Hammock & Tarp

[Anonymous]

Hi guys and girls, i am looking for the benefit of someones experience here.....
I would like to purchase a GOOD QUALITY hammock and tarp combination to use, the only problem is findiing something that is well made and will last. I am also 6ft3 so i would need something big enough to cover myself and my kit. As far as the tarp goes it would be handy if it had poppers so that i could join a couple together when making a larger shelter. Could anyone suggest any makes and suppliers for me ? or can anyone tell me about any kit that they have used that they wouild and would not reccomend ?

I hope someone can help me with this,
Many thanks
Dan


may your shadow never be hairy

[Gary]

Dan,
The best hammocks I know of are the Hennessy ones - check on the net to find the best place for them.

Tarps - the Aussie hootchie is good but quite expensive for what it is - the new british ones much the same. The american poncho is good and cheap at around £20 and having a hood also acts as a waterproof too. Pop the the sides together and you have a sleeping bag cover or pop two tegether and ... you get the picture. Oh ya and you can by liners for then so they can act as a light summer bag too.

Hope that helped.

[Anonymous]

Many thanks for the information, i had a look at those hammocks and.....well....i guess quality doesnt come cheap !

Does anyone else have any recommendations on this topic ?

[qweeg500]

Hi Dan,
My own personal choice for tarp is the Aussie Hoochie. It's definately expensive but comes all the lines and the quality is good. My wife bought me mine so I didn't worry too much about the £60 tag.
My hammock is a cheapy tho. It was £20 from Nomad Medical. These are based on the Thai Army hammock which have 2 layers. You can either get inside it or wedge your 3/4 length Thermarest inside to insulate your back.
I seem to remember from my last visit to the Ray Mears site he's doing a some sort of sleep system deal in the near future. May be worth hanging on to find out more.

[Bob]

I bought a good tarp earlier this year - I think it was from Outdoor Essentials (www.outdooressentials.co.uk or 'phone 01342 843373) but I'm not 100% certain on that. I remember though that I found it after a search using 'hootchie' on the Yahoo UK search engine (the advertisement blurb also said something along the lines of "as shown / used by Ray Mears" - but I wouldn't want to mislead you there!!)

The tarp is olive green in colour, has plenty of eyelets around the edge, central suspension straps, and popper halves to receive other similar tarps. I unfortunately do not have it to hand to measure at the moment but I would think it adequate for your height. It is also a pretty solid construction. It cost £20 + around £ 2.50 P&P which I thought was a very reasonable price.

The first night I used it, it rained solidly for 7 hours but I stayed completely dry by suspending it lower than normal and using long hazel wands stuck in the ground inside to 'hoop' it out slightly - needless to say I was happy with its performance!

Hope this helps - apologies the supplier info. is a bit vague :-?

Happy hunting

Bob :-D

[bigjackbrass]

Golite (www.golite.com or www.golite.co.uk) make a range of very good tarps, originally based on designs by Ray Jardine. They are hellishly expensive - I won mine by signing up for their e-mail list - but the material is a very water resistant and exceptionally light silicon impregnated nylon, extremely tough stuff. They now make some more traditional tarps, as the early ones are rather more involved than a simple sheet. Guylines are a trifle thin on these, to reduce weight, so you might want to change those. One nice feature is that they make specific bug-proof "nests" to fit the tarps, but I reckon they would negate the use of a hammock.
Or is that "an hammock"?

[al]

when i was a marine we used to bin the issue tarps and use aussie light weights(hoochie) also used to fit large bungees on them too for getting them up quicker in wooded areas etc,but always had the guy lines to hand incase ,cheers al :-D

[Tony]

Kathmandu Trekking have some excellent kit, they specialise in lightweight quality bashas. I have used the Kathmandu Trekking Basha-Tent for about 6 years and its brilliant. They have just moved to wales and I'm not sure of the address, I will get it up as soon as I can. The owner Julian Miles is really helpful and he knows what he is on about. He can also do a bespoke service. He made me a bivi bag to my specs.

We have a few of his items to review in the next couple of months so you can read more when they go up.

[bigjackbrass]

I tried to find details about Kathmandu a few months ago after hearing a recommendation and could find nothing, so any contact info you can post would be tremendous.

[Anonymous]

I tried to find details about Kathmandu a few months ago after hearing a recommendation and could find nothing, so any contact info you can post would be tremendous.

Here you go - Kathmandu Trekking - Pantyffynnon, Uchaf, Ystumtoen, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion. SY23 3AF Tel/Fax 01970 890425.
The chaps name is Julian Miles and he is really nice and helpful. He has no web presence which is a huge shame. Some of the SOF shops (Liverpool, Chester etc) sell his gear, well they used to 5 years ago!
Call him for a catalogue, well it's more photocopied pages!

Chris Townsend (of TGO) uses his stuff a lot which is where I first heard of the stuff about 7 years ago.

Drop bcuk in the conversation somewhere :mrgreen:

Have a good one

[Tony]

That was a post from me in thick mode :biggthump

[tedw]

Ray Mears claims to have a tarp & hammock system available by the nd of this month - check out his website.

[Tony]

It looks quite like a Hennessy, it will be interesting to see the differences.

[bigjackbrass]

Thanks for the Kathmandu info Tone, you're a gent.

[Kev P]

I managed to get hold of a couple of Aussie hootchies together with a net hammock plus 50m of hootchie cord direct from Aus, online at Wellington Army Surplus(I think?). The whole lot including postage was less than a single tarp on the Woodlore site.
Unfortunately I cannot seem to locate the website again!! If any one finds it let me know.

[Martyn]

Was this the one?

http://www.wellingtonsurplus.com.au/

[Kev P]

Yeah cheers Martyn
They seem to be out of stock on all there hootchies at the moment, but there is a lot of other good kit on the site including swag bags.

[MartiniDave]

You can get British Army issue ones from Strikeforcesupplies.co.uk

Lots of good stuff on their websit

[Neil1]

I have been using a British ArmyL/weight OG Basha for many years, from what I have seen the Aussie Hootchie is identical (apart from the camo & the price).
I inherited a Thai Hammock from JWTC (Brunei) several years back, which I have copied in different fabrics, adding features to suit my needs. My current one is geared to the UK for year round use and features PU nylon base, midge netting and a dedicated therma-rest pocket.
I can send instruction for making the basic model as a word doc if anyone is interested. All you need is 4 mtrs of fabric & 45 minutes.
Neil1

[giancarlo]

The hammock / hootchi setup i'm using at the mo is this:
S.A.S.S Hootchi and Bushkit Pro Pod.
I got the hootchi off ebay for about £25 and the Pod from wildday.com for about £45 (which is expensive but is great, wildday seems to have a £10 off on them at the mo)


S.A.S.S Hootchi
http://www.sass-kit.fsbusiness.co.uk/ ("foul weather shelter" section)
It's massive and is really well made.

they say:
A) 9 long nylon webbing loops (one in centre of Hootchie) to go over branches if necessary.
B) Eyelets in each corner, and middle of shorter side, for Bivvi Poles.
C) Large size. Approx 280cm x 180cm.
D) Made from high quality, lightweight, DPM nylon with a polyurethane coated underside and flurocarbon proofed topside for outstanding waterproof quality.

£45.00


BushKit Pro Pod
http://www.bushkit.com
The pro pod is designed as a double, i guess the single pod is just as good.

they say:
the main hammock sheet is made of a strong nylon with a water resistant, technical coating.

measuring 3m x 2.5m when fully open.

all seams have been triple stitched

All high stress areas have been webbing reinforced


Cheers
Carlo

[tedw]

Just spotted that Silverman's (http://www.silvermans.co.uk) have a "USA Hammock and Mossie Net" for about £35. They don't give much detail, but it looks like it might have a waterproof roof section so might be worth investigating.

I've recently used a cheap and cheerful combo of a British Army tarp and a cheap nylon mesh hammock that I bought for about £5 in an army surplus shop. It was not used in bad weather, this summer being what it was, but worked pretty well. It was worth cutting a couple of sticks to act as spreader bars on the hammock - it stopped me feeling trapped!

You probably want something less basic than this idea, but in a past military life, I've also used a couple of British Army ponchos clipped together to make a sort of low hammock that 2 people can sleep in, in relative comfort . Clip the ponchos together like an envelope, tie the hoods closed to avoid leaks and suspend the lot a couple of inches off the ground. String up the hood of the top poncho to an overhanging branch to make a low tent/wigwam shape, and climb in. Your weight will make the base poncho sag onto the ground, but the edges will stay up in the air and keep water out. The poncho is waterproof so that's no problem and the old 58 pattern army sleeping bag had press studs on it to keep it in place in just this sort of set-up. It's a bit claustrophobic and would not be much fun in really wet weather, but if you want to move light and fast it could be an option.

Ted W

[alick]

No experience of them, but I've seen recommendations of clothing made by http://www.sass-kit.fsbusiness.co.uk/ and the description of their version of an Aussie Hoochie sounds respectable. Cheers

[alick]

doh! Sorry Giancarlo - teach me to read to the end of the thread before posting. Cheers. ops:

[Raz]

Anyone used the Ray Mears setup yet?
I see its for sale at Penrith, but its expensive! :shock:

I'd like to see how it compares to a hennesy, any chance of that Tone?

[giancarlo]

I didn't think the hammock was out yet:

17/06/2003
Hammock/Mosquito net

You will be delighted to know that after many years, Ray has at last developed the ultimate light- weight sleeping system comprising of a hammock, mosquito net and hootchie.
Each item will be available to purchase individually and discounted as a set.

This will be available from early November 2003. If you would like an email informing you of when this is available please register to our mailing list.

Couldn't see it on the store on the site.
I know the hootchie's there though (£60.. bit steep i thought)


You're right though, found it on Penrith.... strange

Ray Mears Eco's

Cheers :)
Carlo

[jwhf]

Hi all

I was just wondering which Hennessy people would recommend? I just got an email from woodland organics about them stocking them now and they have 4 on there but am not too sure a)if they're good value generally or b) which is the the 'better' one to go for?

Cheers in advance
Jonny

[Fallow Way]

I use an Aussie Hootchie, always been very very happy with it.

Ray`s new hootchie/mossy/hammock set is very good. Ray and I once took down a students `emergency` hammock that he fell out of three times a night, and put up Ray`s (quite a shock when he returned) and was very good, infact i`m getting one myself soon.

On the same trip we had a tropical storm, which I slept straight through under a hootchie (mind you i hadn`t slept well for 4 days dure to someone`s snoring, there was also a rock fall and wild boar where we camped that night and I slept straight through that also :-) ).

I prefer them over tents by far. I`m a 6ft 2" fella myself and find the hootchie plenty big enough.

In terms of cost for various kit I have always taken the approach of you get what you pay for. I really dont mind something being expensive, as long as it does what it is supposed to do for a long time. All the kit I have baught, aves, knives, sleeping bags, rucksacks etc have been a bit more expensive than the girlfriend would have prefered, but then again its kits I`m expecting to get a lot of use out of, so I dont want it to fail, and i want to be using it 5 years from now at least.

[RAPPLEBY2000]

i use the issue British army basha, it is a fair bit larger than the US poncho and it can be used as a stretcher.

the hammock i use is known as the SAS hammock, it also can be used as a stretcher, also can be made into an "A" frame bed for jungle use.

due to your height you will have plenty of room under the issue basha but you would not fit on my hammock, i'm nearly 6ft and i only just fit on it!

[Tony]

Hi all

I was just wondering which Hennessy people would recommend? I just got an email from woodland organics about them stocking them now and they have 4 on there but am not too sure a)if they're good value generally or b) which is the the 'better' one to go for?

Cheers in advance
Jonny

Stuart is your man for this :-D
We will also have some Hennessy Hammock reviews up in the next few weeks. :biggthump

[jwhf]

Thanks Tony....looking forward to reading the reviews

Cheers

Jonny