Hi!
Making this film was a bit of a creative experiment.
We were exploring our new Vlog format, and let's just say some of those experiments were watched more than others.
That's OK, we learned a lot making it.
And in a round about way it opened the door to one of my most memorable adventures this year.
In that creative little coffee film I mention the fact that I had never hammock camped.
Whilst there are many, MANY trees here in the UK, camping is most often enjoyed in a campsite of some description, on flat, cut grass. I can't remember the last time I ever saw a hammock swinging in the breeze at a campsite, it's just not the done thing.
In wilder lands, it looks like hammock camping is all part of the adventure.
But what's it actually like?
Would it be restrictive to know you had to find two trees the right distance apart to sleep?
Would I get sea sick from the swaying?
Would it be warm enough?
Would it destroy my dodgy back?
We've worked with film maker and adventure rider Arvīds Barānovs for a couple of years, I enjoyed watching him and Martin's use their hammocks in the films they made in Africa. There's something about stringing your sleep system up between two trees that feels somehow more part of the environment, not to mention quicker and easier than pitching tent.
So when Jim and I were planning our adventure trip to Montenegro in May, Arvids kindly connected us with the guys behind Modern Ranger Hammocks in Latvia.
It turns out those guys are SERIOUS about their hammock camping. Like sub-zero-covered-in-snow serious.
So as we set off on our two little hired CRF250L's, heading for the mountains of Montenegro without a solid plan, we were totally committed. If we were going to sleep out in the wild, it would be in the hammocks stashed away in our packs. I had the Arctic set and Jim had the Three Season set.
No tents.
No other option.
What followed was a week of adventure, gear testing, big mountain views, riding a little out of our comfort zone, and of course hunting for the perfect hammock swinging trees.
Here's what we learned...
1: Sleeping in a hammock is FAR more comfortable than on the floor in a tent.
OK, that's subjective, and it took a few nights to get used to it, but I found the experience of being supported in the air rather than on the ground surprisingly comfortable.
It also meant that we were not looking for perfectly flat ground.
2: Sleep diagonally.
This prevents the hammock from taking on a banana shape. You can actually get quite flat when sleeping on the diagonal.
3: Your hammock admin needs to be on point.
When I sleep in a tent I can just dump my clothes, cameras, GPS, power banks etc next to where I lie down. This approach is a disaster in a hammock. You need to be far more organised. I used carabiner clips to hang my clothes under the tarp.
4: Don't hang off young bendy trees.
This was learned the hard way. You need 2 mature, stiff trees that won't budge when you pull your lines tight and add your body weight to the hammock.
5: Needing trees can be a pain, but it also creates opportunities
I admit, there were many more places we could have pitched a tent, and as the day was ending it was a bit of a pain to have to keep looking. But... the fruits of that effort meant we rode to and experienced places that we would not have found if we hadn't been forced to. It was worth the effort.
The Montenegro trip was a little bit special, there's an adventure film in the edit right now that I can't wait to share with you.
I've not used my tent at all this year, that hammock is my new best friend. I really do love it.
As this season starts to wind down and the days start to get shorter, it's time to make the most of the late summer adventure vibes.
If you've ever wondered what it's like to wake up suspended between two trees, my advice would be to give it a go.
And if you are already a hammock pro, let me know some of your tips.
🌲😴🌲
Greg Villalobos
P.S. If you've been thinking about making the most of our Light Is Right Sale there's a few sizes of Singletrack Pant and Gravel Suit still available in select sizes. Check stock and save 25% here.
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