Just Jeff's Outdoors Page

"Going to the woods is going home, for I suppose we came from the woods originally." ~John Muir

Welcome To The Woods!

I'm passionate about figuring things out, and sharing knowledge. When I started this website in 2005, there was very little info online about hammock camping and not many products on the market, so it was a great time to help figure out the principles that would result in ultralight hammock camping gear, make hammock camping feasible in subzero temps, etc. And what good is knowledge if you don't share it? So...tothewoods.net/HammockCamping was born.

Then I drifted out of the hammock camping community and eventually found a new challenge in ham radio, so I added my Comms pages. A lot of the technical info is already out there (and I'm not an expert in it anyway), so I looked for new ways to put the pieces together, to find options others hadn't presented yet. Things like the Entry-Level Portable Ham Radio Kit, to show folks there's really not a high barrier to entry for this hobby, and it's cheap and easy to put a comms kit in each vehicle in case of emergency. And the Yaesu FT-818ND Manpack for simple comms in the backcountry.

Along the way, I added pages for DIY backpacking gear, backpacking trip reports, Cast Iron Cookware, and Recreational Vehicles (RV).

So that's how it all fits together, for me. I like challenges, and structuring knowledge about them, and sharing what I find...and I like to do that outside.

What's New?

I still like the Condor HF Manpack, but in my search for an organization solution that would accommodate wildlife and landscape photography I found the Hazard 4 Evac photo insert, and bought a second one to hold my ham radio. Now I can keep my base hiking gear in the Plan C daypack and just put in whichever insert I plan to use that day! Everything is already organized and packed in usable condition, so there's no looking around to get ready for the day, and it's much less likely that I'll forget an important part. I'm pretty excited about this one, and I'll have a page up soon detailing my matching photography kit!

Read all about the Hazard 4 Evac Ham Radio MANPACK!

Featured Articles

Ham Radio Emergency Comms Kit
Build Your Inexpensive Kit!


Build a Modular Ham Radio MANPACK
Lots o' Pics!


Hammock Stands for Vehicles
Hang from Your Car or Truck!

Amateur Radio
Ham Radio Emergency Comms Kit for Backpack or Vehicle
Build Your Own Inexpensive Kit!
How I Installed a VHF/UHF Antenna on my Truck with No Drilling
Step-by-Step Instructions!
How I Mounted a Handheld Radio and Phone using RAM Mounts
See the Tutorial!
Installing Baofeng UV-5R Platform Radio in a Jeep Wrangler
Read More!
Mounting a Baofeng UV-25X4 Tri-Band Radio in a Jeep Wrangler
Step-by-Step Instructions!
See All Amateur Radio Posts....
Hammock Camping
Hammock Camping Basics
Never Sleep on Roots or Rocks Again!
Heat Management: Staying Comfortable in Summer and Winter
Stay Warm in the Cold and Wind!
How Do I Hang a Hammock Safely?
Hang Loose--Quickly and Safely
Make Your Own DIY Hammock...It's Easy!
Complete Instructions Here!
(Also see the Structural Ridgeline page.)
Top Six Hammock Stands for Vehicles
(and Then Some!)
Hang from Your Car or Truck!
See All Hammock Camping Posts....
Homemade Hiking Gear
Make Your Own Down Red River Gorge Hammock Underquilt
Full Tutorial with Pics!
Simple Version of Down-Insulated Hammock
Step-by-Step Instructions!
I also made an insulated hammock with Primaloft instead of down.
See the Instructions Here
See All Homemade Hiking Gear Posts....
Recreational Vehicles (RVs)
Stop Losing Heat Through Your Windows With These Two Projects.
Click for Instructions!
Thermal Curtains to Isolate the Cab from Heat or Cold
Step-by-Step Tutorial!
Make Your Sewer Hose Easier to Manage
See the Stinky Slinky Mod!
See All RV/Camper Posts....
Cast Iron Cookware
Restoring Cast Iron in an Electrolysis Tank
See How I Built My Tank
I Built a Display to Hang the Cookware I Use Most
Full Instructions with Pics and Links!
Fried Egg Test (and cornbread) on Completely Unseasoned Cast Iron
Watch the Videos!
See All Cast Iron Cookware Posts....
Miscellaneous
My Hiking Trip Reports
See the Write-Ups and Pics
Gear Lists and Gear Test Reports
Tips and Trick for Hiking and Backpacking With Kids...sure miss when they were Littles! (See the Trip Reports, too!)
See All Cast Iron Cookware Posts....

Single-Serving Cinnamon Packets!

Just found these single-serving cinnamon packets on Amazon that'll be awesome for backpacking! I don't know why it took so long for somebody to think of these...easy-to-pack and carry for oatmeal, coffee, tea, etc. on the trail!


Amazon Link

Amazon Link

Ham Radios


FRS/GMRS Freq Charts

Check out the Amateur Radio page, where I post DIY/MYOG projects like how to make a "tactical" vertical dipole antenna from a tape measure, how I installed a ham radio antenna on my truck, and how to build an entry-level emergency communications (EMCOMM) kit.

There are also some educational articles, like how I passed my FCC licensing exams and what's inside a Baofeng rubber ducky antenna, FRS/GMRS/MURS Frequency Reference Charts, Emergency Communications Card, and more!

Cast Iron Cookware

Bacon Press for Lodge Skillet
Amazon Link

We inherited some cast iron cookware a long time ago, but it needed restoration so we didn't use it for over ten years. I had a lot to learn when I committed to it, so I documented the journey on the Cast Iron page.

I don't do recipes or anything, but I talk about how I restored some old and rusty pieces, how to make the perfect steak on a charcoal chimney with a small cast iron grill, how to build the cast iron display pictured on the left, and more.


Electrolysis Restoration

Cast Iron Display Panel

Brownie Cake!

Have You Seen My RV Pages?
Here at ToTheWoods, we're also fans of Recreational Vehicles (RVs) like the Jayco Greyhawk motorhome we used to own, and the FourWheelCamper pop-up that I plan to put in the back of my Ram 2500 so we can get farther into the backcountry. RVs can be great base camps for a series of 2-3 day backpacking trips.

On my RV pages, I detail some mods I made for better performance and comfort. Check it out if you're so inclined! I'll be updating it when we finally get the FourWheelCamper. Click here to visit ToTheWoods.Net's RV Page!

Top Six Vehicle Mounted Hammock Stands (and then some)
Do you ever wish you had a portable hammock stand that would mount onto your vehicle? On a receiver hitch, on a tire, or on the roof, this option would be convenient for some use-cases. On this page, I review the Top Six Vehicle Mounted Hammock Stands.

DIY Underquilt Instructions!
Do you like making your own camping gear? Hammock Engineer wrote step-by-step instructions with clear images showing how to make your own down underquilt for winter hammocking--the Red River Gorge Underquilt! It'll keep you warm in all kinds of weather and it's light enough to carry on the RRG's strenuous trails.

The Red River Gorge Quilt tutorial is one of the most popular pages on ToTheWoods!

16 January 2019: Site Updates

Made a few updates to the site formatting to make it more friendly to mobile devices.

Also, I added Google and Amazon ads to the site. It was a tough decision, but I've been paying out of pocket for many years and it gets expensive...several thousand dollars now. I'd ask you politely, if you find this webpage useful, please consider turning off your ad blocker (or whitelisting the site) so you can see the ads. Every little bit helps!

Thank you kindly, and I hope to see you on the trail!

12 August 2013: All Six Mods Resign from Hammock Forums

Dear Hammock Forums members,

In October 2006, we started HammockForums.net to create the internet's most useful repository of hammock information on the internet, and to provide a peaceful sanctuary for hammock enthusiasts to discuss our shared interest. Through careful selection of moderators and by paying special attention to creativity, originality and respectful discourse, Hammock Forums grew into a unique community that many members proudly say is the best forum on the internet.

Integrity has always been the foundation of our operations here, and has undergirded that creativity and respectful discourse. This applies to members ensuring they give credit when using others' ideas, vendors (until recently) carefully ensuring they don't steal other vendors' ideas or profit directly from members' ideas without giving credit, and the moderator staff being as transparent as possible in the site's operations.

One key aspect of the site's operations that deserves special scrutiny is the donation procedures. The mod staff historically has proudly proclaimed that we moderate Hammock Forums on a strictly volunteer basis, and that all donations go solely towards site operations or improvement. We do not personally profit from your donations. However, you may notice that we have not been saying this recently.

This is because several months ago, the site's owner withdrew access to HF's financial accounts from all six moderators. Frankly, we have no idea what is happening to thousands of dollars of your donation monies. We have directly asked why the access was removed, and given an ultimatum that without access - not even spending authority, but only access to view - we can no longer moderate this website with the integrity we require. We offered several opportunities to remedy this situation but were rebuffed each time.

Therefore, it is with heavy hearts that all six of HF's moderators - Just Jeff, angrysparrow, NCPatrick, Cannibal, headchange4u, and John Sawyer - are resigning as Hammock Forums' moderators. We stand in agreement that if we cannot keep our word to the members, we will no longer represent their website. Furthermore, if the owner will not keep his word to us, we will not continue enabling him to profit from our efforts and from your donations. For us, integrity is more important than participation in any website.

We're sure Hammock Forums will continue without us and we wish you all the best in the future.

Jeff, Sam, Patrick, Grant, Jason and John

3 August 2010: Added a tutorial on how to mod a Hennessy Explorer to use cinch buckles.

1 August 2010: Finally got around to posting my weeklong trip thru the Smokies National Park (GSMNP). 3-9 June, 7 days and almost 100 miles. One of my favorite trips yet!

16 May 2010: Posted the Trip Report for the Colorado Spring Hang (8-9 May) at the Shafthouse, Goose Creek Trail, Lost Wilderness, CO. It ended up only being three of us but it was still a great trip to a beautiful area!

25 Apr 2010: Added the little Bushbuddy Stuffsack I made, since BPL sent it with a mesh one that wouldn't protect my pack from soot.

21 Apr 2010: Added the Hanging Food Bag that has a squared bottom with webbing on it, so I can hang it upside down and it'll have less chance of my food getting wet when it rains.

11 Apr 2010: Added the vendor list with logos to the bottom of the Hammock Camping front page.

10 Apr 2010: Added the Nov 07 trip to Congaree National Park in South Carolina. I hung two hammocks from the same suspension and both were inside the same Hammock Sock. Worked out well, at least with an 8 y/o! And we got some pics of several tracks that were on the sandy beach next to our campsite. (Link)

9 Apr 2010: Added a trip I did in July last year to Springer Mtn, GA. I used the WBBB, a 9 oz UQ that's 61" long, and the Murmur pack for an 8.2 oz base weight. (Link)

8 Apr 2010: I'm tweaking a few things on the page...trying to update the format, taking out the broken links, etc. Not a lot of content updates yet, just fixing a few things that have been bugging me for a while.

4 Apr 2010: Added the Edison Hammock...a failed attempt at a shaped footbox.

5 Mar 2010: Added the Colorado Winter Hang page. Twelve of us at Burning Bear Campground at just below 0F.

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