I posted this topic Top Ten BWCA Rookie Mistakes on the "General Discussion" board. It has generated some interesting responses.

So, it crossed my mind that we may have some interesting "Top Ten Rookie Hanging Mistakes."

Forgetting to look for "widow-makers" is one that strikes me. Do you have others?

I am a rookie hanger, so this fits me...

On our first evening at our main site in WCPP this past June I had found a nice spot over looking the lake. The tree at my head was nice size, the tree at the foot end was a little smaller than I would have preferred, but it was in the right spot. I get everything set up and climb in to try it out and I notice that my butt is on the ground. What the heck...I was sure I set it up tight enough. I get out to see what's up and it all looks fine. I quickly discovered the smallish birch at my feet wasn't holding my weight. Dug out some more cordage and braced up the tree and we were good to go.

I'm sure I will have more...

Last year was our first year hanging. One of my fellow travelers brought a suspension system that he made out of paracord. It did not work well to say the least.

quote Wables: "Last year was our first year hanging. One of my fellow travelers brought a suspension system that he made out of paracord. It did not work well to say the least. "

Haha!!!!


I think my biggest thing has been paying attention to the trees I attach to. Pines love to share their sap with you :/

no 1: Not bringing good insulation like an underquilt, super shelter, thermal pad.

no 2: not bringing good (read large enough) rain tarp

I once hung my hammock near the water's edge, with one end tied to a tree that was leaning out over the water. No, I didn't end up in the lake but it did occur to me (in the middle of the night), that trees that overhang the water often end up in the water.

I sat down on the edge of my hammock and went over backwards. I look more closely now before sitting down.

Setting up in early afternoon on the point of a great campsite... great views hanging, until the storm rolled in with driving wind that night. I battened down the hatches & made it through a long night getting up every time the wind would rip a stake out of the ground.

Blue bird days, the views are great, but I set up now a little more sheltered.

The only other mistake was letting my brother & son lay in mine... now finding a site with 3 sets of hanging trees is a little more challenging...LOL

quote Scout64: "I sat down on the edge of my hammock and went over backwards. I look more closely now before sitting down.
"

Ha! I once did that also. Luckily, nobody else was around.

quote OBX2Kayak: "

quote Scout64: "I sat down on the edge of my hammock and went over backwards. I look more closely now before sitting down.
"

Ha! I once did that also. Luckily, nobody else was around."

Opps me too, a few times, glad no one saw me.

1)Using rope on the tree instead of tree straps.
2)Too small of a trap, it often rains sideways.
3)Attaching to too small of a tree, tends to bend after a while.
4)Thinking a small pad will be ok for bottom insulation, CBS Cold Butt Syndrome.
5)Using a key ring style carabineer for your suspension instead of a climbing one, it will bend.
6)Setting up under a sharp rock, When things fail you will be in pain.
7)Getting in and then falling out the other side.
8)Not testing new gear out at home in your back yard or park.
9)Forgetting the tarp stakes at home.
10)Sharp things in your pocket and ripping the hammock and falling through on above #6 sharp rock.

We had a guy two years ago bring a "back yard" style hammock (net type) with him, put an insulated sleeping pad in it and used a blue plastic tarp as a rain fly. The other guys refered to his area as "the slums".

One morning I and another guy were up just after daylight. the guy with the back hard hammock peeked out to see what were doing. Instantly him hammock flipped 180 degrees and face planted him in the dirt.

No yelling or pain. . .just "please don't tell the other guys". Highlight of the trip.

quote OBX2Kayak: "I posted this topic Top Ten BWCA Rookie Mistakes on the "General Discussion" board. It has generated some interesting responses.

So, it crossed my mind that we may have some interesting "Top Ten Rookie Hanging Mistakes."

Forgetting to look for "widow-makers" is one that strikes me. Do you have others?"

What's a widow maker?! Yikes!!

A Widow Maker is a large piece of wood (usually a large tree limb) that's dangling precariously overhead, ready to come crashing down on whoever and whatever is underneath...

quote PompousPilot1: "

quote OBX2Kayak: "I posted this topic Top Ten BWCA Rookie Mistakes on the "General Discussion" board. It has generated some interesting responses.


So, it crossed my mind that we may have some interesting "Top Ten Rookie Hanging Mistakes."


Forgetting to look for "widow-makers" is one that strikes me. Do you have others?"

What's a widow maker?! Yikes!!"

Usually a tree leaning against another tree or a broken limb dangling. An example picture. DO NOT hang your hammock under this :)

quote gsfisher13: "

quote PompousPilot1: "

quote OBX2Kayak: "I posted this topic Top Ten BWCA Rookie Mistakes on the "General Discussion" board. It has generated some interesting responses.



So, it crossed my mind that we may have some interesting "Top Ten Rookie Hanging Mistakes."



Forgetting to look for "widow-makers" is one that strikes me. Do you have others?"

What's a widow maker?! Yikes!!"

Usually a tree leaning against another tree or a broken limb dangling. An example picture. DO NOT hang your hammock under this :)


"

That makes sense!

Here's a few fallacies and mistakes I've seen in 12 years of "hanging".....

Thinking that going to a hammock is a "cure all" without a learning curve and everyone will enjoy it equally.

Thinking that a complicated 7 piece suspension system requiring multiple parts you have accidentally left home on the kitchen table works any better than a simple system provided with the hammock that takes 45 seconds to hang and adjust.

Thinking that everyone really hates tent camping, wakes up in terrible back pain and lives in misery when doing so.

That $4 a piece quilt clips are far superior to safety pins you can buy 10 for a buck.

A 24 oz $250 Topquilt is far superior to a 24 oz $180 sleeping bag of the same temperature rating that you already own anyway and can just lay over yourself in the same fashion.

quote Savage Voyageur: "

quote OBX2Kayak: "

quote Scout64: "I sat down on the edge of my hammock and went over backwards. I look more closely now before sitting down.
"

Ha! I once did that also. Luckily, nobody else was around."

Opps me too, a few times, glad no one saw me. "

I was fortunate enough to have an audience of 5 people.

Ive been hanging for a couple years now. Ive definitely made a few mistakes in the past.

1. drinking too much water before getting in on a really cold night.

2. hung from a sycamore that wasnt up to the task, limb broke and I busted my butt.

3. hang my glasses and headlamp from ridgeline at night, the next morning, I forget and pack up the hammock w both still inside, did that this past wknd. (I do this all the time)

4. and probably the biggest mistake ive made a few times, is being lazy and gambling on the weather by not putting up rain tarp. have woken up with a shockingly cold surprise.

My rookie mistake was not testing ALL of my gear before my inaugural hanging trip.

Apparently water beading off my DIY sil-nylon tarp in the kitchen sink didn't mean it was up to driving rain in the BW.

One more coat of silicone mixture was all it took, but a couple of wet nights could have been avoided with proper testing.

Trying to put up the tarp in a windy spot.
Not hanging the hammock high enough.
Thinking i could stop a flapping tarp in the middle of the night.
Hanging on a tree with poison vines (nasty poison ivy/oak).
Not realizing my face would get cold.
Forgetting the earplugs.
Sleeping on stuff.

One mistake not made was thinking I could figure it out so I read posts here and on hammock forums and was able to learn from others rather than at the school of hard knocks.

I have made a few including...

Setting up to enjoy the view and catch a nice breeze that later turned into a cold wind tunnel. Learned how to close the ends and to set up perpendicular to the wind.

Relying on cheap nylon tie down straps that stretch and keep on stretching resulting in the jack knife closed position and needing to get up to tighten the straps. Used the opportunity that a bottle now accommodates quite nicely as I use poly web rigging and do not have to get out to readjust.

I almost learned the hard way that non load-bearing carabiners are indeed not able to bear a load.

quote Exo: "I almost learned the hard way that non load-bearing carabiners are indeed not able to bear a load."

+1

quote Rob Johnson: "

quote Exo: "I almost learned the hard way that non load-bearing carabiners are indeed not able to bear a load."

+1
"

+2
Somehow forgot my WB carabiners at home and the only ones I had to use Saturday night were on water bottles. This morning the one at my head had popped but luckily still held me up.

Also not sure what I did wrong but my new Jarbridge under quilt kept slipping off me and ending up doubled on the right side of the hammock even though I thought I had it snugged up tight. I am going to have to figure it out because that won't do me any good come October!

Sat down in my under quilt. Missed the hammock.

* Hanging the foot end of the hammock lower than the head end so sliding toward the end all night.
* Not laying on a diagonal in the hammock.
* Not milking the bury on a whoopie sling
* Hanging the whoopie end on the toggle and not on the knot on a marlinspike/whoopie sling set-up
* If using a pad having it fully inflated.
* Thinking you will need nothing under you in 70º temps.
* Not practicing a good tarp pitch. Setting up the hammock perplexes many new folks but then they must learn tarping if they have never done it.
* Not having the tarp centered over the hammock.
* Hanging their hammock with the suspension pulled too tight. (though a few I know like it this way)
* Getting too caught up on the 12'-15' tree spacing and 30º perfect hang theories....gotta improvise in the woods.

Just a few I can think of....
Shug

quote Shug: "* Hanging the foot end of the hammock lower than the head end so sliding toward the end all night.
* Not laying on a diagonal in the hammock.
* Not milking the bury on a whoopie sling
* Hanging the whoopie end on the toggle and not on the knot on a marlinspike/whoopie sling set-up
* If using a pad having it fully inflated.
* Thinking you will need nothing under you in 70º temps.
* Not practicing a good tarp pitch. Setting up the hammock perplexes many new folks but then they must learn tarping if they have never done it.
* Not having the tarp centered over the hammock.
* Hanging their hammock with the suspension pulled too tight. (though a few I know like it this way)
* Getting too caught up on the 12'-15' tree spacing and 30º perfect hang theories....gotta improvise in the woods.


Just a few I can think of....
Shug "

I understand most of those but... do you have your head lower than your feet? Or the same as your feet? I try for the same as (not always successful).
And I have an attached bug net and have not been able to get a good diagonal lie. Always end up in the middle by morning. Then again, I do sleep like a rabid raccoon in a burlap sack. Maybe that has something to do with it. Or maybe it is that my hammock is only 56" wide.

I understand most of those but... do you have your head lower than your feet? Or the same as your feet? I try for the same as (not always successful).
And I have an attached bug net and have not been able to get a good diagonal lie. Always end up in the middle by morning. Then again, I do sleep like a rabid raccoon in a burlap sack. Maybe that has something to do with it. Or maybe it is that my hammock is only 56" wide. "

I hang my feet a good 6 to 12 inches higher than my head end. It keeps your mass towards the head end sweet spot.
56" wide is good.
What hammock do you have?
Shug

quote Shug: "

I hang my feet a good 6 to 12 inches higher than my head end. It keeps your mass towards the head end sweet spot.
56" wide is good.
What hammock do you have?
Shug

> "


I have this one - don't remember the brand. Like I said, I am a restless side sleeper. Don't sleep well in tents, hammocks or at home in bed. so, staying diagonal in a hammock may be impossible for me.

That looks like a Skeeter beater. Try hanging the foot end suspension strap abut 8-12 in. higher than the head end suspension. When I say higher, I mean where the strap hits one tree should be higher than where it hits the other tree using actual horizontal as the baseline. Trees never start at the same level, so don't measure from the ground up to the strap. I usually have to step back a few feet and eyeball it as compared to exactly level.
Notice in Shug's photo that the whipped ends are not level with each other.

First welcome Shug, I have'nt seen any post on this forum before. But a big fan on HF...

My big lesson in the BWCA was hanging on a tree that was growing on rocks. The root system lifted up slowly over the night and i woke up on the ground.... I now pick much bigger and trees and avoid rocky areas if possible.