HAMMOCK CAMPING NEWS
January 2005
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IN THIS
ISSUE FROM SPEER HAMMOCKS
January 2005
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1----------------------HAMMOCK
CAMPING NEWS------------------------
A. DID YOU MISS A PAST ISSUE?
Postings of each newsletter on Yahoo Groups will be left on
the Hammock Camping News home page for subscribers to view any time; go
to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hammock_Camping_News/
Subscribers and non-subscribers can freely view and download
the current issue or any of the back issues at:
http://www.hammockcamping.com/Newsletters/NEWS.htm
Note: Some of the many web links in the newsletters do not
survive in the email versions--if this happened to yours, you might want to
download the newsletter from the hammockcamping.com site.
B.
DOWN PEAPODS ARE HERE!
Speer Hammocks has introduced down
hammock gear! Our down Peapods and Top Blankets offer
the ultimate in uncomplicated lightweight warmth! PeaPods are insulated bags
that completely surround an occupied top-entry camping hammock. Top Blankets
are insulated quilts for use over a hammock sleeper or they can be used as
liners inside PeaPods. Together they make the best system available for cold
weather hammock comfort. Now warmth at any temperature is possible. Visit us at
our September demo (see below) or learn more at:
http://www.hammockcamping.com/Free%20Reports/DownPeaPods.htm. Order at:
http://speerhammocks.com/Products/PRODUCTLINK2.htm
or call (828) 724-4444, 9-5 Eastern Time, workdays.
C.
MULTI-FUNCTION Sleeping Bag The Frog Sac!
Speer Hammocks announces their new
multi-function sleeping bag that is setting the next trend in sleeping gear! Called The Frog
Sac, the design includes a unique hood to keep your head warm and a foot
opening that allows you to walk around without removing the sleeping bag! This allows the bag to function as a normal
sleeping bag or as a super-convenient camp robe! When worn as a robe, it provides warmth
without the need for extra clothes, thus saving the wise camper valuable weight
and bulk. Since you are already carrying
a sleeping bag for nighttime warmth, isn't it smart to also use it for daytime
warmth as well? This bag does both. And as a sleeping bag, it can be used alone
or it can extend the warmth of another sleeping bag when used as a liner or
over bag! It can even be opened flat and
used as a blanket. No other sleeping bag
is this versatile!
Filled with PrimaLoftTM insulation, the
semi-rectangular bag is rated to 45F.
Other features include: 1.1 oz/yd2 ripstop nylon shells with
Durable Water Repellant coating, full-length front zipper with two sliders,
draw-string closures at head and foot ends, and locking barrel toggles on the
draw strings. The super lightweight bag
weighs only 1.8 pounds and is sized for extra interior room. It comes in regular (60.5" X 84")
or long (64.5" X 90"). The bag
packs into a clever double-drawstring carry sack that's only 8" long and
7" in diameter…that's about the size of the human head!
For more information, see the comprehensive gear reviews at:
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/speerhammocks/
See also: http://www.speerhammocks.com/Products/FrogSac.htm
Contact SpeerHammocks.com
at 828-724-4444, or info@speerhammocks.com
D.
HAMMOCK CAMPING BOOK
Hammock
Camping: The Complete Guide To Greater Comfort,
Convenience and Freedom by Ed Speer was published in
2003. The book is based on Ed's many
years of hammock camping around the world and his experience making and
designing his own hammocks. In addition to key chapters on "How To Stay Warm In A Hammock" and "How To Make Your
Own Hammock", the book contains numerous entries from Ed's trail journals
that show just how hammocks can be used in actual wilderness settings. The book is well documented with numerous
photos, drawings and tables of information. For those not inclined to make a
hammock, one chapter presents brief reviews of all the commercially available
camping hammocks. Appendices give valuable information on Ed's hammocking tips,
hammock manufactures, the Leave No Trace organization, and web links to
additional hammock information. This book is sure to become the standard
reference manual on hammock camping.
Autographed copies and free shipping on all orders from Speer Hammocks.
Order online at http://www.HammockCamping.com
or call (828) 724-4444, 9-5 Eastern Time workdays--$19.95. Also available at major Internet book sites
or a bookstore or retail outfitter near you.
E.
MAKE-YOUR-OWN HAMMOCK KITS
It's fun and easy to make your own
camping hammock with the simple kits from Speer Hammocks. Based on our
successful hammock design, the kits come complete with all the fabric, webbing,
Velcro, pull tabs, guidelines, ridgeline, hardware, etc. needed to make a
complete hammock with bug net and rain canopy. Even the thread is included!
Making your own hammock is highly rewarding and each one should give years of
satisfactory use. The only thing needed is a household sewing machine and
minimal sewing skills (only easy edge hems, straight stitches, and one flat
felled seam are required). Check out the kits at: http://www.SpeerHammocks.com
F. HAMMOCK
CAMPING WEB SITE
http://www.HammockCamping.com. This site provides a general exchange of
hammock camping news and information. Excerpts from Ed's new book and F-R-E-E copies of these newsletters are featured
here, as well as lots of F-R-E-E hammock
camping reports and handy hammocking tips.
Anyone wishing to post information on this site should contact us at: Ed@SpeerHammocks.com.
G.
HAMMOCK CAMPING-L Discussion Group
Join fellow outdoor enthusiasts in
an open discussion on all aspects of hammock camping. Learn from the experts
before you buy or make your own. Or help others by sharing your knowledge. The
widespread use of camping hammocks is the latest development in wilderness
travel. Be a part of this exciting phenomenon. The Hammock Camping-List is
hosted on Yahoo Groups and works like any other online "list;"
however you do not have to be a member of Yahoo in order to join. All you need
is a valid email address to join the group. NOTE that subscribers to this free
Hammock Camping News e-zine are not
automatically signed up for the bulletin board (you must sign up yourself).
All messages are archived and
searchable by members. Whether you are a
novice or a veteran hammock user, there is much to learn and share on The Hammock
Camping List!
To join, send email to: hammockcamping-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Or sign up online at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hammockcamping
H. Follow Leave No Trace!
As hammock campers we have the
duty to not only act responsibly in the backcountry, but to also set a proper
example for others to follow. One of the
great advantages of hammock camping is the ability to reduce our adverse impact
on the environment. Everyone is
encouraged to join and support the worthy Leave No Trace
organization and to follow their outdoor ethics. To learn more, visit: http://www.lnt.org
2-------------------------Year
In Review------------------------------
2004 and the Quest for Warmth!
What an exciting year it has been and much is
happening! This new phenomenon called
hammock camping continued to catch the imagination of outdoor enthusiasts last
year and the group of happy campers continued to expand around the world. In fact, the pace of new converts is quickly
changing how
Remarkably, simple word-of-mouth is spreading the good news
since no major advertising campaign exists.
Most camping hammocks continue to be manufactured by a handful of small
independent ‘Mon-and-Pop operations; however, one major outdoor gear
manufacturer has been involved for a few years.
Several new small manufacturers began operations in 2004, bringing the
total world-wide number of camping hammock manufacturers to 17 (see the full
list in Section 4 below)! In addition,
several popular recreational hammocks were modified to accommodate the needs of
the backcountry camper (see Section 5 below).
It seems everyone recognizes a vast market potential and we would not be
surprised to soon see some serious interest by major gear manufacturers.
Publication in 2003 of the popular book Hammock Camping, The Complete Guide to
Greater Comfort, Convenience and Freedom continues to be the definitive
source of information. Sales of the book
this past year confirm the continuing interest throughout the backcountry
community.
However, much of the credit for spreading the good news goes
to the lightweight backpacking community, which is wholeheartedly embracing
these new shelters. Lighter weight,
better comfort and more campsite choices make camping hammocks ideal for these
serious outdoor enthusiasts. Many of
these folks, interested in making their own gear, find camping hammocks ideally
suited for making and/or modifying. The
Hammock Camping book mentioned above contains a chapter on making your own
hammock.
Of course, communicating at the speed of the Internet is
playing no small role in this rapidly expanding phenomenon of hammock
camping. Popular email ‘Lists’ instantly
allow participants to share experiences and each person has access to ‘real
time’ information. Several Lists serve
the hammock camping community, and products that don’t work are quickly
identified and/or modified, while ones that do work well are recommended to
fellow participants. Our own Hammock
Camping List went live on January 5, 2003 and now, only two years later, has
recorded over 7,700 messages! We
currently have 740 members around the world!
See elsewhere in this newsletter for information on joining this free
email list.
2004 will probably
be remembered as the year of “The Quest for Warmth”. With camping hammocks now in the hands of a
large number of wilderness travelers, it’s no wonder that there would be great
interest in extending the seasons of use.
Enthusiasts are just naturally interested in extending the great comfort
and convenience they’d come to expect in summer to their winter camping as
well.
Staying warm in a
hammock is a challenge and many cold-weather systems are being tried and shared
on the email lists. However, several of
the camping hammock manufactures provide gear specifically designed for
sleeping warmth. Speer Hammocks
introduced PeaPods and Top Blankets in 2003, while new comer Jacks “r” Better
introduced underquilts in 2004. In
addition, Industry leader Hennessy Hammocks also introduced their Supershelter last year.
For those interested, several free articles on staying warm can be found
in past newsletters (see links in this newsletter) and/or on some of the other
web links in this newsletter. In
addition, searching the archives of the Hammock Camping-L should provide you
will plenty of information and answer most of your questions.
Obviously this
industry of camping hammocks is still in its infancy and equipment is rapidly
being introduced and modified. No matter
whether you are a manufacturer, a customer, a DIY gear maker, a list reader, a
list poster, or simply a hammock enthusiast, you can take comfort in knowing
that you are on the cutting edge of an exciting new phenomenon.
What do we except in the new year?
Hold on to your hammocks as the pace of new converts seems unstoppable!
Ed "Not To Worry" Speer
3-------------------------Feature
Article------------------------------
The 9th Hammock Hangers Campout
is Now History
Our 9th Southeast Hammock
Hangers Association campout on December 31 was
greeted by unexpectedly warm weather!
What a turn of events! Daytime
highs of 65F and nighttime lows of 35F were a welcome change from the usual
brutal temperatures expected this time of the year—I love Global Warming!
At least seven hammock campers attended and set up in the
area of the trail shelter on top of
Karen and I arrived late afternoon on Friday and found most
campers already set up and socializing around the picnic table at the trail
shelter. It was fun making new friends
and renewing old acquaintances. It was
especially nice to see thru hikers Jean and Comer (2001) who visited for the
day on Friday with their two granddaughters—we got to see them again on Saturday.
Joining us were southbound hiker
Torch, who finished his AT thru-hike on Friday, and two hikers (Heidi and
Chris) who started their northbound thru-hike attempt on Saturday am. Current southbound hikers
Hippy and Stumpknocker interpurted
their hike to join us. Several
other attendees planned on starting their northbound attempt in February or
March. And several campers arrived not
expecting to see a New Year’s celebration underway—but free food and beer
quickly convinced them to join us!
Karen and I set up our usual side-by-side hammocks with two
large tarps over us. This setup requires
three correctly-spaced trees and thus can take more time to find the perfect
trees. But it is well worth the effort
and we highly recommended it for couples.
Although we left some of our cold-weather hammock gear in the car, our
down PeaPods and Top Blankets were more than sufficient for the warm
temps!
Partying at the trail shelter continued into the wee hours
of the morning and those of us with hammocks were glad to be set up some
distance away!
The New Year arrived very warm and foggy. However, the fog burned off about 10 am to
reveal mostly blue sky and rapidly warming temperatures! It was emotional watching the northbound
hikers as they left for their journey.
The short walk back to the car was warm and pleasant with plenty of
distant mountain views through the trees.
After more goodbyes in the parking lot, it was time to head home. Our New Year’s resolution—not to miss the
Springer05 celebration! Hope you can
make it too.
Ed "Not To Worry" Speer
Safe Hammocking!
Take a
hammock on your next outdoor trip
And
experience the wonder of nature all over again
4--------A Look at Insulation and How Much Is Enough-------------
Editors note: This article by Hammock Camping List contributor
Dave Womble (Youngblood). It applies to insulation for hammock sleepers as
well as ground sleepers
How Warm Are You?
We all
struggle to some degree when it comes time to determine how much insulation we
need to stay warm. I try to look at
insulation effectiveness on a scale of 0 to 5, which goes something like this:
0-
I’m
freezing, I’m not going to survive like this.
1-
I’m
cold, I’m uncomfortable, I can’t sleep but I think I’ll survive.
2-
I’m
cool, I think I’ll get a little sleep.
3-
I’m
okay, I hope it doesn’t get any cooler.
4-
I’m
warm, I’ll be alright.
5-
I’m
toasty, see you in the morning.
How Much Loft Do I Need?
There is a
popular equation used to determine the amount of loft needed on top of you in a
sleeping bag to keep you warm. This
equation is found in Ray Jardine’s book as well as
other references and goes like this:
[temperature rating °F] = 100 - ([thickness inches] X 40)
I think this
equation is bogus and shouldn’t be used.
I propose the following equation as a guideline for loft (and like Jardine's equation it is for loft that is covering you, not
the sum of the loft on top and below you in a sleeping bag) and it assumes you
are wearing some light weight sleeping clothes that keep you comfortable to
70°F with no additional insulation:
[temperature rating °F] = 70 -
([thickness inches] X 20)
|
|
Temperature
Rating |
Temperature
Rating |
|
Loft |
Jardine’s Equation |
Youngblood’s
Equation |
|
0” |
100°F |
70°F |
|
1” |
60°F |
50°F |
|
2” |
20°F |
30°F |
|
3” |
-20°F |
10°F |
It should be
realized that often there is a personal difference in metabolism as well as a
personal difference in expectations... some people will accept a 1 while others
demand a 5 on my 0 to 5 scale of warmness.
My hope is that this guideline will put you in the 3 range.
Two other things, don't forget that you need some type of insulating pad
underneath you that's insulating capabilities follow the same type of criteria
and that you have to stay out of the wind because forced convection currents
(moving air in this case) can effectively rob you of much of your insulation.
A Therm-a-rest
is a Therm-a-rest, NOT!
Probably the
most popular sleeping mats are the Therm-a-rest brand
of self inflating open cell foam mattresses.
One of the more popular models is the ProLite
4. It is one of the Therm-a-rests
that uses their die-cut foam to make it lighter and pack smaller, so it isn't
really designed to get all the insulating capability that one could get from a
1.5" open cell foam mattress. It is designed such
that weight and pack size are more important than cold weather performance, I
don’t think the die-cut foam has too much effect on cushioning.
R-value is how Therm-a-rest mats are specified in
terms of insulating capability. Here is what I think Therm-a-rest currently sells in their self inflating line
of backpacking pads and the R-value numbers are likely for fully inflated mats:
1.0" ProLite 3; .......R-value = 2.3 (die cut
foam)
1.5" ProLite 4; .......R-value = 3.2 (die cut
foam)
1.25" Trail; ..........R-value = 4.2 (solid foam)
1.75" Expedition; .....R-value = 4.4 (die cut
foam)
1.75" Basecamp; .......R-value = 5.8 (solid
foam)
2.0" Luxury Camp; .....R-value = 6.1 (solid foam)
I don't know how Therm-a-rest expects you to make use
of these R-value numbers, other than a higher R-value means a higher insulating
value. Insulation is not just about
being warm or cold, there is toasty, warm, okay, cool, cold and freezing. I don't pretend to really know how to convert
those R-values into temperatures that you will be happy with, but I can make a
guess based on many hours of reading and my limited experience. I would propose a guesstimate using the
following formula where the constant (k) is somewhere between 12 and 16.
Low Temp (degrees F) = 70 - k * R-Value
Using this guesstimate, you would get something like this:
ProLite 3; ......42 to 32°F
ProLite 4; ......32 to 19°F
Trail; ..........20 to 3°F
Expedition; .....17 to 0°F
BaseCamp; ....... 0 to -23°F
Luxury Camp; ....-3 to -27°F
Now these numbers are somewhat pulled out of the air to demonstrate what
R-value should lead to. So what do you
do if you are using a Therm-a-rest that isn't warm
enough? You can obtain a warmer one or
you can augment what you have by placing a closed cell foam pad underneath it
in cold conditions. For instance, if
your ProLite 4 isn't warm enough, placing a RidgeRest closed cell foam pad underneath it with its
R-value of 2.6 should augment your Prolite 4's
R-value of 3.2, giving you a R-value of 5.8 (3.2 + 2.6 = 5.8), which is the
same R-value as the BaseCamp and should offer about
the same warmth, something good to somewhere in the vicinity of 0 to
-23°F. At least that is the way it is
suppose to work.
Dave Womble
(aka Youngblood)
January 2,
2005
dpwomble@yahoo.com
5-----------------Camping
Hammock Manufacturers---------------------
As hammock camping continues to catch on, the number of
manufacturers is growing as can be seen in the following list--a total of
17! Only makers of secure, comfortable
and complete hammocks with bug net and rain canopy are included. Many of these manufacturers frequently
upgrade their existing models and accessories or issue new ones, so check these
web links often.
Manufacturers of some other hammocks that might be modified
for camping use can be found in the next section.
Speer Hammocks, Inc.
http://www.speerhammocks.com/ Email: info@speerhammocks.com
Hennessy Hammock Co.
http://www.hennessyhammock.com/ Email: info@hennessyhammock.com
4637 South 300 West--
http://www.junglehammock.com/ Email: info@junglehammock.com
Lawson Hammock Co.
http://www.lawsonhammockco.com/
http://www.tbcinc.com/hammocks/hamindex.html
Crazy Creek Products
http://www.crazycreek.com/ Email: chairs@crazycreek.com
Terrelogic, Inc.
http://www.terrelogic.com/ Email: mdj@terrelogic.com
Laid Back Designs, Ltd.
800-465-7519 http://www.travelsource.com/travelstore/lbd/lbd.html
Email: sammyd@mgl.ca
New Tribe, Inc.
Email: newtribe@cdsnet.net
Four Season Hammocks
http://www.mrhammock.com/ Email: mrhammock@verinet.com
Tawatchai Jaranai
(Eff)--80/
http://www.siamhammock.com/ Email: f_goodfeeling@yahoo.com
Tammock Trading + Marketing
Rolf + Thomas Schneeberger--Steinenvorstadt 79/4--CH-4051
+41 61 281 73 33
http://www.tammock.com/ Email:
info@tammock.com
The Trease™
Trease.Biz--
http://members.aol.com/treasebiz/ Email: mailto:treasebiz@aol.com
SleepCatcher
(805) 705-6937
Hammock Bliss New
All Purpose Shelter!
5800 N. Kolb #9246,
Mosquito Hammock
new!
Tom Claytor
c/o
http://www.mosquitohammock.com/
Email: tom@claytor.com
Ticket To The Moon new!
Jalan Tangkuban Perahu no. 14X, Kerobokan Bali -
http://www.ticketothemoon.com/ Email: office@ticketothemoon.com
Eco Sleep System new!
Pyramid Body Guards Suisstulle Uk PLC
tel:
0115 969 2500
http://www.pyramidbodyguards.co.uk/
6---------------Other
Hammocks Suitable for Camping-----------------
Some hammocks that do not come with a bug net or rain canopy
may be modified for hammock camping.
While many hammocks offer this potential, the following ones may be
promising. Note that a proper bug net
and rain canopy must be added to these hammocks in order to make them suitable
for serious camping use.
·
Bliss Hammock lightweight solid nylon
bottom, now with mosquito net and tarp! http://www.hammockbliss.com/
·
Byer of Maine solid fabric hammocks; several models http://www.byerofmaine.com/
· Exped Expedition Equipment Scout Hammock; ripstop nylon
bottom
http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage.nsf?OpenDatabase&Language=E
· Nomad
Travel Tropical Hammock (search Sleeping Essentials), double
bottom
http://www.nomadtravel.co.uk/#
· Paradise
Hammock parachute silk http://www.paradisehammocks.co.uk/
· Sportsman's Guide Guide