Camping??

[Salty Cracker]

So since I live literally where hundreds of thousands of people every year visit to go camping, I decided to get into it. I've never liked camping because I don't like bugs and sleeping on the ground.

So I hear about the hammock style tent systems, do a fair bit of research, and ordered a Haven bed. Came in about 4 days from the US which was kind of incredible considering where I live. You just sling it between two trees and you're set. The suspension is above the hammock, so you don't spin out of it, and it has a flat sleeping system, so you aren't bent like a banana. I got it today and set it up just on the back deck. Since I back onto 250,000+++ acres of wilderness, I can literally just pack up the UTV and disappear. I also ordered a zinbivy bed system and the thermal cover for the tent, supposedly the system is good to -20C if it's all buttoned down, which is kind of crazy.

If I find I really like winter camping, I may also get a snowmobile, as the side by side is pretty good in winter, but I wouldn't want to test it on a mountain in mid winter.

Anyone else into camping? Past present or future? Any tips? I picked up a power station so I can have tunes and keep the lights charged and whatnot. At some point I'll branch out into hunting trips, make it worth the time and effort with some delicious mobile food. i was never a huge fan of deer meat until I tried deer jerkey done right. We also have elk and moose wandering around. I've had moose but not elk.

The way I see it, if I have tunes, booze and probably a steam deck out in the wild, I'll be in absolute heaven. Since this is predator central nobody bats an eye at people carrying shotguns out here, so I'll be armed. I figure if I do that for a while and never see a sasquatch then there simply aren't any.

 

[Shooter000]

I ordered one, lmfao

 

[Salty Cracker]

Dude, they are SO COMFORTABLE. Now I did order the XL-Safari one, reviews said the regular one would be a bit snug, and I think they are right. Still comfy, but with the storm flaps down I could see it being a little claustrophobic. If you got the regular size, drop them a line and see if they will switch it to the XL, it's only $30 or so more I think?

I got the Safari with the insulated liner and the lined pad. Oh and the little pump they sell is awesome, filled the pad wirelessly in about 2 minutes, saves your lungs a bit. I also grabbed the rope light, the reviews were really good on how much abuse it can take. It's dimmable which is great for inside the tent, and it's plenty bright outside. I'm waiting on a zenbivy sleeping bag, they are much slower at shipping, otherwise I might just pick up tonight and do an overnighter. The weather here is perfect, about 10deg overnight, great for sleeping, but not without a good sleeping bag.

I do need to pick up some poles for propping out the rain flap, and a few extra cheap carabiners, but as for comfort 10/10. The nice thing is when you get in or out, it doesn't just dump you on the ground. I've had hammocks before and never cared for them. They have a video of them putting 2000+ pounds into one of these, and it doesn't fail. I think the carabiner failed not the tent. So it feels all flimsy, but it's not. I'm just waiting on the sleeping bag and I think I'll take off for an overnighter, REALLY looking forward to it, and I never ever ever liked camping before. Of course last time I went camping air mattresses weren't a thing, so all my memories are always finding a rock in my spine at 2am or a bit of tent getting saturated and soaking my sleeping bag. I'm assuming in the interim 30+ years they have improved waterproofing methods

 

[Luke.]

They look like tree coffins lol, all jokes aside very neat! How is it getting in and out? I assume it’s hung sturdy

 

[Salty Cracker]

They look like tree coffins lol, all jokes aside very neat! How is it getting in and out? I assume it’s hung sturdy

It does sort of feel like a coffin when it's all buttoned down. That said, if the weather is brutal outside, I think it would improve the imposing claustrophobia quite a bit. Well that, liquor and a steam deck (that's the way I figure it).

It's not bad at all getting in or out. That was my surprise, when you get in, you just swing a bit, and when you get out it just sort of plops you on your feet. I had no idea what to expect, but it's really cool. The mounting system is flexible, There's tree straps and whoopie slings. The straps are easier on the trees, but the slings are much more adjustable. The suspension point is above the hammock, so completely different from a regular hammock, which deposits you on your face even when you don't want out of it.