center, rather than out. That means, during the storm, I was able to set my Clikstand and Trangia burner up on the ground between us, and we could cook breakfast together, while chatting and sitting comfortably in our hammocks. It was absolutely awesome!!!!!


Here's another view of the tarp, with the two-tieout end to the right and the single tieout end to the left, to make it a little more obvious how it's pitched:

Wow, that is just great!

I'd need a bug net around here but other than that what more can you ask for?

Really cool, I wish I could sew.

My wife and I took our kids on a walk to Bridal Veil Falls in the Provo canyon. The path follows a river, which is fed by the falls. Between the path and the river a couple was cuddling deep in their Trek Light hammock. ("Deep" meaning how far they they were in the hammock, not in the "cuddle"!)

I love my DD Hammock for camping, but I think I'm getting a Trek Light for just such "activities"! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I also want to adjust the suspension system of my DD to work similar to the Trek Light. Should make set up and take down a heck of a lot faster. Plus it adds a "drip ring" for nasty weather. Check them out if you've never seen them here.

I have had a Crazy Creek for quite a few years and have enjoyed it:

http://www.crazycreek.com/product/7/33/

It has a couple small easton poles that give it some structure and a nice roof too. I got mine at REI too.

Mick

That's a nice CrazyCrib..Never seen them before.

Those crazy cribs look pretty cool. I bet they are heavy to carry for backpacking, but you'd be hard pressed to find a more spacious hammock. I love all the different options there are out there for hammock camping. I was out in my hammock last weekend, and I saw at least ten other hammockers nearby - lots of folks know the best way to get a good night's sleep in the woods <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

..... i dont think im going to give up my tent .... its a pound an a half and sleep 6 and 4 seasons... and dog friendly ... i might modify it for a wood stove even...

but i think i might give the Hennesy hamocks a shot ... as i get older the ground gets harder.... and looking over lots of hammocks and i think hennesy is what i wanna try out....

what model tent is a pound and a half for six people?? I'm sorry but I don't buy that - I've owned ultralight 2-man tents and they are right around the 1-2 pound mark.

The best I've seen for a six man tent weight wise is that you can separate the pieces, and it's a pound and a half PER PERSON of carry weight.

Maybe it's one of those tipi type tents with one layer and no floor. The single pole jobs. If that's the case then I'd definitely prefer a hammock and a tarp... much more comfortable.

I was wrong i had to go open up my camp box ... with lines and every thing its 2.5 its 4 man too looking at the specs , so i would say sleeps 2 plus gear lol ... but yea its just a tipi set up minus the netting and the floor ... i normaly just have a sheet or two of tyvex under my bag.

it says its a mountian hard ware kiva ... but the specs dont look right on the web site from when i picked mine up years ago...

thats why i was looking at the hennesy as i also get older bugs bug me more.... and i cant just brush off a million skeeter bites like i used to...

till i know this is the way i wanna go im going to hang on to this... i thought about a bivy but when i tried one i felt very shut in and restrained... so the hammock might be the answer...but ill hang on to this kiva for a while , its just handy and easy to pitch for the room i need.

I used to have one of those auto pop up tents ... those were fun and all but insane to use other then car camping....

Definitely hang onto the tent - you never know when you'll go somewhere where you need the enclosed space for privacy or dogs or there just won't be any trees around. I kept two nice tents, and have only used them once or twice since I started hammocking, but they were nice to have for those occasions.