Camping Help

[paper]

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[Lapchik]

What is a decent, cheap hammock to start with?

[paper]

(02-02-2015 08:52 PM)Lapchik Wrote:  What is a decent, cheap hammock to start with?

Well, the cheapest is what I use indoors.. It's a $12 tablecloth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVyX0McICr0

The only issue is that this won't protect you from bugs. My camping hammock is a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beater Pro. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56qcozvOvfY

And of course you're going to need a tarp, which will be $100 or less.. You can get away without a tarp in certain situations like camping inside woods where there's less of a chance of heavy dew and if there's no rain..



And last but not least is insulation under you.. Some use a camping pad under them.. They're cheap and insulate well.. I just don't like sleeping on them, and trying to get them to position under me, so I use an underquilt. I have a few, a couple I've made out of military poncho liners and a couple I purchased. The photo above shows a purchased quilt from Arrowhead Equipment.. It wasn't cheap, but it's amazingly warm and packs down small. http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/store...Quilt.html

Poncho liners are good down to 50 or so and are easy to make, either sewn or no sew styles. I sewed my own, making several modifications.



Yeah, I bought a sewing machine.. I've not only been making camping gear, but stuff sacks, for motorcycling gear and fixing gear that I would have had to throw away or depend on someone else to take time to fix for me. I've had a lot of fun with it this winter.

I've been camping on a bike since I got my first, back in the early 80's and I really liked tent camping with a good, thick, twin size air mattress, but unless the ground was level I would slide to the low side, waking up. With a hammock I'm always level, and comfortably supported completely from head to toe. At this time last year I had never slept in a hammock and a year later I slept in a tent only one night, and that was because I hadn't learned my lesson about under insulation and froze my butt (literally) at a May rally.

The thing I like about camping is because the gear doesn't get any wear. The tarp is strung above you, the underquilt is hung under you. The only thing that gets wear is the hammock itself, and as long as you keep sharp things out of your pockets the hammock should last for years.

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I forgot to mention one thing..
Hammock camping is pretty much an individual thing.. There's hammocks that hold two, but I don't know anyone who sleeps with two in a hammock.. Do some searches on Youtube and you'll find a few videos where couples hang in their own, next to each other, but sleeping together in one hammock is pretty much just an exercise in discomfort.

Since you're recently engaged I thought I'd mention this.. In a tent, going from a twin to a full size air mattress costs an extra $10 and another sleeping bag.

[texnmidwest]

Ya'll can keep the hamhock stuff. I gotta admit that a smaller tent that fits Motorcycle camping is getting harder and hard for me to crawl into......I would look like a drunk monkey trying to balance on a clothes line trying to get into a danged hammock!

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(01-30-2015 08:46 PM)paper Wrote:  

(01-30-2015 07:19 PM)Lapchik Wrote:  So . . .how does that hammock work with no trees?

I've slept in a homemade hammock in my house for the last 4 months.

OK, so let me get this straight....you put up a hammock in your house? Are you meaning that you have not changed the sheets on your bed in so long.......no, wait.....Pardon me....I forgot who I was talking to...never mind, I figured it out.

You sleep in a hammock inside your own home because your nice soft cushy bed is covered with motorcycle parts and gun parts. OK, now that makes sense.

[Lapchik]

I'm thinking of getting this bag and just dealing with my tent this year, maybe try the hammock next year.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171528155330?_tr...EBIDX%3AIT

[xander84]

Keep in mind that the temp rating is usually not the temperature that it will keep you comfortable. A 40' rating will probably keep you comfy warm down to about 50-55; sleeping temps are a little bit different for everyone, but just giving advice from my experience. You can always use a bag liner or wear long johns also.
Also keep an eye on the length, I like to be able to completely fit inside my bag.

This link has some good info.
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/s...cking.html

[Lapchik]

(02-12-2015 11:41 PM)xander84 Wrote:  Also keep an eye on the length, I like to be able to completely fit inside my bag.

+1, being over 6' tall makes that an important issue

[Sleddog]

That's a nice bag & will pack small. I think you will find that you're going to be wearing long johns & a bag liner quite a bit.

The Big Agnes Encampment, synthetic & Lost Ranger, down bags are 15 degree bags. Personally I wouldn't want anything rated higher.

Amazon has the Encampment, with a pillow, for not much more.

http://www.amazon.com/Big-Agnes-Encampme...encampment

Here is the Lost Ranger

http://www.amazon.com/Big-Agnes-Ranger-D...encampment

Because the Big Agnes bags are designed to used with the sleeping pad. They do not have insulation on the bottom. The Q-core insulated pad really does work.

[The Other Brian]

(02-12-2015 10:55 PM)Lapchik Wrote:  I'm thinking of getting this bag and just dealing with my tent this year, maybe try the hammock next year.

I have this bag and like it. The bag packs small and with the pad slid into the integrated sleeve makes it very comfortable.

As Sleddog mentioned, this bag is a Big Agnes system bag and there is no insulation on the underside of the bag. The insulation is provided by the pad. Big Agnes recommends a 25 inch wide pad to be used with this bag. I agree with this. When I first bought the bag I went with a 20 inch pad I already had to save some cash, but found it too narrow for the pocket which allowed the pad to slide around in the pocket.

And I agree, it is a lightweight bag and you will need to use a liner and/or long under wear for the cooler nights.

[Lapchik]

I'll be watching eBay, hopefully somebody sells one used so I can spend more on gas and less on gear

[Lapchik]

Pillows? I just won a big agnes encampment on ebay and now I need a pillow for it. Any suggestions?

[paper]

I came up with a double duty pillow that is also a towel.. I take two of those microfiber towels like you'll find in the automotive section at Walmart and I sew 3.5 sides while inside out, and I turn them right side out. I stuff a couple t-shirts in it and use it as a towel, and they work great as a shower towel, too. When soaked, wring it out and it's like it's dry again, and they dry fast too.

[Lapchik]

Good idea, but I hate sleeping on lumpy rolled up clothing. I did that at the barn bike enduro once and my neck hurt for days

[Lapchik]

Do I go for a 1.5 or 4.5 R-value pad for my big agnes bag?

[texnmidwest]

If your agnes is as big as mine I would definitely go for the 4.5 r-value. Although my actual size is 44x32

[Sleddog]

(02-23-2015 09:28 PM)Lapchik Wrote:  Do I go for a 1.5 or 4.5 R-value pad for my big agnes bag?

This one....just pick the length to fit your bag.


https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Pad/qcore

[Lapchik]

Well, I have all my big agnes stuff now. One more question . . .how does everyone blow up their mattress pads?

[Sleddog]

.....Do you still have that jewelry box with the Go Pro....Oh, ah nevermind......

I know a couple people that use one of these...

http://www.amazon.com/Therm-A-Rest-6982-...agnes+pump

I have one of these. It works good....Search You Tube for Big Agnes pumphouse for a video

https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail.../Pumphouse

I bought one of these last summer...I like it. It can use batteries or plug into the bike battery.

http://www.amazon.com/Therm-A-Rest-Therm...B00JMVIYE2

[xander84]

"The Other Brian" has this huge trash bag looking thing that hooks up to the mattress; you fill the bag with air by wafting it up, then closing the end and pushing the air into the mattress. Not sure if I am explaining it well, but it compacted really small.