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The Ultimate Hang: Hammock Camping Illustrated

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The second edition to the highly-rated book on hammock camping.

What's new: Completely re-written with all-new sections on hammock FAQs and basics for new hangers and an expanded advanced section for veterans, plus a DIY section to get you started making your own hammock gear.

The Ultimate Hang 2 covers everything from suspension systems, hammock stands, staying dry, warm, and bug free, along with setting up hammocks indoors.

Hammocks are one of the most comfortable ways to enjoy the indoors, and make great companions for a long-distance thru-hike, relaxing at a park, a weekend backpacking trip, or an overnight in the woods! Get off the ground and begin enjoying the outdoors.

Updated with hundreds of illustrations, The Ultimate Hang helps you discover the freedom, comfort, and convenience of hammock camping. Learn how to set up and use a hammock to stay dry, warm, and bug free in a Leave No Trace-friendly way.

All the best tips and techniques on hammock camping in one place. Stop searching and start relaxing.

1065 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 29, 2017

234 people are currently reading
78 people want to read

About the author

Derek Hansen

31 books45 followers
Derek was born in London in June 1944 about the same time Hitler thought London was a great place to send his V1 flying bombs.
At the age of four he convinced his parents to emigrate and spent the next sixteen years in Auckland being called a Pommy and a wimp for playing soccer and not rugby.
His first published short story appeared in his grammar school yearbook.
Equipped with a million ideas for novels he approached the leading national newspaper for a traineeship and was told he was too undisciplined; approached publishers and was told he was too young; approached an advertising agency and was welcomed into their embrace – they knew a fast, facile, fashionably glib mind when they saw one.
His talent took him London in the sixties where his quirky style and commercial instincts brought a rapid rise through the ranks to the country’s top advertising agency, accumulating many international awards along the way.
Derek was lured to Australia by the usual inducements – money, sunshine, money, lifestyle, money, etc – and spent the next twenty-five years doing ads and wishing he was writing novels instead.
About the time Bryce Courtenay wrote The Power of One and Peter Carey wrote Bliss, Derek and his partners sold their advertising agency and three years later he was free to pursue his true writing ambitions.
Having spent a lifetime reducing masses of information to less than 100 words or thirty seconds of TV time, working in exactly the opposite direction did not come easy.
An idea for a novel can be written on a folded napkin. What follows takes thousands of tablecloths.
One day over lunch Derek had the bright idea of breaking his novel down into more easily managed bite-sized pieces and so the idea for the Lunch series was born.
Lunch with the Generals became an instant bestseller in Australasia and was sold into Britain, Scandinavia, France and Germany. Lunch with Mussolini followed but it was Sole Survivor that piqued American interest.
Simon and Schuster decided to publish an American edition and Kennedy-Marshall (Sixth Sense, Snow Falling on Cedars) bought the rights to the movie on behalf of Disney in a $US750,000 deal.
Three weeks before the movie was due to go into production, shooting began on Castaway with Tom Hanks. Two movies about a man on an island surrounded by salt water was deemed one too many, and Sole Survivor the movie bit the dust. How typical of Hollywood to choose to make the wrong movie.
Derek has subsequently published a further five novels and three collections of short stories, but nothing quite as quirky or funny as his latest novel, A Man You Can Bank On.
Derek is married, has two grown-up children and lives most of the time in Avalon on Pittwater, and some of the time in Doonan on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Kingfish, salmon, bonito, bream and flathead live just outside his back door and the surf rises a short walk from the front door.
Someone had to have this life and Derek is just so glad that someone is him.

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5 stars
104 (60%)
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58 (33%)
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Profile Image for Suzy.
12 reviews
August 7, 2018
This is THE book for all that is hammock camping! Great for beginners, great reference for experienced folks of all levels.
It’s well written with fun illustrations and easy to follow. If you love hammocks already or are thinking of getting off the ground for the first time, this is the book for you.
Profile Image for Hans-Joachim Schatz.
2 reviews
April 2, 2018
Hehe :-)

Not sure what I enjoyed more - the absolutely solid heaps of competent info regarding all aspects of hanging between multiple objects or the illustrations in-between. A must read for everyone who ever wants to spend time suspended.
Profile Image for Lee Reed.
17 reviews
July 7, 2018
Hammock camping is something that has caught on in the last few decades with an explosion of growth and innovations. Derek Hansen has been right in the middle of it all and shares his prodigious knowledge of the subject in this book. I thought I knew a thing or two, but found Hansen's insights and depth of knowledge compelling. Even Shug Emery calls this the go-to source for hammock camping, and that's as good a recommendation as you can get.
7 reviews9 followers
March 6, 2019
A really thorough guide to a fairly niche concept, entertainingly presented
Profile Image for Denton.
259 reviews
December 30, 2022
This is a niche book for people who want to sleep in hammocks. It's the best book in existence on that topic. If you're interest in hammock camping, this is as essential as any Shug video.

It's not perfect, but it does a damn good job of explaining concepts and making people feel comfortable getting outside. I wish it spent more time on tarps and specifically how to set them up optimally for different wind scenarios (cross winds on top of a ridgeline for example) and the like, but that's a minor critique.

Until you've spent hundreds of nights hammocking in all sorts of conditions, this book will have something new to teach you. And at the very least, it's a great part of the community to support.
Profile Image for Dscotthep.
87 reviews
April 23, 2019
I rated the first edition 5 stars. This edition is vastly superior. I need more stars!
Profile Image for Patrick.
17 reviews4 followers
Read
September 10, 2019
Excellent and very complete discussion of hammock camping. Tips for selection, weight, tying up and more. Really good.
23 reviews
January 4, 2021
Good to read for the fundamentals before choosing your first hammock, as well as a good reference for later development after some experience.
7 reviews
April 6, 2021
Well written guide for hammock camping. Great for beginners and experts. Knocked 1 star for Kindle version--hard to examine the illustrations. Should have purchased paperback version.
Profile Image for Kade.
6 reviews
December 9, 2022
Excellent source of information for a beginner in hammock camping
Profile Image for Daniel.
151 reviews
February 5, 2024
A great basic primer on hammock camping, knots, the options, how to get the ideal setup and everything in between.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews

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