My most recent Hang Out!

[Davekyn]

Set up 1 by L_Plate_Dave, on Flickr

Took some more weight this time ... but my hiking buddy really liked the fan I set up (12V 120mm PC fan) Works very well!!! 6 hours run time on old ebay AA rechargeable ... or even better yet...tiny solar panel (125mha)

12V Backpacker Fan by L_Plate_Dave, on Flickr

Go to run ... will add some other pics when I get back ... here is a good one just before I head off:

Moonlight Transition by L_Plate_Dave, on Flickr

[Davekyn]

Different angle and light on the hammock. Close to a 5 degree drop in temp off the track. Yet another benefit of going where tense can not.
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Daves Hammock by L_Plate_Dave, on Flickr

FULL SCREEN
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71988794@N ... /lightbox/

[ULWalkingPhil]

That's a great looking campsite. Hammocks certainly do have an advantage where there trees.

[Davekyn]

Thanks Man,
I only ever go where there are trees.

[nq111]

Awesome - that is why we hammock!

I look at steep forested mountain sides now and think - well I can push my way up and if I don't get all the way i can just camp on the side and come back down in the morning. A similar situation with a tent involves the early twilight panic of trying to find half a pad to pitch on (been there, done that ).

Please tell me more about the fan setup - model, weight, price?

I have looked at those little cheap hand held ones but not tried yet. It would make a big difference to the first hour or so of sleep on those killer still humid nights. I normally find after an hour or so my metabolism drops enough to be cool enough (in a hammock anyway) but the first little bit can be horrid.

[Davekyn]

Hi nq111,
sorry I have not been on in a while ... I will make a point of doing a how to some time tomorrow if I can.
with those details.
Later man ... you make good points in your reply!
Peace Out
Dave.
Hopefully back tomorrow.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Is that a warbonnet blackbird hammock?

[Davekyn]

Hi again guys,
About the 12V Backpacking Fan I threw together.

It was after making a solar powered mini water cooler next to my computer, than I figured ... why not take out the fan and rig it up on my Next hammock trip. You know how good they are for ventilation! The Trick is to find a fan with the lowest power consumption yet runs "Fast"! You could try the 80mm variety, but I find them too loud ... and to be honest am pretty impressed with the 120mm fan, that I am using ... no point in changing it now. You can always experiment though.

120mm PC Case FAN
Price Points ... Well I do have some Thermaltake Led 120mm Fans, but they are 4 times louder as well as drain the batteries at twice my more efficient choice. I am lucky that I can pick and choose ... I have been building PC's for eons and have done a bit of charity work, therefore I had a few to choose from. Unfortunately I can't find another like mine otherwise I would send you one! I do have others however I find them Too slow.

SPECIFICALLY my fan is a "12V PC Fan XS1225" I search on it and found it at some weird *&%$#! store, probably overseas; However the closest I have found In Oz is at http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?mai ... s_id=21648
IMO these fans hit the sweet spot on Power consumption and Usefulness. (When looking to buy such fans ... avoid the more powerful ones unless you can hook up a variable resister which then can allow you to adjust the speed and reduce power consumption ... DONT pay 20 dollars ... no need too, unless you got money to burn.

The Batteries & Case
Well ... bit hard to comment really. Mine are just old crappy AA Rechargeable's from China. I am not that impressed with them to be honest. It's best to spend the money in regards to a proper battery pack and one I will be sure to upgrade soon. Having used these quite often now, I get aprox 9 hours fan use, which is quite good imo for what I need. I am using 10 AA's in a 10Xaa Battery Holder which is also bought from eBay ... I love eBay and hardly ever buy local (too bad so sad) ... I may later research the possibility of a 12V lithium Battery pack. Would be good if I could double the capacity to about 6amps at the same weight, although for recharging, I would prefer to have two separate 12V 3amp packs which would be more practical for recharging off a smaller solar panel than the larger ... in fact the type of battery pack and charging options can sway in the type of power storage decided on ... WEIGHT ... well ... I reckon I could beat 12AA's with a standard 3amp lithium pack, however be sure not to end up buying a 5V system ... check to make sure your buying a 12V pack!

Sorry to waffle about the battery part ... I get confused with so much to consider there, however ... My heavy 10XAA holder does serve me well. I actually have another that runs a 12V CAR LED halogen light bulb that I paid about 15 bucks for. It's a good light that only uses only 110 milliamps. It keeps running on high for night after night. I'll throw a few picks of that light I made as well It's just the end of a coke bottle with tinfoil and electrical tape. Work in the rain as well, although battery pack needs to be out of rain.

Hmmm Cables ... I usual just buy those 12V car cables with the female end and plug in male socket... Off eBay ... ... They can weigh a bit for the Ultralight crowed, but is very convenient imo. I will sometime also hook up the alligator cables that come with a 2 BOB Multimeter ... Once again ... off eBay. For some really light cable ... just use the wires that connect the motherboard to the front bezel/cover of a PC case. You will see one connected from my fan to the car cable which in turn I hooked up those alligator clips for easier hook up.

Attaching to the Hammock.
My mates hammock fly (Hex) Hennessy Hammock ... is easy to hook up, His comes with an elastic cord that can run under the fly itself from one point to another, making a ridge line out to the side of hammock. All I do for my diamond shaped standard Henessy fly ... is just use my trekking pole and hoochy cord to mimic his outer ridge line. Re photo's for out ridge line. Then it is just a matter of hoking to the elastic strap that hold the out part of hammock, which runs to the ground. I usually make the tie off point where that line meets the hammock. The other points are on the outer ridge line I described or re picture again.

That's about there is to it. Sorry I can not be more concise. I think the total weight of fan and battery is 395gram ... with the fan being 120grams ... (get light battery pack!) I have no problem with it, as with all my camera gear ... I can carry up to 30kgs on my trips ... although I will drop 10kg if going several kms ... I take me time and have the most awesome chair for such trips...in fact I will review more of my gear if you like ???

Hope some of the info helps ng111

Hi Phillip ... The hammocks pictured are Hennessy Hammocks Delux models 1.6kg and made for guys up to 135kg and 7 foot tall Just what I need for my gut and gear!!! Actually my mate and I only being about 5"7 170ishcm take a few maybe lol ... hmmmmm, could not be happier with this model. To us, it is like a floating tent!!! Heaps of space and we actually get to sleep even flatter again as well as making sleeping on our sides OH SO Blissful. I just naturally plop into a potion when I roll. My mate in the photo above set up to close to a rock, but usually I have my head away from the zip and lay diagonal from there. I find the trick is in how you set up the hammock to find that perfect spot!!!!! ... despite my mates issue with setting up he appears to be in much comfort in there ... He said how well the fan worked and that he had to actually turn it off at 2am.

Will see If I can find picture of that light in action. PS the photo of the two flys coming together in just my iphone and a bad one at that. I intend to do a photo shoot of another setup as if for a show room and or complete review in the near future on all our gear. We me average 20kg in our packs, but we are very much into light gear all the same!



Photo Sucks but it shows the two different tarps:


Very Hot Day ... Set Up to aerate!






If hung higher the light does give of more ambiance ... I believe it only weighs 30grams, but it does go for days on end and actually makes a good hand held light for find your way about in the dark.This is another mate of mine whom is lit up by the gas lamp. I don't have other pictures of this light yet, but will better capture its ability next time around. What make the LED Light perfect, is its weight and 110millamp power consumption per lumens!!!

Camping by L_Plate_Dave, on Flickr

[ULWalkingPhil]

Hi, reason I asked if they where Warbonnet Hammocks is because of the angle you have your lines set at. Usually Hennessy Hammocks are set a lot tighter than a Warbonnet.

I to build computer systems, Doing so for over 10 years now. I agree in regards to 8cm fans being noisy. I chose 12cm fans on all my builds.

[Davekyn]

Whereabouts you Live nq111.
Your welcome to hang out with my mate and I sometime if not too far away. I'm in Toowoomba QLD.
No pressure. I'm 43 and my friend 30 ... we are easy going lads.
As I say, no preasure.

[Davekyn]

Hi Phillip,
I am not aware of one specific way to hang a hammock according to its Brand. How I hang a hammock, is more centered on how I wish to sleep in it, as well as how much wind or rain I intend to let in or out. I did purchase a book from amazon on the subject of hammock camping and in it, I remember something about how many hammock campers tend to hang their hammock to tight. Of course I am no professional ... far from it ... still learning in fact and will always be.

Please do share any tips you have. Generally I will attempt to have an even amount of rope on either side in an attempt to ensure the hammock it centered as much as can be, between the two trees of choice. Once centered I will ensure that my knots are also aligned with each other as I have noticed that if one is to the left on one tree and the other to the right on the other tree, that this can effect the lay of the hammock as well. As for the height on one end Vs the other ... this is effected by choice of trees, elevation and my preferred position at the time I wish to be seated or lay. As stated I generally put my head opposite to the zipper side as I lay across the hammock.

I am yet to experiment and find my best method of sitting. Over all ... I tend to hang a hammock according to who I feel it is best given the circumstances I find myself in. How you hang a hammock definitely effects the way in which you end up laying in it.

If you have links to a proposed correct way to hang a Hennessy hammock, then I am all ears, however once again ... I never subscribe to only one way of doing something. It usually takes me 10 goes to get something right. ... I'm a bit eccentric like that ... I guess and very much a non conformist when it comes to a "certain way" of ding things. (forgive me ... not amusing you meant that ... just me reading into what you said.

Have you got some picks Phillip ... would like to see yous.

[nq111]

[quote="Davekyn"]Whereabouts you Live nq111.
Your welcome to hang out with my mate and I sometime if not too far away. I'm in Toowoomba QLD.
/quote]

Thanks Davekyn,

Would love to take you up on the offer but i am in North Queensland (Melbourne is closer to you! ). I do get to SEQ at times (Mt Barney is one of my favourite places in the world) so will keep in mind.

About 400g for the fan and battery is a tad heavy. Though I guess it is only about half an hour's drinking water supply . And other than water the tropical pack tends to be pretty light. Definitely food for thought.

[nq111]

If you have links to a proposed correct way to hang a Hennessy hammock, then I am all ears, however once again ... I never subscribe to only one way of doing something. It usually takes me 10 goes to get something right. ... I'm a bit eccentric like that ... I guess and very much a non conformist when it comes to a "certain way" of ding things. (forgive me ... not amusing you meant that ... just me reading into what you said.

No right or wrong really - just what works for you.

Though with the structural ridgeline you should be able to play to get the perfect sag for you and then nail it every hang by setting up just tight enough to have the ridgeline taught. A continuous ridgeline (like a whoopie sling) would be the most flexible to dial in that specific sag.

[Davekyn]

Yea Yea ... all good ... Thanks for the tip as well, I need to re read that one a few times as I am absolutely entirely wasted from the trip in which I returned. That creek bed I think pictured in the above there ... well that's we were set up yet again. I r5ained and man did we have to relocate in a moments notice ... had to leave camp earlier than expected as well. Here is the low down on that trip ... but first I cam up with an even better fan idea:

New fan idea ... well show pic later but you may already know of it. USB mini fan attached to a flexible aluminum tube like most usb movable LED lights. Weighs like nothing and plugs into my lithium 16amp 5volt power pack. Weight problem sovled and also hangs nicely overhead inside hammock.

Report on last trip:

Well that trip felt rather taxing this time around. I think I started out too hard and had a pack with more than I needed. Every time I stopped required a huge effort in unloading all my gear as well as putting it back on to move again. All that Xmas food I had eaten, combined with this now sudden burst of energy had me feeling rather gaseous leading me to unload and reload my gear more times than I cared to. The only extra I needed; was the toilet paper.

The dry food I prepared before leaving, impressed the others that came along. Typically much better than some home cooked meals and the average throw together jobs that most people retrieve from their freezers. Cooking around the little pot and adding all the bits of dry food was rather enjoyable as the others would keeping repeating, :is it ready yet!" When it comes to re hydration ... time and patients are key. Then the feast began!

During the set up phase it suddenly began to rain. Just moments earlier we were wishing it to do so, thinking we needed a good down pour to test our hammocks. It was then we ate our words, rather shocked and stunned watching the gush of water making its way down the steep creek. This was the spot in which we had so many times set up before. We had just finished putting up the last tarp and our gear was sprawled about the place in no particular order with one of us having just nestled into hammock.

Ben tried to bounce out of his hammock, but he was as sore as I. None the less we did the mad scramble that was required, and saved our gear with the hammocks coming down in just the nick of time. Still raining we has some how managed to relocate on the other side of hill somewhat in a less risky position. We were all totally shattered after such a huge effort. There was barely a flat spot in which to stand ... although when not as stressed and time for thought, you could find those spots that gave relief before moving onto the next potion sort.

I find camping in such spots with the hammock not only rather physically challenging, but also brings a whole new dimension in which to move about. One in which I would rather be a smaller and more nimble creature. Instead we big spoiled creatures, were cramping up with calf muscles suffering the most. I ended up cook, not just because I had all the dried food, but because I seized up whilst squatting over pot ... asking for others to pass what was needed. I think each one of us has had to will their very next step. LOL

To rub things in ... it never rained again! ... We had to push on earlier than expected as the next day had a drive by with us being spotted. Although we looked well covered and had been responsible hikers ... we cared not for the lecture, so packed up in much the same manner as we did earlier on.

It was simply too much in too shorter a time. The only thing I really enjoyed was the result of my prepped and cook food and the time I spent in my hammock. I barley made it back up the hills. Today as I unpack, I will be chucking aside all the gear best left for car camping and going down to the minimal in which I can still sit and enjoy. From now on I am done with 20kg packs.

I have even left my camera gear at home this time ...

Although I am sore as! We all had a huge laugh through the unfolding scenes ... and I know my hiking buddy will now appreciate the thought of at least going lighter, on the camps to come.

[nq111]

I understand that sort of rain. The stuff that stepping from under your tarp to your mate's five metres away will have you soaked to the bone.

How much were you carrying (20kg?). Sounds like it was hot when you were hiking? Could have contributed to the fatigue?

Please post more on the new fan set up - particularly weight. I will try something like this in the future - but need to research more.

[Davekyn]

Sorry It's been a while nq111 ... and a bit tired at the moment LOL ... I will send new pics ASAP ... I managed to get my pack weight down to 15kg for a two nighter.
Yea ... I would like to carry more than I can, however I am very much overweight these days and now have now choice but to go lighter.
Back later ... ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz