Hammocks?

[Manveruon]

This has probably been discussed to some degree elsewhere, but I'm a bit curious, and it doesn't seem to have a dedicated thread yet, so I thought I'd start one.
So here's the thing: I know a lot of you have talked about making bedrolls and such, and discussed sleeping on the ground in various ways and in various shelters. But what about hammocks?
Mind you, I should probably point out that I may actually be the least "woodcrafty" person on this forum. I mean, I've camped here and there over the years, but never in a very hard-core way, you might say. Usually it was somewhere where the car was parked 20 feet away, and there were bathrooms and fire pits, etc. I was never a Boy Scout, or anything similar. I really started getting into the ranger thing as a purely costuming endeavor. However, after perusing these forums a bit, and seeing all the amazing things many of you have done, I'm interested in learning a bit more.
One of my less woodsman-ish tendencies is a dislike of getting very dirty. Another is a supreme dislike for bugs of all shapes and sizes (anything with more than 4 legs basically creeps me out). Hence, sleeping on the ground without some sort of tent that closes completely (i.e. with a zipper) is something I'm not actually sure I'd be able to do without my slightly OCD side throwing a fit.
That being said, I wondered about the possibility of using a hammock instead. It seems to me that a hammock would not only be the cleaner and more bug-free option, but also probably more comfortable than sleeping on rocks, roots, etc. And, if one wanted to get really creative, I'd imagine it wouldn't be that difficult to turn a hammock setup into something resembling a hanging tent, giving shelter against the elements, as well, perhaps, as deterring pesky mosquitoes and other winged nuisances to some degree. Or at the very least, it seems easy enough to rig a tarp of some kind over the top to act as a shelter against rain.
The only real disadvantage I can think of to a hammock setup is that one may not always be able to find two trees or other supports from which to suspend the rig. But in this case, I would think it would be fairly easy, depending on the design of your hammock, to simply lay it out on the ground and use it just like a basic bedroll. And of course, it can be bundled up just like a bedroll, and probably wouldn't make for much more (if any) weight or bulk.
Anyway, these are just my musings on the subject. I'd be very interested to know all of your feelings on this setup - the pros, cons, etc.

[RangerKellen]

Yeah I'm also curious to hear some of the more experienced Ranger's opinions.
And by the way, I just got back from a one week trip to a Boy Scouts camp called Slippery Falls way in the south of Oklahoma. There we slept in tents that had no rain tarps or bug tarps. And of course, it rained and soaked all of my stuff!!! But back to the main point, if my Troop would have been sleeping in hammocks with tarps over all of them, if would have been a lot more comfortable that wet cots.
I'll be waiting for others to give their experiences.

[Eledhwen]

Hammocks are nice...when you have the appropriate things to support them from, when you do not believe you will have the need to react to something quickly, etc. I used to carry one for a while. Ditched it for the blanket roll setup; I don't even carry a tarp or ground cloth unless I'm in a canoe or something.

You can carry some rope, make some pegs and hammer them into the ground, then weave the rope in a web around them and spread your bedding on top of that, if you want to get off the ground. I haven't used this method but some folk I know have.

Personal choice; it depends on what you want. From a Ranger perspective, I would not use on on scout, only when in peaceful lands without concern for ugliness developing.

Eledhwen

[Manveruon]

That's interesting. Why specifically only in scenarios when you wouldn't need to react quickly? Is it simply that a more basic bedroll is easier and faster to bundle up and move with quickly (without having to untie it from the supports, etc)? Or is there something about a hammock that would make it difficult to get out of (or untangled from) in an emergency? I can't imagine it would be the latter, since they were used onboard naval ships for centuries, and sailors had to react to a lot of situations very quickly.

[Eledhwen]

Not bundle up, no...under the circumstances I am thinking on I'd be running with the blanket draped 'round me. Since I'm in it with my rifle or bow, depending on which guise I am operating in. I'm already armed. I sleep clothed and have 'night' mocs for sleeping...while the 'day' mocs dry. That would be while 'on scout'. Just camping is a different animal.

Having used hammocks in the bush and under a variety of situations, I find them rather harder to un-ass in a hurry. If I am so surprised I simply have to bolt I prefer to come up off the ground...where I'm less likely to be seen anyway.

However, as I say, it is personal choice. I dislike hammocks in the bush, but other folk seem to like them. Do what works best for you.

Eledhwen

[Manveruon]

Haha, "un-ass" from... I like this term.

Well, having never actually slept in a hammock under these circumstances (or laid in one at all, in many, many years), I don't have any first-hand experience in that department. But I guess I would just sort of assume you could basically roll out of it, then if necessary, take a knife to the lines holding it up, and make a dash for it.

[theowl]

I've camped in a hammock lots of times. I have one from Eagles Nest Outfitters that bundles up to the size of a grapefruit, and another older one that rolls up with my blanket to the size of an average bedroll. If I had to choose, I'd probably pick one of my hammocks over a tent.

[Eledhwen]

The hammocks I have most commonly seen used by backpackers and the Corps are a kind of netted hammock; no spreaders at he end. The thing bundles up very small and is very light. However, in use one gets enfolded in the hammock, like being cocooned, and while that is most comfortable, it is also difficult to get out of in a hurry when adrenaline is pumping and one is disoriented.

Mind you, most of us just go out and camp and don't have to worry about being attacked or what have you. I am speaking from a personal stance and from a Ranger who does have to worry about such things in the world and which need to be accounted for.

There are jungle hammocks..they have a roof and mosquito netting sides and zip shut. The zippers always jam when someone has to move quickly. LOL Murphy's Law I guess.

Anyway. hammocks are not for me. As I said, a personal choice; if you like them and want to use them, have at it.

Eledhwen

[Frothgar]

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-camping-hammock/

[theowl]

I've never needed to quickly exit my hammock, but I have made DIY spreaders out of random tree branches, which would come in handy if one did need to fly into action.

[Kiriana]

I've used the old green netted hammocks when we would go to the field (training) when I was on active duty. I always prefered it to the GP Large tents with everyone in it hehe. And would us my poncho as a overhead cover from rain.

Since I have back problems.. laying on the ground really is NOT an option for me. I can't get up fast no matter and it would actually be quicker for me to un-ass a hammock. I have one now that works like the netted type but instead of netting it's got a cloth body. Erich has one that is more the netted style. He however CAN sleep on the ground and prefers it.

Although, I (still have to purchase) will use a canvas tarp for overhead protection with my hammock no matter what.

Oh, and I could get out of my hammock very quickly when I was in the field training.

[BrianGrubbs]

I camp in hammocks all the time when I go backpacking, but when I'm Rangering, I like to do something a little different. Like Eledhwen I don't like the hammock from a tactical standpoint. One option that I like for getting off the ground is something like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFEib5pKBS4 You can use the sacks like in this video if you want, or you could sew a long tube of canvas specially for the purpose, but my favorite way is to make the bed is to use a piece of canvas or a blanket an fold it like this http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Simple-Stretcher Everything else can be done like in the video. This bed is closer to the ground for those of us who are tactically minded, and is easier to get out of than a hammock (at least for me). It also give you the off the ground option if you can't find any trees in the right places for a hammock. Just some thoughts.

Brian

[Southwind]

My experience with hammocks is this:

- Sleeping in a hammock is an acquired skill. The first couple of nights you do it, you might not get all that much sleep, but after that you'll be fine.

- Hammocks are great in summertime when staying cool is the challenge, because you get all that air circulating under you. But that becomes a major disadvantage in the winter. You will freeze your rear end unless you have a considerable amount of good insulation in the hammock with you.

[Manveruon]

These are all very interesting considerations, thanks guys!

I sort of forgot about this thread, but I'm trying to put together some ideas for a tentative ranger trek this fall, and I'm revisiting this idea. I do think I'll be trying out a hammock setup, just to see how I like it, but the other options listed here sound really good too.

One thing you mentioned, Eledhwen, that I'm very interested in, was the idea of doing some kind of wound rope bed suspended from stakes. Do you have any pictures or examples of how to do this? I'd be very interested in learning a bit more about it. Seems like it might be a really good option.

Otherwise, I think what I'll try to do is to create a simple hammock out of a heavy canvas (maybe even waxed), that can also double as a ground-cover if there are no supports available at a given campsite. Then I can use it to wrap my whole bedroll up, so as to give it all a little protection from potential weather while trekking. I figure I can use my cloak and maybe an army blanket for extra warmth inside the hammock to avoid any extra cooling due to the increased draft, as Southwind mentioned.

I can see where a person might feel a hammock is difficult to untangle from in an emergency situation, but as I mentioned above, sailors aboard naval ships used hammocks for centuries, and they were often required to awaken and react at a moment's notice if the ship was called into action, or if some other dire situation arose, so I figure there has to be a way to get oneself out of one quickly, perhaps given some practice. Still, I'll need a little practice to see how I feel about it in the end. For right now though, I'm thinking it'll be a great experiment for this Autumn.

[Jon]

I think a simple bedroll is both more discreet and versatile. Yet hammocks really are lovely in a Mediterranean climate such as where I am! (air circulating, off ground, etc.) I don't know of any rangers on the MERF who do their stuff in a tropical area, but as modern campers will use a hammock in the jungle to get off the floor, rangers I think would do the same if need be.