A night in the garden.

[Chaard]

So my new DD Travel hammock and tarp arrived This week and as I've never slept a night in a hammock I though I should try it out in the back garden before using it in anger as it were.

Challenges will be
1st time sleeping in a hammock
1st time setting up a propper hammock and tarp
trialling new sleeping bag (jura 2)
Trialling new sleeping mat (decathlon M200)
Surviving wild animal attacks (my cat is pretty ruthless)

Pics and stuff to follow.

 

[Silkhi]

Hammock camping is really comfy, you hopefully won't find it a challenge just good fun

Watch cats near shiny new camping gear they like to wazz on it; plus cat claws and sleeping bags don't go well together!

 

[Chaard]

Well hammock is up.

Sadly the 3x3 tarp won't fit In my little pergola.

Here's hoping it doesn't rain :s

 

[demographic]

Best place to try these things out, you have the option of ambling back into the house if you open it all up and a seam rips as soon as you get in it.
Hopefully not obviously but its good to test things out so you know how it all goes before you trek out miles away from anywhere else.

 

[Chaard]

Well I was warm. I was comfy. I slept but woke up a few times.

Also I'm glad that I couldst put the tap up as i got to see the few stars that aren't drowned out by light pollution.

The only thing that I need to rethink or rework is my mat. Being in the little pocket of the hammock meant that it didn't go to far but I found it hard to tell whether I was on it or not.

Also does a hammock swing more if the connecting trees/posts are closer?

 

[Jack Bounder]

Maybe a silly question but I assume you have to sleep on your back? I always sleep on side, sort of in the recovery position. If I can't do this, I suspect a hammock isn't for me.

 

[Duggie Bravo]

I can sleep on my side, but I went for a bigger hammock then needed for my height.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chaard]

Yeh I slept on both sides and back. Probably why the mat moved about a bit.

I'm 5"9ish and got the standard DDtravel. V comfy.

 

[Jack Bounder]

OK. Then there's hope for me

 

[barbourdurham]

ive slept A LOT in hammocks. you can sleep on your side easily but i'd suggest you make sure yr hammock is tight as possible or when you get in it or it will bow too much with your weight and cause you to crumple up in the middle, all set for the worst nights sleep of your life. wheather you sleep on your back , side or on your front, once you're in the hammock ensure you spread out the material under you before you get comfy. sleeping across the hammock on the diagonal allows you to lay flatter, so you can stretch out more. hope this helps......

 

[XRV John]

So my new DD Travel hammock and tarp arrived This week and as I've never slept a night in a hammock I though I should try it out in the back garden before using it in anger as it were.

well done mate, that was my plan but I have nothing to fix it to! found that a brick pillar in the garden wall to the kid's swing didn't work as the swing moved

so my first time is going to be North Wood this Friday when I will have to sort out the following:

- working out how to rig up the tree huggers, whoopie slings and karabiners
- fixing the shock cord to the bug net
- should my new foil car windscreen mat be foil side down under the sleeping mat in the hammock pocket or some other combination
- probably a lot more!

 

[Jack Bounder]

Well, I've bought a Scout Hammock for the kids to try and a Camping Hammock for me and my wife. I've also bought some Amsteel to make the whoopie slings and soft shackles. Until recently, I used to be part of a sailing team and was responsible for the cordage on the boat....so have made a few soft shackles in my time. The whoopie sling look easy to make, so I should save a few quid on making my own. I also think I can do something which provides a better attachment of the sling to the hammock, rather than using the larks head knot....generally held in some scorn in the sailing fraternity. We shall see.

If I get on with these hammocks, I think I'll probably make my own for the rest of the family. The DD Hammocks are not expensive so it'll depend on whether I can get the material sufficiently cheap to make it worth it. That said, it does mean I won't be limited on colour so I could go for something more stealthy if I want to.