Been hanging for forty five years. I used one in Boy Scouts. It rains in Washington. After a couple of miserable trips I swore I wouldn't sleep on the ground again. I've slept well since. A few things I've earned over the years: I string a mesh hammock beneath for gear, pack at one end. It keeps everything off the ground, helps block wind. and gear dries off. To keep crawlies off the hammock attach fly paper to a piece of cloth and wrap it around the rope at the ends sticky side out. Fold and keep in a ziplock. If you're careful there's no mess. Ben Gay works around stake lines, keeps ants off and it's waterproof. The bigger the tarp the better. Mine's 12X12 (Tyvek). The extra tarp as compared with a 10X12 is about 4 ounces, the benefits far outweigh the extra weight. Like I said, I live in Washington. I tie up 4" off the ground 3' either side of center. That's 5' at the ridgeline. My hammock hangs 2' off the ground in the center in the lying position. It's the best balance for me. 12' length lets me pinch the ends with a clip to reduce air flow. In really cold weather I draw one side under my setup to block air and trap heat. I carry a half a shower curtain for a ground cloth. It's durable and keeps the dirt off my feet. My under quilt is a lightweight sleeping bag (rated at 40 degrees but not really useful below 50 as a bag). I'm good to about 15 F. I cook with alcohol under the tarp before going to sleep to prewarm the enclosure a bit. Site selection is probably the most important thing. A site protected from the wind is usually a plus unless it's warm out and/or the view takes precedence. If rain is forecast I always choose a site on a slight slope so water doesn't accumulate. Last but not least more expensive doesn't necessarily equate to better. My son uses a window sheer knotted at the ends. It's worked well for years. My Tyvek tarp is well worn but still water repellent. My tree straps are webbing from Harbor Freight. We're not the REI crowd but we make out pretty well. It all depend on what you're trying to do and how you use what you have. Happy hangin'
@MrFmiller I use a 6x6 tyvek square for under the hammock to store my gear and layout stuff. It keeps everything clean and dry. I've tried the cheap stuff and ended up with the expensive stuff. If you only backpack a few days at a time and do low miles with minimal elevation gain, cheap is the way to go, but when you do extended trips like 8 days or more, the more expensive equipment wins. I have both a cheap tarp and a really expensive one. Silnylon 10x8 vs Cuben Fiber 12x8. $60 vs $250. 28oz vs 7oz with 100' cordage. I use the cheap tarp for trail care since it is pitched for 3-4 days straight so I do not have my expensive tarp prematurely ruined by ultraviolet light. Now where I have found cheap is better than expensive is in the backpack category. I have had 3 different $300+ packs that sucked. I got an external frame for free and sewed my own pack body designed like Kifaru modular packs for about $60. The exact same design from Kifaru was $120 and I used the exact same Kryptek material. Total weight 2.5lb for a 10"Dx19"Wx36"T pack vs 3+lbs for any of the internal frame packs I have. I usually run 28 to 42 lbs summer through winter including water. My first backpacking trip (8 years ago) was with car camping equipment except the tent was a tarp tent teepee style with no floor (
I love the mesh hammock storage device idea. I generally just pick a location that gives me hanging space under the tarp and lets the gear hang nearby but that's pretty awesome.
Pro tip: if you have a wool blanket, dont lay on it in the hammock, it inevitably slides down or out if the hammock altogether. Instead, string the blanket in a diamond configuration under your hammock, attaching the ends to either end your hammock with a bit of paracord or something, lay in the hammock and wrap the two draping sides over you. The blanket insulates you from the bottom, and the two layers over you trap dead airspace and help keep you warm from the top. Works great! Tip courtesy of Dave Canterbury.
I am out in the wild most of the time. Usually in places where a tent set up just isn’t worth the work. So a hammock is my go to sleep system when I am in wild terrain. I employ all the tactics that you mentioned.....with a couple of extra disciplines. I use a daisy chain to hold gear that I need to have in arms reach during the night.......flashlight, knife, etc. I just run it right under my ridge line. I also use a bug net.......because summers in Texas are rough with all the mosquito. If you’re not using an underquilt, then make certain that your netting fully encompasses your hammock because mosquitoes have no trouble biting you right through the hammock material. Great video! I really enjoyed it.
Old boot protection trick, knock two short stakes into the ground and put your boots one on each stake upside down so they are off the ground, rainwater hits the sole and drips off, and bugs don't find it hospitable. Also, strap protection trick, use a bag closing clip, that can clip over the flat strap. Being made of plastic it's an impermeable barrier that covers both top and bottom of the strap.
Try this one in Australia, quick way to lose a foot to a spider. Alton goods, they sell a zip over bug net, I've woken up to white tails making nests on the outside many times, but never gotten one coming in, I throw my jacket and shoes in the bottom of it under me and it's sweet as. Been bit plenty of times before and it's never fun, recommend the bug net if you guys have similar issues
I like hammocks because I can see the stars and fireflys. I love the fresh air of a hammock. I love the exposure, too. The critters growling at me in the dark are kind of thrilling. Hammocks weigh less than my smallest tent, and are faster to set up and take down. Plus, they pack smaller.
I love hammock camping. I don't get to do it often because I usually have my wife and dogs, but if I am solo, especially on a motorcycle trip, it is my preferred method. The compact storage makes it perfect for motorcycle trips! Great video with good information. Happy to say I am already doing most of it, but I still learned some things. Thanks!
Thank you for the cool advice! Sounds like a lot of wisdom there. However, when I saw you put that dinky little carabiner on the proper one, I thought two things. First, those aluminum carabiners do not like to touch sharp hard objects, which deform them and ultimately make them fail. Second, the small suicidial carabiner is hardly designed to hold the amount of force that a human body sleeping in a hammock can provide. I'd rather visit a climber shop and buy some proper heavy duty alternative instead, and that type of stuff so that I never have to connect one carabiner to another directly, without some rope (or other softer, but highly bearing material) in between.
I've been camping of a motorbike or sidecar in Australia for around 35 years. Tent mostly, sometimes a swag or even a plastic tarp on the ground. I've been watching a few hammock camp videos lately. I'd like to try it but to be honest most campsites in Australia don't suit, they arent usually in forested areas, we just dont have the trees on most campsites. The tent also gives my dog somewhere to sleep happily :)
Just received my hammock, tore open the box and set it up in the front yard. Immediately flipped right out of it! LMAO. Took me three try's to get the pitch/slope right. Used your index finger-thumb rule and was perfect! If I didn't watch your video I might've sent it back. Thank you.
My first hammock camp was a week of the worst storm to hit the UK in years. LOVED IT. But since I've tent camped having bought a more sturdy (more expensive) sleeping matt, and I loved that too. Hammock camping is definitely the way for space saving (and rocking gently to sleep). A whole tent doesn't tend to easily fit in a backpack.
I've switched to the hammock awhile back and definitely prefer it. Being handy I made my own kit and dealt with some of the issues thusly. Concerning the loss of heat by convection, I purchased a %80 wool moving blanket and spray mounted a mylar safety blanket to it. The mylar reflects my body heat back towards me and the wool insulates to decrease any heat loss due to conduction. As for storage, I had extra fabric left over so I made a mini hammock that I string up just below the primary one. This allows for dry storage and makes for easy access to my gear while I'm in the primary hammock.
7:31 While I won't claim to have enough experience with underquilts to make my own claim (I use a hammock pad), let it be known that there is a significant following of people in the hammock community (hammockforums, r/hammockcamping, dutchware) that disagree with this. There are entire rigging systems, like suspension triangles, ridgeline hooks, and secondary suspension systems all designed to change the angle of tension and minimize the air gap between the underquilt and hammock. The underquilt has enough air trapped inside of it to act as an insulating layer-adding an additional air gap just requires you to heat more air volume up with you body heat-air volume that can then easily be pushed ("burped") out the ends of the quilt if you move at all in your sleep, as it's not trapped within the loft of the insulation.
I don't agree with this either. Have you slept in cold weather with a gap between the hammock and the UQ at the ends like in your video? The times I have done so at about 8C it gets pretty cold because cold MOVING air is not a good thing. If there are no gaps between the hammock and the UQ at the edge , but some air pockets inside that might be Ok, since that air stays put.
@@ostateballas you do actually if your under quilt is pressed up against your hammock and back it won’t be as warm it needs empty airspace to create loft which traps heat and keeps you warm
1. Your intro logo is nicely artistic 2. You have a great idea about the socks stuffed and over boots. 3. I sleep folded in my hammock, thanks for the tip on sleeping ascewed. 4. Have a great day
1. Thanks! 2. Yeah, I'm always creeped out about something crawling in my boots lol 3. Diagonal is the way to go if you can. It can be a little tricky with some hammocks. 4. YOU have a nice day too!
I found out about sleeping corner to corner while giving myself room to stretch out my left arm to alleviate pain from a torn rotator cuff. When I slid my upper torso over to my right the hammock flattened out dramatically. I sleep that way regularly now.
I stopped camping when I was about your age (about the time you were born) because I was done with sleeping on the ground. Now with the hammocks available today I'm really considering going back into the woods !! Thank you so very much for the information and the inspiration !!
Have you tried it yet? If not, I can assure you that it is great. It doesn't have to cost a ton. Go for DD hammocks, they're very affordable and they're great
@@koutouloufas7 I think the idea here is to keep stuff off of you when you're not going to bed, eg hiking, taking a break, cooking, siestando, situations when you wouldn't want to hang your hammock. Some people also go without their bugnet in shoulder season, if it's removable, for the sake of saving weight. They already have most of their skin covered anyway.
@@tracingtheblueridge well the video is about hammovking, not trekking. And since the places i go hiking don't have dangerous insects, i don't mind getting stung by a fly or two
I just got into camping a few years back... Not sure why I haven't been in the woods sooner, life got in the way. BUT! I find myself loving the hammock so I appreciate any tips. I'm still learning but I love it so thank you!
Really easy fix for your shoes or anything else you don't want bugs getting in: Get a bug net meant to go over a hat. Cheap, easy, and pretty effective.
Great video.! I have been hammock camping for about 5 years now. I have gotten wet everytime I used a tent, but never, even from the very first time in a hammock. I like sleeping in a hammock so much, that is all I have slept in for the past 2 years. (Home, Van, backpacking, and trail maintenance). I have only used Kevlar straps with a whoopie sling, no carabiner, and never had water get into the hammock (Ever). For underside insulation, 70 degrees on up nothing, 40-70 degrees a silver reflectix windshield cover, below 30-40 degrees a down underquilt, below 30 degrees down underquilt and silver reflectix. If your underquilt is not tight to the hammock when your in it, it will be cold, that is why there are drawstrings on the ends to adjust it so you have an air tight fit. I even use prusik knots on the 4 corners of the suspension to keep the underquilt as tight as possible under me. One other piece of equipment I use is a very light thin silnylon cover over the underquilt to prevent rain splash from getting the underquilt wet, it also provide additional protection from wind. I use a cuben fiber 12'x8' tarp with doors on one end and 100' of cordage, 7oz. (25' ridge line, 6' each corner, 15' each door and 10' on each long side to pull out the middle of the sides for more head room).
Great informative hammock camping video. You asked about viewers tent/hammock preferences. As a backpacker I prefer a tent as it is simpler in various scenarios, more weather bomb proof, more organized, more versatile above tree line or desert, canyon, beach situations, etc.
Good tips. I converted decades ago to a jungle hammock and then to a simple DIY hammock. And then to a super light weight hammock system with detachable netting by DD hammocks in the UK. The flat lay of the Jungle hammock was great for 3 seasons, but not in winter. Unfortunately as the years went by I developed 2 back injuries and did great with a standard hammock for a long time with a diagonal lay, but I am now relooking at making a DIY bridge hammock. Over the years I have used a poncho liner with a SOL Mylar sheet safety pinned to it, and attached some elastic cord, to use it as a light weight compact under quilt. And with the added foil windshield sun reflector on the inside, it allowed me to go down to high 30s F.. which was less bulky and less expensive than a standard down under quilt. My diy inner mat is constructed as follows: I cut and add foil windshield sun reflector pieces together in order to achieve the width and length of the mat that I need, and then sew those pieces onto a piece of fabric in order to retain the shape / coverage I want and to provide strength to the mat during my tossing and turning. A long length of de-stringed paracord is sewn down to the material in a “U” shape. Which allows it to be tied to the tree strap at the head end of the hammock, to keep the mat from sliding down. I use a 2 lb duck sleeping bag down bag unzipped as a top quilt. Adding extra clothes is also needed when using such a light bag. That combination makes overnights as low as 40 F possible. I put a piece of plastic down to step on, and hang my shoes at the head end of the hammock. Pack is hung on the tree closest to my head. And my food bag, a Kevlar food bag, called an UrSack, is tied to the trunk of a tree away from from my campsite. Bears, raccoons, even squirrels want your food. In colder temps I make both sides of the tarp hang straight down and stake 3 corners. The fourth corner by my head I tie a heavier piece a wood to it. So that it makes ingress and egress into my hammock easy. Wood holds side of the tarp down, yet moves enough to allow me to squeeze in and out. I find packing more lawyers of clothes with a smaller, compact, and lighter sleeping bag more helpful between 35-70 degrees. I typically bring a 20F sleeping bag if the temps are going to stay in the 20s and 30s at night.
Great stuff! For #7, I motocamp and carry a pair of knee high nylons to cover my boots. The nylons let the boot breathe a bit, while also preventing critter entry. I will also say I decided to get a hammock because of the increased air flow. I camp primarily in warmer temps and that is a huge advantage over tent camping. So no underquilt, or low tarp for me 😉
I love my hammock. Been using one for some years now and have my own TH-cam channel teaching Norwegians about it. But I also use a ridge line for getting the perfect sag and have a place to hang my stuff on at night. The backpack is easy to hang from one of the straps so it hangs under the tarp. Love your video and you have a pleasant voice to listen to. Cheers!
I spent a couple of months living in a hammock in the Belize jungle a few years ago on a course. I learned some of these tricks the hard way! Bergen (pack) stored above ground level was a good one - all sorts of creatures on the J floor. I found that storing my boots upside down on a trip flare stand under the basha (tarp) kept the beasties out of them (a thin stick would do). Sometime you would get a huge swarm of ants migrating through the area and the whole ground would look like it was moving, so being off the floor was a winner. I still banged the boots on a tree before putting them on though! Mozzie net was a must, if just to keep the scorpions off your face.
I carry a second lightweight hammock. I use it not only for an emergency hammock (should the primary hammock tear, I can still sleep), but I use it to keep all my gear off the ground. I can string it up underneath my hammock, alongside it, etc. I prefer two single-layer hammocks over one double-layer hammock. Works well.
Hammock camping all day & night long! It’s great for my back. Here are a few tips I would suggest. 1. Use a slip knot for your ridge line. Easy up, easy down and easy to tighten. The tighter your ridge line, the more gear you can hang from it. 2. Instead of purchasing an under quilt, use the sleeping bag you already own. And for warmer months use a bed sheet, going from diagonal corners as your under quilt. 3. Soak/dip your hammock in permethrin as insect repellent. Do NOT use deet. Deet will eat away at your hammock.
Good stuff James! I might use some of these in a future video. I never knew about Deet destroying your hammock before! I'v got a bad back as well which is why I love the hammock so much.
Just starting hammock camping at 76 it was getting difficult getting up in a tent that I could not stand up in. also setup seem to be easer. I tried using my sleeping pad in the hammock that convinced me to buy an under quilt. I am also going to try placing a piece of reflectx insolation in the under quilt.
Where to get reflex material? I bought a large windshield sunlight deflector, yeh light & cheap, put it under your sleeping bag in the hammock, works like a peach. 73 still camping, Canada
@7:35 You don't need a gap between you in the hammock and your under quilt. Your UQ shouldn't be compressed smashed against your hammock but it shouldn't be hanging several inches below your back. If you look at it empty yes it can hang a little below your empty hammock but once you lay in it the UQ should gently touch your back without a gap for air to sneak in and rob the heat. The heat gets trapped in your baffels so as long as it's just snug against your back not squished you will have a properly working under quilt. Rest of the video sounds good for the new people.
Thanks for the tip about using fingers to gage angle! I've always tent camped but I loss a fair amount of leg usage recently so I can't get off the ground anymore without help. I've been looking into hammock camping as a way to adapt my favourite hobby to my disability
I recently converted to hammocks. Last year. I started with a Grand Trunk and almost instantly ordered a custom hammock from Dream Hammock. Best choice I have made in a while. I also started with a Outdoor Vitals tarp and again almost instantly went to a UGQ hex tarp and ended up with a Winterdream tarp. I do hang my tarp a little high but I live in Florida so cold isn't an issue. I have a cinch buckle strap system. I ordered extra long straps that I wrap around itself as a drip strip and it works flawlessly. I'll never give up my tents as everything has it's uses for specific applications. All of my gear is protected courtesy of Smith & Wesson located above my head Conveniently stored in a gun pouch on my ridgeline.
I prefer hammock camping because I sleep in a hammock every night. I used to have a lot of problems sleeping. From snoring to back pain, even pain in my chest (side sleeping). I couldn't take it. Using a hammock not only solved my sleeping problems, but it also saved my marriage.
I am glad that others have caught on to Hammock camping I am 61 years old did not like tents I have been doing this for fifty years! 😀 one thing to add if you can dig a trench under Hammock build a fire fire the put the coals and rocks in it and burry it but be careful when heating up rocks they can explode!
I prefer sleeping straight on in my hammock. After injuring my shoulder in a military accident in 2000, I find that the hammock pushing against my shoulder helps improve my sleep in a cradling effect.
I had never used hammocks before but when visiting my girlfriend in Brasil we used hammocks when staying at her parents house. Hammocks are used a lot in Brasil and most homes have the hooks built into the walls already so it’s very easy. I slept well and it is cool compared to a bed when the weather is hot. I’m looking forward to trying a hammock while camping. Thanks
Hammocks all the way. A hammock ridge line helps with getting proper sag and allows for a better sleep positions. Also, tie the drip line to the carabiner. It really helps with the water break. Old cotton sgoe laces work great. Great tips! Cool video! 👍
Lots to learn about a hammock...A very important thing is a amsteel Ridgeline and adjust it with the correct sag so you get a nice diagonal lay and it will be the same every time you lay in it...Get at least an 11 ft hammock so you can get nice and flat...I like a bottom entry bug net so you don't have to mess with zippers and also can reach out to adjust your underquilt...And in colder months you do want the ends of your underquilt adjusted up against your hammock to keep all your body heat in...Hang your backpack on the headend of your hammock in the buckle...Always off the ground that way...Have at least a 12 by 10 tarp and let it hang just above your hammock Ridgeline and at night take it to the ground on both sides to keep in the heat and it will also cover your backpack and keep it dry...Lots of Ridgeline organizers you can get to keep all you odds and ends in such as phone knives charges and so on...I'm on the trail almost every weekend in my hammock and love it...40 + weekends last year and am on the same pace this year if the weather doesn't get to bad...One more thing about your underquilt...A underquilt liner is a Great product to keep wind and dampness off your quilt and helps keep you warmer...Happy Trails...
I took a bridge hammock (diy) for the first 815 miles or so of the Pacific Crest Trail (Part 1--I flew out due to altitude sickness) resuming with a gathered end hammock from Echo Summit to Canada (Part 2). Love both hammocks. Had to go to ground a few times on Part 1--my underside insulation: a Thermarest Neoair xtherm. The rest of the walk(Part 2), I had an Underquilt from Hammock Gear. I had a poly-cryo tarp for part 1, but due to neglect, it needed 10 ounces of duct tape to hold it together. For Part 2, my tarp was a Warbonnet Superfly (doors!) which really shone in some wind and rain whipped nights. I camped in so many places that tent campers had to pass, including sides of hills and over rocks. I never had to push on past sunset to get to what the trail apps marked as campsites. For a few really cold nights I'll swear by those mylar reflective emergency blankets--take one! I often sleep in a hammock at home. It's not a habit I want to break!
I enjoy tent camping. This is because they can be placed in almost any place. Now yes Hammocks are super comfortable but they require a forest-ish area to work. But I live in a desert so it’s a bit bias.
‘Been hammock camping long before it became fashionable. Have used the Hennesy, the Tree Boat & settled on the Clark Jungle Hammock. Add a set of Whoopie Slings & Dutch Hardware & you can set up in less than 4 minutes. Been thru driving rain & zero degree snows with the Clark & always stayed dry & snug. Oh, & the Clark has pockets underneath to store wet boot boots & a water bottle....almost like drawers on a dresser. ‘Great coverage, Bro.
I only use a hammock. I live in Alaska and in the summer I't doesn't get dark tell around 1 to 1:30 am . Tents blind you from the wilderness, it's like sleeping indoors. Well my bed is a hammock
Good info! I have been sleeping in a 4 season Henessy Hammock for 7 years now in the Sierra Nevada moutains. Learned most of these tips the hard way...had a cicada hatch cover my boots for about two weeks. Tied the laces together and hang them...
I love hammocks! I have the whole family a hammoch and made some underquilts fron old sleepingbags! There is only one thing i feel you forgot to take in the list thats life and death thing, always look for dead twigs and brances because they can fall from the tree and kill you. Always hang in healthy trees. Thanks for a great video!
OMG that reminds me of a night on the AT I spent in a hickory grove when a huge windstorm swept through. Hickory nuts were falling all around and hitting the ground with tremendous WHUMP! sounds like artillery shells! Thought I was a gonner...or at least my expensive cuben fiber tarp was. It took a few hits though and held up like a champ! Worth every penny! Yes right always look up - and never hang from a dead tree!
Thanks for the tips. I tried hammocking this year for the first time (about 14/16 trips). The learning curve is severe, but when i get it right it’s the best sleep I get anywhere ever. This might help my success rate
I actually prefer the ground. I find both comfortable and $$ for $$ I have found ground systems to be lighter and simpler to set up. Also parts of it can be multi-purpose, such as the trekking poles for my two person tent or the Trekking pole and poncho for my 1 person set up. After that the tents give more privacy, especially if I am backpacking with my fiance. Good info here though none the less.
Never been hammock camping but I sleep in an indoor hammock all the time. Rotating between bed, floor mat, and hammock. Good tips for indoor hammock use too. Especially the body heat loss, you will bleed heat like crazy even indoors.
I'm definitely a hammock camper for life. I made the switch a few years back and sold my MSR bubba bubba tent (even even though it's a top notch tent). Hammock set ups are far more customizable and you can say goodbye to the condensation issues that tent camping almost certainly provide. A couple ways to store your boots and pack are either with a gear sling that hangs under your hammock or by tying your boot laces together and hanging them from your carabiner and your pack can hang up against one of the trees from your tree strap. I double wrap my pack with 2 rain flies 😎👍 happy trails!
Spent a long time in the jungle sleeping in a hammock. Used 550 cord the whole time. That being said...I use straps and whoopie slings now. Also...I only made the mistake of not having insulation once too.
Hammock!!! my back loves it and it’s easily packable on motorcycle camping trips. I have found that if you take a small 5x7 lite tarp and tie para cord between two trees. Fold tarp in half over paracord and hang something heavy enough from the bottom two eyelets. I put my jackets boots and other items I don’t want wet or critters hanging from paracord between folded tarp. It’s worked really well for me.
Thanks for the video! Good stuff, ... The only thing that I would differ on is that your underquilt needs to be up against you when you're sleeping with NO gap at all. If there is a gap you will get colder than if there was not, also this prevents mosquitoes from being able to get you through your hammock. The best way to get the underquilt right up against you is to hook up some of your underquilt lines to your Ridgeline on your tarp to bring that thing way up. I would recommend you check out shug and his videos on fitting an underquilt for a hammock if you have not already, as he is the master of the hammock. LOL!
Very good video. I have been hammock camping for about 15 years now and I thought your video was very well done. I will be able to use two or three of your tips to improve my system.
I run a DD frontline hammock, very recommendable. I also use a blow up sleeping pad for insulation and comfort. I usually bring a chair with me. I will always either hang up my backpack on a tree or put it on the chair when I go to sleep. Works pretty well. Also to keep my boots bug free I tie them in a knot and hang them off of my hammock.
Hammock! Best investment EVER! I sleep so soundly in my hammock, comfort was always an issue in a tent (to be comfortable you have to spend more $, so a hammock is a little more cost efficient).
Good tips. I have converted to hammock camping as well. I do a lot of bike touring, and not only do hammocks take up less room, they are so much more comfortable than tents in my opinion. On the rare occasion, even when there are no trees, i can still use my hammock. I place a sleeping pad on the ground then my ENO jungle nest on top. I simply stick my trekking poles into the ground & string up the jungle nest hammock net on a ridge-line btwn the two poles. Works out pretty well.
I sleep in a hammock every night in my bedroom. It's glorious. To ensure i have the ideal slack, i attached 550 cord to both ends on the hammock. This ensures that no matter how far apart the trees are, the tension travels from trees strap to 550 cord to tree strap.
A lot of times I bring my tent and my hammock and set both up. The sleep in a hammock is amazing UNLESS you’ve drank too much 😅 then that gentle hammock sway turns in to death
Thanks for expressing your opinions as "the right way" you do have a few good points though. I prefer my hammock taught. There are cheap drip straps available that clip to tree huggers, I've found the loops in strap work well naturally.
no, but if not under, it at least should be near the EDGE of the tarp. I've found that being a couple of inches outside the tarp doesn't seem to make much of a difference, however in super heavy rain it might be good to have more than one drip line on any straps or cordage that slopes in towards your gear. for instance if you put a drip line halfway between the tarp and the tree, and another at your tarp, then only half of the water running down the line will reach the drip line at your tarp. I will also say that I've never done this myself nor had the need to, but it also doesn't rain very hard very often here. if your Ridgeline is super level without any dips in the middle, you might not even need any water break on it at all. although, my thoughts on this is that it's better safe than sorry, and I do put my water breaks just inside the edge of my tarp.
I love Shug and his teachings about Hammocks...I used a Hammock in the Army in Panama jungles. . .I love a tent, I can stealth camp better with a tent than I can with a hammock....
Some things I have found and done over the last 60 plus years of hammock camping. Yes, I prefer to hammock camp here in Florida's heat and humidity. I affectionately call my tent a Sweat lodge when I have to use it. Some hammocks you have to sleep in a straight line or at best only at a slight angle. A good example is the WW 2 , U.S.Army's Jungle Hammock and even today with some of the modern ones. One i have is the discontinued Clark Tropical being a good example. Also I do not use a under quilt , I use a 1/2 to 3/4 inflated ( self Inflating ) therm-a-rest mummy air mattress. I start the evening with it along the side of me and later move it under me when the air cools. Then if I have to ground the hammock I still have insulation and paddling to support me. My Rain Fly is normally set in the porch mode with one side at a 45 degree to the ground and the other level with the ground to catch any available breeze. My luxury item is a one pound folding camping chair and at night it is put by the hammock and my shoes are placed in it so they are available when nature calls during the night.
Hammocks are great for cool weather too. I have slept comfortably in a hammock at 17 degrees Fahrenheit, with a sleeping bag rate for 32 degrees, a DIY under quilt made from an army surplus poncho liner, and no heat source. I was also wearing a sweatshirt, sweat pants, and wool sox; all of which I pack exclusively for use as sleep wear.
a pee bottle will change your life. I have mine on a sling clipped to my hang line so i can grab it, use it, and let it fall - so quick and easy and I can fall right back to sleep.
@@billcampbell9886 I went from summer camping in Louisiana at 95 degrees, to winter ice camping on the side of Volcano Colima in Mexico without adding an under quilt. I learned my lesson, even sleeping with my jacket and boots on, that wind roaring up that volcano froze my back side off. The next day I went into a nearby village and bought a 4'x6' hand-woven wool rug and strapped it up under the hammock for the remainder of the nights I was there. I now use a Eagles Nest underquilt.
In a pod system you might want an air gap between the bottom of the hammock and the pod, but you NEVER want an air gap between the bottom of your hammock and an under quilt. Trust me, and the dozens of hammock hangers I know, on this. (Unless you are using, say, a 0-degree quilt when it's 50 degrees outside.)
Interesting, I'll have to look that up. I use the Outdoor Vitals Aerie 20°F and I remember reading in the instructions that you want a gap of 6-7 inches between the bottom of the hammock and the under quilt. And I thought this made sense because the air would heat up and if it was directly against your hammock it would compress the insulation. This under quilt is made out of Down. So I'm not sure if that plays a factor either. As I google air gaps and under quilts I'm not really finding much info. I'll do a little more research into this. Thanks for the notes.
@@bugoutbrothers Maybe for setup purposes BEFORE you get in the hammock such a gap is a good rule of thumb for some quilts. Once you are in the hammock, however, any gap is just a cold spot waiting to happen.
Gotta strongly agree with Gordon, having done a fair amount of hammocking over the winter (pushing -10C where any suboptimal insulation is dramatically evident). You don’t want an air gap with an underquilt. A properly designed underquilt will maintain its loft when pulled tightly up against the underside of a hammock. An air gap would only be effective if the underquilt created an airtight seal with the underside of the hammock. Otherwise, you will lose heat to convection. The air in the gap would get warmed by your body, then flow up and out of any gaps, and cold air moves in to replace it. In fact, an air gap is exactly what you want if your underquilt is too warm for the conditions, as a way to vent heat
This is true. When loaded you don't want a gap at all. It should be tight against the hammock when you are in it. If a gap, you will end up withe CBS. If you have a friend it is best to get in it and then make sure there are no gaps. You can actually over tighten an underquilt, causing it to bunch up and create gaps. A gap will exist unloaded but not loaded.
Brilliant tips. The sock in the boot thing alone made it worth the watch. I'm planning five days on Northern portion of the Long Trail this summer. Thankful you share your wisdom.
@@chadanderson123 i dont mind either. I use diagonal for lounging at the beach/napping but find banana is best for propper sleeping-under insulation and topqiilt stay put better in banana
You don’t connect to suspension strap because then you’d have to proceed to the hammock barefoot with possibly wet, dirty ground. You could consider connection them to the hammock ridge line (if it has one) but then you’d have dirty shoes hanging over you. Also, if you have to get up at night - older folks understand - you just want to put you feet in your shoes and not fuss, sleepy and on the dark, with detaching the shoes.
Hammock camper here! Big advantages over traditional ground camping as long as you have the trees to tie off to. I love the #Kammock line. Extremely high quality and has served me well for many nights in the woods.
Hammock camper here. Those ENO Slap Straps you were using are 100% nylon and are super stretchy (Bad). I used them once, never again. The Atlas straps are a small step in the right direction. Adding a Structural Ridge-line can make a big difference as well.
I completely agree with your point about lying diagonally across the hammock instead of parallel with the center line between the trees to more properly support your back. The biggest reason for me though, is in regard to my legs. When lying parallel (banana) my bum and heels make contact with the hammock but the backs of my knees are unsupported and long before morning comes my knees are sore (this often keeps me awake). Lying diagonally as you said provides more support for your back, but also for your legs as it allows you to lie flat (or closer to it). Thanks, great points!
As a kayaker the space saving of hammocks camping really appeals to me. Having a hatch cover means I can throw my boots into the boat in case of rain. Plus looking at cost a tent that uses the same amount of space as a hammock costs a lot more.
I just today ordered my first camping hammock and i think i like the concept of hammock camping more than tent camping, I have a question is a 2 person hammock more spacious or comfortable than a single person hammock??????????
Hammocks. Easier to set up, more comfortable, nicer views, no crawling in and out, you can sit up in them like a real chair, you can walk around under the tarp. The only thing a tent has is "privacy" and more places cater to them in comparison to hammocking - least in Ireland where I'm from.
Thanks for the video. Great suggestions! Yoga matt didn't think of that. I normally run hot (anything over 40F and I overheat) inside topper (like youtuber Mav) van or tent I'd be dying no air circulation. Think "moister wicking" technology - Luxome weighted blanket. Shoes, cheap ($5) backpack, with string to hang from the hammock, dryer sheets (or cedar blocks), absorbs orders ("but my feet smell like roses, right?") and I think animals/insects are repelled by them.
Wasn't too much new information for me having been at it a while (I even sleep in a hammock nightly at home) but you delivered the information for well, professionally, and thoroughly. Got yourself another subcriber.
For your boots have two sticks about 2ft long or more push them into the ground then put your boots on them upside down on each stick. It will keep them off the ground from wildlife much better. Thank you for the video. :)
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Do they let you camp with a hammock for an unlimited amount of days
I can sleep in any position, could probably lean against a tree n fall asleep. 🌴👍🌴
@@catherinebrennan8645 individual campsites treat it just as if you were sleeping in a tent, so whatever their individual rules are.
Survival Know How awesome video!!
Helpt me alot
Been hanging for forty five years. I used one in Boy Scouts. It rains in Washington. After a couple of miserable trips I swore I wouldn't sleep on the ground again. I've slept well since.
A few things I've earned over the years:
I string a mesh hammock beneath for gear, pack at one end. It keeps everything off the ground, helps block wind. and gear dries off.
To keep crawlies off the hammock attach fly paper to a piece of cloth and wrap it around the rope at the ends sticky side out. Fold and keep in a ziplock. If you're careful there's no mess. Ben Gay works around stake lines, keeps ants off and it's waterproof.
The bigger the tarp the better. Mine's 12X12 (Tyvek). The extra tarp as compared with a 10X12 is about 4 ounces, the benefits far outweigh the extra weight. Like I said, I live in Washington. I tie up 4" off the ground 3' either side of center. That's 5' at the ridgeline. My hammock hangs 2' off the ground in the center in the lying position. It's the best balance for me.
12' length lets me pinch the ends with a clip to reduce air flow.
In really cold weather I draw one side under my setup to block air and trap heat.
I carry a half a shower curtain for a ground cloth. It's durable and keeps the dirt off my feet.
My under quilt is a lightweight sleeping bag (rated at 40 degrees but not really useful below 50 as a bag).
I'm good to about 15 F.
I cook with alcohol under the tarp before going to sleep to prewarm the enclosure a bit.
Site selection is probably the most important thing. A site protected from the wind is usually a plus unless it's warm out and/or the view takes precedence. If rain is forecast I always choose a site on a slight slope so water doesn't accumulate.
Last but not least more expensive doesn't necessarily equate to better. My son uses a window sheer knotted at the ends. It's worked well for years. My Tyvek tarp is well worn but still water repellent. My tree straps are webbing from Harbor Freight. We're not the REI crowd but we make out pretty well. It all depend on what you're trying to do and how you use what you have.
Happy hangin'
This is some real solid hammock advice! No offence to the video maker but this comment was worth comming here for.
@MrFmiller I use a 6x6 tyvek square for under the hammock to store my gear and layout stuff. It keeps everything clean and dry.
I've tried the cheap stuff and ended up with the expensive stuff. If you only backpack a few days at a time and do low miles with minimal elevation gain, cheap is the way to go, but when you do extended trips like 8 days or more, the more expensive equipment wins. I have both a cheap tarp and a really expensive one. Silnylon 10x8 vs Cuben Fiber 12x8. $60 vs $250. 28oz vs 7oz with 100' cordage. I use the cheap tarp for trail care since it is pitched for 3-4 days straight so I do not have my expensive tarp prematurely ruined by ultraviolet light. Now where I have found cheap is better than expensive is in the backpack category. I have had 3 different $300+ packs that sucked. I got an external frame for free and sewed my own pack body designed like Kifaru modular packs for about $60. The exact same design from Kifaru was $120 and I used the exact same Kryptek material. Total weight 2.5lb for a 10"Dx19"Wx36"T pack vs 3+lbs for any of the internal frame packs I have. I usually run 28 to 42 lbs summer through winter including water.
My first backpacking trip (8 years ago) was with car camping equipment except the tent was a tarp tent teepee style with no floor (
I love the mesh hammock storage device idea. I generally just pick a location that gives me hanging space under the tarp and lets the gear hang nearby but that's pretty awesome.
My tree straps are also racket straps from Harbor Freight! I was glad to have the hooks to hang my Peruvian tourist hammock from!
TY 4 tips!
Pro tip: if you have a wool blanket, dont lay on it in the hammock, it inevitably slides down or out if the hammock altogether. Instead, string the blanket in a diamond configuration under your hammock, attaching the ends to either end your hammock with a bit of paracord or something, lay in the hammock and wrap the two draping sides over you. The blanket insulates you from the bottom, and the two layers over you trap dead airspace and help keep you warm from the top.
Works great!
Tip courtesy of Dave Canterbury.
I just place my hammock on the ground, no need for tree straps.
😂
Lol, that's funny😀
Lmaoooo
Big brain
That's called a sleeping bag
I am out in the wild most of the time. Usually in places where a tent set up just isn’t worth the work. So a hammock is my go to sleep system when I am in wild terrain. I employ all the tactics that you mentioned.....with a couple of extra disciplines. I use a daisy chain to hold gear that I need to have in arms reach during the night.......flashlight, knife, etc. I just run it right under my ridge line. I also use a bug net.......because summers in Texas are rough with all the mosquito. If you’re not using an underquilt, then make certain that your netting fully encompasses your hammock because mosquitoes have no trouble biting you right through the hammock material. Great video! I really enjoyed it.
Old boot protection trick, knock two short stakes into the ground and put your boots one on each stake upside down so they are off the ground, rainwater hits the sole and drips off, and bugs don't find it hospitable.
Also, strap protection trick, use a bag closing clip, that can clip over the flat strap. Being made of plastic it's an impermeable barrier that covers both top and bottom of the strap.
Bull snails and slugs find a way
You have never have done this
In Florida i put my boots ina plastic bag, used 2 put em ona stick,, got tired of shakn lizards outta em
Please watch my first ever overnight camping here in Philippines
th-cam.com/video/tyjp1g21514/w-d-xo.html
Try this one in Australia, quick way to lose a foot to a spider.
Alton goods, they sell a zip over bug net, I've woken up to white tails making nests on the outside many times, but never gotten one coming in, I throw my jacket and shoes in the bottom of it under me and it's sweet as.
Been bit plenty of times before and it's never fun, recommend the bug net if you guys have similar issues
I traded out my big straps for whoopie slings. Lighter, less volume, a TON of adjustability, and super fast. Thanks Shug!
I like hammocks because I can see the stars and fireflys. I love the fresh air of a hammock. I love the exposure, too. The critters growling at me in the dark are kind of thrilling. Hammocks weigh less than my smallest tent, and are faster to set up and take down. Plus, they pack smaller.
I love hammock camping. I don't get to do it often because I usually have my wife and dogs, but if I am solo, especially on a motorcycle trip, it is my preferred method. The compact storage makes it perfect for motorcycle trips! Great video with good information. Happy to say I am already doing most of it, but I still learned some things. Thanks!
My hammock is set up in my backyard right now and I will sleep out there as much as possible. I started 2 nights ago. It rained and was SO RELAXING.
Sounds like it’s time to sell the house
I always bring my protractor into the woods
@Matthew Hoopes omfg...
@Matthew Hoopes you made my day
Matthew Hoopes sir you are officially accepted
A great way to measure arousal
You may be a geek when you bring a protractor with you!
Thank you for the cool advice! Sounds like a lot of wisdom there. However, when I saw you put that dinky little carabiner on the proper one, I thought two things. First, those aluminum carabiners do not like to touch sharp hard objects, which deform them and ultimately make them fail. Second, the small suicidial carabiner is hardly designed to hold the amount of force that a human body sleeping in a hammock can provide. I'd rather visit a climber shop and buy some proper heavy duty alternative instead, and that type of stuff so that I never have to connect one carabiner to another directly, without some rope (or other softer, but highly bearing material) in between.
I've been camping of a motorbike or sidecar in Australia for around 35 years. Tent mostly, sometimes a swag or even a plastic tarp on the ground. I've been watching a few hammock camp videos lately. I'd like to try it but to be honest most campsites in Australia don't suit, they arent usually in forested areas, we just dont have the trees on most campsites. The tent also gives my dog somewhere to sleep happily :)
Just received my hammock, tore open the box and set it up in the front yard. Immediately flipped right out of it! LMAO. Took me three try's to get the pitch/slope right. Used your index finger-thumb rule and was perfect! If I didn't watch your video I might've sent it back. Thank you.
My first hammock camp was a week of the worst storm to hit the UK in years. LOVED IT.
But since I've tent camped having bought a more sturdy (more expensive) sleeping matt, and I loved that too.
Hammock camping is definitely the way for space saving (and rocking gently to sleep).
A whole tent doesn't tend to easily fit in a backpack.
Do the military way amd just stuff it in and sort it later 😅
I've switched to the hammock awhile back and definitely prefer it. Being handy I made my own kit and dealt with some of the issues thusly. Concerning the loss of heat by convection, I purchased a %80 wool moving blanket and spray mounted a mylar safety blanket to it. The mylar reflects my body heat back towards me and the wool insulates to decrease any heat loss due to conduction. As for storage, I had extra fabric left over so I made a mini hammock that I string up just below the primary one. This allows for dry storage and makes for easy access to my gear while I'm in the primary hammock.
i would love to see how you achieved this, im not very creative!
7:31 While I won't claim to have enough experience with underquilts to make my own claim (I use a hammock pad), let it be known that there is a significant following of people in the hammock community (hammockforums, r/hammockcamping, dutchware) that disagree with this. There are entire rigging systems, like suspension triangles, ridgeline hooks, and secondary suspension systems all designed to change the angle of tension and minimize the air gap between the underquilt and hammock. The underquilt has enough air trapped inside of it to act as an insulating layer-adding an additional air gap just requires you to heat more air volume up with you body heat-air volume that can then easily be pushed ("burped") out the ends of the quilt if you move at all in your sleep, as it's not trapped within the loft of the insulation.
Totally agree, you don't want any air gap between your underquilt and your hammock.
I don't agree with this either. Have you slept in cold weather with a gap between the hammock and the UQ at the ends like in your video? The times I have done so at about 8C it gets pretty cold because cold MOVING air is not a good thing. If there are no gaps between the hammock and the UQ at the edge , but some air pockets inside that might be Ok, since that air stays put.
@@ostateballas you do actually if your under quilt is pressed up against your hammock and back it won’t be as warm it needs empty airspace to create loft which traps heat and keeps you warm
@@christianb8228 The loft of airspace is created in the underquilt itself, not between the hammock and the underquilt.
@@ostateballas well you can crest more heat but leaving some space between your under quilt and your hammock so I guess we’re both not wrong 😑
1. Your intro logo is nicely artistic
2. You have a great idea about the socks stuffed and over boots.
3. I sleep folded in my hammock, thanks for the tip on sleeping ascewed.
4. Have a great day
1. Thanks!
2. Yeah, I'm always creeped out about something crawling in my boots lol
3. Diagonal is the way to go if you can. It can be a little tricky with some hammocks.
4. YOU have a nice day too!
I found out about sleeping corner to corner while giving myself room to stretch out my left arm to alleviate pain from a torn rotator cuff. When I slid my upper torso over to my right the hammock flattened out dramatically. I sleep that way regularly now.
Please watch my first ever overnight camping here in Philippines
th-cam.com/video/tyjp1g21514/w-d-xo.html
@@jlvlog3499 No NO NO, already
I stopped camping when I was about your age (about the time you were born) because I was done with sleeping on the ground. Now with the hammocks available today I'm really considering going back into the woods !! Thank you so very much for the information and the inspiration !!
Have you tried it yet? If not, I can assure you that it is great. It doesn't have to cost a ton. Go for DD hammocks, they're very affordable and they're great
Do it! Very comfortable!
#11 spray a section of your straps with Off, or something similar. Keeps ants and such from getting to you.
Better yet, permethrin. Then it will stay for 6 weeks
why not use a hammock with a mosquito net zipped? I use it for years, nothing ever bothers me
@@koutouloufas7 I think the idea here is to keep stuff off of you when you're not going to bed, eg hiking, taking a break, cooking, siestando, situations when you wouldn't want to hang your hammock.
Some people also go without their bugnet in shoulder season, if it's removable, for the sake of saving weight. They already have most of their skin covered anyway.
@@tracingtheblueridge well the video is about hammovking, not trekking. And since the places i go hiking don't have dangerous insects, i don't mind getting stung by a fly or two
@@koutouloufas7 yeah I feel you. In the Northeast ticks are no joke so we take it pretty seriously up here.
I just got into camping a few years back... Not sure why I haven't been in the woods sooner, life got in the way. BUT!
I find myself loving the hammock so I appreciate any tips. I'm still learning but I love it so thank you!
Really easy fix for your shoes or anything else you don't want bugs getting in: Get a bug net meant to go over a hat. Cheap, easy, and pretty effective.
Thanks fer thataone
Haha one morning i woke ip and my shoes were filled in ants 😂
Great video.!
I have been hammock camping for about 5 years now. I have gotten wet everytime I used a tent, but never, even from the very first time in a hammock. I like sleeping in a hammock so much, that is all I have slept in for the past 2 years. (Home, Van, backpacking, and trail maintenance).
I have only used Kevlar straps with a whoopie sling, no carabiner, and never had water get into the hammock (Ever).
For underside insulation, 70 degrees on up nothing, 40-70 degrees a silver reflectix windshield cover, below 30-40 degrees a down underquilt, below 30 degrees down underquilt and silver reflectix. If your underquilt is not tight to the hammock when your in it, it will be cold, that is why there are drawstrings on the ends to adjust it so you have an air tight fit. I even use prusik knots on the 4 corners of the suspension to keep the underquilt as tight as possible under me. One other piece of equipment I use is a very light thin silnylon cover over the underquilt to prevent rain splash from getting the underquilt wet, it also provide additional protection from wind.
I use a cuben fiber 12'x8' tarp with doors on one end and 100' of cordage, 7oz. (25' ridge line, 6' each corner, 15' each door and 10' on each long side to pull out the middle of the sides for more head room).
Great informative hammock camping video.
You asked about viewers tent/hammock preferences. As a backpacker I prefer a tent as it is simpler in various scenarios, more weather bomb proof, more organized, more versatile above tree line or desert, canyon, beach situations, etc.
Good tips. I converted decades ago to a jungle hammock and then to a simple DIY hammock. And then to a super light weight hammock system with detachable netting by DD hammocks in the UK. The flat lay of the Jungle hammock was great for 3 seasons, but not in winter. Unfortunately as the years went by I developed 2 back injuries and did great with a standard hammock for a long time with a diagonal lay, but I am now relooking at making a DIY bridge hammock. Over the years I have used a poncho liner with a SOL Mylar sheet safety pinned to it, and attached some elastic cord, to use it as a light weight compact under quilt. And with the added foil windshield sun reflector on the inside, it allowed me to go down to high 30s F.. which was less bulky and less expensive than a standard down under quilt. My diy inner mat is constructed as follows: I cut and add foil windshield sun reflector pieces together in order to achieve the width and length of the mat that I need, and then sew those pieces onto a piece of fabric in order to retain the shape / coverage I want and to provide strength to the mat during my tossing and turning. A long length of de-stringed paracord is sewn down to the material in a “U” shape. Which allows it to be tied to the tree strap at the head end of the hammock, to keep the mat from sliding down. I use a 2 lb duck sleeping bag down bag unzipped as a top quilt. Adding extra clothes is also needed when using such a light bag. That combination makes overnights as low as 40 F possible. I put a piece of plastic down to step on, and hang my shoes at the head end of the hammock. Pack is hung on the tree closest to my head. And my food bag, a Kevlar food bag, called an UrSack, is tied to the trunk of a tree away from from my campsite. Bears, raccoons, even squirrels want your food. In colder temps I make both sides of the tarp hang straight down and stake 3 corners. The fourth corner by my head I tie a heavier piece a wood to it. So that it makes ingress and egress into my hammock easy. Wood holds side of the tarp down, yet moves enough to allow me to squeeze in and out. I find packing more lawyers of clothes with a smaller, compact, and lighter sleeping bag more helpful between 35-70 degrees. I typically bring a 20F sleeping bag if the temps are going to stay in the 20s and 30s at night.
Great stuff! For #7, I motocamp and carry a pair of knee high nylons to cover my boots. The nylons let the boot breathe a bit, while also preventing critter entry. I will also say I decided to get a hammock because of the increased air flow. I camp primarily in warmer temps and that is a huge advantage over tent camping. So no underquilt, or low tarp for me 😉
I love my hammock. Been using one for some years now and have my own TH-cam channel teaching Norwegians about it. But I also use a ridge line for getting the perfect sag and have a place to hang my stuff on at night. The backpack is easy to hang from one of the straps so it hangs under the tarp.
Love your video and you have a pleasant voice to listen to. Cheers!
I spent a couple of months living in a hammock in the Belize jungle a few years ago on a course. I learned some of these tricks the hard way! Bergen (pack) stored above ground level was a good one - all sorts of creatures on the J floor. I found that storing my boots upside down on a trip flare stand under the basha (tarp) kept the beasties out of them (a thin stick would do). Sometime you would get a huge swarm of ants migrating through the area and the whole ground would look like it was moving, so being off the floor was a winner. I still banged the boots on a tree before putting them on though! Mozzie net was a must, if just to keep the scorpions off your face.
I carry a second lightweight hammock. I use it not only for an emergency hammock (should the primary hammock tear, I can still sleep), but I use it to keep all my gear off the ground. I can string it up underneath my hammock, alongside it, etc. I prefer two single-layer hammocks over one double-layer hammock. Works well.
Hammock camping all day & night long! It’s great for my back. Here are a few tips I would suggest.
1. Use a slip knot for your ridge line. Easy up, easy down and easy to tighten. The tighter your ridge line, the more gear you can hang from it.
2. Instead of purchasing an under quilt, use the sleeping bag you already own. And for warmer months use a bed sheet, going from diagonal corners as your under quilt.
3. Soak/dip your hammock in permethrin as insect repellent. Do NOT use deet. Deet will eat away at your hammock.
Good stuff James! I might use some of these in a future video. I never knew about Deet destroying your hammock before! I'v got a bad back as well which is why I love the hammock so much.
What do you mean by "use the sleeping bag you already own"? Do mean to hang it under the hammock? I do that.
Theo Brouwers You could do that. I sleep in my sleeping bag while laying in my hammock.
After many hours of tips and tricks videos, I've finally found one worth showing my buddies. Solid information straight to the point!
Hammock camping because you stay dry and you stay comfortable temperature wise. I've woken up too many times in a tent because it's too stuffy and hot
Just got into hammock camping. Absolutely love it. Still learning and made most of those mistakes.
3:27 My mom walked in. Now shes calling the cops
Oof
Calls cops: "yes my son is about to hang himself, please hurry"
good one
lol I'm dying
dark humour, the best humour.
Just starting hammock camping at 76 it was getting difficult getting up in a tent that I could not stand up in. also setup seem to be easer. I tried using my sleeping pad in the hammock that convinced me to buy an under quilt. I am also going to try placing a piece of reflectx insolation in the under quilt.
67 here and been hammock camping for 20 plus years. Where do you get the reflectx material?
Where to get reflex material? I bought a large windshield sunlight deflector, yeh light & cheap, put it under your sleeping bag in the hammock, works like a peach. 73 still camping, Canada
@7:35 You don't need a gap between you in the hammock and your under quilt. Your UQ shouldn't be compressed smashed against your hammock but it shouldn't be hanging several inches below your back.
If you look at it empty yes it can hang a little below your empty hammock but once you lay in it the UQ should gently touch your back without a gap for air to sneak in and rob the heat.
The heat gets trapped in your baffels so as long as it's just snug against your back not squished you will have a properly working under quilt.
Rest of the video sounds good for the new people.
Going hammock camping for the first time this weekend, I feel much more confident after watching this, thanks mate.
Thanks for the tip about using fingers to gage angle! I've always tent camped but I loss a fair amount of leg usage recently so I can't get off the ground anymore without help. I've been looking into hammock camping as a way to adapt my favourite hobby to my disability
Good on you, hope it goes well!
I'm going hammock camping the first time next week. Your videos really help me with some questions! Thanks☺️
Good basics video. A little knowledge will spare you from a lot of discomfort.
Please watch my first ever overnight camping here in Philippines
th-cam.com/video/tyjp1g21514/w-d-xo.html
I recently converted to hammocks. Last year. I started with a Grand Trunk and almost instantly ordered a custom hammock from Dream Hammock. Best choice I have made in a while. I also started with a Outdoor Vitals tarp and again almost instantly went to a UGQ hex tarp and ended up with a Winterdream tarp. I do hang my tarp a little high but I live in Florida so cold isn't an issue. I have a cinch buckle strap system. I ordered extra long straps that I wrap around itself as a drip strip and it works flawlessly.
I'll never give up my tents as everything has it's uses for specific applications.
All of my gear is protected courtesy of Smith & Wesson located above my head Conveniently stored in a gun pouch on my ridgeline.
I tent camp, but I'm trying to learn more about hammock camping, so thanks for this great informative video!
Your videos are amazing. I love hammock camping. 68 years old and still loving it!
I prefer hammock camping because I sleep in a hammock every night. I used to have a lot of problems sleeping. From snoring to back pain, even pain in my chest (side sleeping). I couldn't take it. Using a hammock not only solved my sleeping problems, but it also saved my marriage.
By sleeping alone? Got it i know how to face the problem now.
I am glad that others have caught on to Hammock camping I am 61 years old did not like tents I have been doing this for fifty years! 😀 one thing to add if you can dig a trench under Hammock build a fire fire the put the coals and rocks in it and burry it but be careful when heating up rocks they can explode!
I prefer sleeping straight on in my hammock. After injuring my shoulder in a military accident in 2000, I find that the hammock pushing against my shoulder helps improve my sleep in a cradling effect.
Interesting.
I had never used hammocks before but when visiting my girlfriend in Brasil we used hammocks when staying at her parents house. Hammocks are used a lot in Brasil and most homes have the hooks built into the walls already so it’s very easy. I slept well and it is cool compared to a bed when the weather is hot. I’m looking forward to trying a hammock while camping. Thanks
Hammocks all the way. A hammock ridge line helps with getting proper sag and allows for a better sleep positions. Also, tie the drip line to the carabiner. It really helps with the water break. Old cotton sgoe laces work great.
Great tips! Cool video! 👍
@jd12680 what type of line and set-up for the tarp? IT sags too!
Lots to learn about a hammock...A very important thing is a amsteel Ridgeline and adjust it with the correct sag so you get a nice diagonal lay and it will be the same every time you lay in it...Get at least an 11 ft hammock so you can get nice and flat...I like a bottom entry bug net so you don't have to mess with zippers and also can reach out to adjust your underquilt...And in colder months you do want the ends of your underquilt adjusted up against your hammock to keep all your body heat in...Hang your backpack on the headend of your hammock in the buckle...Always off the ground that way...Have at least a 12 by 10 tarp and let it hang just above your hammock Ridgeline and at night take it to the ground on both sides to keep in the heat and it will also cover your backpack and keep it dry...Lots of Ridgeline organizers you can get to keep all you odds and ends in such as phone knives charges and so on...I'm on the trail almost every weekend in my hammock and love it...40 + weekends last year and am on the same pace this year if the weather doesn't get to bad...One more thing about your underquilt...A underquilt liner is a Great product to keep wind and dampness off your quilt and helps keep you warmer...Happy Trails...
I took a bridge hammock (diy) for the first 815 miles or so of the Pacific Crest Trail (Part 1--I flew out due to altitude sickness) resuming with a gathered end hammock from Echo Summit to Canada (Part 2). Love both hammocks. Had to go to ground a few times on Part 1--my underside insulation: a Thermarest Neoair xtherm. The rest of the walk(Part 2), I had an Underquilt from Hammock Gear. I had a poly-cryo tarp for part 1, but due to neglect, it needed 10 ounces of duct tape to hold it together. For Part 2, my tarp was a Warbonnet Superfly (doors!) which really shone in some wind and rain whipped nights.
I camped in so many places that tent campers had to pass, including sides of hills and over rocks. I never had to push on past sunset to get to what the trail apps marked as campsites.
For a few really cold nights I'll swear by those mylar reflective emergency blankets--take one!
I often sleep in a hammock at home.
It's not a habit I want to break!
I enjoy tent camping. This is because they can be placed in almost any place. Now yes Hammocks are super comfortable but they require a forest-ish area to work. But I live in a desert so it’s a bit bias.
I live in Nevada my dude not a lot of forest except for Tahoe
Tie it to the cactus. Ouch!
‘Been hammock camping long before it became fashionable. Have used the Hennesy, the Tree Boat & settled on the Clark Jungle Hammock. Add a set of Whoopie Slings & Dutch Hardware & you can set up in less than 4 minutes. Been thru driving rain & zero degree snows with the Clark & always stayed dry & snug. Oh, & the Clark has pockets underneath to store wet boot boots & a water bottle....almost like drawers on a dresser. ‘Great coverage, Bro.
I only use a hammock. I live in Alaska and in the summer I't doesn't get dark tell around 1 to 1:30 am . Tents blind you from the wilderness, it's like sleeping indoors. Well my bed is a hammock
Good info! I have been sleeping in a 4 season Henessy Hammock for 7 years now in the Sierra Nevada moutains. Learned most of these tips the hard way...had a cicada hatch cover my boots for about two weeks. Tied the laces together and hang them...
I love hammocks!
I have the whole family a hammoch and made some underquilts fron old sleepingbags!
There is only one thing i feel you forgot to take in the list thats life and death thing, always look for dead twigs and brances because they can fall from the tree and kill you.
Always hang in healthy trees.
Thanks for a great video!
OMG that reminds me of a night on the AT I spent in a hickory grove when a huge windstorm swept through. Hickory nuts were falling all around and hitting the ground with tremendous WHUMP! sounds like artillery shells! Thought I was a gonner...or at least my expensive cuben fiber tarp was. It took a few hits though and held up like a champ! Worth every penny! Yes right always look up - and never hang from a dead tree!
@@brimstone33"Never hang from a dead tree!" Sounds like a movie name.
Thanks for the tips. I tried hammocking this year for the first time (about 14/16 trips). The learning curve is severe, but when i get it right it’s the best sleep I get anywhere ever. This might help my success rate
In the rainforest, hammocking is better.
Especially near rocky rivers. No place for tents, plenty of trees for hammocks.
Love tents for the family camping at the campgrounds, love hammocks for hiking and backpacking 💙💚
I actually prefer the ground. I find both comfortable and $$ for $$ I have found ground systems to be lighter and simpler to set up. Also parts of it can be multi-purpose, such as the trekking poles for my two person tent or the Trekking pole and poncho for my 1 person set up.
After that the tents give more privacy, especially if I am backpacking with my fiance. Good info here though none the less.
Never been hammock camping but I sleep in an indoor hammock all the time. Rotating between bed, floor mat, and hammock. Good tips for indoor hammock use too. Especially the body heat loss, you will bleed heat like crazy even indoors.
I love hammocks cause I like to “bikepack” a lot and hammocks are small and light and quick to setup
Hammock camping for close to 10 years. First 4 or 5 years I was doing it wrong too! This is a good bit of info for the beginner hanger.
You don't know I'm not a banana...
BuscheTheWizard STOP
@BuscheTheWizard ;-;
@BuscheTheWizard you play fortnite shut the fuck up incel.
@BuscheTheWizard sure there not
@BuscheTheWizard You are a incel.
I'm definitely a hammock camper for life. I made the switch a few years back and sold my MSR bubba bubba tent (even even though it's a top notch tent). Hammock set ups are far more customizable and you can say goodbye to the condensation issues that tent camping almost certainly provide. A couple ways to store your boots and pack are either with a gear sling that hangs under your hammock or by tying your boot laces together and hanging them from your carabiner and your pack can hang up against one of the trees from your tree strap. I double wrap my pack with 2 rain flies 😎👍 happy trails!
Spent a long time in the jungle sleeping in a hammock. Used 550 cord the whole time. That being said...I use straps and whoopie slings now.
Also...I only made the mistake of not having insulation once too.
Hammock!!! my back loves it and it’s easily packable on motorcycle camping trips. I have found that if you take a small 5x7 lite tarp and tie para cord between two trees. Fold tarp in half over paracord and hang something heavy enough from the bottom two eyelets. I put my jackets boots and other items I don’t want wet or critters hanging from paracord between folded tarp. It’s worked really well for me.
Thanks for the video! Good stuff, ... The only thing that I would differ on is that your underquilt needs to be up against you when you're sleeping with NO gap at all. If there is a gap you will get colder than if there was not, also this prevents mosquitoes from being able to get you through your hammock.
The best way to get the underquilt right up against you is to hook up some of your underquilt lines to your Ridgeline on your tarp to bring that thing way up. I would recommend you check out shug and his videos on fitting an underquilt for a hammock if you have not already, as he is the master of the hammock. LOL!
Very good video. I have been hammock camping for about 15 years now and I thought your video was very well done. I will be able to use two or three of your tips to improve my system.
Ridge line. I love mine. Hammock camping all the way
Please watch my first ever overnight camping here in Philippines
th-cam.com/video/tyjp1g21514/w-d-xo.html
I run a DD frontline hammock, very recommendable. I also use a blow up sleeping pad for insulation and comfort. I usually bring a chair with me. I will always either hang up my backpack on a tree or put it on the chair when I go to sleep. Works pretty well. Also to keep my boots bug free I tie them in a knot and hang them off of my hammock.
Hammock! Best investment EVER! I sleep so soundly in my hammock, comfort was always an issue in a tent (to be comfortable you have to spend more $, so a hammock is a little more cost efficient).
Agreed, I sleep like a baby in a hammock!
Good tips. I have converted to hammock camping as well. I do a lot of bike touring, and not only do hammocks take up less room, they are so much more comfortable than tents in my opinion. On the rare occasion, even when there are no trees, i can still use my hammock. I place a sleeping pad on the ground then my ENO jungle nest on top. I simply stick my trekking poles into the ground & string up the jungle nest hammock net on a ridge-line btwn the two poles. Works out pretty well.
Enjoyed your video thanks. I only have a gap in my under quilt when venting heat on a warm night.
I sleep in a hammock every night in my bedroom. It's glorious.
To ensure i have the ideal slack, i attached 550 cord to both ends on the hammock. This ensures that no matter how far apart the trees are, the tension travels from trees strap to 550 cord to tree strap.
No matter how far apart the trees are... in your bedroom? Mate, you're right, that is glorious.
A lot of times I bring my tent and my hammock and set both up. The sleep in a hammock is amazing UNLESS you’ve drank too much 😅 then that gentle hammock sway turns in to death
Oh no I love it after a few few drinks it puts me right to sleep.
@@Nick-sx6jm hahha after a few is the key, the spins would kill ya lol
Thanks for expressing your opinions as "the right way" you do have a few good points though.
I prefer my hammock taught. There are cheap drip straps available that clip to tree huggers, I've found the loops in strap work well naturally.
The drip line needs to be under the tarp
no, but if not under, it at least should be near the EDGE of the tarp. I've found that being a couple of inches outside the tarp doesn't seem to make much of a difference, however in super heavy rain it might be good to have more than one drip line on any straps or cordage that slopes in towards your gear. for instance if you put a drip line halfway between the tarp and the tree, and another at your tarp, then only half of the water running down the line will reach the drip line at your tarp. I will also say that I've never done this myself nor had the need to, but it also doesn't rain very hard very often here. if your Ridgeline is super level without any dips in the middle, you might not even need any water break on it at all. although, my thoughts on this is that it's better safe than sorry, and I do put my water breaks just inside the edge of my tarp.
Please watch my first ever overnight camping here in Philippines
th-cam.com/video/tyjp1g21514/w-d-xo.html
I suspect from some of his tips that he read them somewhere without really thinking.
I love Shug and his teachings about Hammocks...I used a Hammock in the Army in Panama jungles. . .I love a tent, I can stealth camp better with a tent than I can with a hammock....
Some things I have found and done over the last 60 plus years of hammock camping. Yes, I prefer to hammock camp here in Florida's heat and humidity. I affectionately call my tent a Sweat lodge when I have to use it.
Some hammocks you have to sleep in a straight line or at best only at a slight angle. A good example is the WW 2 , U.S.Army's Jungle Hammock and even today with some of the modern ones. One i have is the discontinued Clark Tropical being a good example.
Also I do not use a under quilt , I use a 1/2 to 3/4 inflated ( self Inflating ) therm-a-rest mummy air mattress. I start the evening with it along the side of me and later move it under me when the air cools. Then if I have to ground the hammock I still have insulation and paddling to support me.
My Rain Fly is normally set in the porch mode with one side at a 45 degree to the ground and the other level with the ground to catch any available breeze.
My luxury item is a one pound folding camping chair and at night it is put by the hammock and my shoes are placed in it so they are available when nature calls during the night.
Hammocks are great for cool weather too. I have slept comfortably in a hammock at 17 degrees Fahrenheit, with a sleeping bag rate for 32 degrees, a DIY under quilt made from an army surplus poncho liner, and no heat source. I was also wearing a sweatshirt, sweat pants, and wool sox; all of which I pack exclusively for use as sleep wear.
a pee bottle will change your life. I have mine on a sling clipped to my hang line so i can grab it, use it, and let it fall - so quick and easy and I can fall right back to sleep.
@@billcampbell9886 I went from summer camping in Louisiana at 95 degrees, to winter ice camping on the side of Volcano Colima in Mexico without adding an under quilt. I learned my lesson, even sleeping with my jacket and boots on, that wind roaring up that volcano froze my back side off. The next day I went into a nearby village and bought a 4'x6' hand-woven wool rug and strapped it up under the hammock for the remainder of the nights I was there. I now use a Eagles Nest underquilt.
4:32 At 30 degrees... yep... I love the fact that everybody say that without saying if it's from horizontal or vertical...
In a pod system you might want an air gap between the bottom of the hammock and the pod, but you NEVER want an air gap between the bottom of your hammock and an under quilt. Trust me, and the dozens of hammock hangers I know, on this. (Unless you are using, say, a 0-degree quilt when it's 50 degrees outside.)
Interesting, I'll have to look that up. I use the Outdoor Vitals Aerie 20°F and I remember reading in the instructions that you want a gap of 6-7 inches between the bottom of the hammock and the under quilt. And I thought this made sense because the air would heat up and if it was directly against your hammock it would compress the insulation. This under quilt is made out of Down. So I'm not sure if that plays a factor either. As I google air gaps and under quilts I'm not really finding much info. I'll do a little more research into this. Thanks for the notes.
@@bugoutbrothers Maybe for setup purposes BEFORE you get in the hammock such a gap is a good rule of thumb for some quilts. Once you are in the hammock, however, any gap is just a cold spot waiting to happen.
Gotta strongly agree with Gordon, having done a fair amount of hammocking over the winter (pushing -10C where any suboptimal insulation is dramatically evident).
You don’t want an air gap with an underquilt. A properly designed underquilt will maintain its loft when pulled tightly up against the underside of a hammock.
An air gap would only be effective if the underquilt created an airtight seal with the underside of the hammock. Otherwise, you will lose heat to convection. The air in the gap would get warmed by your body, then flow up and out of any gaps, and cold air moves in to replace it.
In fact, an air gap is exactly what you want if your underquilt is too warm for the conditions, as a way to vent heat
Look at Shug’s videos. Air gaps suck in cold weather. You want that down up against you.
This is true. When loaded you don't want a gap at all. It should be tight against the hammock when you are in it. If a gap, you will end up withe CBS. If you have a friend it is best to get in it and then make sure there are no gaps. You can actually over tighten an underquilt, causing it to bunch up and create gaps. A gap will exist unloaded but not loaded.
Brilliant tips. The sock in the boot thing alone made it worth the watch. I'm planning five days on Northern portion of the Long Trail this summer. Thankful you share your wisdom.
"Bannana lay" is how i sleep in my hammock.it really depends on the length compared to your height.
Diagonal lay is better for most people
I personally can not get comfortable with a diagonal lay. I sleep like a banana every time in my hammock. 😂
@@chadanderson123 i dont mind either.
I use diagonal for lounging at the beach/napping but find banana is best for propper sleeping-under insulation and topqiilt stay put better in banana
Rolling the socks over the tops of the boots was my favourite tip! Why have I never seen that before??? Thanks for the info.
Nice video! Well organized, nice pacing of speech, very articulate, very informative!!!
Gonna be trying hammock camping for the first time next week
Why not to just tie shoes to the mounting strap
just time them together and hang them inside the drip line
@@patrickwelles3046 and in the morning your boots will provide a nice refreshing drink
You don’t connect to suspension strap because then you’d have to proceed to the hammock barefoot with possibly wet, dirty ground. You could consider connection them to the hammock ridge line (if it has one) but then you’d have dirty shoes hanging over you. Also, if you have to get up at night - older folks understand - you just want to put you feet in your shoes and not fuss, sleepy and on the dark, with detaching the shoes.
Great video for newbies. Well done. I love hammocking and waking up not sore...at least from sleeping.
Hammock all the way!!! Its so comfortable!
Hammock camper here! Big advantages over traditional ground camping as long as you have the trees to tie off to. I love the #Kammock line. Extremely high quality and has served me well for many nights in the woods.
Thanks for the tip, I'll look them up.
Hammock camper here. Those ENO Slap Straps you were using are 100% nylon and are super stretchy (Bad). I used them once, never again. The Atlas straps are a small step in the right direction. Adding a Structural Ridge-line can make a big difference as well.
and dyneema ones are even better than the altlas ;)
@@survivaltrotter-com True.
Thanks Dave. I never had any problems with them but I'll look into Atlas Straps.
I completely agree with your point about lying diagonally across the hammock instead of parallel with the center line between the trees to more properly support your back. The biggest reason for me though, is in regard to my legs. When lying parallel (banana) my bum and heels make contact with the hammock but the backs of my knees are unsupported and long before morning comes my knees are sore (this often keeps me awake). Lying diagonally as you said provides more support for your back, but also for your legs as it allows you to lie flat (or closer to it). Thanks, great points!
Hammocks are more comfortable I think and also you don't need to do the same level of ground preparation!
As a kayaker the space saving of hammocks camping really appeals to me. Having a hatch cover means I can throw my boots into the boat in case of rain. Plus looking at cost a tent that uses the same amount of space as a hammock costs a lot more.
Hammock camping for comfort. Sometimes I hike above the tree line so it is not always feasible.
I just today ordered my first camping hammock and i think i like the concept of hammock camping more than tent camping, I have a question is a 2 person hammock more spacious or comfortable than a single person hammock??????????
VERY much so. I wouldn’t use anything else.
@@SethMiller7614what kind of hammock do you have????
@@silaskelley6587 I have the classic ENO double nest. I used the single nest for awhile but I never liked it. Very cramped.
Hammocks. Easier to set up, more comfortable, nicer views, no crawling in and out, you can sit up in them like a real chair, you can walk around under the tarp. The only thing a tent has is "privacy" and more places cater to them in comparison to hammocking - least in Ireland where I'm from.
And you don’t have to crawl out in the middle of the night to pee just sit up and get out
Thanks for the video. Great suggestions! Yoga matt didn't think of that. I normally run hot (anything over 40F and I overheat) inside topper (like youtuber Mav) van or tent I'd be dying no air circulation. Think "moister wicking" technology - Luxome weighted blanket. Shoes, cheap ($5) backpack, with string to hang from the hammock, dryer sheets (or cedar blocks), absorbs orders ("but my feet smell like roses, right?") and I think animals/insects are repelled by them.
I’m going to be honest with you guys
Right now my made A homemade
Hamic made out of a blanket
Hanging on one of those bunkbeds
With no bottom bunk
Wasn't too much new information for me having been at it a while (I even sleep in a hammock nightly at home) but you delivered the information for well, professionally, and thoroughly. Got yourself another subcriber.
For your boots have two sticks about 2ft long or more push them into the ground then put your boots on them upside down on each stick. It will keep them off the ground from wildlife much better. Thank you for the video. :)
Thanks Richard, I'll try that next time.
I tie mine in 2 Walmart bags and hang it over hammock strap