I absolutely love it... and for a few reasons. I've had my best sleep(s) ever in one, even during winter. With the under-blanket setup right there's no need for a mat and the DD Frontline holds the warm air in with the midge net too. You can wake up with instantly epic views and no need to open any doors. I think if you really give that setup a proper synch and have it set how you'd like then you'll love it. Honestly, try it in winter with a fire going nearby and you'll (hopefully) get the attraction. Another excellent watch and I look forward to more.

I love hammock camping for about 2yrs now however side note I do use a tent at times too. I’m glad you have given it another try. However I love hammock camping mostly because of off the ground. For wet areas or places, I have hammock camped on cliff sides with rocks and that’s ideal. Also having the right hammock setup(for me) makes a big difference, however hammocking right doesn’t come cheap. I personally use Kammok gear and my overall set up with the pro trap with storm doors, 20f under quilt and top quilt, big net, ridge line, gear sling, and 15’ straps was well over $1,100 USD. There are some great tents plus pads less than that my setup so it’s an investment but there are other great brands with built in under quilt and big nets just take your time finding the right setup for your camping needs/adventure.

I use the hammock on most of my canoe camping trips as the places I go usually have good tree cover near the water. Lough Erne is a particular favourite as there's lots of good spots on the islands. But the canoe is ideal for it as its not a light weight alternative to tent camping. But its way more comfy, and if you lift a flap of the tarp its a really good place to sit during the day. With the tarp deployed right, you can still get a dry hang but wake up in the morning with 360 degree vision which is just fantastic. I woke up one morning to watch a family of pheasants run right under my underquilt. My mate had a pine marten walk right past his during the night. So you feel more immersed in nature than being cut off from it in a tent. I tried that hammock you have but didn't think it was big enough although I'm 6ft 4". So I went for the DD XL and it is way better. It has so much more room, and 4 pockets to stow your gear when inside, and the bug net is supported by hooped poles which means it can be used on the ground as a bivvy as well. I think you are doing hammocking an injustice as you aren't doing enough due dilligence prior to going out. You can't just sling it between two trees and expect it to be right first time. Getting the angle of hang right will go a long way to making it more comfortable. By this I mean picking two trees that are closer together so that the hammock isn't stretched so flat. Go out to your nearest woods some evening and just play about with the setup, and practice with the tarp too. Shug Emery does some good videos on hammock set ups. kzfaq.info?search_query=shugemery. He also discusses under quilts and how to deploy them which makes all the difference in colder weather. I bought a hammock stand from Ikea so I can play with it in the back garden. That way you can muck about with angles, play with the under quilt and get the suspension right before you go into the woods. It also means you've got a comfy place to hang out in the garden on sunny days. Keep at it, you will get there in the end.

@@TheOpenboater this wasn’t my first time hanging it though, probably about the 4th. I’ll give it another try another time, probably with a much bigger hammock.

I’d love to try that Amok system sometime, looks incredible! I once slept in a huge tree tent platform, most comfortable night I’ve spent in a forest.

Sounds like you’re one of those people gifted with the ability to sleep well! It’s honestly a gift. I’ve struggled with sleep my entire life. Stupid brain too active.

Thanks Ajay 🙂

@@StephenJReid You are welcome sir

Sewn in underquilt sounds like a great idea!

Weirdly it hasn’t given me back pain despite having occasional back issues

Now how can I get them to send me one for free? 😂 costs a fortune

Thanks!

Thanks!

Tha ks

Yeah I’m torn because it’s such a nice feeling just swinging in the tres

Ouch! I’ve on off back issues but oddly hammock doesn’t seem to trigger them

There’s a log cabin up there? 🤔

@@StephenJReid There is I'm not exactly sure where you where as it's been a while since I've been in Annalong forest but it's roughly at this location ///resorting.spaceship.worry . It's tucked in at the edge of the forest.

Ahhhh I do know that! Came across it and actually another one a few months ago when I was exploring in there. Not sure I’d quite call it a cabin, more of a shack 😂 do you know who built it?

Haha thanks, think my next camping video will be in a tent! I’m

Yeah could have been, was at that carpark a couple of times recently

If I try again it’ll be with a bigger hammock

@@StephenJReid Good man 👍

Thanks Connor! Used my bestest cameras for this

Supposed to be suitable for people up to 6’4”. But yeah think I’ll try a bigger one next time

for lounging maybe, not for a decent sleep. Take a longer hammock. 11ft. and wider too. And..it needs a ridgeline. @@StephenJReid

@@StephenJReid yeah I noticed they claim it's good for that height, but I suspect thats really only for day lounging. I'm only 6 feet and I would not go shorter than 11 ft hammock for camping

What do you love about the hammock?

@@StephenJReid for me Stephen it's somthing I've used for a long time and I think that being in a tent gives you that sence of security that a hammock may not in our environment. I lived in a hammock for months in Central American and in areas of Africa and trust me the critters crawling on the ground would love to be in a tent with you. 😅 I use it all year round when I'm doing sort of bushcraft kind of camps and it still gives me that feeling of security. Setup is very important and possibly if you get it wrong would put you off using it again just my thoughts. 🤔👍

Did you love it the first time you tried it! I’m wondering if it’s something you have to get used to

@@StephenJReid Absolutely Stephen, I can just about remember my first time in it, a nightmare! I usually sleep on my side which was difficult to master in the hammock. But after a while I got it. I slept in a hammock suspended in the back of a truck in Kenya for about 350km absolute quality. I don't have an outer quilt but I have a foil ground sheet on the inside. With my tarp I have a DD but I use bungees to stop the sagging. I think like everything once you have a good camp with it you will be sold on it 🤞

I had the poles in, the standard frontline just has two straight short poles. Not the round ones on the XL. Yeah it’s like a new jigsaw every time as no setup is the same.

I think it makes more sense for climates like that, but it’s easier here to find a good spot for a tent than a hammock

Haha. I did freak out at one point when I felt something rub underneath the hammock. Was the undersling 😂

@@StephenJReid panic moment 😂😂

Keeping trying things!

I wanted to break free from that hammock! Dinner was rather tasty.

@@StephenJReid You will be Under Pressure next time to cook a better meal than that. Is was a meal for 2 but you said "I Want It All". Don't you agree N Ireland people have the best humour?

😂😂

Yeah think it might be better choice for our climate.

Annalong valley area. Loads of trees in there.

Will have to head down that way next time we're up round that area! Thanks dude 👌🤙

On the noggin

There were a few landmarks I used on the way back. Most of it was on an obvious trail, just the last 200meters I had to point in the right direction and hope I'd spot the light I left on. Worst case scenario, I have offline maps on my phone.

Weather changed though, I was roasting to start with. So far tents are still winning for me. But willing to keep testing different hammocks setups. I’ll check that channel.

That’s a point I make in this video, there’s no weight advantage with hammock camping. But I can tell how it I sorted my issues that it could potentially be a brilliant way to camp in the woods. I probably won’t try it again for a while and I think if I do, it will be with a different system. Convinced this is a bit short for me. I’m happy with my tent system, feel I’ve got that dialled in now. But always like to try new things.

@@StephenJReid Good man.

Think I’ll try a bigger one next time, but a lot of people really rate this one

Tried that, but I think this hammock is maybe too small for it to work, was more uncomfortable than the way I was lying. I was actually fine with my position this time once I settled into it properly. It was the other stuff that was more annoying this time.

@StephenJReid A longer hammock will definitely help with a flat lay! Have a look at the Warbonnet Blackbird for example (it has a "shelf" as well, in which you can store things). Good luck, it's worth it once you figure it out! (and yes your underquilt needed to be cinched up closer to the hammock to prevent drafts). Lovely video (especially the wander in the dark lol), thank you!

A tip for a shorter hammock is take a spare pillow for under your knees. Use the tie outs on the tarp to make flaps to act like a door either end and for added wind protection

🙈

Not entirely sure what that means. Haven’t done any ultras. You mean stow a hammock at an aid station so they can nap in a tree instead of on the ground?

Few people suggesting this. Very expensive system though not far off £500 for the system

I like to give things a proper test 😛 For me it boils down to the question: would this experience have been over all better in a tent and so far yes.

@@StephenJReid Guess that's a good way of measuring ;-)

🤡