As the title says. I am a complete noob to hanging. I have just been introduced to the idea. I have read a dozen or so posts in this group about it. It looks like a solid plan, the benefits sound great too. Back and knee saver, weight saver(I break a tooth brush in half to save weight... On short trips[1-4 days], i don't even take one with me.) ease of use. If I were interested in giving this hanging idea a shot, where could I find some more literature? What brands of hammocks are recommended? Thanks!

I'm a noob too, but I got my hammock for Christmas, have figured out a couple things for myself, and I don't think I'm going to save as much weight/space as I originally thought.

I've made many choices for myself, but none that I can recommend as I have yet to sleep a single night in the hammock. I've made my choices, and have confidence I'll be O.K. The things I would think extra about if I could start over would be suspension and tarp.

I personally went a little cheaper on the hammock, and figure I'll be better off learning what I like and don't like before buying a top of the line and entirely wrong for me expensive set up.

No matter what brand or style of hammock I look at, I cant see how they keep you dry in a rain storm. The flys are all hung above the hammock with the main strap holding the fly up leading right down into the hammock. Even the straps that hold up the hammock, they all lead right down to your hammock and where you're going to be laying.

it's as simple as tying a shoelace on your hammock straps, or whoopies and letting the rain follow the shoelace to the ground.
been on many hammock overnights with plenty of hard rain, stayed dry.

Welcome to the forum. Here is what I started with in terms of information. Since I am frugal (read cheap) I checked out a copy from my local library.

This will also provide links to a lot of information.

There is an overwhelming amount of info available on the web, but don't abandon us here. There are many here who have traveled the same ground you are approaching. Ask specific questions and we will be happy to bore you to death with details.

P.S. You do know this is a cult don't you?

I am entering my fourth year of hanging and still learning. It can be a cult and there is some pretty fancy gear out there. Basic stuff can work just fine and keeping dry is really not that big of a deal, in fact being off the ground removes all the questions about innies or outies to stay dry and protect tent floor. With good equipment both will be dry, with inadequate equipment or improper set up both will be wet.
Two points that I have picked up and pass on. Suspension straps, never rope around trees. I even cringe at bear bag ropes strung over branches now.
Second is stretch. Some material stretches more than others and stretch results in sag and uncomfortable sleeping. It leads to getting up to tighten lines, and if you have lots of nylon you might get up two or three times to redo the rigging. Get a bottle and good rigging and stay in the rack all night.

Here is more info than you can read in a year

A hammock has a way better chance of keeping you dry in a monsoon than a tent. Staying dry no matter what's going on outside is one of the better benefits to using a hammock especially paired with a tarp with doors eg: the Superfly tarp from Warbonnet.

I normally tie a half hitch in my suspension on either end and the water drains off there and never once reaching the fabric. In a rain the next morning your tent underside is full of dirt and wet unless you use a groundcloth under you. Then you have to deal with that being full of dirt.

With a silnylon tarp over your hammock you can flap it a few times and get it almost completely dry. Your hammock is always dry so that packs up real nice too. There's very few negatives to using a hammock as you will see.

I must tell you.....

Once you sleep in a hammock you'll never sleep in a tent again.

Hennessy hammock makes a nice set-up. I own 3 of them right now.

Also Warbonnet Hammocks makes a great set-up too.

quote Me2012: "I must tell you.....


Once you sleep in a hammock you'll never sleep in a tent again.


Hennessy hammock makes a nice set-up. I own 3 of them right now.


Also Warbonnet Hammocks makes a great set-up too.



"

That never sleeping in a tent thing is a bold statement. . I own three North Face tents and they have been real good to me.

Your adventure is just beginning. Have a blast!

Here's a link to Shug's video series that I found helpful (and entertaining) when I was getting started.
Shug's video series

Don't go to a hammock to save weight, as you likely will not (hammock + suspension + underquilt + overquilt + tarp + lines and stakes). One camps in a hammock to just camp a different way, and possibly sleep a bit more comfortably, if swinging in the wind is your thing.

Do read up on your sleeping style (back, stomach or side) and what hammock will work for you (entry from bottom, one side or both sides).

I have a Dangerbird and love it.

The only one I've slept in is a Warbonnet Blackbird so can't speak of other brands. What I like is that it's handmade in Colorado by a guy who loves to hang. Very high quality products there.

Also check into bridge style hammocks. Looks darn comfortable.

OB beat me - Shug's video series is a great quick-start.

As for saving weight: I too had heard you could by using a hammock. The more I researched the gear, the more I found things to be pretty comparable - heavy hammock setups are the same as heavy tent setups, and ultralight hammock setups are the same as ultralight tent setups. The one difference is if you were planning to carry a tent AND a tarp, vs using a hammock and just hanging out under the same tarp you sleep under.

If you're coming from tent camping, you may want to consider getting a double-layer hammock to make it easier to use a pad as insulation under you rather than needing to either fuss to keep them in place or invest in underquilts right away.

It is darn comfortable though, and it's fun to be able to look out from under the tarp at the world around you.

The HammockForums site is a wealth of information and helpful people. We even had some members from Indiana drive all the way up to the group hang in Minnesota last month, so you have at least a few local folks.

In terms of brands, obviously different people have different opinions. Right now I have an ENO, and am looking to add either a Warbonnet or Dream hammock. The forums cover tons of different options. A lot of people make their own.

quote ECpizza: "I'm a noob too, but I got my hammock for Christmas, have figured out a couple things for myself, and I don't think I'm going to save as much weight/space as I originally thought.


I've made many choices for myself, but none that I can recommend as I have yet to sleep a single night in the hammock. I've made my choices, and have confidence I'll be O.K. The things I would think extra about if I could start over would be suspension and tarp.


I personally went a little cheaper on the hammock, and figure I'll be better off learning what I like and don't like before buying a top of the line and entirely wrong for me expensive set up.


"

I have hung in more than one torrential downpour with my scout troop. When there is standing (or flowing) water all over the ground and I am hanging feet above it, I stay bone dry. Spent many a morning helping the scouts dry out all of their gear.

quote ECpizza: "I personally went a little cheaper on the hammock, and figure I'll be better off learning what I like and don't like before buying a top of the line and entirely wrong for me expensive set up."

This brings up an interesting question. Should you buy cheap in hopes of learning what you like and don't like? Or, does "buying cheap" just teach you that cheap hammocks are uncomfortable?

To OBX2Kayak. I started reasonable, simple single layer nylon with draw strings. I found it superior to ground sleeping and have upgraded to a Warbonnet for this season. I have yet to set it up and am looking forward to improved performance. Uncomfortable is perspective. Kinda like the a day canoe camping is better than...

Yes, hammocks are about the same weight as tents when a full comparison is made. Most hammock camping systems will be less bulky than most tents simply because there are no poles. Of course, these are not absolute statements, just generalities.

quote OBX2Kayak: "

quote ECpizza: "I personally went a little cheaper on the hammock, and figure I'll be better off learning what I like and don't like before buying a top of the line and entirely wrong for me expensive set up."

This brings up an interesting question. Should you buy cheap in hopes of learning what you like and don't like? Or, does "buying cheap" just teach you that cheap hammocks are uncomfortable?"

No, it is definitely about learning. Especially since I do not know personally anyone who does this, so nothing ever to see, feel, learn from. I did buy a cheap camping stove first time out, hated it, but learned what I wanted. It was far easier to toss aside a $20 stove that I hated than to toss aside a $150 stove I hated.

So for a hammock, I bought what I think is the "base model" hammock. I am certain it will do well. If I decide I like the hammock but hate the tarp, I'm O.K. With buying a different tarp. However had I paid $200 for some ultralight wonder just to discover I prefer something else... Well, I'd be stuck with it.

I just cant wait for the thaw so I can go hiking and carry some extra gear and field test some of this stuff.

This is from the author of The Ultimate Hang. His book is more up to date than any of the other hammock books, but you can get almost the entire book between his videos and archives here. He also posts a lot of his stuff on Hammock Forums as well..

The Ultimate Hang

Great illustrations and videos.

I am going to try hanging this year. I have an ENO double and was going to try to make my own rainfly for it out of a tent fly and just use my sleeping bag in it. Why do you need a pad, under quilt, over quilt?

quote brantlars: "I am going to try hanging this year. I have an ENO double and was going to try to make my own rainfly for it out of a tent fly and just use my sleeping bag in it. Why do you need a pad, under quilt, over quilt?"

Anytime the temp drops much into the 60's, you will get what is call "CBS" cold butt syndrome. Laying on your sleeping bag will still get cold. Think about how the ice collects on the bridges when you are out plowing, its doing the same thing in the hammock with the air circulating under it.

The tarp needs to cover enough to block wind blown weather. Being able to close the ends prevents a wind tunnel effect. Even with closed ends it is important to hang perpendicular to the wind as much as possible. Your tent rain fly might work, but for under $70 you can get a good Noah's tarp or another brand that will work much better.
Pads provide much needed insulation and quilts work even better. If you sleep on your sleeping bag the compression will reduce insulation value to minimal...hence CBS.
Watch some of Shrugs videos linked above, he really does give good advice.