HAMMOCK
CAMPING NEWS for June 2003
Here
you will find the latest hammock camping NEWS and IDEAS,
including industry-related event listings, new products, trip reports, gear
reviews, hammocking tips, links to additional information, and much more. This F-R-E-E e-newsletter is a great
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=============================================================
IN THIS ISSUE FROM SPEER
HAMMOCKS June 2003
=============================================================
1----------------------HAMMOCK
CAMPING NEWS------------------------
A. DID YOU MISS A PAST ISSUE?
Postings
of each newsletter on Yahoo Groups will be left on the home page for
subscribers to view any time (go to our Yahoo Groups Hammock
Camping News home page).
Subscribers and non-subscribers can view the free back issues at hammockcamping.com.
B.
HAMMOCK CAMPING BOOK PUBLISHED!
Speer Hammocks published Hammock Camping: The Complete Guide To
Greater Comfort, Convenience and Freedom by Ed Speer in
January. Everyone's initial reaction
has been positive and early sales are off to a good start.
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 workdays--$19.95, free shipping.
Also
available at:
Amazon.com
Books $13.97 + shipping
Barnes
& Noble $19.95 + shipping; club discount available
Borders
Books $13.97 + shipping
Books
A Million $14.86 + shipping; club discount available
Waldenbooks
$13.97 + shipping
C.
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 free hammock camping tips. The site includes instructions
for ordering Ed's book. Anyone wishing
to post information on this site should contact us at: Ed@SpeerHammocks.com.
D.
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-L is hosted on Yahoo Groups and works like other online
"lists;" however you do not have to be a member of Yahoo in order to
join. All you need is a valid email address. 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).
In
the past month, the following topics were discussed on The Hammock
Camping-L: Camping hammocks by Speer,
Hennessey, Clark, Byer, Bana, Amazonas, Nomad Travel and Tammock; Mayan
hammocks; pads; quilts; space blankets; PeaPods; fleece; double bottom
hammocks; insulator shells; sewing hammocks; make-your-own hammock kits; bamboo
stands; hammocks set up side by side; sex in a hammock; tarps; Hammock Camping
book; hammock straps, ropes, knots and tree damage; sleeping bag use; hammocks
in bedroom; tick repellent use on straps; and hammock use restrictions on
government lands. In addition, promising new modifications to hammock designs were
posted and discussed at length, while some hammock-use reports were provided
from around the world. 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
E.
MAKE-YOUR-OWN HAMMOCK KITS NOW AVAILABLE
It's
fun and easy to make your own camping hammock with the simple kits from Speer
Hammocks. Based on a 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
What
others are saying:
"I
wanted to thank Ed publicly for the most excellent hammock kit. I ordered it
last week, it arrived today and I have read about a third of the book so far.
The kit is complete with everything you need except for a sewing machine. The
instructions are quite clear and even though I am not an expert seamster(?) I
don't think it will be hard at all to make the hammock. Highly recommended to
anyone interested in hammock camping."
John
"I have now used
the hammock I made as per the instructions in your book. Worked great! I even
fell asleep for almost 2 hours the first time I tested it on my porch! I have now used in a short camping trip: I
have never slept so well, I think I will never sleep on the ground again if I
can avoid it. Thanks for sharing your experience with me (and all thers). This
is my best shelter/sleeping system so far! Best regards" P-A. Asp, Sweden
F. Join 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. I encourge everyone to join and support the
worthy Leave No Trace
organization and to follow
their outdoor ethics.
G. other Good Reading
The
following three books have come to our attention. While not specifically related to hammocks, they cover the
stories of three recent grand long-distance hikes and should be of interest to
most hammock campers. Highly
recommended reading. Enjoy
http://www.sheltoweehikes.com/ Hike across
America, Dan 'Sheltowee' Rodgers
http://www.nimblewillnomad.com/HTML/ten_million_steps.htm East Continental Trail, Eb 'Nimbelwill Nomad'
Eberhart
http://www.modelt.homestead.com/ Three time
Appalachian Trail Thru-hiker, J.R 'Model-T' Tate
2---------------Hammock
Camping Convenience -------------------------
Whether you're traveling by car, boat, bicycle,
horse, or on foot, hammock camping can be remarkably convenient. The ability to set up in most wooded terrain
means less camp-making worries and more peace of mind. While one can also often get creative in
treeless areas and use existing posts, poles, rocks, etc, many of the current
crop of camping hammocks also set up easily as bivy sacks and tarps on the
ground; thus making for highly functional shelters. So, it's true--hammock campers do have millions of more potential
campsites than ground sleepers!
Essentially, the entire forest becomes suitable for your campsite. No longer limited to the usual crowded and
abused campsites, the hammock camper is free to follow his/her own schedule
even in heavily used recreation areas.
This all adds up to easier travel, less worry about finding suitable
campsites, less adverse impact on the wilderness, more time to observe and
enjoy nature, and a more satisfying backcountry experience.
With a camping hammock on a backcountry trip you can
easily:
·
Set your own travel schedule by camping when and where you want to
·
Avoid crowds by using stealth camps
·
Camp close to, but out of the way of, towns or re-supply stores
·
Camp miles from the nearest ground campsite
·
Camp on rugged mountain slopes for isolation or wind/storm protection,
·
Camp atop rock cliffs for excellent views
·
Camp at the base of rock cliffs for wind/storm protection
·
Avoid sensitive lakeshores, streamsides or fragile vegetation areas
·
Avoid bears and other nuisance animals by avoiding their territory
·
Avoid snakes, spiders, mice, and other creepy crawlers on the ground
·
Take refuge from dangerous weather by quickly setting up out of harms
way
·
Avoid inadvertently setting up camp on someone else's 'bathroom spot'
·
Avoid crawling around on hands and knees to make camp in tents or tarps
·
Make or break camp in the rain without the hassle of tents or tarps
·
Set up camp over obstacles like rocks, roots, logs or briers
·
Set up camp over wet, hard or uneven ground
·
Avoid storm-exposed campsites by finding protected spots
·
Avoid buggy campsites by finding drier or windy bug-free sites
·
Use hammock as bivy sack and tarp on the ground when trees not available
·
Avoid the worry of finding the usual ground campsites already occupied
·
Camp in harrmony with nature by following the Leave No Trace Principles
With this newfound freedom and convenience, hammock
campers now have the ability to abuse their outdoor privileges; thus it is
important that we all behave responsibly, intelligently and legally in the
backcountry. Camping in restricted areas or in environmentally or culturally
sensitive areas may tempt the hammock user, but doing so will never be
acceptable. Be sure you set the proper
example for others to follow.
These and other convenience features are covered in
more detail in Chapter 2 of the book Hammock Camping: The Complete
Guide To Greater Comfort, Convenience and Freedom.
Take a hammock on your next
wilderness trip
and experience the wonder
of nature all over again
Best
of luck and happy hammocking
Ed
"Not To Worry" Speer
3---------------------Hammocks
in Use May 2003---------------------------
Blue Ridge Parkway
May 10-11, 2003
Karen
and I spent this remarkable spring weekend viewing waterfalls and wild flowers
along a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway
east of Mt
Mitchell State Park, North Carolina.
The recent rains and warm weather had the streams full and the wild
flowers in bloom. We car-hopped to
several trailheads and then hiked the short distance to the waterfalls
themselves, generally with wildflower book in hand. The large number and multiple types of trilliums were a
delightful highlight, while Crabtree Falls was particularly photogenic. Saturday night, we found a beautiful
campsite along one of the Forest Service gravel roads off the Parkway. The slopping ground was otherwise unsuitable
for ground sleeping, but we easily and quickly set up two hammocks side by side
beneath two tarps! That gave a 10X16'
canopy over us! The head ends of both hammocks
were tied to the same tree while the foot ends were tied to two separate, but
close, trees. This setup gives an
amazing amount of intimacy for couples that want to be together. Photos of this setup can be seen in the
'Ed's Doubles' album under the 'Photos' section of the Hammock Camping-L You must join this group to view the
photos--but joining is easy and free!
Ed
"Not To Worry" Speer, Marion, NC and Karen "Pog" Sousa,
Asheville, NC
Trail DAys
May 15-18, 2003
Using
stands, three hammock hangers camped at the Speer Hammocks booth in the town
park for the annual AT hikers get together at Damascus, Virginia. The absence of trees in the grassy park
didn't stop these three die-hard hangers.
Two hammocks were even intimately set up side by side under a single
8X10' tarp! The heavy rains on Saturday
night didn't faze these veterans; in fact dinner was cooked and served to 6
people beneath the 8X10 tarp that was set up on a stand for the third
hammock! Several other folks also came
by and took temporary refuse from the rains beneath our tarp, demonstrating
once again the usefulness of the large Speer Hammock tarp in fowl weather. You
couldn't have asked for a better demo--a competitor hammock display nearby was
deserted at night as well as during the fowl weather!
During
the day, the three hammocks were available for anyone to try out and many
hikers and campers got their first taste of the comfort and ease of
hammocking. In addition, numerous past
customers stopped by and shared their happy camping stories.
The
annual Damascus Trail Days is a big event for the "Friendliest Town on the
Trail". Each year, hundreds of
past and present AT hikers gather for a weekend of socializing and
partying. In addition, the town
sponsors a hiker fair attended by many major gear manufacturers and outdoor
retailers. Vendors in the park also
offer handicrafts, food and drinks.
Live music starts each afternoon and lasts well into the night. Free camping is provided to non-vendors in a
wooded area on the edge of town and the partying here can go on all night. Featured events include talks and slide
shows by prominent adventurers, hiking and camping workshops, the
not-to-be-missed hiker parade, kids events, and gear demos and sales by
vendors.
Most
current northbound thru-hikers take a break from their hike to attend. Although
most have already passed Damascus by now, they easily catch rides to and from
Trail Days. Past thru-hikers have been
known to drive for 2 days or more just to get to Damascus. The event is also open to the public and
draws hundreds of local residents for the festivities. This year's crowd was estimated to be a
record 3,000 people!
Each
evening, after the shopping crowds were gone, we reclaimed our hammocks and set
up our own cozy camp in the park. A
steady stream of old trail friends provided plenty to keep us entertained. Our thanks to Karen 'Pog" Sousa, Greg
'G-Force' Scholz, Matthew 'DS' Carter, Andrea Robinson, and 'Springer' for
helping with the booth. Best of luck to
Chris Stevens on his attempt to hike the entire East Continental Trail this
year with a Speer hammock. Happy
hammocking to everyone now using a Speer hammock. And to all of our wonderful trail friends--safe journeys until we
meet again next year!
Ed
"Not To Worry" Speer, Marion, NC
From
Firefly:
"I got my (hammock) a few weeks ago. My preferred
hanging out spot at home is the back yard, but there is no place there to hang
it (I am going to build a stand), so I have been stringing it on the front
porch. I had to travel upstate last week to visit my parents, who are not in
good health. The house was full of visiting relatives and I didn't want to
sleep on the floor. I strung the hammock up between a porch post and a cypress
tree in the back yard and slept in it for 4 delicious nights. The first night,
temps were in the low 50's and that was wonderful! I used a standard Target blue pad and draped a sleeping bag
over me like a quilt. Unfortunately, temps warmed considerably and by the 5th
night it was too hot. It even rained one morning and I slept even harder in the
rain. I did have to get earplugs to drown out the noise from the nearby road.
My niece and nephew are now pestering their parents for their own hammocks.
Having it there also provided me with a kind of escape hatch to get away from
the family for an hour or so at a time. Mom said it was an "inspired"
purchase. I may never sleep in a tent again! Its a great place to read,
although I have this reflex developing where I begin nodding off in it about 10
minutes after I climb in...what a problem, LOL!"
4-----------------Camping
Hammock Manufacturers---------------------
The
following is a list of manufacturers that make and sell camping hammocks (only
secure, comfortable and complete hammocks with bug net and rain canopy are
included). The new Tammock camping hammock from Switzerland has just been
added to this list! Some other
manufacturers of hammocks that can easily be modified for camping use can be
found on the Hammock Camping-L.
Speer Hammocks, Inc.
34 Clear
Creek Road
Marion, NC
28752-6407
828-724-4444
Email: info@speerhammocks.com
Hennessy Hammock Co.
637
Southwind Road
Galiano
Island, BC
Canada, V0N
1P0
888-539-2930
http://www.hennessyhammock.com/
Email: info@hennessyhammock.com
Clark Outdoor Products
4637 South
300 West
Salt Lake
City, UT 84107
800-468-4635
Email: info@junglehammock.com
Lawson Hammock Co.
PO Box
12602
Raleigh, NC
27605
919-829-7076
http://www.lawsonhammockco.com/
http://www.tbcinc.com/hammocks/hamindex.html
Crazy Creek Products
PO Box 1050
1401 South
Broadway
Red Lodge,
MT 59068
800-331-0304
Email: chairs@crazycreek.com
Terrelogic, Inc.
477
Brunswick Ave.
Toronto,
Ontario
Canada, M5R
2Z6
888-693-7923
Email: mdj@terrelogic.com
Laid Back Designs, Ltd.
Suite 160,
Unit 3
304 Stone
Road
Guelph,
Ontario
Canada N1G
4W4
800-465-7519
http://www.travelsource.com/travelstore/lbd/lbd.html
Email: sammyd@mgl.ca
New Tribe, Inc.
5517
Riverbanks Road
Grants
Pass, OR 97527
866-223-3371
541-476-5804
Email: newtribe@cdsnet.net
Four Season Hammocks
1236 Oxborough Lane
Fort Collins, CO 80525
877-282-7145
Email: mrhammock@verinet.com
Siam Hammock
Tawatchai Jaranai (Eff)
80/2 Prachachuen Road 33
Ladyao Jatujak Bangkok 10900 Thailand
+66-1869-8988
Email: f_goodfeeling@yahoo.com
Tammock Trading + Marketing New!
Rolf + Thomas Schneeberger
Steinenvorstadt 79/4
CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland
+41 61 281 73 33
Email:
info@tammock.com
5-----------------------------Online
Resources---------------------------------
How
To Make A Hammock
·
http://speerhammocks.com/Tips/Tips%20on%20hammock%20camping.htm
·
http://www.flyfisher-kayaks.com/ultralite/ultrahammock.htm
·
http://www.flyfisher-kayaks.com/ultralite/ultraquarterweight.htm new!
·
http://www.flyfisher-kayaks.com/cgi-bin/hwiki.pl?Hammock_Tube
·
http://www.flyfisher-kayaks.com/cgi-bin/hwiki.pl?Building_A_Hammock
·
http://home.attbi.com/~egowtkimoto/
·
http://www.mindspring.com/~rgarling/Insulator.htm
·
http://www.uniqueprojects.com/projects/hammock/hammock.htm
· http://www.hammocksamerica.com/how_to_make_a_hammock/how_to_make_a_hammock.html
· http://www.shelter-systems.com/gripclips/hammock.html
·
http://www.angelfire.com/sc2/tygerheart/homepage2.html
History
of Hammocks
·
http://www.hammocksamerica.com/portable_hammock/portable_hammock.html
·
http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/hammock.htm
·
http://www.hammocks.net/hammock-history.html
·
http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/hiking/sections/gear/shelter/whyhammock.htm
Camping
Hammock Use
·
http://www.hammockcamping.com/Tips/Tips.htm
·
http://www.hammockcamping.com/Newsletters/News.htm
·
http://www.speerhammocks.com/Tips/Tips_on_hammock_camping.htm
·
http://www.hammocksamerica.com/Camping_Hammocks/Camping_Hammocks.html
· http://www.hammocksamerica.com/jungle_hammock/jungle_hammock.html
·
http://www.shire.net/mormon/hamock.html
·
http://www.hikinghq.net/hammock/hammock.html
·
http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/hiking/sections/gear/shelter/whyhammock.htm
·
http://www.flyfisher-kayaks.com/ultralite/ultraindex.htm
·
http://www.flyfisher-kayaks.com/ultralite/ultradoublehammock.htm new!
·
http://www.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/Tips/hammock.htm
How
To Stay Warm in a Hammock
·
http://www.speerhammocks.com/Tips/Tips_on_hammock_camping.htm
·
http://www.hammockcamping.com/Tips/Tips.htm
·
http://www.hammockcamping.com/Newsletters/Jan2003.htm
·
http://www.flyfisher-kayaks.com/ultralite/ultrahammock.htm
·
http://home.attbi.com/~egowtkimoto/
·
http://www.mindspring.com/~rgarling/Insulator.htm
·
http://www.mindspring.com/~rgarling/GIv2.htm new!
·
http://www.thru-hiker.com/workshop.asp?subcat=5&cid=72
·
http://www.Speerhammocks.com\Reviews\Zirkel-Durham.htm Review of Speer Hammock & Big Agnes
Zirkel Sleeping Bag
General
Hammock Interest
·
http://www.goattracksmagazine.com Goat packers love hammocks too
·
http://www.myhammock.com Complete selection of hammocks and
accessories
·
http://www.angelfire.com/sc2/tygerheart/homepage2.html Workshops on hand weaving hammocks
Online
Hammock Camping Discussion Sites
· http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hammockcamping Hammock Camping Email List
·
http://hikinghq.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=eb636c93eeabedf3780773543424349&forumid=74 Hammock Camping Forum
·
http://www.flyfisher-kayaks.com/cgi-bin/hwiki.pl Hammock Camping Wiki (group written
encyclopedia)
6-----------------
SPEER HAMMOCKS CALENDAR-----------------------
Meet
Ed Speer, buy a signed copy of the Hammock Camping book, and see the complete
line of camping hammocks and PeaPod sleeping bags from Speer Hammocks at the
following events:
A.
Jun 19-22, 2003 Cave Capers, Salem, IN Book Signing & Hammock Sales
B.
Oct 10-12, 2003 ALDHA The Gathering, Hanover, NH, How To
Stay Warm workshop (free), How To Make Your Own Hammock workshop (free), Book
Signing & Hammock Sales
7--------------------UPCOMING
FEATURE ARTICLES---------------------
Hammock
Camping Freedom
How
To Avoid Cold Wind
Don't
miss a single issue--sign up now at: Hammock Camping News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please
send corrections, additions and other submissions worthy of sharing to: Ed@SpeerHammocks.com
To
send this e-zine to a friend, just copy and paste it into an email
message. Or send them this link:
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To sign up friends, send
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This
is one of occasional mailings from Ed Speer and Speer Hammocks, Inc. If you would like to be removed, simply
follow the easy instructions that accompany each issue.
Thanks
for your time and happy hammocking
Ed
"Not To Worry" Speer