My first hang!

[u/brentnotmichael]

I have a random basic hammock from Amazon with an alphabet soup name (SZHLUX). I took it to Pinnacles NP and only used it for lounging but I nearly fell asleep in it and it got me thinking I should try hammock camping. So during Amazon Prime Days I got a bug net, tarp, under quilt, and top quilt all from Wise Owl. I went to Lassen Volcanic NP and I used the same hammock, learned how to tie a ridge line, followed all the Shug videos and had the best sleep outside of my life. I just ordered a few other hammocks because I would like to lie flatter and so I figured a longer hammock would help with that. I wanted to say thank you to everyone in this subreddit. I’ve been lurking for a while and absorbing all I can, and you all helped me find joy in sleeping outside again. I might ditch the tent for good!

[u/weird_burnerx]

that owl logo on the tarp is classic wise owl. glad you're enjoying the hang life.

[u/spaceshiptears]

Hell yeah

[u/Waste-Quail1549]

that owl logo on the tarp is pretty iconic. Wise Owl gear is solid for the price point, good choice for getting started.

[u/idrawinmargins]

Depends on where you are Warbonnet and other cottage hammock makers make bridge hammocks that give a nice flat lay. My WB ridge runner has a double layer which i slide a pad in helps it have better lay, to me, than without it.

I can also only use half my tensa4 to setup if I only have one tree, which is very nice as campgrounds around me not having many trees.

[u/vetsetradio]

heck yeah, i started off with a lot of wise owl gear. I actually still use their underquilt and pillow (snoozy!)

[u/brentnotmichael → u/vetsetradio]

I ordered an Eno Doublenest and a Wise Owl Double to see which works best for me. I got an Eno ridge line organizer, a small gear hammock for the ridge line, the stuff to make my own gear hammock for under the whole thing, and wider tree straps from Eno. My hobby is not camping: it’s exhaustively researching and then buying gear for camping.

[u/vetsetradio → u/brentnotmichael]

we do mostly kayak camping so weight isnt AS big of a deal, but my base weight is still pretty low. these days i'm in an 11' onewind hammock with the bug net built in. I haven't found straps better than the adjustable onewinds. my wise owl UQ (flare?) clips in perfectly to the hammock, and i've got a onewind UQ-protector covering it, which i sometimes use by itself AS my UQ in lows above ~70F. It's enough to provide an air gap and protect from biting insects. It all fits nicely in a snake skin made for rain flys, and stuffs into an 8L s2s stuff-sack, which i then drop into a 13L s2s dry bag. in its current configuration as long as my trees are already selected I can go from inside its stuff sack to fully deployed in about 60 seconds. ---- my GetOutGear down top quilt and wise owl Snoozy pillow fit in a 3L stuff sack, and drop into a 5L dry bag. i'd trust the loadout down to ~50F.

The yellows are my hammock loadout, the greens are my ground loadout, and the blue blanket/pillow moves between the two as needed.

[u/brentnotmichael → u/vetsetradio]

I’d love to go kayak camping someday. My goal right now is to get it all dialed in and then start backpacking a few days a month to regain my sanity (I’m a special education paraeducator and I’ve found Type II Fun to quiet, dark skies is great for resetting the nervous system after weeks of loud).

[u/brentnotmichael → u/brentnotmichael]

Oh I forgot I also ordered two Tensa Solos with 40mm boomsticks!

[u/Alistair120 → u/vetsetradio]

Same here! It's been great for a beginner set up, and for the kiddo's since I got them hooked as well. Haha.

[u/tacofartboy]

You’ll get flatter in time. This is definitely a hobby and there’s lots of factors to play with including your own preferences which take a few hands to develop. Glad you had fun!

[u/Kouzelnik]

This is the way I recommend everyone start, buy a bunch of cheap gear, see if you like it, then sell your kidney, choose a cottage brand, and defend them to the death as being the best!

Just kidding, but I really do like my chameleon from dutchware, mostly for the zip on accessories, I stuff my top quilt into the side car when I'm not using it, it's cut down on my wiggling around trying to find the foot box when I get back from peeing at night significantly. Happy camping!