KC8QVO

I got my hammock out today. It was MIA for over a year but I got lucky and found it. I am trying to come up with a method to ground pitch it that is still fairly compact. The idea is to use the hammock itself as the "tent body" as it has a full integrated bug net.

The idea I came up with was to use the main poles of my dome tent at 3 sections high, then string a guyed ridge line between them. From the top of the poles I can string both the hammock and tarp.

In theory this appears to work on the outside. I like the height of the tarp well enough in this configuration.

However, getting inside the hammock it is apparent the idea doesn't quite work out. There is no tension on the hammock's ridgeline so the bug net is almost laying right on top of me.

The only solution I can think of to pull tension in the hammock's ridgeline is to lower the supports to about 1/2 way up the tent pole supports and pull it more taught. What makes this not work is the poles are no where near stout enough to try to pull any measure of "tension" in the hammock, even if it is not load bearing in that it is not supporting anything (me) inside - just itself.

The ridgeline between the poles hangs above the tarp, not under. I suppose I can try to throw the tarp over top of it, but that will add more height to it and for this scenario I am not sure I want that. If I had a ridgeline under the tarp, though, I may be able to suspend the ridgeline and bug net with another line then lift it straight up.

If I try to tension the hammock's ridgeline it will pull the hammock off the ground towards the supports. I am not sure that is the direction to go - I want the hammock fabric looser on the ground in this case (it would be on a form of ground cover - probably a foam sleeping pad) and not pulling up.

Mark Hoaglund

Good start . . . Would a fence post or poles help?
Checkout – treeless hammock OR
hammock without trees around – variations on:
https://www.youtube.com

KC8QVO

Mark - the goal is to have a solution that doesn't add much to the packed bulk/weight of the hammock set up as it already was.

Trekking poles, for example, are more bulk than the tent poles.

Maybe a 2nd ridgeline, of sorts, is on order.

Or, if there is a way rig up a loop on the tent poles down low then use the hammock's webbing as a sort of "ridgeline", but instead of achored to trees anchor them with stakes pulling down from the loops on the poles? That would take the tension out from the poles supporting it and send that to the stakes in the ground with the poles just taking a vertical, compressive, load.

saddlesores

i know this is like crazy talk, but instead of carrying a hammock and tarp and tent poles and trying to macguyver a sleeping solution...

....why not just carry a lightweight tent?

Tourist in MSN

Use the bike saddle for one end. I just use elastic around my brake levers to lock the wheels, but that is not very good, you might need something more robust to keep it from rolling. I also use a kickstand on my bike. For just clothing for weight, the mass of the bike is enough but you would probably need to stake it out like a pole.



I agree with Saddlesores, you need a new tent.

KC8QVO

Ground pitching is an "in case I can't find a place to hang" idea. Hopefully I don't need it at all, but I don't want to not have the option. So I am trying to figure it out so I know how to do it.

If I can do without being on the ground at all that would be preferable.

If I take just a tent then I have to be on the ground all the time. I'm trying to do the opposite.

PedalingWalrus

that's a tough ask. Maybe, just maybe I would try thinking about incorporating a hammock with nonintegrated net. Those nets a little bit larger and wider but do not add significant weight. Then pitching on the ground I would use the hammock as a ground cloth and the bug net would stretch out to protect me from bugs. The last thing to think about is to replace your bottom quilt (if You have one) with a wide mattress that is suitable for hammocking and use the mattress on the ground as well.

Good Luck.

mtnbud

Could you carefully sew 3 loops to the center ridge of your mosquito netting so you could pull the netting up towards the ridgeline? There might be some clips you could get rather sewing on permanent loops...

phughes

I used my bike to hang the hammock using only one tree. You need a good ground anchor, I am using Orange Screws. I will also be getting Boom Stakes from Tensa for rocky ground. I am able to hang off the ground with this method, and I don't have to carry anything I am not already carrying.

PedalingWalrus

I bet you get pretty close to touching the ground, considering the height at the bicycle. I've hung many a hammock but the straps always go at shoulder height or higher. The tarp could go lower. Maybe I'm just a heavy person but I sag quite a bit.

KC8QVO

Excellent info. Now that you say that and showed the pictures - I think I remember seeing you posting about this method last year or the year before. That is pretty cool.

I will have to keep that in mind as that could very well be a possibility also - 1 anchor available, not 2.

What doesn't sit well with me, however, is the anchoring of the 2 guy lines for the bike side. I am not sure I would trust a conventional "stake". I could see something more robust like a long piece of rebar, but I also can't see packing that bulk/weight just for that purpose.

However, I have some climbing rope that might work for the lines instead of tie down straps (which I have also, but they aren't really cycling/camping gear and I'd rather not have them along - I can do everything a ratchet strap would do camping-wise with rigging - such as a truckers hitch and a couple carabinres).

KC8QVO

Great minds think alike. Perhaps mine just went further out of the box.





Instead of "loops" - I threaded a paper clip through the netting. This does require the 2nd ridgeline idea to pull off, but it is the best solution I have come up with.

I did try a shorter ridgeline that was suspended between the ends of the hammock (the bunched ends). I use a truckers hitch (or variant - bowline for the loop and not the slip knot loop) as a way to adjust tension in the lines so there is a lot of flexibility in how I can get this set up.

I have not tried multiple hooks. However, that is an excellent idea. I don't know that 3 would work - but 2 for sure. With 3 there may not be enough support for the hook in the middle.

I still don't like the rigging here vs how the hammock lays on the ground/inside space. But it is an "in case I need it" option so seeing it come together here I think it would be OK for a night here or there if I need it.

Mark Hoaglund

Setting up Hammock & Tarp on Ground – with shugemery

phughes

They aren't a conventional stake. These are the same stakes that Tensa uses for their hammock suspension systems. They will not come out. The Orange Screws I use are good for soft ground, but the Boom Stakes are for rocky ground. Once again, they are made for this type of thing, and won't pull out.

Look at Tensa's site. https://i.imgur.com/ImTwhSK.jpg

Here are their stakes: https://www.tensaoutdoor.com/product/anchors/

Orange screws.


Boom Stake.

fishboat

Forces when hanging a hammock add up. That setup, to me, looks..optimistic.

This might help:
https://www.hammockuniverse.com/page...ang-calculator

phughes

These are the same anchors used by the Tensa hammock system, which uses one pole, for when you have only one tree. I have hung this way, so have many, many others. The Tensa Solo is a pole and guyline system that allows you to use one tree, or other support, along with the Tensa Solo pole, to hang your hammock. You can use two of the Tensa Solo poles to hang it without any tree or other existing support. They work. For bike touring though, I don't want to carry a Tensa Solo, it is just extra weight, and I could carry a small tent instead. Being able to use the bike eliminates the need to carry a pole. It works for those times when you cannot find two trees, without going to ground.

The Orange Screws do work, and work well. The Boom Stakes work too, very well. As for being optimistic, it isn't. I have already hung with this setup, so no optimism is necessary. I know it works.

fishboat

phughes,

I don't doubt what you've said is accurate. However, my comment was meant for the OP's setup "The idea I came up with was to use the main poles of my dome tent at 3 sections high.."

Easiest way to know is climb in the hammock and see how it goes..

As you've mentioned(implied), it isn't at all uncommon for a full hammock setup to weigh as much or more than a decent(not expensive) tent setup, particularly when cool/wet weather is expected.

I tend to avoid ongoing "debates" here on BF. They start sort of rough and seldom get better as time goes on, so I'll sign off at this point..

KC8QVO

fishboat - you missed the boat a long time ago.

Ground pitching is the subject. Not hanging. That should have been beyond obvious in the pictures if the terminology wasn't clear. Not sure how both pics and terminology both got messed up.

You should have stayed in your boat from the get-go. Hopefully this clears up the mud for ya though.

mtnbud

Awesome! I really like the paper clips! Simple and creative!

If you feel comfortable sewing some tabs on the bottom of your hammock, you could strategically square off the floor. Since it's a just in case scenario, it's probably not necessary.

phughes

As for weight, I was referring to adding the Tensa Solo pole, my hammock setup packs smaller and is lighter than a tent, unless you are using the minimalist setup for a very lightweight tent, and in that case, I would rather have the comfort and weather protection afforded by my hammock setup. You can get heavier hammocks, and lighter tents, but with a lighter tent comes penalties.

This year I bought a small one person tent from REI. I can mount its poles on the top tube and stuff the rest inside a pannier or on top of the rack, taking as much space as the hammock. It is on the large side for a one person tent, and is roomy for me. I still prefer the hammock, but there are times I will use this. I don't sleep as well on the ground though, no matter what pad, or air mattress I use. The hammock is simply more comfortable, by far. Of course that is personal preference, not all feel the same way, and others prefer a tent. It all comes down to preferences.

I bought the one person tent primarily for those times when I am not allowed to hang a hammock. I found some campgrounds will not let you hang anything. I had that come up on my last tour. I stopped at a very nice KOA campground, and they were very helpful, until I told them I had a hammock. The absolutely refused to let me hang it. Evidently, that is KOA's policy, and they said they couldn't make an exception. I rode on another 12 miles to a different, and more interesting campground.

On my last tour, I used my hammock, but did not have the capability to hang it if I had only one tree. I could make it into a bivvy type tent though. I had one instance where I was going to have to do that, but after I set it up on the ground, I realized a train ran every 20 minutes just 30 feet behind my campsite, so I opted to tear down and go to a hotel.

Later in the tour, my wife came to spend a night with me over a weekend. She brought my three person tent. I decided to keep it with me since I was potentially going to have to wait out a couple days of severe weather, heavy thunderstorms, hail, and temperatures during the day in the mid-50s. The temperature, coupled with rain and hail is miserable, so I figured waiting it out might be necessary. I thought having the extra room to simply lie around in would be nice. It was, but that tent weighs 11 pounds.

reppans

I guess it depends on where you’re touring, but if this is for just-in-case, and you’re in area with some trees - just go bushcraft. Easy enough to find strong fallen branches to use as poles. Make hefty stakes with sharpened sticks and hammer them in with a rock. Insert a smooth round rock inside the netting as a ‘button’ to lash it to the ridgeline.... etc.

indyfabz

All in the horrible weather the OP is terrified of. Sounds like fun.

Mark Hoaglund

Thank you phughes for stirring my interest in Tensa. I camp in sand & frozen ground too. Its my understanding Orange Screws can do both. Do you know if this is true?

Like your clever bike hammock setup. I seen two folks hammocks hanging from a corner wood fence post & the other from a power pole using a four foot tree limb poles at their feet with guy lines similar to your walking poles setup.

I sure enjoy you folks ideas.

Mark Hoaglund

Here we go.

Orange Screws Tested
We put Orange Screws to the test in frozen eastern Washington ground.

phughes

To be honest, I have not personally tested them in sand or frozen ground, only basically, regular soil. Anything really rocky is out of their range. I have seen people post setups on sand using them, but I have no personal experience with that.