Hammock / Bivvy Cover?

StG58

StG58

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Orygun, the wet side...
Anybody sleep in a hammock with a bivouac cover or tent type thing over it? How does it do in the wind and rain?

What'cha got and how does it work...more importantly - how WELL does it work?
 
StG58 said:
Anybody sleep in a hammock with a bivouac cover or tent type thing over it? How does it do in the wind and rain?

What'cha got and how does it work...more importantly - how WELL does it work?
Click to expand...
My first camping trip I did in college was in december in north carolina where I could only pack what I could fit into my backpack. It was a motorcycle trip so I wore my full leathers up and race boots. My backpack only have 5 days worth of clothes, a mosquito net, small pillow, ENO hammock, straps, power inverter, & a sleeping bag. I really liked hammock camping, although I am moving more towards cot/tent sleeping as it is way more convenient. Make sure you prepare for wind chill on your back as it gets really cold on the bottom of the hammock. Also I was a complete moron and failed to bring a rain tarp. My hammock camping trip is probably not anything like you want, but I loved camping like that when I had too.
 
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I'd never do the hammock but I have the bivouac tent/bag unit. Been 20 years since I used it but it was fantastic. it was all I needed on a 4 day ski tour over the Wapta Traverse... 30 years ago... tried to sell it all including mohair skins last summer. Today I like a double bed mattress and hard walls.

http://backcountryskiingcanada.com/Wapta Traverse

Anyone into back country shiing should do this.
 
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StG58 said:
Anybody sleep in a hammock with a bivouac cover or tent type thing over it? How does it do in the wind and rain?

What'cha got and how does it work...more importantly - how WELL does it work?
Click to expand...
Oh i'm a big hammock camper, I usually bring one on any given hike with me too. There are obviously tons of options out there but I go with ENO (Eagles Nest Outfitters) for all my hammock stuff. They are bomber in wind and rain, though they have specific stuff for those types of conditions too. Choose what you need for where you are, in the PNW I would suggest either the Profly or the Dryfly along with the hammock of your choice. https://www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com

For Bivvy/tent stuff I prefer NEMO Equipment. http://www.nemoequipment.com
 
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This is cool. I've got the current u s military three piece (four piece?) sleep system with bivvy cover. It works great around here, but I'd still like to get the whole package smaller and still keep it functioning the way it should. AND get myself off the ground.

Thanks! I'll check this stuff out.
 
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I'm a backpacker, and switched to hammocks a few years ago. In my opinion, they're better for lots of reasons. Great night sleep, lighter to carry, lots of flexibility on where you setup, etc. etc. etc. You should check out hammockforums.net and you'll find more information than you want on the topic.

I can say that I've been in some really bad weather in my hammock and it's worked as well or better than my tents. Better because you're off the wet ground. There's a learning curve to the gear and setups, but come on you drive a TJ. That alone means you could probably just guess at the right way to do it and you'd have a good shot at being right. :) Once you test setting it up once or twice it will all make sense, and you'll find no shortage of folks over at that other forum who will be happy to give their advice. Plus that same fiddle factor that a lot of us enjoy about our jeeps translates to hammocking as well. There's a bunch of different configurations you can use, and some folks seem to change there's weekly.

I've got a DIY setup, so it's pretty customized. It's like having someone fab a bumper to your specs. If I were going to buy a new setup here's what I'd get:
Hammock - Dutchware Chameleon
Underquilt - Hammock Gear Phoenix
Tarp - Old Man Winter (full tarp because your profile says "the wet side")

Those three I mentioned are all solid choices, but there are hundreds of options you can go for especially if you've got something specific in mind. Also, you can get into hammocking for a lot cheaper than the ones I listed, so don't let that sway you.Good luck and happy to help any way I can.
 
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brianb2 said:
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(full tarp because your profile says "the wet side")
<snip>
Click to expand...

:risas3: Ya, technically I live on the edge of a temperate rain forest. 90% of my wheeling and camping is done there. The trees generate their own rain from the fog that is always blowing in three or four months out of the year. It full-on rains the rest of the time.

That's some great info again! Thank you!
 
I’m in NC, and we have fairly moderate weather. I often don’t use my tarp. I store in snakeskins, a kind of quick deploy sheath for a tarp, and hang it above my hammock. If it looks like rain I’ll go ahead and deploy it and stake it out. If not I leave it hanging there so I can see the stars. I’ve guessed wrong a couple of times and gotten a little wet while trying to get it deployed, oh well. I like sleeping where I can see the sky. Now that it’s cooled down bugs aren’t an issue, and the nights are awesome.

Now I just need to make some time to build a collapsible stand that hooks to the Jeep for those places that don’t have trees. Let us know how things go for you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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brianb2 said:
I’m in NC, and we have fairly moderate weather. I often don’t use my tarp. I store in snakeskins, a kind of quick deploy sheath for a tarp, and hang it above my hammock. If it looks like rain I’ll go ahead and deploy it and stake it out. If not I leave it hanging there so I can see the stars. I’ve guessed wrong a couple of times and gotten a little wet while trying to get it deployed, oh well. I like sleeping where I can see the sky. Now that it’s cooled down bugs aren’t an issue, and the nights are awesome.

Now I just need to make some time to build a collapsible stand that hooks to the Jeep for those places that don’t have trees. Let us know how things go for you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Will do!

I was thinking about hooking one end to the TJ like you mentioned. When you get the stand built, post it up. There's no lack of trees around here to attach the other end of the hammock to, but getting that perfect orientation might be a pain sometimes. One end of the hammock to the Sport Bar and the other end to a tree would solve that dilemma nicely.

Never mind. Some things are best discovered on your own...
 
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It's absolutely doable, but you might laugh just as much as you get to "engage in physical activity". Just don't expect "Candles, Baby Oil, and a Barry White CD", it's a bit more tricky than that. Skip going out in the woods with friends, you'll appreciate the privacy... especially if you roll out of your hammock. Just sayin. Also, it's more of a cold weather thing (If that doesn't make sense, it will if you give it a shot). Everything else has to be learned by experience, or is just something I'm not willing to write about.

Good luck, and absolutely no need to report back to the group on this one.
 
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brianb2 said:
It's absolutely doable, but you might laugh just as much as you get to "engage in physical activity". Just don't expect "Candles, Baby Oil, and a Barry White CD", it's a bit more tricky than that. Skip going out in the woods with friends, you'll appreciate the privacy... especially if you roll out of your hammock. Just sayin. Also, it's more of a cold weather thing (If that doesn't make sense, it will if you give it a shot). Everything else has to be learned by experience, or is just something I'm not willing to write about.

Good luck, and absolutely no need to report back to the group on this one.
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Lol, ya, I thought about that some more and edited it out of my post. Good to know though! Research is key to successful outcomes, right?
 
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Stg, I didn't want to post a comment about gear I haven't tested over the winter.I bought a grand trunk double hammock in woodland camo and a teton sports XXl 0* bag off amazon.Its a awesome combo for the price, I've had no issue fitting the xxl bag in it, you could probably fit a teton 2 person bag in this hammock.I'm 6'4 and it's more comfortable then my bed.The extra foot of room in a grand trunk is awesome, I'm laying flat right now with enough room to stash my hat, cigarettes, etc above my head.

I've been sleeping in it with my p89 and some blue moon about 15' from my jeep trying to catch the neighborhood bums and addicts, good times lol.I have a fire pit and stuff in my backyard so it's fun testing gear at home.

The Teton bags are pretty nice to, I've used mine for 2 years now and it puts the army bags to shame.Its about $150 for a bag, hammock and straps.The bag is so thick though I can't even tell I've got a tank of a 9mm underneath me, it's below my knee with a couple of beers and I can' feel it.Im sure you could sleep comfortable with a levergun using this setup.The only problem I've had is finding my Zippo, sit something down and it disappears under the huge teton sleeping bags, I've been clipping a Coast inspection beam on my shirt collar.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014T25JH8/?tag=wranglerorg-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EPRGHG/?tag=wranglerorg-20

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When I was in college I did a 30 back packing trip in Utah where it rained a fair amount and also 21 days in south lake Tahoe in a massive snow storm. I used a bivy I picked up from an army surplus store and the thing did just as well as others on my trip that spent hundreds of dollars. The only disadvantage was it did pack as small as the others into my backpack.

https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/8...ry Surplus - Gear-_-Military Surplus-_-895026
 
I have never seriously considered a hammock because I spend a lot of time in the desert where it is often a challenge rigging one. Last year I decided to experiment with an "Australian Swag Tent," which quickly became my favorite sleeping arrangement due to the ease of use, comfort, and resistance to bad weather. I was fortunate to find an "end of season" sale and only paid half the usual selling price. The only downside is that it isn't exactly small or lightweight when rolled up, but it does fit across the back seat of my LJ so I use it when I'm travelling solo. My last two trips with the swag tent were 5 nights in Death Valley and 10 nights on a cross-country trip in Northern California and Oregon. Set up took only 2-3 minutes each night as did tear down each morning. I never had a bad night's sleep.

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DTZP7LY/?tag=wranglerorg-20



PS - I have officially become a "retired old fart," so sleeping on the cold, hard ground in a military surplus bivy sack or "sleep system" is no longer on the list of acceptable options.
 
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Tonopah said:
I live in the southwest (Sonoran desert) and I gave up worrying about trees for a hammock. Now a days I rely on an Outdoor Research Advanced Bivy and I have been happy with it. All zipped down I have survived heavy rains in relative comfort. If it is nice out, as it usually is, I sometimes don't even bother with the poles. https://www.outdoorresearch.com/us/en/gear-and-accessories/gear/bivy-sacks/advanced-bivy/p/2428290202222?origin=Bivy Sacks | Ultralight & Breathable | Outdoor Research
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Hi from Chandler!

Not sure if my claustrophobia wouldn't allow that for me, but it looks pretty comfy.
 
Don’t underestimate the need for insulation below you. The top insulation can be thinner than the bottom. I love may hammock but I’ve invested some money in down quilts. Jacks r better makes really nice stuff. Don’t be afraid to call them up and tell them about your local weather. They can set you up right.
 
+1 on xxdabroxx comments. Jack R Better is a good source. Getting cool/cold on your back in a hammock happens all the time and you gotta be prepared for that.
 
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