Bought my hammock today

[Scoutfish]

So, I bought my first hammock today.

 

Military surplus store. The hammock was brand new, still wrapped in original packaging.

 

Rated for 350 pounds.

 

I bought it for $35.00, so if it doesn't hold up but for a year, I didn't lose a ton of money.

 

But I have to be honest with you, it has a pretty heavy duty bottom fabric. Looks like the same stuff the MASH tents are made of. No see-um screened sides and basic tent material top.

 

I'll use my usuall rain fly set of for this hammock, so protection and vetilations should go hand in hand.

 

Granted, I didn't hang it between two trees yet, but I did crawl in it and zip it up. Pretty spacious for what it is. More room than I expected.

 

So, I bought it at Saigon Sam's military surplus, but it's the exact same one sold at Campmore for less $$$ and I don't have to pay shipping.

 

I will let you know how it performs and hold up!

 

 

[desertrat77]

Scoutfish, sounds like you got a good deal. Mil surplus stores have been my favorite place to shop for many years. Never know what you are going to find. Designed to last--if the gear is designed to be "GI proof" it usually is also "scout proof." Pls keep us posted.

[Tampa Turtle]

Some new Hammock tips (they seem obvious AFTER the fact)

 

Troop went camping on the barrier island on the East Coast of Florida this past weekend a little too close to Tropical Storm Beryl. What I learned:

 

-The Hennessy Hammock stock rain fly will keep a lot of rain out when rigged correctly even at 30+mph with 30 degree rain.

 

-That those darn Australian Pines they planted as windbreaks back in the 1930's (and are invasive and are being removed)are excellent as...windbreaks. My son moved his Hammock from near the water to a grove of pines 30 feet away and did fine.

 

-Do not put your hammock broadside to the wind unless you want your rainfly to be a sail. Point the "head" of your hammock into the wind so you make a smaller target. Think sailboat.

 

-If it is a monsoon and you are not going to move use something like a full canteen or hiking poles to weight down your tarp lines. Enough to dampen the gusts but not so tight as to make them snap.

 

-Put the leading edge lower than the trailing edge if you are broadside to the wind.

 

-Those lines holding the hammock down really work--even broadside--at least up to the occasional 45mph gust. I was rocking and rolling all night.

 

(Boys also learned that is always good to stake down the tents! And grab your class A's off the clothesline before hunkering down...somewhere today there is a raccoon sporting some small BSA shorts.)

[alancar]

what does it weigh?

[Scoutfish]

Without using a scale, I'd guess around 4 or 5 pounds .

 

Top cover is tent nylon/supplex type material, sides are a micro mesh and bottom is old school military canvas - kinda like the tents were in MASH.