Reviews > Shelters > Hammocks > Lawson Blue Ridge Camping Hammock > Thomas Vickers > Long Term Report

Lawson Blue Ridge Camping Hammock Long Term Report

October 17, 2006

Tester Background:
I grew up in the piney woods of southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip into the mosquito-infested woods behind the house. My style has evolved and over the last 4 or 5 years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach to hiking gear (I still use sleeping bags and tents, just lighter versions). While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I feel that I am more of a mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while carrying the lightest load possible.

Hammocks are cool:
I was finally happy to see my part of the world cool off a bit. This meant that I got to spend 7 more nights in this hammock in what I consider more favorable conditions. The best part was when I remembered that when the temperatures drop, so does my comfort in a hammock. At around 70 F (21 C) I begin to get cool spots where my body hits the bottom of the hammock (shoulders, butt, elbows, heels).  As the temperatures drop below 70 F (21 C) it begins to get down right chilly for me in the Lawson Blue Ridge Camping Hammock.

To combat this after my first sub 70 F (21 C) night, I decided to pull out my RidgeRest Deluxe sleeping pad.  I have never been able to successfully use a sleeping pad in any other hammock, but I was still going to give this one a shot.   I was very happy that I could not only fit the full length RidgeRest Deluxe  into the hammock, but I was able to get in after it and get on the pad without much effort.  Best of all, I could sleep all night on the RidgeRest Deluxe and not have it slip out of the way or bunch up in any way.  I was really happy about this.  The flat bottom of this hammock makes it perfect for slapping a sleeping pad down and having a nice warm night.

Tent or Hammock:
For my last night out I went ahead and pitched the hammock on the ground as a tent.   It has long appeared to me that this hammock was designed more as a tent that hangs, and I was not disappointed. It took eight stakes to get the hammock body staked out, but I didn't attach the fly.  One warning though. The patches of hook and loop fastener on the bottom of the hammock become debris magnets if a ground cloth isn't used. I didn't use one.

Other Notes:
On the good side, I like the way the fly fits once it is attached to the hammock. I especially like the hook and loop fastener squares that allow the fly to wrap under the hammock and connect to it, creating a nice snug cocoon.  If the fly wasn’t so hard to install, it would probably be my favorite part of the hammock.  It doesn’t flap in the breeze and it really appears to make the hammock weather proof.  While I like the snug fit of the fly, I don’t like the fact that there is no way to install it over the hammock without the snug fit. I worked on the idea a bit, but I never could find a way to raise the fly up over the hammock so that it provided rain coverage, but allowed the breeze to blow through.

Packing:
1. How small does the Blue Ridge Camping Hammock stuff?
24 x 8 x 6 in (61 x 20 x 15 cm)

2. How easy is it to pack the hammock without using the stuff sack?
It is not easy. The spreader bars are a huge concern for me.  I always worried that they would poke holes in my pack, so I never carried it except stuffed in the stuff sack, which was attached to the outside of my pack. 

Usage:
1. How easy is it to hang the hammock?
Difficult. The ropes stretch and make finding the correct height for hanging quite an experimental process.

2. How long does it take to hang it? To take it down?
It took me at least ten minutes to hang this hammock correctly, even when I was fairly proficient at it. Getting the fly installed correctly always took even more time. Taking down is another story. It came down within seconds if I had my knots tied correctly.

3. Is everything needed to 'hang' the hammock included?
No. To hang the hammock, I had to provide my own rope and webbing straps.  This was a bit of a disappointment because I prefer to purchase gear that is "ready to go" straight out of the box.

4. How effective is it at keeping the bugs out?
I never had any bug issues. They didn't get in through the netting and I didn't suffer any bites through the bottom fabric of the hammock.

5. Does it ventilate well? Texas is hot and humid in the summer.
With the fly off, YES. It ventilates wonderfully.  With the fly on, it became a sauna during the day. It was bearable at night, but I really preferred sleeping without  the fly on the hammock.

6. Are there any gear storage areas inside the hammock?
Yes. There are pockets on the inside. They are roomy, but I would have preferred a ridgeline or some other manner of "hanging" gear so that I wasn't' digging through mesh pockets to find what I needed.

7. How difficult is it to pitch the Blue Ridge Camping Hammock as a tent?
Not too hard. It took a bit of imagination, but I got it done. I also learned that a ground cloth is needed because the patches of hook and loop fastener on the bottom of the hammock tend to gather ground debris.

8. How many stakes does it require to pitch on the ground?  Any other special accessories needed to make this hammock a tent?
All I needed was 8 stakes and some imagination.

9. How difficult/easy is it to get in and out of this hammock?
It wasn't too difficult to get into, except with the fly installed. The fly didn't pull out of the way very well, so getting in with it in place led to some squirming on occasion.  Getting out was easier, but it was still a squeeze with the fly installed.

10. Is there a minimum and maximum distance that the two trees must be apart for proper hanging of the Blue Ridge Camping Hammock?
I hung the hammock from trees that varied in their separation. The distances ranged from 13 ft (4 m) to 18 ft (5.5 m) and several distances in between. The only real limitaton is the length of the rope/webbing used to hang the hammock.   Since neither are included with the hammock, it is up to the user to set the limits on the tree separation distance.


Durability:
1. How well will this hammock hold up to the Texas summertime? There is rain, heat, humidity, and sunshine to deal with, as well as a clumsy tester.
Pretty well. I have not torn or ripped anything yet and I tend to be rough on gear.   It stood up to the elements fairly well too.  I have not seen any fading or staining on the fly or other areas of the hammock which were exposed to the sunlight on a regular basis.

2. Is it constructed well enough to remain durable despite heavy usage?
I considered my usage pretty heavy and I have no durability issues.  There were some rather large stitching holes in the fabric to begin with, but they have not widened or torn during the test period.

3. Will it leak at any point? How well does the fly keep me dry?
I have only had one night in the rain.  It kept  me dry, but the shockcord that supports the hoops/fly sagged under the water weight and created other issues. As the water built up on the outside of the fly, the wieght caused the shockcord that supported the hoops to stretch. This meant that a large depression formed in the center of the hammock and this depression had to be cleared of water regularly.   It could be done from inside the hammock, but that meant along sleepless night. Replacing the shockcord with a line that will hold tension would solve this problem.

4. How well do the zippers on the door work? Will they hold up to heavy use?
The zipper on the door has held up well. I have not had issues with snagging or sticking.

5. How well do the spreader bars hold up? Will they bend or break under constant usage?
The spreader bars have always been a worry for me, but they have never shown any signs of wear or breakage.  They held up just fine to what ever I dished out.

6. How durable are the hoop poles?
All tent poles look fragile to me and the poles on the Lawson Blue Ridge Hammock were no exception. The good news is that while they look fragile, they have held up to my usage pretty well. They are well curved at this point, but this is due to usage, not a sign of wear or damage.

Final Thoughts:
For a summer hammock I was not impressed with the Lawson Blue Ridge Camping Hammock.   It was too warm with the fly on and it was a bit tricky to get in and out of at times.   When the weather finally cooled off, I began to like the Lawson Blue Ridge Camping Hammock much better.  Its design allows me to use a sleeping pad easily and this makes it a good shelter for me during the cooler months.  The way that the fly holds in heat (see my field test report) also makes it a good shelter for me in the cooler months of the year. 

Things I like:
1. Roomy inside
2. Comfortable
3. Allows me to use a sleeping pad in cool weather

Things I don't like:
1. Hoop poles are held upright by shockcord
2. Ropes on spreader bars stretch too much and make hanging the hammock difficult
3. The fly is difficult to install properly

Reviews > Shelters > Hammocks > Lawson Blue Ridge Camping Hammock > Thomas Vickers > Long Term Report