Backpacking Hammocks and Other Questions
I get questions about backpacking hammocks and other things
in my email regularly. Here are some of the latest questions,
along with my answers.
Q: What do you think about hammocks for backpacking?
A: I have never tried camping with a hammock. I like the idea,
although most that I have seen are a bit heavy.
Q: What about shaving the ultralight way? Razors are quite
heavy, plus there are accessories, and then you have to buy new
razors. Is there another way?
A: I don't take long trips anymore, so I just don't shave
- an easy solution. A disposable razor only weighs about an ounce,
and might be good for a few shaves. Skip accessories and just
shave carefully using whatever soap you have (or the gel from
an agave or aloe plant if you're backpacking in the southwest).
For long-trail trips lasting weeks or months, I guess I would
bring a couple disposables and just not shave too often - or
just grow a beard.
Q: My tent is about 5.5 lbs on a crummy bathroom scale.
I can remove the sack and rain fly and re-weigh, but I'm thinking
a bivy sack that will handle a storm. What do you think?
A: I have slept in a bivy sack when it rained all night, and
it worked out fine, so it will probably work. In a wet environment
you might get damp from condensation, but you'll dry out when
you hike and you can turn the bivy inside-out during a break
to dry if necessary. One problem with a bivy though is using
it in hot buggy weather. In that case, you might prefer a screen-tent
(I have a Go-Lite Nest that weighs 17 ounces) under a lightweight
tarp (mine is 7-feet by 9-feet and weighs just 16 ounces with
all the strings). Hope that helps.
Q: How can you rely on temperature ratings on sleeping
bags, since they each use their own system for rating and we
each have different metabolisms and sleeping styles? Also, it
seems that there is a lot of hype in manufacturer's ratings.
A: You can't rely on the ratings and it is a matter of self-experimentation
to some extent. I know what you mean about the hype and I hope
there will eventually be more standard way to rate. For example,
a 200 pound human-shaped bag of water heated to a set temperature
and measured for falling temperature in each bag tested would
provide a more objective standard.
We do each have our own metabolism, but with standardized
ratings if you normally need a bag rated ten degrees lower than
the temperatures you expect to camp in, you could count on it
being the same with the next bag you buy.
Notes:
There is a review of a backpacking hammock on the following
page: Hammock Camping
If you have any questions, send them along and I will answer
as well as use them for a future page. My email address can be
found on the contact page.
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