Winter camping in a hammock

[bcwetcoast]

I'm looking for some advice from you seasoned hammock campers.

This weekend my scout troop went winter camping up the mountain behind Vancouver. (Same place they held the mogul race and snowboard races at the Olympics). My kids were either in snow caves or a snow trench with a tarp roof. We didn't tell them that we forgothttp://www.southernpaddler.com/ph ... =post&f=4# the tents until we got up the hill. They were all warm, except for the kid who rolled out of the snow cave. It was about -10 deg C and we had about 8" of fresh snow. It was great. One kid (he's 11) said it was the coolest thing he's ever done.

I tried my new Hennessy Hammock. What I found was that I couldnt keep my Therma rest underneath me. I would lie on my back and everything would be fine, but then turn on my side and it would get twisted out of shape and the next you know the Thermarest is lie perpendicular to me. I finally got a bit of help when I took my fleece liner out of my sleeping bag and put it between my sleeping bag and thermarest. Anybody got any tricks and tips?

 

[Kayak Jack]

Ridge Rest stays put for me in a Hennessey. I duct taped two of them side-by-side, about 3/4" apart so they would fold over easily. Rather than full width for their full length, I have it full width at the shoulders, tapered towards the hear to a 12" wide end, and tapered towards the foot to a 12" wide end. Kinda coffin shaped.

 

[oldsparkey]

The link forgothttp://www.southernpaddler.com/ph ... =post&f=4# you posted does not work.

I use a threm-a-rest in the Clark and a ridge rest in the Hennessey as something under me to stay warm. When using a self inflating mattress it is best to have it under inflated ( about 1/2 to 3/4 inflated ) so it stays with you and does not work it's way away from where you want it.

For really cold weather , like you camp in , I would suggest an under quilt since it is under the hammock and fasten to the hammock so it stays put , no matter how much you move around in the hammock. Think of it as a insulation for the bottom of the hammock.

This link explains it better and even how to make one.
http://hikinghq.net/hammock/hammock3.html

 

[bcwetcoast]

I don't know why the link didn't work. It was one of the smiley faces.

Thanks for the advice. I read the info and will try a few different things.

 

[oldsparkey]

I redid the link , the one that was there was #7 , I switched it to#3
http://hikinghq.net/hammock/hammock3.html

If that does not work try this one for the underquilts.
http://hikinghq.net/hammock/hammock7.html#Tip%2012

They are from the Sgt Rock camping web site , http://hikinghq.net/ , Hammock camping 101 tips.

 

[islandpiper]

Around here we don't dig snow caves. Still, i have had several toasty nights in my Hennessey when the outside temp was 17 degrees like this:
1. buy the winter kit for the hammock, with the under cover, the foam (interlayer) pad and use a mylar space blanket in the inter layer.
2.forget the inside foam liner idea
3. get a good down bag. mine is good to -20 F.
4. either string a blanket cover over the mesh on the top of the hammock or by the Hennessey winter cover for it.

piper

 

[Bootlegger0173]

I can't justify the funds for a store bought underquilt, but I DID take an old sleeping bag and bungee it to the bottom of mine and with me in another one only 3/4 zipped up, I slept quite toasty the last time I tried it, even though it only covered the very bottom of the hammock, apparently, that little bit makes a lot of difference. Debating of either buying a used decent bag to either modify, or rig a couple of poncho liners together to make me something more permanent.