Shoes

It's been almost a month since my last post and thought this one would be good to get going again. 

I mentioned in a previous post that, when hiking, shoes are important. If you don't have the right shoes, you will develop blisters and your feet will ache after your hike. There are several types of shoes out there for different hikes and you can even narrow it down to the brand and model. That would take a very long time, so I will give you something to start out with. 

Climbing

Let's start with climbing since there aren't a big variety of shoes for it. There are basically 2 types of shoes: climbing and approach. Climbing shoes are specially designed fit snug around your feet and give you the ability to feel the rocks. They are also sleek which makes it easy to get your feet in and out of heel jams. The soles and heels are a rubber material that sticks to the rocks as you're climbing. The design of the sole has many contours to benefit climbing, but they also make difficult and uncomfortable to walk in. There are different thicknesses for different level climbers. If you're beginning, you want a stiffer shoe until you build up your strength. Then you can move to a more flexible shoe that allows to feel the rocks better. Climbing shoes come in many styles. The most common are lace up/tie and Velcro. It doesn't really matter which one you get, it's based on what you prefer. With climbing shoes, you don't generally wear socks with them. Since they are supposed to allow you to feel the rocks, you really shouldn't wear socks. 

Because climbing shoes are difficult to walk in, there are approach shoes. These shoes are similar to hiking shoes, but are little lighter and breath better. They are designed to hike up to the crag, then change. Because of this, they aren't as durable as some other shoes out there. Therefore, they arent rugged enough for long hikes. They are intended for moderate terrain and short hikes. 

Some good brands are Mad Rock, Mammut, REI, Tenaya Oasi, and Scarpa. 

Hiking 

Similar to approach shoes are hiking shoes. There are many types of these types on the market. When choosing your hiking shoes, there are a few things to consider. 

1: high tops vs. low tops. I personally prefer high tops because they give good ankle support, especially on steep or rugged terrain. They also provide some insulation when it's chilly. However, low top shoes are much cooler, so they are great for the summer months. Consider the area you are hiking in. Is it mostly hills or wilderness terrain? You probat want high top. Is it mostly flat with established trails? You could get by with low top. 

2: weight. Weight is very important when hiking. It's a general rule that lighter is better. Mine are thicker because they are made to support the ankle. That extra padding makes it heavier. Again, it depends on your terrain. If it's rugged terrain, you want something a little heavier. If it's flat, a lighter shoe will benefit you. That also goes back to high top vs. low top. High tops are heavier than low tops. You also want to consider your weather conditions. If you are hiking in winter, you will want a thicker, insulated boot. 

3: soles. Look at the soles of the shoes you are getting. Regardless of terrain, you want good, thick soles with good traction. The thick soles will last a while and will prevent something going into your foot if you step on something sharp. The good traction and deep tread are great for when it rains and gets slippery and for hiking steep hills. 

4: material. Your material is going to be largely based on climate and weather. I mentioned that when hiking in winter, you want sometime insulated. But you also want the shells to be a little stiff. This gives good ankle support which is really needed in snow. You also want something waterproof to keep your socks from getting wet. 

If hiking in warmer weather, you want a lightweight material. It's also good to get a shoe that has mesh on the sides or top without compromising the ankle support. The mesh will make a huge difference in the hot weather. It wicks the sweat away and allows your feet to breath. It is a good idea though, to spray your shoes with a waterproofing spray, especially if hiking where you may get wet. Also try to get something that has Gore-Tex. This is a waterproof, breathable material and is your best bet for a good shoe. 

Some good brands are Columbia, Keen, GTX, Merrell, and Salomon. 

All-terrain sandals

If you are hiking in dessert climate, you may want to just consider all-terrain sandals. These are rugged sandals that give the same support that hiking shoes do. However, since they are sandals, they allow your feet breath and catch air. In addition, you won't have the sweat build up and fungus and mold from the hot air. They are amazingly comfortable and don't really rub if you have the right size. These are generally made of leather which gives them great durability. They don't have deep treads, but the tread pattern on most of these shoes give great traction. 

Some good brands are Keen and Ecco. 

Aqua socks

All terrain sandals are also great for if you want to walk through creeks. But if you suspect you will be in water a lot and won't do much hiking, get some aqua socks. These are mesh shoes with a rubber/foam sole. They are great for when you're on a boat. They are light weight and hold up to water, however, when you swim with them, they do become heavy. There are no brand I would recommend because the Wal Mart brand is as good as any. 

Boots

It's always good to have ankle support and good shoes for rugged terrain, but if you think your shoes will take a lot of abuse, you may want to consider boots. Boots are naturally more durable than shoes and there's some good ones out there. If hiking in in swamp areas or jungles, the old Vietnam style jungle boots are great. The are flexible and have drain holes towards the bottom for when you get water in them. They also hold out tics and Mosquitos. The major drawback though is the comfort factor. They take a lot of breaking in and still aren't great for long hikes. Make sure to get a size that fits ferfectly and use insoles. 

Speaking of military boots, if you plan to hike a lot in the dessert and want something to support your ankles, the military dessert boots are great. Depending on the brand, they are very comfortable and breath very well. The soles are great on them as well. The suade on the toes and heels are naturally waterproof, but the rest isn't. Same goes for the jungle boots 

If you are just looking for a hiking boot, go back and look at the hiking shoes paragraph because you're essentially looking for the same thing. The only real difference is the durability. Most boots out there are leather and for some reason, some hikers think they are best. Leather will hold up for a long time, but it'svery heavy. Your feet will feel like bricks after a few miles of hiking. The leather does give good ankle support but maybe a little too much. You want to be able to flex your feet a little when hiking and leather prevents that. There are many high top boots that have the same make as hiking shoes and I would recommend those. I recommend, if you want boots, go to the same brands as the hiking shoes. 

Toe shoes

Another great shoe is toes shoe. These are shoes that form fit around your foot and has the individual toes. This gives the barefoot feel and is great for trail running. They aren't real durable so you aren't going to hike long distance with them, most trail runs and day hikes. However, they are rugged and can take abuse. They are also great for climbing. You can go barefoot with them or they also make socks with the individual toes. Most toe shoes are designed with a breathable material and moderately thick rubber sole. They also mostly come with elastic drawstrings to tighten them. When you get toe shoes, you need to make sure they fit perfectly being how they are form fitting. This kind of a drawback, but he real drawback is the fact it doesn't have much support. When running or hiking, you are forced land on your heel and it can damage your ankles, knees, and there have been accounts of damaged Achillies tendon. There's a controversy right now about whether or not these shoes are bad for you, but I like them. 

Some good brands are Vibram, Skeletoes, and Fut Glove. 

Running

Another shoe not many people think of in the "adventuring" category are running shoes. You obviously aren't going to wear them when hiking rough terrain or backpacking. But they are the preferred shoe for trail running. Toe shoes are great for trail running but some people prefer regular running shoes. When trail running, you want something better than a standard running shoe since they will take more abuse than a normal run. Get one with good, thick soles. Most trail running shoes are the same as regular running shoes in the regard that the are a mesh material that allow your feet to breath. 

Some good brands are New Balance, Keen, and Basics. 

Biking

The last shoe I want to cover is biking shoes. There is a wide variety of biking shoes. The 2 main types are just the regular shoes and there's the clip in shoes. The regular shoes are lightweight shoes that make it easier to ride. The clip in shoes have a piece of metal in the bottom that clips into a special pedal, similar to how a ski boot clips into skis. These shoes can come in lace up/tie shoes, buckle, Velcro, drawstring, etc. And like any other adventuring shoe, there are different types for different rides. The main differences are in the climate you're riding in. You can get insulated ones that keep your feet warm, lightweight/breathable ones, sandal style. Like the other types of shoes, if you are riding in warm weather, get ones that breath and maybe with mesh in them. Again, like any other shoes, if you don't get the right size, it can rub on your feet and make your ride miserable. Biking shoes are different from any other in the respect that they aren't mad for walking long distances, they are designed for pedaling. If you are going to ride to somewhere, then hike, take a pair of hiking shoes. You can get covers that go over the shoe so walking doesn't tear up the metal or the cleats. 

Some good brands are Vibram, Pearl, and Sidi. 

Choosing a good shoes is vital to keeping your feet happy. Make sure to get the right shoes for what you are doing. Some good places to get many of the shoes are Moosejaw, PerformanceBike, REI, RunningWarehouse. Comment any other good suggestions for shoes or on looking for shoes. 

Day hike "get away"

I often write posts on packing techniques, camping, and others related to backpacking. However, a majority of people in my area aren't backpackers, but enjoy simple day hikes to get away. I have posted pictures of some of my day hikes, but never really posted on how take one of these trips. 

The joy of a day hike is the lack of planning. You can plan ahead where you're going to go, what you will take, and maybe even construct an itinerary. Or you may decide at the last minute "it's nice out, let's go for a hike". I often store all my stuff in my backpacking pack and if I decide to go for a day hike, I just pull out what I need, throw it in a day pack, and take off. But regardless if it's an hour long hike and all-day hike, make sure some knows where you're going in case of emergency. 

There's no set list of things to take with you. You can simply just take a water bottle or bladder and be happy with that. You may decide to toss in some snacks, maybe some navigation tools. I like to take my hammock so when it's time for a rest or if I find a beautiful spot, I can put it up quickly and just hang out (no pun intended :) ). I like to take a small meal and some snacks. If I bring my hammock, I'll often bring a book so I can read when hanging. And as always, if I'm by myself, I'll bring my iPod to listen to on the hike. If you're hiking with someone, leave it at home. The best part of hiking is the time you can spend with a person. If you decide to take your phone, turn it off! Nothing irritates me more than taking a hike and someone is texting. Smart phones are the biggest distraction and takes the point out of hiking. 

If you are taking some gear along, get a decent backpack. You can use a "school" backpack, but I recommend something a little better with hip straps. The hip straps help to keep all the weight off your shoulders. Osprey, Kelty, Camelback, Black Diamond, and Teton make some great day packs. But if you want to minimize how much you buy for day hike, at least get some good shoes. You want some sturdy hiking shoes. If you don't, you won't enjoy the hike. Some good brands are GTX, Columbia, and Patagonia. I'll do a future post on choosing footwear. You want make sure to wear something comfortable and appropriate to the weather. 

There are many parks out there for hiking. Since this is an Iowa blog by nature, I'll give you some good parks in Iowa to hike at: Yellow River State Forrest, Geode Stare Park, Shimmek State Forrest, Pikes Peak State Park, Wilson Lake, Rodeo Park Fort Madison, Nelson Park, Backbone State Park, Mines of Spain Recreation, Eagle Point Park, Maquoketa State Park, Pictured Rock, Carmack Park, Rathbun, Pleasant Creek, Stars Cave, and Volga River to name a few. 

If you live close by a state or national park. You have an advantage! Start researching your area and see what's available. You may only have a park with a 5 mile trail. Great! If you hurry through, it won't take long to reach the end. However, shorter trails allow you to slow down and simply enjoy the hike without worrying about time. It's nice if you have multiple parks in your area so it doesn't become monotonous. You can chose which park to hike at based on the length and difficulty you're feeling. 

Many parks have picnic areas. It's nice when you can hike for an hour, and stop at a picnic area to eat and enjoy the scenery. Say you're hiking at Geoge. You can park in the parking lot, hike the trails, then come back and eat at a picnic spot. This kind of day hiking is ideal for taking young kids and for family hikes. Many of these places also have fishing opportunities. 

In addition to fishing, you can do many things while hiking; it doesn't have to just be walking the trail. Some people like to bring binoculars and bird watch. If you have kids, you can give them scavenger hunts to find certain leaves, bark, etc. Some people like to bring outdoor guides and identify different plants and trees. If it's the right season, mushroom hunting is popular. Some trails are also set up for biking. When I was younger, I used to practice survival skills such as making shelters, constructing snares, etc. This is a great idea for kids. Some of these places have caves that you can explore. I've always had a thing for confined space and exploring caves. 

The biggest thing you should do in hikes is bring a camera. I take hundreds of pictures while I'm out on the trail. It's fun to look back on old pictures and have the memories of those trips. I recommend keeping a journal as well. I do this on all trips. Pictures are great for reliving memories, but puting a journal in your own words really captures the moment. I can go back 5 years in my journal and remember exactly what I was feeling and every detail of the event. It really is worth while. 

Day hikes can be just as rewarding, if not more, as backpacking. So many opportunities to get out there and enjoy nature and the company of who you're hiking with. Please comment any suggestions you would also have for day hikes. If you would like to inquire about places in your area to hike at, please comment or send us a message via Facebook. 

Camping Essentials pt 2

You have read my last post on what gear you need to start camping. Now you’re ready to find a camping spot. People dream of camping in elaborate and beautiful places. In most cases, though, you have you hike a long ways to get that camping spot. If you are starting out and need the experience, find a state or national park closest to you and go to the campsite. That’s the simplest and easiest way to start out. Most sites are pretty cheap to camp at. You can also just start in your backyard or farm. 

When looking for a site, try to find one that is flat. It may not seem like a significant slope, but when you finally lay down to sleep, you will definitely notice it. If you just can’t avoid a slope, put the head of your sleeping bag uphill. This will help to avoid the feeling of being upside down. You can set up near trees, but as you set up your tent, find a spot that is free of tree roots that will dig into your back. Also, try to clear away sticks and nuts before setting up the tent. If you are hammock camping, you obviously need two trees to set up the hammock. Find trees that are about 10 feet apart. That is ideal for setting up the hammock. 

When you set up your tent, do so upwind of the fire. This will keep the smoke out of the tent. You can also apply this to hammocks. I generally face the door of tent towards the fire. However, if you are expecting wind direction to change, face it away. If you camp in winter, face the door downwind. If you don’t, snow could pile up on the door and when you open it, get a tent full of snow.

All established campsites have fire rings. However, if you’re camping in the backyard or your friend's place out in the country, you need to make one. You can buy fire rings, or you can dig out a hole in the ground and clear out the dead leaves from the area. If they are available, you can put rocks around the fit pit. Don’t build an open fire where it can be seen because some people (including police) don’t really like it. 

If you are at a campsite or in the backyard, you obviously have a restroom nearby. But if you are in the sticks, you need to set one up. I will post later on how to make a latrine, but right now, I will give advice and finding a spot. Make your latrine downhill from your campsite. I have heard a lot of people say how far away it should be from the tents and they all disagreed on how far to go. Just make sure it’s far enough away that you won’t smell it when you’re around the fire. You want to dig a hole about a foot deep if you can. Then you can us sticks, logs, a bucket, what ever you want to use as a toilet. I like to also use orange flagging tape to make where it’s at so it’s easy to find in the dark. 

We have a “leave no trace” policy when hiking which also applies to the latrine. When you are ready to leave camp, you should fill in the hole and put a stick in the ground where it was buried so campers that come there after you will know where your latrine was at. 

When you are at the campsite, you can hang a trash bag on a tree branch. However, when you get ready to sleep, you really need to hang it somewhere higher. In my area, there are raccoons who love trash and bears seem to like it as well. Try to hang it like a bear bag, about 10 feet in a tree if possible. This will save you the trouble of having to pick up all your trash off the ground in the morning. 

If you don’t have a cooler with you or didn’t drive to the campsite, you will want to store your food safely. As a backpacker, I hang it in a bear bag in a tree so the animals don’t get to it. You can do the same thing by putting your food in a medium to small sized bag and hang it about 10 feet in the tree. You can also get bear canisters that seal and keep the smell in and bears out. If you have a cooler, you can just store your food in there without having to worry. Although, if you’re in bear country, make sure it latches so the bear can’t open it and store it away from your camp. If you drove to the campsite, your best bet is to just leave the food in the car. If you keep it in your pack or tent, you have risk of animals and bugs invading you in the night to get the food. 

You should be pretty well set for your first camp. I hope this post has helped and if you have any questions or anything to add, please comment.

 

Camping Essentials

Camping is a fun sport and can be very adventurous. In today’s day and age, camping is mostly done in campers and “rouging it” is now defined as not having an air conditioner. However, I consider camping to actually be out in the sticks without the luxuries of home. 

When you start out camping, it can sometimes be overwhelming as to what to get, where to go, what to bring, etc. If you don’t know what you’re doing, the expenses can add up and you can gain a large gear closet trying to figure out what you need.

So, what do you need to start out? First ask yourself a few questions. What’s the purpose of your camping? Is it to have something to do on the weekend with the family? Are you wanting to start backpacking? Do you want the high adventure and survival? The kind of camping you want to do will determine what you get. Also ask yourself what kind of camping you’re interested in. What are you comfortable sleeping in? If you want to just go out on weekends with the family or if you have never camped before, you may want to consider tent camping. If you are interested in backpacking and spending a lot of time camping, you could consider a hammock. If you want the adventure and survival feel, you could think about tarp camping. Think about what you are comfortable in before buying. If you have a bad back and can’t sleep on the ground, there’s ways to work around it. So just think about it before deciding. 

Now you know what kind of camping you want to pursue. Next comes deciding what to get. I advise sticking with cheaper gear to start out with, then move to better stuff when you decide you like it. If you have camped before and kind of know what you’re doing, you may know a little more about what you want.

If you go with a tent, you have endless options. Tents come in all shapes and sizes for different climates. If you are planning on just having something for casual camping with the family on weekends, you can just run to Wal Mart and get an Ozark Trail or Coleman brand. I recommend staying with those two brands. There’s many others, but some are junk and won’t last. 

If you are planning on backpacking, you want a smaller, lightweight tent. This can start to get pricey. The brands that make lightweight backpacking tents can charge quite a bit. Ozark Trail does make a small, lightweight that is reasonably priced. Big Agnes, Eureka!, and Hilleberg are great brands, but again, you will pay a small fortune for some of these.

When deciding on what size to get, try to stick to a general rule. Tents are rated at their sleeping capacity. However, I recommend getting a tent that holds one more person than you are planning on having. For example, if there’s two of you camping, get a three person tent. This gives you some wiggle room and allows room for gear. 

If you are looking at hammock camping, you may have a fewer options than with tent camping. There aren’t a whole lot of brands that make camping hammocks and the ones that do, don’t make twelve different styles. Hammocks are different from tents in the regard that you don’t have cheaper brands and expensive brands. If you want a comfortable hammock to sleep in, try to stick with ENO, Hennessy, or Hammock Bliss. They are the better hammocks that are comfortable and that will last a while. Most hammocks are customizable so you can essentially get a setup that you want. You can get one brand that you find comfortable, but a tarp from another brand that you like better. You can mix things up to make a custom hammock. 

Tarp camping is a little different. You aren’t sleeping in a well established shelter and away from the elements. Imagine taking a tarp, making a floor, then draping one over a ridgeline. That’s essentially it. You are under a single tarp. That’s why I urge you to not go with that unless you are adventurous like me or like survival type stuff. The upside is price. Tarp camping is the cheapest because all you buy is a tarp, rope, and stakes. You can use a regular utility tarp from a hardware store, to a couple hundred dollar tarp from a good brand. Hilleberg makes great tarps designed for just tarp camping, but they are very expensive. If you want a tarp that’s easy to set up, you can simply buy a hammock tarp. Some good hammock tarps only run $20.

OK. So you have your shelter. What next? You need something to sleep in. You probably already have a sleeping bag, so you’re halfway there! I recommend looking at the temperature rating on your bag. Every time I buy a sleeping bag, I look for a specific temperature rating. Assess what temperature you may be sleeping in, then get a bag that is rated for about 10 degrees colder. This gives you some room there in case it gets colder. Deciding on whether to get a down or synthetic bag is totally up to you. I recommend looking at my previous post (Down vs. Synthetic). Like tents, there are several brands out there that make sleeping bags. If you want a good brand, I would get Big Agnes, Slumberjack, or North Face. There are other good brands out there and Ozark Trail makes some good, cheaper ones as well.

To compliment the sleeping bag, consider a sleeping pad. This is also preference. Some people like sleeping on the ground, other can’t tolerate it. I don’t have a whole lot of experience in these because by time I started to get into them, I went to hammock camping and haven’t used a sleeping pad since. I do know that an air mattress is much better than foam. Foam sleeping pads are great for insulating, but air mattresses are much more comfortable. Again, what kind of camping are doing? If you are with the family, you can get large, queen sized air mattresses. You can also get compact backpacking ones. If you get a backpacking one, decide what style works for you. There are different shapes and sizes and some have different contours than others. If you get Big Agnes, you can match the pad with the sleeping bag and the pad will slide into a slot on the sleeping bag. But again you have to buy all Big Agnes to do that and it gets expensive. 

We now have what we need to sleep, but what next? Well, there’s some essentials for camping, whether you’re camping on the weekend or backpacking. I will only give you what’s essential. There are so many options out there that you can get and other cool gadget. There are some things you can get that, in my opinion, start to add luxuries and take away from the camping experience. 

If you are camping overnight, more than likely you will be cooking. Therefore, you need cooking gear. If you’re getting into backpacking, refer to my previous post “My Gear List for Backpacking”. If you aren’t backpacking, you will probably be cooking over a fire and not with an ultralight camp stove. A lot of people just take hog dogs camping and cook them on the end of a skewer. But if you want to actually cook something, you need some extra stuff. A skillet is a good thing to have. When not backpacking, I like using cast iron. You may also need a cook pot. You can find some smaller ones at Wal Mart that work just fine. Of course, you can’t forget the most important thing: a stainless steel coffee kettle. In addition to all these things, you need something to hold these utensils over the fire. You can get a stainless steel wire grate that goes over the fire. These work great, but I prefer to use cast iron. Don’t forget the essentials such as silverware and other utensils you may need for cooking. Of course, when backpacking, you really condense these down. 

In addition to all you need, there are some things that do make life easier. Flashlights are important for the obvious reasons. You can also add in some camping chairs, lanterns, toilet paper, trash bags, wipes, paper towels, and folding tables. This is not a comprehensive list of what you need, just the essentials. Now that you have what you need, it’s time to find a camping spot. 

(stay tuned for part 2)

Gear Review: ENO hammock and accessories

Spring is coming on fast and everyone is getting back in the groove of weekend camping trips and weeklong backpacking trips!

I previously did a review on the Hennessy scout hammock. But recently I got a new hammock system called the Onelink! 

Eagles Nest Outfitters (aka ENO) makes great hammocks that are a little easier on your bank account and just as fun as a Hennessy. ENO hammocks are different than Hennessy in the sense of their customizability. When you buy an ENO, you buy everything seperately, even the straps. Even though it can be a headache to find everything you want, you can really customize what exactly you want in your system. 

I got what's called a Onelink. This is ENOs only system that is fully put together. It includes the hammock, straps, bug net, tarp, and stakes. I'll talk about each one in this review along with a few other things I added in. 

First off, let's compare size. The Onelink fits into an included durable stuff sack. When all packed up, it's about the size of an average backpacking tent. Compared to the Hennessy Scout, it's a little bigger, however in the picture, I have another tarp in the bag which makes it a little bigger. 

Everything included in the Onelink. 

With the added tarp. 

The Onelink compared to the underquilt. 

A full ENO set. 

So first, let's look at straps. ENO has 2 kinds of straps. The slap straps and atlas straps. The Onelink comes with slap straps, but they accidentally sent atlas straps instead :). I prefer the atlas straps because they are simple and make it easy to adjust tension. When you look at the picture, you can see the atlas straps are much longer than the Hennessy straps, about 9 feet long. They are almost set up like a daisy chain and you clip the harness into the loops to adjust the tension. 

The orange you see is reenforced threads to keep the straps from stretching. They are a little narrower than I expected but they work amazingly well. You could actually use these straps with Hennessy hammocks too and I suggest that if you go with Hennessy, get atlas straps as well. 

When rolled up, both straps fit into a stuff sack a bit smaller than the stake bag. 

Next, let's look at the hammock itself. The hammocks come in a large variety of color so you can get what you like. Unlike Hennessy, ENO does not have snakeskins, but then again this hammock doesn't really need them. The hammock itself is very lightweight and comes in a stuff sack that's just a little bigger than my hand. It's so lightweight that you can drape it over a shoulder to keep it off the ground. 

The stuff sack is actually built-in to the hammock and doubles as a gear pocket to hold snacks, phone, etc. 

Because the hammock is lightweight and thin, it feels weak, but is actually the opposite. At first it may feel like you need to be gentle, but you get used to it. All the hammocks are triple stitched for strength. The single nest and doublenest both hold up to 400 lbs.

The Onelink has the option of 3 different hammocks: pronest, single nest, and doublenest. The pronest is the smallest and lightest so I would recommend it only for children. I have the single nest which is a slim hammock made for smaller adults. It fits me perfectly, but if you're close to 6 feet, get the doublenest. The double nest adds a foot in width and is a little longer. If you're smaller and want a hammock you can wrap around yourself to act as a windbreak, the doublenest is for you.  

It is very comfortable and you can sleep in it about any way you want and you can sit in it sideways as a chair. 

Setting the hammock up is very simple. The hammock has a carabiner on each end. This one came with aluminum carabiners but you can get steel ones. The carabiner just hooks into the loops on the straps. Try to use the same loop on both straps to keep the weight even. If you decide to leave the hammock a little loose, the tension will be more on the sides of the hammock. If you tighten it, the tension will be more in the middle. 

Ok, so now let's look at the Gaurdian bug net. I'm actually happy with how this net sets up. Like the hammock, the bug net has a built-in stuff sack. When it's packed up, it's about the size of the hammock. 

To set it up, just unclip one side of the hammock and run it through the openings at the top of the net. Next to the carabiner on the hammock, there's a knot. Cinch up the net ABOVE the knot as shown below. This helps keep bugs from sneaking in and holds the net in place. 

After securing the ends, along the top there's clips to secure it to the included ridgeline. When I tried to set up the ridgeline, I found it was too short so I ended up using my bear bag line. If you get the net, you may want a new line. 

I've heard people say that the net feels constricting when you're in the hammock, but I do not find this to be the case. If you think it will be a problem for you, get a doublenest hammock. The netting has no-see-um technology to make it a little more invisible when you're inside. You can still see the netting, but not significantly so this helps with the claustrophobic  issue. 

The net has a zipper door on one side so you want to make sure it's on the side you want to get in on. I like to put the door on the side that's the stuff sack is on. 

Now let's look at the tarp. ENO has several tarps and there's many tarps on the market today. Most tarps are interchangeable with other hammocks. 

The Onelink comes with profly, dryfly, or fastfly. Mine came with the profly so I will show you that one. 

I am happy with this tarp. It's a larger tarp and definately keeps out the rain and wind. It's a little bigger than my Big Agnes sleeping pad rolled up. The tarp has a built in ridgeline that secures to the trees your hammock secures to. You want to secure the ridgeline right about the same height as the straps. After securing the ridgeline, the fly has a little device to allow you to tighten it as you want. It also makes it so much easier to center the tarp over the hammock. 

The lines that run to the stakes have the same device, making it easier to tighten the fly. After tightening, make sure to tie a half hitch like in the picture below to keep it from slipping (not that it slips. Just precaution). 

A small note on the lines. All the lines on the tarps and the ridgeline that comes with the net are stiff and feel like good, solid lines. However, after setting up once, I noticed the lines begin to fray and get the little "fuzzies". Simply put, the lines wear easily. So you may want to replace them with something that will last a while such as paracord. 

I also got another tarp seperately that I prefer to use called the house fly. This fly is about the size of a tent and give you almost full coverage. It's great for bad weather and winter. It sets up exactly like the profly but it almost reaches the ground (depending on how high you set it). 

The tarp is also very large so you have ample space inside. 

Like every other tarp, you can flip one side over. So if you want the open air, but also need a windbreak, you can. Or if you're camping and want to relax in the hammock, but don't want to be inside the tarp, you can have it on one side. 

The significant difference between the house fly and other tarps is the ability to close it up like a tent. There are flaps at the end the can be staked down to close the ends!

The lines that go to the stakes also have the same device as the profly. However, the flaps at the end also have buckles so you can unbuckle it to get in. 

If you want to leave the ends open, you can roll them up and and secure them with built-in buckles. 

Another difference between these 2 tarps is the amount of stakes it uses. The profly uses 4, whereas the housefly uses 8. When you get a tarp, it will not come with stakes so you have to get some. The Onelink does come with stakes however.

If you decide to get stakes, don't get ENO stakes. They aren't bad stakes, but they are short and smooth, making them easy to pull out. I have aluminum but they do make titanium that are a little longer. I set this up in moderate wind and the stakes kept pulling out. They also don't have hooks on them, only a small hole to feed the line through. It is only big enough for the lines that come on the tarp, so if you decide to replace the line, it may not fit in the stakes. As always, I recommend MSR groundhog stakes. Since the ENO stakes do come with a nice stake bag, I put all my stakes in there. 

I mentioned in a previous post about my hammock underquilt. I figured I may as well show you that too.  

I have the Vulcan underquilt which is a full length quilt made of nylon. It has primiloft insulation and you can actually get a 4 seasons that has extra primiloft. The cool thing about this quilt is the fact that it is synthetic but compresses like down!

The quilt has elastic cord that runs the whole length of the edges and has about a foot extra at each end. The extra is what clips into the carabiner (as shown in the picture below). Where the cord comes out of the quilt, there's clips to hold the quilt in place and keep it from sliding. You can use these to move the quilt along the hammock to fit how you sleep. You can also use them to cinch up the quilt to make it a torso quilt. These clips are on almost every ENO stuff sack so if one breaks, you can take one off a stuff sack to replace it. 

The quilt fits very well under the single nest. I think it would fit the doublenest but it will probably be a stretch. It really does help keep the hammock itself warm. The ends of the quilt also have elastic cord that can be tightened to keep air from flowing between it and the hammock. Just make sure the ends of the cord are tied well or they will pull out and will cost you 3 hrs of frustration trying to rethread it. 

This underquilt is only a 3 seasons quilt but I have used it in winter and it makes a significant difference. If you are going to camp in winter a lot, I would recommend upgrading to a 4 seasons instead. Overall, a great quilt. 

A little trick I like to do is put a ground cloth under my hammock to put my pack on, then cover the pack and stake it down. Since I have the house fly, I take the ground cloth and spread it out under the hammock and stake it down, making a floor. Then I set my pack on it and out of the way. I don't have to worry about the pack getting wet because the house fly covers it well. If I'm worried about dew, my pack has a rain cover I can pull out. The advantage to this is I now have a floor to stand on before getting in the hammock. I can take my boots off and set them aside, then hop in the hammock. Makes life so much easier! This setup also eliminates the need for a vestibule like tents do because you have ample space and can spread out. I recommend looking into doing this. I just use a small tarp from Wal Mart in the sporting goods section. It's a small, blue, lightweight tarp in a black mesh bag. It's the perfect size for a small tent and is great for the ground cloth in the hammock, not to mention it weighs almost nothing. 

I recommend trying ENO. I used to be biased to Hennessy until I got this. Just goes to show how much is out there and what happens when leave your comfort zone (discover you like something you never thought you would ). It is very comfortable and gives you so many options. I can use any of the flies with my Hennessy as well as the straps. Overall, a comfortable setup. 

Hope this helps in your hammock buying decision. Hang safe and see ya later.