Thru Hiking with a Hammock

[trailsean]

Hello Everyone,

Just curious if anyone has tried to thru hike solely with a hammock, did you run into any issues such as finding a place to hang it or places that banded their use? Any advise you could give would be greatly appreciated.

Sean

[KDogg]

Sam Ducharme did it. He video blogged the whole trail last year and talks about his hammock in several of his videos. I'm pretty sure he mentions that he stayed in a shelter only one time. You can see more and more hammocks while watching videos about the trail. There is apparently no lack of trees to hang from. I'm starting on the 17th and plan on using a hammock throughout.

[hubcap]

hammockforums.net tons of info there. I've used a hammock when backpacking for the last 6 years. Won't sleep in a shelter or tent.

[Slo-go'en]

The exception is the Smoky Mountains where you are required to stay in the shelters.

Be sure to learn how to set up and use the hammock properly before you start. I just read a Trail Journals by a young woman who didn't do that and had one heck of a rough night the first day out. She got soaking wet as a result. Not a good thing to do on March 2nd.

[daddytwosticks]

Just finished reading a book about a thru hiker from Florida who hiked using a hammock. I think the title was "Lost on the Appalachian Trail"?

[SouthMark]

Susan "Hammock Hanger" Turner did it in 2001. She has also done the Long Trail, The JMT, The Florida Trail, and several trails in Europe with a hammock. She has online trail journals for all of her hikes.

[HooKooDooKu]

The exception is the Smoky Mountains where you are required to stay in the shelters.

The rules for GSMNP is that hammocks can not be attached to any structure or building (such as the shelter) and that hammocks are treated like a tent.
The rule for tents at AT shelters is that when there is an overflow, thru hikers must surrender their space in the shelter to backpackers with a general permit (i.e. those with a reservation for the shelter) and they may tent in the general vicinity of the shelter.

[many_leaves]

Also starting the 17th and using a hammock

[StichBurly]

I did both my thru hikes with a hammock. I never had any issues finding a spot to hang.

[Spokes]

I did both my thru hikes with a hammock. I never had any issues finding a spot to hang.

Mind sharing your setup SB? I'm interested in learning what works best for a typical NOBO thru starting in mid March.

[Greenlight]

Not to butt in and answer for Stich, but two solid options, depending on your budget, are the Hennessy Expedition Asym Zip (or one of their lighter models of the same configuration with their four seasons insulation package plus the larger tarp), or the Warbonnet Blackbird with underquilt and their superfly tarp. Had I the budget when I bought, I would have gone straight for the Warbonnet setup, but I'm happy with the Hennessy for now. Best thing about the Hennessy is that with the Snakeskins that pull down over the whole hammock, I can stuff the whole thing in the top of my pack in the morning (except for the four season padding) an I'm on the trail. I purposely leave the tarp in my exterior pocket, because when I stop for the day, no matter what the weather, I pull it out, set it up, and I'm instantly in a dry environment to put up my hammock and start prepping my food.

[SteelCut]

Probably the best thread I've read about hanging on a thru-hike

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...king-Breakdown

[Spokes]

Not to butt in and answer for Stich, but two solid options,......

Okay, this is good..... I own a classic Hennessey Asym and hate it. Thinking about converting to a Warbonnet XLC with a 20° TQ and UC with a Hammock Gear Cuban Fiber tarp with doors. My confusion is on the TQ and UC. I've read so many threads about sleeping cold, sleeping hot, full or 3/4 length.

I just need someone to give me some good info on a Hammock setup knowing the temps on the AT doing a mid-March start at Springer.

Thoughts?

[gbolt]

I went with the WB Yeti 3/4 20º Underquilt for temp rating and low weight as well as fit to hammock. If it gets under 20º the plan would be to supplement clothing to boost the insulation and make it through safely. Under 10º with a Mid March start - will also use a Thermarest Z lite Pad (Also for Smokies) or may need to spend a couple of nights in town to stay away from extreme cold. The other direction, I have not found the UQ uncomfortable until night temps are over 70º when no insulation is really needed. Like you, using a 20º HG TQ but also plan to carry my 10 0z UGQ 50º Flight Jacket. I don't alway's wake to vent so I have found the 20º gets hot over 40º and that my 50º works with sleep wear into the mid 40º's. My last purchase and most expensive item will be to replace my WB Edge with the Hammock Gear 3S Winter Palace. It's bigger than the standard and offers better protection for long term rain (which was an issue this spring). I also am hoping to avoid purchasing an UQ Protector which I would not forgo with the Standard Tarp. This is just my opinion as I prepare for the AT in 2018 or 2019.

[gbolt]

Forgot to mention that the UGQ 50º Flight Jacket could be stacked on the 20º UQ for below 10º as well...but I have not tested this set up to know how it will work. It also can be added as an UQ to work with the 20º Yeti...but haven't tried that either. This is more HammockForums than Whiteblaze though...

[allmebloominlife]

https://hennessyhammock.com/pages/used-as-a-tent Just in case you can't find any suitable trees.

Found this on the Hennessy website. My GF has the Warbonnet Superfly tarp and we pitched it to the ground using our trekking poles one night just to test it out. Worked great! I'm in the process of switching to a Hammock setup. Maybe I can talk my GF into letting me sleep in her WB Blackbird and test it out.

[AfterParty]

I went with the hh explorer ul classic and sent it to 2qzq for a zipper mod number 4. So I can stow the net in the foot peak, and if the bugs are bad I still have bottom entry. I'm stuck on what tarp I want cuben but do I want doors that's my delima atm.

[PaulWorksHard]

Many times during my thru hike, I was semi-jealous of hammock hangers. There are a lot of shelters and even campsites that have poor tenting options. Way too often, flat ground was hard to find and I found myself waking up having slid part of the way down my tent. The only places where I thought hammocks were a disadvantage was at hostels which usually don't have places for hammocks but do for tents.

[Deacon]

Many times during my thru hike, I was semi-jealous of hammock hangers. There are a lot of shelters and even campsites that have poor tenting options. Way too often, flat ground was hard to find and I found myself waking up having slid part of the way down my tent. The only places where I thought hammocks were a disadvantage was at hostels which usually don't have places for hammocks but do for tents.

This was my experience while hiking the LT with a hammock. I spent a lot of time finding two suitable trees from which to hang, as the forest tends to be very thick and the trees are smaller diameter. After my LT thru, I decided to go to ground and am very pleased with my Duplex and Solong 6.

[Pipswich]

Are there any particular variations in bug precautions that one might take when through hiking and/or especially if one "goes to ground,". The link someone posted of a Hennessy on the sand looks to me like turning yourself into a buffet for sand fleas and chiggers,or worse.

And, although I did buy HH's for my sons and wife for Scout camping, is there any particular difference between HH and other Hammocks regarding going to ground. I am still camping in an Eno Doublenest and I can't imagine why I can't hang it off the ground just like the pick provided.