So just got back from WCPP. Here are my opinions.

Best night sleep in the woods EVER. Stinks for everything else.

Finding adequate sites was a challenge.

Setup was a challenge.

Stability was an issue (in more ways than one)

Adapting to weather changes in the middle of the night is a pain. (I had a dramatic temp drop and it was a lot more work to "gear up" and stay warm.)

Had I been solo or with one other hanger I would have had more options. My ground dwelling friends ended up competing for ideal spots with their tent.

I know that it will get better with experience and adjustment, but I can't imagine what it would have been like in peak bug season changing outside. I got lucky as a stable looking tree turned out to be not so stable. Going to ground was a constant threat and I should have once. I have no doubt that I experienced some less than ideal conditions, and that other areas it would not have been such a challenge.

quote ECpizza: "So just got back from WCPP. Here are my opinions.

Best night sleep in the woods EVER. Stinks for everything else.

Finding adequate sites was a challenge.

Setup was a challenge.

Stability was an issue (in more ways than one)
"

Thanks for the update!

I think it was you suggesting the 10' tress straps, and I needed them too in the BWCA. For the amount of woods up there, it's more difficult to find a good hanging site than is generally appreciated. Even with both my buddy and I hanging, I gave up the best spots for him - and even in the best tent spots, there was usually only 1 good hanging spot.

However, I'll take a non-optimal hang any day that sleeping on roots/rocks.

On my last trip we had three hangers, and one tent! Like you said the tent kind needs that nice flat spot so he took first choice. I can tell you that it really does get better the more you hang in strange locations. When I started hanging I had to step off every spot I thought might work to determine if it was suitable. Now I can look around and see all the spots I could hang.

As for changing when it is buggy. I have found that if my clothes and hammock are both treated with permethrin the little buggers are a little better. This is another thing you will probably get better at over time. I lay out all my clothes before I start , open up my hammock so I have a seat and just do everything as quick as I can. There are trade offs for sleeping in the hammock but the comfort has outweighed them all for me so far.

Why was stability an issue?

quote OBX2Kayak: "Why was stability an issue?"

For me it was

1) smaller trees (they had flex)
2) thin top soil (shallow roots)
3) suitable tarp setup.
4) tarp tension
5) rocks cut lines (i had extra line and shock chord along)

I am probably more comfortable in a tent than I am in a hammock. I am a side sleeper and that tends to be a little more difficult in a hammock. However, when I hike, I hang.
It does get better with practice. I bet I set mine up 3-4 times before I headed out for my first hang. Funny, the wilderness is not as accommodating as my back yard. I did have quite a few problems with my first hang. but over the years, it has become very easy. I know what tension I like, how high off the ground, I change clothes in my hammock, I can even cook from my hammock on very cold mornings (height off the ground really plays into this one). I would give it a few more tries before giving up.

WCPP is not prime hammock territory.
Black spruce are just too spindly for the most part.
I had to tie my anchor trees to other trees behind them for a couple nights.
I had several nights with non-optimal, but functional hanging (space too short).
But I never woke up with a hip pointer or a bruise where a root poked through.
ECP, try hanging closer to home and you will have better conditions.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sticking to it. I've said that I have had 45 years to learn about tents, and only a few weeks for the hammock.

I also had some difficulty getting trees far enough apart. I'm really glad I had 2 sets of straps. I needed the long ones for my perfect hang on night 7, but short ones still went 2 or 3 times around most trees.

And... My big problem is not convincing my wife to come along, but convincing her to sleep in a hammock so I don't have to go back to a tent.

You talked about wrapping your tree straps around 2-3 times? Are you using a marlin spike hitch? With that and some whoopies, you can hand from 11' to about 30' with with either 4' or 6' tree straps....

quote ECpizza: "And... My big problem is not convincing my wife to come along, but convincing her to sleep in a hammock so I don't have to go back to a tent."

Make sure she carries the tent in her pack. :-)

quote Aosrax: "You talked about wrapping your tree straps around 2-3 times? Are you using a marlin spike hitch? With that and some whoopies, you can hand from 11' to about 30' with with either 4' or 6' tree straps...."

I thread the strap loops through a beaner. And hook the woopies on the beaner as well. I am Knot challenged and avoid them whenever I can.

If you can make a loop in a rope than you can tie a marlin spike hitch. Shug has a youtube video on it. If you are planning on hanging more, I would highly suggest that you watch it. It makes things so much easier.

Aosrax, I was challenged by a prussic knot. All that is is wrapping the loop around the rope. Don't ask me why, because I can often repair complex equipment that I have never seen the insides of before. If I have driven somewhere once, I can find it again. Etc. etc. knots should be easy for me, but I find myself stumped. I even carry 2 knot cards and a booklet with me and STILL have difficulty.

quote ECpizza: "Aosrax, I was challenged by a prussic knot. All that is is wrapping the loop around the rope. Don't ask me why, because I can often repair complex equipment that I have never seen the insides of before. If I have driven somewhere once, I can find it again. Etc. etc. knots should be easy for me, but I find myself stumped. I even carry 2 knot cards and a booklet with me and STILL have difficulty. "

Not sure if these will help or knot (ha ha).

Prusik Knot

Double Fisherman's knot

I use these together for the prusik. It lets you easily center a tarp over a hammock. String a ridge line, then hang the tarp on top or under using the prusik knot. It works great.

I have been a scout leader for 20 years. I have spent many hours teaching knots to kids. I have even 3 times spent and entire afternoon at a camporee teaching group after group the bowline knot. I've tied it thousands of times. I practiced every night for a month before my trip. Even tied it with my eyes closed.... And still about 25% of the time I tied it wrong on the trip. Square knot? Same thing.

I don't get it.

And before anyone suggests it, those figure 9 clips and stuff like that is worse.

I rigged up ridgeline and corners on my tarp with beeners and prussic loops. Made setup quick and easy.

I did some Tarp Tutorials and show several knots in detail. Prussik, Larkshead,Marlinspike and Truckers Hitch. Useful for ridglelines and staking.
Hope these give some insight.
Shug

Tarp Tutorial Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

WCPP is a little more challenging than Quetico for finding suitable tree and Opasquia is even worse. In 14 nights in Opasquia I had one site that there were 2 adequate trees available. The rest of the sites required bracing for one or both of the support trees. Only one site let my butt resting on my pack that was under my hammock.
As far as knots go for hanging my hammock there are no knots. I use Dutch clips and binding buckles like the one Dutch sell. This is an easy to set up and adjust system. My tarp requires a couple of knots. I use Prusik knots on a continuous ridge line and they stay on so they do not need tied while setting up. The only knots that need to be tied in camp are to tie the ridge line between 2 trees.
I agree I do not like figure 9 and I tried Zing-it for a ridge line and did not like it. I like the light weight and no stretch but had trouble tying it and it is rough on trees. I tried Flyz with Zing-it but had trouble unhooking it and they are too small for my fat fingers. Like the light weight though.
After many setups in many conditions I have found what works for me and so will you. The biggest challenge has been when the trees are not strong enough and like you I brace them. I use my tarp ridge line to brace the trees that my hammock will hang from.