Hammock Camping?

[mtnbkr]

Anyone here do any hammock camping?  I just got my REI dividend, but don't really need any traditional gear.  I was thinking about burning some of it on a decent hammock and using that for warm weather camping, but I haven't used a hammock for any purpose in many years.  Just curious if it's more of a PITA than it's worth or a good alternative to a tent...

I'm considering an ENO DoubleNest and with a tarp hung over a ridgeline and the ENO Atlas Hammock Suspension System.  It would only see camping use 1-2 times and maybe a handful of non-camping uses per year at most, so I don't need a hyper-expensive uber-hammock. (in case anyone had any suggestions...).

I'm going camping in May and will use this (with my 2-person tent in the car as backup).

Chris

[vaskidmark]

Years ago when I was young and foolish (as opposed to now when I am ancient and foolish) I went for a week in the NH woods using a small nylon cargo chute.  By the end of Day #2 I realized that while for pilots forced to eject it might be fun, for serious camping it sucked.  Went into some town with an Army-Navy store and picked up a jungle hammock (sling, canopy, and no-see-um net connecting the two) and went back to the woods.  Quite comfortable after I stopped worrying about black bears using me for a tetherball while I slept.  Late afternoon/all night of Day 4 (out of 6 planned) it rained.  The canopy worked as designed, but the inability to move around (even as little as a tube tent would allow) got old really quick.  Day 5 I moved my tarps so that I could sling the hammock under them and have moving-about room without needing to get wet getting to & from the dry area of the tarps.  I know it sort of negated the purpose of the hammock canopy, but "stuff happens".

Pro tip: 1950s era cargo chute nylonis not all that water resistant, even when folded double to make a triangle tarp.

stay safe.

[charby]

For lounging yes, sleeping my back says no.

how about a bivy sack for sleeping?

[Ron]

My ENO Doublenest comes along on all paddling trips and the occasional backpacking trip. I don't see myself sleeping in it overnight.

Why not look into a Hennessy Hammock? it is purpose built for backpacking/overnight sleeping. You get the rainfly and bug netting all in the package. Personally I'd still use the ENO slapstraps though. They make hanging a hammock fast and simple to adjust.

https://hammockforums.net/forum/content.php

[mtnbkr]

I've done the bivy thing before.  I want something different.

Chris

[charby]

I've done the bivy thing before.  I want something different.

Chris

Tarptent?

[mtnbkr]

My ENO Doublenest comes along on all paddling trips and the occasional backpacking trip. I don't see myself sleeping in it overnight.

Why not look into a Hennessy Hammock? it is purpose built for backpacking/overnight sleeping. You get the rainfly and bug netting all in the package. Personally I'd still use the ENO slapstraps though. They make hanging a hammock fast and simple to adjust.

https://hammockforums.net/forum/content.php

The Hennessy hammocks are more than I want to spend for the use it'll get. 

The ENO Atlas straps are upgraded versions of the slapstraps. 

Chris

[mtnbkr]

Tarptent?

Most of the purpose built tarptents are crazy expensive for what they are.

Chris

[Ron]

I just used slapstraps generically; the Atlas straps are better as they don't stretch as much, esp when wet.

No bug netting?

You already have a tarp?

[mtnbkr]

No bug netting?

No.  Bugs aren't much of an issue most of the time I'm camping.  I figured it was easy enough to add later.  Getting a hammock without an integrated net seemed to be more flexible in use.

You already have a tarp?

I have a generic 10x10 to start with. 

Chris

[charby]

No.  Bugs aren't much of an issue most of the time I'm camping.  I figured it was easy enough to add later.  Getting a hammock without an integrated net seemed to be more flexible in use.

I have a generic 10x10 to start with. 

Chris

Kelty tarps are awesome.

[Tallpine]

I've rigged an 8x10 (10x10 would be better) cheap tarp diagonally with pretty good results - much better than draping it over a rope between two trees.

One corner tied up towards a tree and the other three corners and two sides pegged down to the ground.  Not bad headroom and will turn a pretty good storm as long as the high corner is downwind.

Of course you're still sleeping on the ground but after all it is called "camping" 

[cordex]

Literally just got back from hammock camping, actually.

Mine is an inexpensive Yukon Outfitters with bug net. I put a MMSS (bivy, black bag and green bag) in it and was pretty comfortable - if a tad cold underneath at times. I will be getting a short piece of camping mat to go under - compressing that insulation and then adding in wind gets cool at times. No tarp needed really - but having something to step on is nice.

Both times I used this setup so far this year was sub-freezing with wind and with proper clothing I slept well despite being a cold sleeper.  My two year old daughter slept on my chest once and stayed warm enough to sweat lightly.

For summer camping I would either use a tarp and light bag or the bivy and light bag.

As for comfort of the hammock itself, for me it was much better than the dirt. Short of an air mattress I think it is one of the most comfortable outdoor bed options, but that may vary from person to person.

[charby]

These are awesome tarps

http://www.rei.com/product/808940/?cm_mmc=cse_PLA-_-pla-_-product-_-8089400017&kelty-noahs-tarp-12-x-12,-cool-gray&preferredSku=8089400017&mr:trackingCode=A712BC65-132B-E011-8E88-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=46925402200&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=61471045840&{copy:s_kwcid}&msid=unsreek6_dc|pcrid|46925402200|

[mtnbkr]

Hammock and straps are in.  Thanks to having an unfinished basement, I was able to set it up indoors by hanging it from the rafters.  The Atlas straps do make this  a super simple job.  I think this is going to be fun.

Chris

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

I tried a hammock but couldn't make it work.  I always woke up in the middle of the night with a sore back.  The hammock aficionados insist that you can get a hammock flat and comfortable and sleep any way you want, but I just couldn't figure it out.  Sent the hammock back.

It's a real shame, because sleeping off the ground would have some serious advantages.  I really wanted the hammock to work. 

[Tallpine]

I tried a hammock but couldn't make it work.  I always woke up in the middle of the night with a sore back.  The hammock aficionados insist that you can get a hammock flat and comfortable and sleep any way you want, but I just couldn't figure it out.  Sent the hammock back.

It's a real shame, because sleeping off the ground would have some serious advantages.  I really wanted the hammock to work. 

Yeah, I can't imagine how it would be comforable for sleeping, but it might be handy for just hanging around your campsite. 

[mtnbkr]

I spent the weekend camping and using the hammock and a tarp instead of a tent.

I couldn't have slept better.  The only reason I got out of "bed" this morning was to pee.  I went to bed last night at 10pm, woke up with sunrise around 6:30, and lounged around in my sleeping bag until the call of nature forced me out around 7:30.

We had storms each afternoon this weekend, yet my stuff stayed dry with the tarp arrangement I used (draped as a "wall" on one side and straight out like an overhang on the other). 

The only reason I won't be using this at deer camp is because I normally use a large tent and kerosene heater with temps dropping well below freezing at night.

Chris

[mtnbkr]

I went camping in the National Forest last Friday night and stayed in the hammock again.  This time, I brought a new tarp, a Kelty Noah's Tarp 12.



Chris

[T.O.M.]

You know Chris, I look at your camp set-up, and think about all of the crap I haul with me every time I go camping... tent, groundcloth, pack, sleeping bag, pad...  I love the simplicity of your camping compared to mine.  It's too bad I just can't get myself to fall asleep in a hammock.

[mtnbkr]

You know Chris, I look at your camp set-up, and think about all of the crap I haul with me every time I go camping... tent, groundcloth, pack, sleeping bag, pad...  I love the simplicity of your camping compared to mine.  It's too bad I just can't get myself to fall asleep in a hammock.

The picture might be a bit misleading to the overall camp load-out.  My sleeping bag is inside the hammock.  I had a chair and a small cooler of perishable food by the fire pit.  While I could have cooked everything I brought with the backpacking stove in the pack, my camp-mates did bring a small table, a camp kitchen, and other bits that made the meal prep easier (we were car camping and the trip was mainly for hunting and hunting prep).

Everything but the sleeping bag, chair, and cooler was in the pack though. 

This will be the last hammock trip until Spring.  The next trip is my yearly deer hunting trip and the temps will be too low to sleep like that.  I'll be in a wall tent with a kerosene heater or wood stove and a cot. :D

Chris

[Jocassee]

For those considering hammock camping:

Last spring I went camping with three people who all have harder asses than I do. Two of them used hammocks, and found that with down bags, they became uncomfortable because the bags got too compressed against the wall of the hammock. Temps were in the low 50s.

For the record I brought two pieces of the Army sleep system and slept like a baby the whole time.

There were no rain considerations on that particular trip though it was damp.

[mtnbkr]

For those considering hammock camping:

Last spring I went camping with three people who all have harder asses than I do. Two of them used hammocks, and found that with down bags, they became uncomfortable because the bags got too compressed against the wall of the hammock. Temps were in the low 50s.

For the record I brought two pieces of the Army sleep system and slept like a baby the whole time.

There were no rain considerations on that particular trip though it was damp.

Temps for this trip were in the low 50s at night (could have dipped to low 40s but we had some warming).  I used my -15deg bag, which ended up being too much.  The last trip, temps got into the low 60s/high 50s and my +15deg bag was plenty.

Hammocks are set up differently in cold weather.  You can't put your bottom insulation in the hammock with you, it has to hang under the hammock in order for it to not get compressed and stop insulating.  That bottom insulation layer is called an underquilt.  I haven't needed one yet, but if I started using hammocks in true winter weather, I would go that route.

Cold sleepers might need an underquilt sooner than warm sleepers.   I got by with a sleeping bag because I used a warmer one than I would for ground sleeping in the same weather.

Chris