3 June 2009
Gear Guy’s Sleeping System
Posted by admin under: Equipment .
Under the “Stuff We Like” heading, Boys’ Life’s Gear Guy lists the nice, new-fashioned hammock as a preferred item.
I have to tell you about my new favorite camping tent that’s not actually a tent. I just returned from a weeklong kayaking trip in Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin. It’s the largest swamp in North America — a really wild place with tons of huge cypress trees and water everywhere, but not much dryland for camping. There are plenty of alligators there too, so I was extra keen to get up off the ground at night. My best option for camping was a hammock. I chose the Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO) OneLink Hammock Shelter System ($200; www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com).
Basically it’s a hammock with a slip-on bug net and tarp to keep the rain and dew off while you sleep. The hammock is super easy to set up. Just find two trees about eight feet apart and slip a SlapStrap on each. No need to tie fancy knots. The straps have built in webbing loops so you simply snap each of the hammock’s carabiner clips in place at the preferred height and you’re ready to go. The tarp is easy to attach as well so after a couple nights I was able to pitch the whole thing in less than five minutes. Weighing in at just 4 pounds 4 ounces, the ENO is also lightweight enough for backpacking and you can even chose one pre-treated with InsectShield bug repellant for $10 bucks extra.
Well, $200 is too pricey for me and here in California trees close enough together to string a hammock are not as common as one would prefer so I think I’ll stick to my common small tent, but you can take Gear Guy’s advice if you’re feeling soggy or hard-put to find some flat ground for a sleeping spot.
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4 Comments so far...
Will Says:
3 June 2009 at 8:41 pm.
I know that $200.00 is more than most want to spend but it is still less than a good tent. I have just the hammock, straps, and rain fly and I completely love it! ENO is by far the best hammock ever 
Scoutsigns Says:
4 June 2009 at 8:46 am.
My son has one and I love the idea, but don’t like all the thin lines to tie the rain-fly down–and the rain-fly always seems to be the same length as the hammock. I probably need to work with it, and am considering my own. 2-man size weighs only a couple more ounces, yet will support 400 pounds (enough for an large adult and all his gear).
Danny Says:
4 June 2009 at 10:26 am.
I’ve been using ENO products for almost 5 years and they are by far my favorite pieces of camping gear. I ended up buying an extra hammock and Slap Strap Pros to leave in the trunk of my car. It’s nice to be able to pull over and relax whenever I pass a beautiful spot….I guess it also helps that I live in the beautiful blue ridge mountains!
DMS Says:
29 July 2010 at 2:23 pm.
My tent broke about 2 years ago and i decided to try this hammock setup. it is far more comfortable to sleep in then a tent and also is a quick setup to relax on the trail. I do lots of hiking and i’ll never use a tent again.
