[Robcat]

I pondered waiting for the group buy to happen, and getting in on that, but when my checking acct swelled with my tax refund, the one thing I bought for myself (besides heat and electricity) was the HH. I wanted to go with the HH Ultalite Backpacker model, but I am nearly 200 lbs, and wanted to have a small buffer zone with regards to weight capacity. The exped asym weighs 2 lbs 10 oz, which still saves me a pound and a half over the tiny bivy tent I carried last year, and is a MASSIVE improvement in the comfort department. I set it up the day I got it, and lucky me, it rained all day. That night, while it was still raining, I hopped in with a closed cell foam pad, windsuit, and my TNF down jacket. Crawled in at midnight, began testing various sleeping positions, and was quickly lulled to sleep by the rain. (about 12 drops invaded the hammock before I adjusted the rainfly, and was dry from then on) I woke up the next morning feeling great! I'm never sleeping on the ground again! I have had a few hiking buds demo the HH, and they are all saving up. I made a pair of snakeskins out of Tyvek, and my summer home is complete! Best $119 (REI.com) I've ever spent!

[Tom]

Yeah, love my hammock too - it's the only way to go, assuming there will be trees. Unfortunately, I sleep in way too long in my hammock and miss a lot of good photo ops. Figuring out the insulation that works best is usually the biggest issue people have. I also like to bring earplugs in case the wind whips up - the fly can get noisy. It's also kind of a hassle to get out and mark the territory in the middle of the night after you've found that sweet spot in the hammock.

[MCaver]

Some people use a specially marked/colored water bottle for "marking" in a tent, why would a hammock be any different? And being elevated like that (and being a guy), it seems you could almost throw back the rain fly and let 'er rip!

[Robcat]

I am using a closed cell foam pad with wings, (as per instructions on Sgt Rock's site) and a slumberjack +30 synthetic bag, with expedition weight thermal bottoms, and my TNF down jacket (if it's REALLY cold). I'm planning on making a garlington insulator from a tyvek poncho, and using inflated garbage bags as insulation. Garlingon insulator I also find that if you use a pair of bungees or thick shockcord on the rainfly stake-out lines, the rainfly stays nice and taught, eliminating the 'sag factor'. To break camp. I untie the pull outs, roll it up, slide on the snake skins, roll the hammock up in my pad, and secure the whole works with the bungees. Cheers!

[Erik the Nav]

topic drift, but -- for more positive "marking" bottle identification in the groping around groggy mid-night, get a square bottle (assuming you use cylindrical ones for drinking..) Me, I hate turning on lights in the middle of the night. Why wake all the way up if I don't have to, and why spoil my night vision if I'm going to look around?

[Dante]

I finally jumped on the hammock bandwagon after a sub-4000' hike during which we found it difficult to find a good place for my tarptent. There were plenty of trees everywhere though If you click on this LINK and scroll down to the "MPI Outdoors" heading you will see MPI is selling a new version of the old Mylar Space Blanket with built in air spaces. It looks like it would make a great Garlington Insulator. The bag is supposed to be 12 oz. and $30. You could probably cut the bag in half to make two 6 oz. Garlington Insulators Here's another cool thing--an 11 oz. down underquilt for Hennessy Hammocks. I wish I had the skill to make one. LINK

[Tom]

DJ, just wondering how you were planning to use the space bag? According to the link... "if you are laying down, the compressed material isn’t gong to do much but keep you drier." If you are planning to use it as a quilt, from what I've read the space bag quilts tend to have condensation problems. It seems like most people go with an insulating pad or multiple windshield reflectors. I have a 1/4" 7oz pad I got from owareusa.com that insulates just fine. I bought an extra one, so if anyone is interested in trying one out, let me know. I like it because it's ultra-wide so I never have problems keeping it beneath me. My only nit is it's difficult to slide the pad around in the hammock when you're on top of it. I'm thinking of taping a windshield reflector to the bottom of the pad to make it easier to maneuver.

[Dante]

I was thinking I would hang it under the hammock like the Garlington Insulator, under hammock quilt and the space blanket method on the HH website. I did not think condensation would be much of an issue, since the mylar would be hanging below the hammock and there should be air spaces between the hammock fabric and the mylar. If your Oware pad is only 7 oz. then that is what I will probably do. It would be bulkier, but more durable than the other solutions.

[Tom]

According to my digital scale, the pad is 7.7 oz. You could probably trim 10" off the side (making it a 60" x 30" pad) and get it down to 6 oz. I didn't trim mine because I'd rather have the extra width than save 2 oz. Let me know if you want to try it out. Like I said I have an extra one which I'll sell you if you like it. http://www.owareusa.com/sleep.html

[Dante]

Cool. I'll buy your extra one. I'll PM you. Now that my Hammock is on the way I REALLY wish the Big Agnes Horse Thief had been available when I bought my WM MegaLight. The MegaLight is awesome, but from what I've been reading, the Horse Thief is just the ticket for a HH.

[Backpacker Joe]

Thomas, I have a 3/8" pad that I cut for my length. it's only 20" wide though. Do you think I'll have trouble with it side to side in my hammock? TB

[Tom]

DJ, I also have the megalite and it works great in a hammock. I unzip the bag all the way and use it as a quilt. BPJ, just try it out and you'll know if it's too narrow for you.

[Dante]

I ordered my HH directly from the manufacturer on Monday morning (June 30) and got it Tuesday afternoon (July 1). Amazing, unbelievable, turnaround for a shipment from Canada! I can't wait to use it.

[Dean]

BPJ asked:

[Allison]

If the pad you hammock people are discussing is sometihng akin to the Blue Foam Pad (best pad ever), then I have a good packing solution for you, if you are like me and hate the roll on the outside of the pack. Is it BlueFoamPadLike?