Hammock setups for hunting

[Mumbles0105]

I sleep in my XLC whenever I’m in a place that will accommodate a hammock

 

[JordanM]

So I just got back from an Idaho hunt and used my hammock. I have been a huge hammock fan for a while but think I’ll be heading back to the ground. I do think hammocks are more comfortable, but to get that comfort it does cost 1-1.5 pounds more. Setup was Dutchware 11’ cloud 71 hammock, Dutchware gear DCF 12’ winter tarp, Reg/wide xtherm (didn’t take the klymit hammock pad due to weight), and vespar 20deg top quilt. Overall I was very warm and mostly comfortable. Once you count all of the tie outs, suspension setup my total kit was 63oz. Not bad at all, but I think with the temps as low as they were, I would have had to add more volume AND weight with an underquilt to get more comfortable than the pad Setup.

I could easily cut 10oz off the setup by an Aeon Li or zpacks tent for the same amount of money as my lightweight hammock setup. It’s a hobby and experiment for me so I don’t care, but my setup was roughly 680$ not including pad or quilt. Also people discount the time it takes to set up in some areas. Yes setup is quick if you have perfect trees but each of the camps we were at I was done roughly the same time or later than my buddies in their Seek LBO. I had to saw off multiple limbs and prep the area not too different than a ground tent.

So my long winded conclusion is this: solo in tree country take a hammock. 2 or more people take a ground tent. You can offset the weight possibly by splitting the tent up and afford a thicker pad or take your normal pad and this full size zlite to aid your rest and glassing experiences.

 

[doc holiday13]

That said, I've slept in hammocks down into the teens and done OK. They have some advantages. Wet, uneven ground being the main one.

I've not done teens but agreed. I sleep sooo well in hammocks. I've slept in 20's just fine.

Pro tip. End of day, knock the dirt and snow off your, and put them under your legs in between the sleep pad/insulation and sleeping bag.. keeps them warm so you don't have to stick your toes in cold boots

 

[OXN939]

Necromancing this one. Used a hammock on a Nevada elk hunt this month, and as a dude who's a light enough a sleeper to check the box for clinical insomnia, it was a game changer.

One question. For the tarp, any of yall ever used just a tent footprint set up over the string you hang your insect net from? They weigh about 8 ounces and cost 20 bucks... probably not super stormproof, but if I'm expecting really rowdy weather I wouldn't be in a hammock anyway

 

[Novashooter]

Necromancing this one. Used a hammock on a Nevada elk hunt this month, and as a dude who's a light enough a sleeper to check the box for clinical insomnia, it was a game changer.

One question. For the tarp, any of yall ever used just a tent footprint set up over the string you hang your insect net from? They weigh about 8 ounces and cost 20 bucks... probably not super stormproof, but if I'm expecting really rowdy weather I wouldn't be in a hammock anyway

I've never tried that specifically, but I used a plain old poly tarp for quite a while. Back then I didn't even have a ridgeline on my hammock, so no, I did not hang it from it. I had a ridgeline going through the corners of the tarp which I tied to the trees. Then I just staked out the two corners. It works, and it fit the budget, but tarps are big and bulky, and you don't get much for coverage for that bulk. A separate bug net was ok, but the cheap ones don't last very long. If it's what you can afford, they sure beat nothing at all.

I've been using a hammock setup for close to 10 years now, year round, even dead of winter. I feel I have a decent handle on what is and is not a good thing to have. I started out with a sleeping pad, and it was ok. An under quilt is better in every way. Even if you have to make your own from an old blanket and some rope, do it. Above about 50 degrees a good sleeping bag alone is fine, but below that you definitely want some cover on the backside in the form of an under quilt. The separate bug nets are ok, not great. If you can get a hammock with a built in bug net, they are better. Less setup, less bulk, more durable. The higher end hammocks can offer removable bug nets. Some are better designs than others. I prefer to have mine permanently attached myself, and roll them up if I want it open on the top. My Dream Hammock Raven's is removable, but the ends can get gaps if it isn't set just right. You would be amazed how many mosquitoes find their way in a 1" hole. The permanent net on my DH Wingspan is much better.

Here is my current "ideal" setup for anyone interested. For the most part I don't change the setup much for the seasons. In the winter I'll bring a different sleeping bag or something is about all I'll do.

Dream Hammock Wingspan 12', cinch buckle suspension. I found a permanent bug net to be ideal for me. I also found a directional lay offers a slightly wider area for the shoulders than a symetrical. I went with a 12' for more leg room. At 6'5" it is about perfect. My 11' is fine, it isn't that much smaller. Most people an 11' would be good. The straps you use do make a huge difference, and unfortunately there's a lot of garbage out there. When I first started out, I found ratchet straps were the best cheap option. Yes, regular old ratchet straps, no stretch, simple setup. There's lot of Chinese made hammock straps out there, and only maybe half of them are good. The main problem is stretch. It might be easier if you are 125 pounds, but I found a lot of them stretched way to much. Some stretched like a bungee cord. Some stretched slowly over night. My best advice is if you get a Dream Hammock, get the cinch buckle suspension. There is no peer out there. I also recommend the heavy duty straps, the regulars aren't that bad, but they do have some give to them. The heavy duty straps feels rock solid, even at 270 pounds. With 15' straps, I have yet to fail to find a way to hang.

Warbonnet Superfly tarp. I currently run an 11' on my 12' hammock. It's borderline, a 12' tarp would be better. It does cover up to the buckles on both ends of the hammock, so it does work. You can get away with a shorter Superfly than you can a more open tarp. I tried tarps ranging from blue poly tarps, to cheap squares, up to the superfly. Saving weight on tarps is for gram weenies. Get a tarp with doors. It's an extra couple ounces that makes a world of difference. Tie them up in the summer, no problem. Cinch them down in a downpour, they keep you drier than any other setup out there. Hang it as tight to the hammock as you can in the winter, and it will keep you warmer. As for stakes, I don't bring stakes. This is an easy area to save weight. It only takes a minute to make stakes from branches. In the winter I'll tie off to something heavy like a log. If you do use stakes in the winter, use big landscaping nails and a hammer to bust through the frost. I find it less work to just find rocks and logs to tie to.

UGQ under quilt, long length, 0F rating. If you buy one, get it warmer than you think you need. It's really easy to vent them when needed. There's ways to use 3/4 length ones to good effect. As a hunter I'm more interested in things just working, as well as quick setup and teardown. I got a full length one for my 6'5" height and do not regret it. They are a little bulky, but they aren't heavy. If you mostly deal with 20-50F temps you can get away with less. I find myself below 0 a lot, and it's not excessive there.

I use various bags or blankets depending on what I feel. I don't camp a long ways from the truck too often, so my go to is usually the 0F Wiggys sleeping bag. I've tried quilts, and they are a great way to save weight, but they also aren't perfect. A lot of the time I use my sleeping bag like a quilt. Sometimes you get bad days where you do everything you can, and still get that one cold spot. Zipping up in a sleeping bag is the key to turning that 0F windy night from annoying into perfect sleep. I don't necessarily say Wiggys is the best, they are big and heavy, but they also work in all conditions. They are true to the rating, where most are optimistic. When I first started in the hammock I used blankets from the bed, and that's as warm as anything if you are right by the car.

That's the bulk my my gear. I don't mess with winter covers, heat reflectors, or special suspension. I feel like if you need all that junk you are probably not using the right setup for the job. A hammock isn't the ideal choice for true hardcore cold weather camping where it can get below -20F, but it can work. If you want to do that, my advice is to get a proper winter camping tent, and you probably want a stove too. Those same tents are horrible in the summer, but they are super warm. All of my ropes are done with plain old 550 paracord. I'm not saying it's ideal, but I am saying it works. I'm sure there are ropes out there that are lighter, and work as good or better. I'm fine with paracord, and don't see any reason to change. I do suggest orange or other bright colors. Bonus points for reflection. It sucks tripping over your tarp lines in the night.