I Wish I Knew This Sooner About Hammock Camping!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 มิ.ย. 2022
- Hammock camping is not something I do often in my backpacking, but is something I enjoy dabbling in when I have an opportunity to hang. There is a steep learning curve with hammocks, and here are some things I wish I knew sooner about hammock camping that might have helped me have a better experience early on.
Video title: I Wish I Knew This Sooner About Hammock Camping!
This video concerns what I wish I knew sooner about hammock camping. But it also covers the following topics:
Beginner hammock camping
How to choose a hammock for camping
How to pack a hammock in a pack
Hammock tips and hacks for backpacking
Check out the Hammock Gear WanderLuxe Kit: hammockgear.sjv.io/eKnYZX
- Burrow Top Quilt: hammockgear.sjv.io/1rGJdx
- Incubator Under Quilt: hammockgear.sjv.io/ZQV7jg
- Circadian Hammock: hammockgear.sjv.io/EK07dQ
- Dyneema Tarp: hammockgear.sjv.io/9gV0a0
🌲JOIN ME ON PATREON: / backcountryexposure
(Come join me for more content, livestreams, and to support the channel.) 🌲
Become a Member of this channel to get access to perks:
geni.us/Support-BCE
Hammock camping for beginners, how to choose a hammock for backpacking, hammock gear hammock, how to use a hammock under quilt, hammock camping hacks, hammock camping tips and tricks
˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜
ZOLEO Satellite Communication: geni.us/ZOLEO-Satellite
** Get FREE Activation with code BACKCOUNTRYEXPOSURE **
🔥MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE GEAR🔥
- Outdoor Vitals CS40 Backpack: geni.us/CS40-Backpack
- Waymark Gear Co. THRU 40L: geni.us/Waymark-THRU40
- Tarptent Dipole 1 DW: geni.us/Dipole-1-DW
- Nemo Dragonfly 2P: geni.us/Nemo-Dragonfly
- Paria Outdoor Products Zion Tent: geni.us/Paria-Zion-Tent
- Big Agnes Zoom UL Pad: geni.us/Zoom-UL
- Zenbivy Light Bed: geni.us/Light-Bed-Zenbivy
- WM UltraLite Sleeping Bag: geni.us/WM-UltraLite
- MH Bishop Pass Sleeping Bag: geni.us/MH-BishopPass
- Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter: geni.us/Sawyer-SqueezeFilter
- CNOC Vecto Water Bag: geni.us/CNOC-Vecto
- Toaks 750ml Pot: geni.us/Toaks-750
- Toaks Long Handle Spoon: geni.us/Toaks-Spoon
- Soto Amicus Stove: geni.us/Amicus-Stove
- Govee Thermometer: geni.us/Govee-Thermometer
- Outdoor Vitals Altitude Sun Hoodie: geni.us/Altitude-Sun-Hoodie
- Outdoor Vitals Vario jacket: geni.us/Vario-Jacket
- Outdoor Vitals Tushar Rain Jacket: geni.us/Tushar-Rain-Jacket
MY CAMERA EQUIPMENT I USE 📸:
- Sony A7C: geni.us/Sony-A7C-Camera
- Sony 20-70mm F4 Lens: geni.us/Sony-20-70mm
- DJI Wireless Mic: geni.us/DJI-MIC
- Carbon Fiber Tripod: geni.us/AokaCarbonTripod
- Rode VideoMicro: geni.us/RODE-VideoMicro-II
- GoPro Hero: geni.us/GoPro-Hero
SHOP THESE GREAT OUTDOOR RETAILERS:
- Moosejaw: geni.us/Moosejaw
- REI: geni.us/REI-Co-op
- Backcountry: geni.us/BACKCOUNTRY
- Garage Grown Gear: geni.us/Garage-Grown-Gear
- Amazon: geni.us/Amazon-BCE
🔥🔥 Check out my website for more reviews and written content! 🔥🔥
www.backcountryexposure.com
As an Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. By shopping using the above links, you are supporting the work I put into creating content on this channel. This has no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my channel and content. - บันเทิง
Hammock camping is just like any other niche hobby, a few people get into while the great majority don't. Most people use tents because that's what they're familiar with, and they don't have the desire to spend time learning this new thing called "hanging". Those of us who prefer the hammock do so first and foremost because the comfort level is above and beyond what you get from sleeping on the ground, and I'm not afraid to say that for me it's even better than my own bed at home. So the fiddly nature of the hammock and all the components is indeed a downside for some people, but the ones that stick with it are those who rather enjoy it. It's kind of a fun ritual when you get to camp. In a way it's like learning to sail, as opposed to just using a motor boat to get to a place; or like those people that are into specialty coffee and roast their own beans, grind them, and take all their trinkets into the wilderness so that they can brew the perfect cup of coffee. In the meantime some other caffeine addicts just take a few sachets of instant coffee, boil some water and they're done. It all comes down to whether the advantages outweigh the downsides, and whether you enjoy it enough to continue pursuing it.
Hammocking is not that enjoyable, that’s why almost nobody does it. Not only the entire experience is aggravating (heavy, takes insane amount of time to set up, etc.), but the sleeping experience is not enjoyable at all for most. Some like it? Good for them.
@@RobertSmith-up9rz you can have a hammock system the same weight and set up time as a tent.
@@RobertSmith-up9rz Is a covert hammock hanger 🥸 He's trying to make you all believe that it's terrible, and make you hate it just so there are more trees left in the woods for us hangers. I see what you're trying to do there Robert, very slick, thanks on behalf of the community!
@@RobertSmith-up9rz I doubt my ultra light hammock is any heavier then your tent and it’s 3 season rated. And as stated the more you do something the faster you get my “comfort” hammock goes up in 5 mins or less depending on tree spacing. The only reason my ultralight takes maybe 5 mins longer is because I don’t use as many metal clips in favor of old school rope and line work.
I sleep great in a hammock but I sleep ok in a tent too. I hand a good Dutchware system, but I have to say I'll usually choose my Plexamid over a hammock system.
The tent is more simple, lighter and you can spread your stuff out around you. Tent>Hammock.
1.Built in mosquito net. 2. Zip both sides 3. Prusik loops on the ridge line to make the tarp taught. 4. Add more distance between trees to allow the hammock to be level. Much better sleep. 5. If your a side sleeper, lay sideways on, not lengthways. 6. Sit side ways and you have a garden swing, never need a camp seat again, and gets your feet off the ground after a good hike. You learn with experience with hammocks
Agreeing with almost every of your points. I do take a camp seat, to sit by the fire with a group.
For uneven and/or bushy ground , I have a snap on Ridgeline level for my tarp. It helps get a level starting point with uneven ground or trees far apart.
Also personally, no under quilt, but an inflating mat with a waterproof ground sheet that can be used as second layer for the hammock. Why? In case of lack of suitable trees or terrain, you can basically make a tent with 2 (hiking) sticks.
CK out all the AMOK HAMMOCKS IN THE DRAUMER USING CROSSWAYS..MUCH HEALTHIER AND BEST FOR URBACK
Tarp 200€
Unless it's a bridge style, your hammock shouldn't be laying level. Your suspension should be around a 30° angle, and your hammock should have decent sag in it
I’ve used a tarp and hammock for over 20 years. I felt like an idiot the first time I used one, WHY had I not been doing this all along? I’m almost 60, sleep like a log in my hammock, every season, love it. You sure jumped into the high-end gear selection. Most people might have bought a Walmart tarp first! LOL. But unlike a tent, I can set my tarp up where I can kick back in my Helinox chair, cook on the stove or even a fire if you know what you’re doing. Can’t do that in a tent! My friend and I took two tarps, created a shelter over BOTH hammocks in winter, sat back in our chairs and used our Biolite stove to cook, heat the shelter well above ambient, and chill out. Damn I love my hammock!
Hammock camping got me back into the outdoors - well, along with the pandemic. Hammocks are finicky, yes - but they're versatile, too. I've been able to get a comfortable night's sleep right along the river banks, thanks to conveniently placed trees, and not had to worry about flooding.
One trick with packing hammock insulation into a backpack is to ditch the stuffsacks - I just shove the topquilt, followed by the bottomquilt, into the bottom of the pack liner. It still compresses, but fills in all the nooks and crannies in the pack, so I end up with more space. (I'm pretty sure this is the method that Frozen of Outdoor Adventures used hammocking the AT, and it works great!)
Genius packing idea! That was worth the whole read.
I use top and under quilts now. But you can use a pad and sleeping bag inside the hammock if you want. I have several suspension options but usually choose whoopie slings or cinch buckles, depending on how cold it is. I ditched biners for soft shackles at the tree end to drop a few ounces. And I choose different tarps for different seasons. Bug net when mosquitoes are out, but that goes away when it's cold. My pack usually gets hung on a tree with a rain cover over it if rain or snow is expected. Other items are in an organizer on the ridge line or beside me on the ground under the tarp. My set up is dialed in so set up time for just the hammock is probably 3 minutes or less. Adding the tarp is another 5 to 7 minutes depending on whether it has doors or not.
The point is that there IS a learning curve that you need to work out for yourself. But just like learning the in and outs of a new tent, or the useful knots and configurations of a tarp for your shelter, you have to spend a little time with it.
If the exposure issue you mentioned was really about privacy, yes you have much less privacy with the hammock. For some that's the deal breaker. Exposure to weather is more about setting up the tarp right and having the right tarp. Getting out of the hammock in the morning is maybe not as easy as crawling out of a tent.
Pros, at least from my view, is that I don't care if the ground is manicured under me. I've slept over rocky ground, wet ground, ground covered in tree roots and ground far too steep for a tent. But I wild camp most of the time. That's why I slept under a tarp before I discovered hammocks a year and a half ago. I sleep on my side or stomach 95% of the time. Play with your structural ridge line length and you may find a place where you're flat enough for stomach laying, but no guarantee. But the MOST positive thing for me is that I sleep better and deeper in a hammock than any other place. If you can't find a way to sleep significantly better in a hammock to make the learning curve worth it, stick to your tent. Nothing wrong with that.
I guess I see why hammocks can be called finicky but not any more time consuming than clearing the ground of rocks/sticks before dropping a tent. I think its easier to find 2 trees than nice flat dry ground in the places I end up going. *also really like when I can set up next to a river. One downside is when I need to get up at night to relieve myself I am more awake getting in and out of my hammock vs practically sleep walking from a tent and back.
@@MrRay645 empty Gatoraid bottle, can help solve this. Drop it on the ground after. Empty it in the am. Reuse as needed. ♻️
@@Jesse-xu6wx Doesn't work as well for us girls lol. The Go Girl and other funnels have helped though, to even out the midnight bathroom trips. One thing to note, with your feet elevated, you're more likely to have to pee in the middle of the night as the excess fluid accumulating in your feet and legs is drained to your torso in a hammock.
I have been homeless for a year and a half. I LIVE in my hammock now. However, I have been a hammock camper for years. I hqve a netted hammock, an 11x11 foot tarp for cover, a roll of extra large contractor bags to keep my gear dry, 3 solar power banks to stay charged, a solar lamp, a battery lantern and 2 50 foot rolls of 1100 paracord for suspension. I double those up with a surgeons loop in the middle, hook that to my carabiner, wrap the working end around the tree several times and tie it off to the suspension line using a simple square knot. Never had a failure. I also have used 550 paracord for many years. Never had a failure with that either. Probably cheaper than those fancy straps too.
Long time Hammock camper from Brazil here. That's my absolute favorite system in the rainforest. Lots of humidity and hight temperatures.
One thing that we always did differently than your system is to put as much tension on the hammock as possible. Using tongles or pulley system knots. This minimizes the sagging and make the sleep much more comfortable (and even allows to "bunk bed" up to 3 hammocks for a single tarp, helping to ultralight in groups).
My backpack was always hanging from a tree with the rain cover on. But everything important was always inside a drybag.
With the hammock strung tight is it really tippy? I could imagine it with a 3 or 4 point attachment but not 2.
I string mine tight as well. Not quite pulley system tight, but much tighter than most. Its a little more difficult to get into and out of (especially in the dark when you're half asleep and need to pee- I bring a pee bottle now whether I'm in a tent or hammock so no longer an issue) but once I'm in I don't have any issues whatsoever. I find the sleep far more superior and comfortable. @@13Voodoobilly69
The type and design of the hammock is important when considering tension. My Hennessy doesn't need and shouldn't be strung tightly because of how its designed.
Think of the underquilt as your sleeping pad.
For distance between trees, I just pace it out. (About 16' is usually good)
Gear - hang pack from tree, if chance of rain hang under tarp from hammock straps. But often the best option, is to set your pack into the camp chair.
Ridgeline organizer is same as the tent pockets. Or you can set the stuff you need access too in the camp chair next to your hammock.
Think of the exposure of the hammock like sleeping in a tent w/out the rainfly. You have the mesh inner tent. That's similar to a bugnet on the hammock.
Tip: If your feet get cold, your foot end might be too high compared to your head end.
Tip 2: In a tent, you might want a thick pillow, in a hammock, try a thin pillow so that it doesn't tip your head forward.
Tip 3: Nite Ize Micro lantern ($10/$20 Battery/rechargable) Tiny lantern perfect for hanging from the ridgeline for light while in the hammock. Much better than using your headlamp. IMO.
I just replied wrt the the under insulation. pad and underquilt is the same.
@@vickaiser since my pad packs smaller than my under quilts I've been testing using my pad in the hammock for summer. Been using it since last Saturday every night and so far I'm finding it really comfortable sleeping on a pad in the hammock.
@@Doc_Watson what kind of summers you talking? Here in Texas, I'm almost skipping the underquilt altogehter.
@@vickaiser 70s 80s for lows at night and very humid. But will still need something for a wind barrier to avoid cold butt syndrome. Also the mosquitoes will bite through the hammock material without something under you. (Been there, suffered for that)
For a light, I run the ENO string lights permanently tied to my tarp ridgeline. I don't like a lot of ENO stuff, it's generally not for serious camping, more for lounging next to the RV, but I really like those lights.
Best sleep I've ever gotten in the woods. But....there is a learning curve.
I got my setup dialed and then counted the paces between trees. 7-13 steps is perfect for my setup. Yours will be different. Probably.
Dutchware has awesome products and components to make your setup more functional. His beetle buckle suspension is the fastest, easiest, lightest, and most adjustable suspension I've seen. I've tried every style, and even made my own. Daisy chains are great if you can't tie your shoe laces and have to wear Velcro shoes. Dyneema whoopie slings and/or Marlin spike hitches are great if you're a tinkerer and like to fiddle and tweak stuff.
If you do a whoopie sling and Marlin spike hitch, reverse the whoopie sling so your fixed end goes over the marlin spike hitch, and the adjustable end goes to the carabiner. If the adjustable end accidentally slips, it won't saw thru your tree strap. Ask me how I know. Haven't had a single problem since I started doing that.
Lay at a diagonal, lay at a diagonal, lay at a diagonal.
The gentle sway is so relaxing, unless you're hammered drunk and have the spins. Then you spin like a gas station hot dog on a roller grill....sideways. It's weird, but if you can embrace it, I found it very enjoyable. 😄
Don't listen to the sleeping pad naysayers. The right pad can be super comfy. I tried an underquilt for the first time last month, and I have to say, I much prefer my Klymit Insulated Hammock-V sleeping pad. The wings keep me warm, and the pad helps spread the hammock so I don't feel so constrained. And you can still lay diagonally. If it works for you, do it. Hang your own hang. Ignore everyone on the Internet. They're always wrong. I'm always right.
Learn how to tie a couple knots. You might not need them to set up your hammock, but they can help in a pinch and with some other things, like making a quick hanger that goes around a tree for hanging your pack, or making some sliding loops for hanging gear and drying your clothes.
Also, learn how to pitch your tarp on the ground as a tent. Learn a couple different pitches. Weatherproof pitches, high airflow pitches, pitches that give you a floor to stay dry. That way, if you have a hammock failure, you can always go to the ground and deal with it in the morning.
While we're on that, never hang higher than you're willing to fall. Ever. I'm just as happy 6 inches off the ground as I am 18 inches above it. Hang low.
Learn how to use a small stone and some rope to make tarp wall pull-outs (Dutchware also has a product for this). They can about double the space you have under your tarp. Makes a huge difference.
Snake skins are a godsend. Trust me.
If you have time, hang on your lunch breaks at work. You'll get fast and comfortable with setup and teardown, and you can catch a quick siesta while you're at it. Just don't forget to set an alarm so you're not late getting back to work. Prepare to be picked on by your coworkers. It's just jealousy. Don't stress over it.
Porch mode is the absolute best, especially when it's raining during the day and you're stuck under the tarp. Better than any tent, period.
Relax. Learn. Play. Try new things, setups, and equipment. Find what works for you and roll with it. Just because the Internet says it's the best doesn't mean it's the best for you.
Love this (writing this in a hammock)
This is awesome
Remember when you FIRST started camping in a tent? Remember how fiddly it was keeping track of pegs and finding a patch of ground that wouldn't end up being full of rocks and logs? But you did all that 1000 times and now it is in your muscle memory.
Hammocking is the same way.
Right now, with only a handful of hangs under your belt, all the various peices required for a good night's sleep seem very complex. But once you have fone them 1000 times, it will be an unconscious action to just do them.
What I have found that works well for me is the following.
1.) Figure out how many feet is one standard step for you. This makes tree selection easy. Pace out 15 feet to 16 feet. There's your hang in an 11 foot hammock. Likewise, figure out your personal wingspan. It is pretty close to how tall you are. Then adjust your hiking poles so tip to tip, you have about 15 to 16 feet. These are two quick and easy ways to measure distance between anchor points.
2. Strap height. The further apart your anchors are, the higher your suspension has to be set on those anchors to acheive a 30 degree hang angle. As a short woman, even with perfectly spaced trees, I still have to use my hiking poles to get my straps high enough that I am not scraping the ground. Optimal height if you have optimay spaced anchors is about 6 feet up.
Remember, the further apart your anchor points, the higher your straps have to go.
3. Make an "L" with your finger and thumb of one hand. Draw an imaginary line between the tips of the digits. You have a 30/60/90 triangle. NOW use that to guage your hang angle by replacing the imaginary line with your suspension strap. Toss your gear in your hammock while you test this.
4. To enable a flatter lay, consider an asymetrical hammock like the Chameleon. It really does reduxe shoulder squeeze and get you on the diagonal better. This is the major reason I went with Dutch for my hammock system. Plus the Chameleon is very modular for 4 season camping.
5. You might also consider a bridge hammock, wich is the flattest lay you will get in a hammock.
6. Dutch has lots os dodads. Can I tie knots? In my youth I climbed Veedauwoo every weekend. I can tie knots forever. The doodads enable me to not have to fiddle fart with knots. I love my tarp suspension with a Dutch hook on one end and a Wasp on the other. I set it up right n tight, then connect my tarp to the prussick soft shackles and adjust. Easy peasy. Likewise with ringworms on my tie outs. Breakdown is a breeze, as well.
7. Packing your insulation - you have a waterproof backpack liner, I assume? Ditch the stuff sacks and just stugg your top and under quilts into your pack liner. Nestle your hammock and your tarp on top, then pack the rest of your gear as usual.
These are my tips and tricks. They've helped a lot to gain consistency with my hang. I hope they are useful to you :)
The best beginner tip I’ve gotten, when it comes to packs, is pick your pack 3rd. First pick your shelter system, then pick your sleep system (that fits your shelter system), then pick a pack that will fit those plus whatever other items you may want to bring depending on the length of a trip and access to recourses.
thats a great idea, thanks!
Amazingly good idea
Yep, the pack can be of good volume, even if the contents ain’t that heavy.
I've been hammock camping for about 4 years now. I'm still learning and tweaking as I go. It has become easier to pick the 2 trees by eyesight as I survey the potential campsite.
I, personally, leave my underquilt attached to my hammock to save time mucking around getting it on and adjusted properly. Even throughout winter it's stored attached to the hammock, I just do what I do for my sleeping bags and store them loosely in a breathable bag.
I found my perfect ridgeline ratio, so now when I setup, once I get the right tension on the ridgeline, I've got the right hang.
Guy lines are permanently attached to my tarp to save time and keep them from getting lost. Mini figure 9 carabiners are used on the stake end to speed up setup and adjustments.
Also I confirm the distance between trees but setting up the tarp first. This also gives me a dry place to unpack or at least some protection from the elements while setting up my hammock.
I usually just lay my backpack on the ground tarp directly under my hammock with the lid orientation towards the head end of the hammock in case I happen to need something out of it but don't want to leave the hammock. On my last trip I just put my chair under the tarp and placed my pack in the chair, which I think I'll be doing more often.
I'm still working on getting the tarp height over the hammock just right but that'll come in time... I tend to put the tarp so I can stand under it but when I'm in my hammock I'm often at the bottom of the tarp or slightly below the bottom edges.
I’m a couple of years into hammock camping and LOVE it! I’ve got a bad back, so sleeping in a hammock actually keeps me as pain free as I can get in the backcountry. Yes, it’s finicky to get just the right hang, but every time I get out there I get a little faster. Beetle buckles from Dutchware have been essential to quickly adjusting my angles. I’ve also been drier and warmer since switching to hammock.
If you’re feeling too exposed, consider a winter tarp with doors. I hang my pack on a tree in a gear hanger sack (also from Dutchware). A lot of people just hang their empty pack on their footend suspension. As far as ridgeline organizers go, they’re pretty standard. I use one from Hammock Gear that has a few more pockets plus an opening in the middle to slide something in. I just hate that it attaches with Velcro.
Hammock camping is a game changer for anyone who has trouble sleeping on the ground or suffers from back pain. Yes it can be a bit more of a learning curve at first but once you get your “system” down its a much more enjoyable experience. I spend about 300 days a year in a hammock and have converted to hammock sleeping full time. There’s certainly a plethora of overwhelming choices when it comes to hammock gear and equipment but spending time on hammock camping forums and groups as well as here in YT is the best way to lear what works best. I think that most people believe that finding a place to hang is easier than finding a tent site because they can pretty much hang anywhere there is trees. However, I find that finding the best place to hang is far more difficult because of the exposure you mentioned in your video. Finding a place where the wind and elements are limited can be the most challenging. You’ve got to find trees with appropriate size and spacing for your setup. Site selection will make a huge difference in your overall experience! Enjoy the hang!
I’ve been using a hammock for almost twenty years. It took me awhile to get the proper set up, but, I found that like anything else practice is the best teacher . I watched dozens of TH-cam videos. Read books on the subject. After many days and nights I learned how to set my hammock in a way that suits me . I’m at the point now that I can be set up and ready to go in just a few minutes. Hammocks are not for everyone, just as tents are not for everyone. To each their own. Which ever you prefer practice, practice, practice. As the saying goes, “ Know before you go “.
I started backpacking in a tent then as I got older I migrated to a tarp with a bug tent underneath to save weight. I now use a hammock setup. I just completed a 2 week section hike on the AT. Why I prefer a hammock setup. 1) I sleep better than on the ground. 2) Being older it is much easier to take care of business in the middle of the night, it is much easier to swing your legs over the hammock and stand up than to unzip the tent, crawl off the ground, find a spot and then reverse. 3)My hammock doubles as a hammock chair and I cook sitting in my hammock. 3) I can camp anywhere there are two appropriately separated trees, and the ground doesn't need to be level. I have spent a number of nights on the side of ridges where it would be impossible to tent camp. A friend of mine who is thru-hiking the AT this year said he had only had about 3 really level camp sites in 3 months on the trail. The hammock gives more options on where to camp. 4) when hiking with my friend he was jealous of how quickly I had my hammock and tarp setup compared to his tent. After hiking with him for 2 weeks he asked to borrow my setup for a couple of weeks and ended up converting to a hammock rig. Yes especially in the beginning the hammock is more fiddley and takes a bit of time to get used to But I have gotten quite good at and enjoy the sleep and freedom it provides. With practice you can pitch quickly and be lounging in comfort while your friends finding a site, staking out their tent.
"the ultimate hang" is a must read to the newbie of hammock camping. I found there is a learning curve, but I never had a better night sleep in the woods. I had a lot of back pain sleeping on the ground and a hammock has eliminated that completely for me. In my opinion hammocks are the way to go
I can't sleep on my back or my stomach.
I agree. I sleep in my hammock at a level I could never achieve at home, and certainly far better than I have ever slept in a tent. I wake up every morning with zero back and hip pain.
@@greggbarcelow5533I bought a hammock for a AT section hike. Tried it out in the back yard a few times and found I sleep better in the hammock than in my bed. No morning aches. I gave up on tents.
I've backpacked with a hammock for years winter and summer in the Wasatch mountains of Utah. I only recently got an under quilt, I used to use a light wool blanket under my sleeping bag and it worked great. I've never heard of a top quilt, it seems unnecessary. Most hammocks have pockets for the small things or the stuff sack, sometimes sewn on the side. I hang my bag on a tree and cover it with the bags rain fly, it's always stayed dry. Shoes either in the hammock by my feet or directly underneath. I always sleep comfortably. I use daisy chain straps. I feel like this fella is over complicating hammocks. They are very easy, takes me 5 minutes, lighter then a tent. Takes up less room then a tent
Top quilt is totally unnecessary, I also hammock in UT (as low as 20°F so far). A couple of XL hand warmers, a fleece-lined beanie, and a nice thick pair of SmartWools will keep you just as warm.
Totally agreed. I swapped from the tent because of how much room it took up. I also have not had any trouble with gauging distance. The only real issue I had was solved by a 3rd tree strap. Now trees that were too far apart are no longer an issue for me.
@@littleredhen8205the top Quilt is used instead of a sleeping bag. So very necessary.
Square.
Thanks for saying
Using a pillow or down jacket under my knees has made my sleep experience much more comfortable. I started backpacking a few years ago and purchased the Sheltowee Hammock system because of your video on the hammock. Thank you for making videos. That system is very user-friendly, especially with the straps and how the hammock packs up. I use Hyperlite Mountain Gear Pods to pack my sleep insulation. Helps keep them compact, organized, and shaped for my backpack. Ridgeline organizer is a must. Glad I purchased that accessory for my hammock. I hang my backpack with a carabiner to stay dry and off the ground. A larger tarp with doors will help feel more enclosed, and protected from rain. Using a hammock for shorter basecamp adventures is best. Use a ground sleep system for longer mile adventures. Both sleep systems seem to have their own unique quirks.
I'm surprised that few people mention the knee issue with a hammock.
I use a small compressible pillow under my knees too and it is so worth the extra few ounces and space. I tried an inflatable pillow and it was good but not even close to the degree of comfort as the compressible pillow. This one addition change hammock camping for me. I have the Dutchware Chameleon hammock and the other thing that helped was getting the new bug net with a spreader bar. Amazing room
An extra foot on the length of one’s hammock would negate the knee issue, usually caused because the hammock is too short to lay flat in diagonally across it. If you get the chance to try an 11 or 12 foot hammock you’ll tend to find that this problem disappears.
As a general rule, I hammock when camp life is more of a focus and tent when going light and fast.
Two pieces of insulation fit much better into your backpack if you ditch the stuff sacks and just stuff them down at the bottom of your pack's internal waterproof bag. That also simplifies and shortens the packing process. I'm a little mystified why folks insist on using stuff sacks for quilts.
Any of the Hammockgear mesh ridgeline lofts or organizers are good choices. The lofts are for bigger gear and clothing items and the organizers for smaller things. I find peak lofts harder to access. For items you do not need immediate access to, I put them in the backpack and hang it on either of the hammock's continuous loops with a biner (the points where you connect the underquilt).
2 points. 1) RAIN - hammock camping is great in the rain - you can setup the tarp first and take it down last. That keeps your gear more dry. 2) bungee string - for the tie out lines for the tarp - substitute about 1/4 - 1/3 of the length of string with bungee string. This helps keep the tarp tighter through the night.
Bungie string is a great idea!
Having a guideline permanently attached to the hammock makes it easy have hooks ar clips on all of your gear and clip to the ridgeline. Also, set up your hammock at home count babysteps from tip to tip of rainfly. Whenever you pick campsite just babystep your spot and hang up the rigging.
Not to mention a dedicated ridgeline can help prevent banana sleep by putting tension on the ridgeline rather than the hammock. Just by making the ridgeline slightly shorter than the hammock.
I've been hammock camping for a little over five years. Had access to a cabin, and when it was being rejuvenated, I learned the hammock. You do feel exposed at first, but now, though the cabin is in fine shape, I prefer being outside in the hammock, and feel a little "cocooned" in a tent. I'm almost 68, and the ground never permits me to sleep (I'm even a light sleeper at home), but I sleep like a babe in the hammock. My ridgeline is in the same stuffsack as my tarp; it already has a bowline knot on one end, and two prussik knots, so I just put the ridgeline up first (making a knuckle through the bowline and putting a stick through it, then a trucker's hitch on the other end), then the tarp, in case of inclement weather, and hang the pack on one of the trees with a cover. Since I take a chair, I just put a lot of stuff in it (and always use its own sack, slid onto the "x" of the legs, to put phone, cigars, lighters, etc. under the seat), and just pull it under the tarp before retiring. I spend much more time breaking camp than striking camp, and can set up tarp and hammock as fast as my old 1970s Eureka Timberline 2 (which I love, as tents go). Thanks for your thoughts, and for inviting ours. Happy camping!
I’ve spent many nights hanging and have done over 1000 miles on the AT with my Warbonnet Eldorado. The Eldorado stuff sack doubles as a ridge line bag for my gloves, warm hat, socks, headlamp, chapstick etc. For me, it’s much more comfortable than being on the ground. I use whoopie slings (I think they’re the lightest, most adjustable suspension system). I don’t keep my hammock, topquilt or underquilt in stuffsacks. Just stuff those into my pack. The whoopies are always attached to my hammock for rapid setup. I did about 300 miles of the AT with two other hikers who were ground dwellers and I was always cooking my dinner before they were set up with their tents, inflatable underpads tent stakes, etc.
Yes, a hammock system can be a bit fussy at first but after you set it up for 7 nights in a row, you develop speed. AND, I never have to worry about damp, or uneven ground below me. (I did a winter hike up Mt. Greylock in Massachusetts and hung my rig over a mostly frozen small stream.
And one more big benefit for us mature male backpackers who have to get up in the night to pee, I’ve developed a completely safe way to pee out of the hammock without wetting my gear and without getting out of my nice warm cocoon.
I think it’s a bit of a challenge to get a hammock system as light weight as a tent system but, not impossible. You do need trees to attach your suspension so, it doesnt work for desert backpacking. Finally, in extremely cold windy weather, I think a tent system might be better than a hammock system (but Shug does it).
For me the pros outweigh the cons.
I've done the math and you can get the set ups in hammocks as light, but what I've found is hammockwrs choose not to.
When you ask a tenter for their set up they go barebones and strip out everything they can
When you talk to a hammocker, they often have tarps larger than they need or other comforts they prefer.
I think it's interesting that the hammockers are generally ok with more weight for more comfort.
You are still a young man. Crawling around on your knees is a bummer when you age. I was a ground dweller for decades and once I dialed in my routine, I’ve never felt more rested than in a hammock.hammock gear makes a terrific dyneema ridge line organizer.
Don’t give up till the miracle happens
It's always seems funny to me when tent camper move to hammock and think how different it is because I did more hammocks before I got into tents and thought that tent setups and packing them felt strange.
Ditch the stuff sack and stuff you insulation on the bottom of you bag. Fits a lot easier that way.
Ridgeline organizers are almost a must have item. I just sew my own which takes about 30 min. Just simple rectangle with two pockets on each side and connect them with mitten hooks to prusik knots on my ridgline. I leave it on when packet.
Play with your tarp setups. Putting one side up with sticks, tecking poles or tieing them to trees can be a great experience. Having a view at all times when in a hammock is always great.
Definitely been a learning curve for me, but as far from ideal as it was at the first, I knew right away I didn’t want to go back to the agony of sleeping on the ground again. Learned early on how essential an underquilt is. A couple nights of still being cold led me to the Hammock Gear Incubator (or is that the top quilt?) seen in this video. Made a huge difference. Another huge milestone was investing in a Hammock Gear Standard Hammock. Much easier diagnal lay and much more visibility than the enveloping ENO hammocks (the Traveler isn’t too bad).
I live right across Hood Canal from the Olympic Mountains. One of the big lessons I learned is that you need much more suspension length when camping in old growth forests of the PNW. I’d bring 2 sets of straps per hammock, but that was bulky and heavy. Got some 5/8” x 22’ climbing webbing which works for the kids, but too much stretch for my near 200 pounds. Finally nailed it with some 15’ Dynema straps from Warbonnet. Plus some backup 6’ Dynema whoopie slings to extend them. Super strong, super light weight, and super compact. I do a Becket hitch and just clip the loop into the carabiner.
I’m 74 and have been camping since I was a kid. I’ve found pluses and minuses with a hammock. The biggest drawback to a hammock from my experience is weight. You really need a sled or a canoe to transport a system that requires quilts, tarp, etc. if you’re going hiking a far distance over several days. On the positive side once you get used to it you learn to sleep on your back and it is far more comfortable than sleeping on the ground, especially for a back that is my age. Long story short, if I’m hiking into the back country, over several days, I use my tent. When I have a canoe or kayak, or in the winter with a sled, I use my hammock. Everyone is different; I would say go with what your more comfortable with.
Just to let you know there is ways to have a hammock setup at the same weight as tent for the same kind temperature (winter obviously).
My hammock and tarp weigh less than a tent, and my insulation system weighs about the same as a comprable ground sleeping bag +pad+air matress.
Not sure what kind of hammock you've been hauling.
@@mikitta47 Agreed. My setup:
- Netted 11' hammock: ~15oz
- Ultralight suspension: ~3oz
- Silpoly 11' tarp with guylines ~13oz
It could be lighter with a dyneema tarp, but currently it weighs a tad under two lbs.
My underquilt weighs the same as an ultralight insulated ground pad.
A buddy of mine talked me into a hammock this year. I've found the one big advantage to a hammock is that it's much better in damp climates. Staying off the wet ground is wonderful.
Re: ridgeline organizer, I also recommend a large side pocket. My Blackbird XLC has one built into the design. My wife's Simply Light Designs Trail Lair has one sewn in. Dutchware Gear has their Sidecar add on pocket as well.
I hang my backpack from the toe end of my hammock if it might rain. Or on a tree otherwise.
As for packing, I've recently picked up a "hammock catch-all" bag from Simply Light Designs. It's like a giant tarp snake skin. It holds my hammock, quilts, and pillow all assembled. Then I just roll it tight and cram it into my pack. Before that, I just packed the pieces loose. The tarp on the other hand goes in an exterior pocket, for quick deployment should it be raining....Dutchware stingers are super helpful for quick tarp deployment.
@@MichaelTheophilus906 when the ground is 3 inches of mud or 8 inches of moss, I prefer my hammock. ( And my job is too busy to camp in the driest months)
GREAT comments. Extremely good tips, thanks so much. Love my Blackbird XLC!
I did a 21 day trip last year on my Goldwing from Texas to Pennsylvania and back. About seven of those days were in the rain. One thing I really enjoyed is you can set up a hammock in the rain and never get your gear wet because you put the tarp up first and then you can put the hammock up underneath it, even in a downpour. You can’t do that with a tent and a rain fly! I stayed completely dry on my trip even with all night downpours happening. At the time I was using a Sil-Nylon tarp from ENO. Worked very well but I have since switched over to a poly tarp from Warbonnet.
@@stampede963 It’s a dreamhammock and sweet dreams for me my friend. I love ground dwellers. I think they must be really nice people to endure sleeping like a samsquatch so the rest of us can catch our beauty sleep 😴
@@larryfolloway6335 😂😜
Been off the ground since 2013 and love it. To get my pack and assorted gear off the ground and under the tarp I made a gear hammock. Mine hangs from the ridgeline above the hammock but they can also be hung from the suspension beside the hammock. SLD sells one but they're simple to make yourself.
Started hammock camping three years ago and will never go back to a tent. It is worlds more comfortable. I weighed out all my gear to compare tent gear to hammock gear and they were almost identical. That is with a tent that is 2lb, a light weight down sleeping bag and sleeping pad. My hammock gear includes a 45deg under quilt, 20deg sleeping quilt, and the hammock system with full fly that closes at the ends. I can easily swap the quilts for warmer weather. From Superior Gear, the pouches come with mini carabiners so they can be attached to the ridgeline to hold stuff. For my pack, I just put it in a trash bag and lay it on the ground, I could also easily plop it in my backpacking chair as well. Slept through multiple storms and never saw a drop under the tarp. Setup is also easier in the rain. Just put up your tarp first which is quick then you stay dry under it setting up the hammock.
Ohhh yeah, , laying outside with the wind lightly blowing, the hammock swinging in the breeze, and the smell of the outdoors, just doesn’t get much better! The only distraction in some of the woods is the hope that I don’t become a tasty hanging burrito.. Totally love it.., just say’n
I've set up tents ranging from 2 person 12 person for years maybe even a decade and it has never taken me longer to set up my hammock than a tent. 5 minutes max for me and it's 2 minutes to pack up if that.
Nice video Devon. You know, there isn’t a specific thing per se, but it’s actually the style of hammock that makes a big difference for me. After re-purchasing a ridge runner a little while back I realized a bridge hammock really does make a big difference for me. Being able to lay flat on my side, and having the saddlebags built into it go a long ways. And when I do get out the hammock camp with my CPAP machine, it will be easier with my ridge runner.
That's the largest bulkiest hammock system I've ever seen! I use the Hennessey deluxe hammock system which is easily a 3rd of the size of just 1 of those stuff sacks. Works great for my bikepacking adventures. Seems like you've over complicated the process, because it takes me 10 minutes or less for set up or pack up. 5 minutes or less if I don't use the rain fly/tarp.
Is there an issue with just using a normal sleeping bag?
Tips for Your Hammock System
1. Deploy your system multiple times before you go. Then your setup time will be less than 90secs.
2. H ridge line is key to repeating the same lay.
3. Once you get your perfect lay note height of straps to your body...shoulder, mouth, eyes, top of head
4. Mesh bags work great for H ridge line organizer
5. Use simple tension knots ...eliminating hardware
6. Make your own snake skin from tyvek eliminating the need for a stuff sack ..include a built in pouch inside snake skin for stake and tree straps
7. Keep guy lines and ridge lines always fastened where they attach
8. If using dynema tarp, a continuous tarp ridge line is not needed. Attach at each end of the tarp
9. When packing up.
a. Detach each end of the hammock and attach to tarp ridgeline.
b. Detach tree straps and place in
snake skin pouch.
c. Slide snake skin midway of tarp
d . Detach one end of tarp ridge line
and place in snake skin
e. Secure end of snake skin with
band then do the other end.
I am just getting into it as well. I have resisted it for a long time. I have to say, I really enjoy it. A lot. What made my hammock camping experience better is my friends. Constantly picking their brains, watching, listening and learning. Once I finally made the plunge, most of it seemed to come quite easily to me. I attribute that to having seen it and being exposed to it a lot before hand. I wish I had gotten into this sooner
You know it makes sense ! The best way for me to get correct sleep is definitely with my hammock !
I use a Kelty Noah 16 X 16 tarp to create a shelter around my hammock. I use clips to create doors on both sides. Not only do you get a different sleeping experience, but you also have that sense of security from being closed in especially at night, and in bad weather.
Critters scurrying below you at night was one of my early eye-openers! But, by and large, they're not very interested in me, just passing through.
Love hammock camping. My family get the tent, I layback and chill by myself come bed time - bliss!
About to work up to winter hammock camping come this next winter. Can't wait
G'day mate,
I have 2 recommendations for you regarding stowage of your gear.
Inside your hammock, you can try a Hennessy (L or XL) mesh pocket (ridgeline organizer) They install easily (velcro) & are pretty handy BUT you need to consider whether your internal ridgeline IS or ISN'T a weight bearing. Eg a puffy down jacket or top quilt will fit well & not put undue stress on the line. If you have a "Dyneema" type ridgeline that can handle some weight, it won't be an issue. If you don't like things hanging over your face, simply slide it back down the ridgeline after you've accessed your kit
Underneath your hammock you can try a DD gear sling or Onewind gear hammock. Both are a similar design of mini hammock, slung underneath the hammock you're in. These will keep heavier gear nearby & out of the elements. (You can also stick your feet in them, while seated in your hammock to give your hammock the "recliner" feel!!!)
Hope this has been of some help.
Cheers,
Dave (hangin' upside down, down under)
Hey Dave, fellow aussie looking into hammock camping.
Any recommendation on brands in Aus that are decent?
@@brennoj79 G'day mate, hammocks are such an individual thing. It's a bit like cars. Some swear by specific brands, then there's the type (ute or sedan etc) Other factors are your weight & height.
There are A-Sym type hammocks like Warbonnets & Hennessy's, flat lay hammocks like Amok Draumr, There are gathered end hammocks like Tenth Wonder, Alton Goods & Mosquito Hammocks. Other "box-like" hammocks have spreader bars that keep the mosquito netting off your face & open the hammock up like Haven Tents & some of the Clark Jungle Hammocks & DD brand hammocks.
Each have features that are unique to that particular design. Some have double layers on the bottom & can be more easily rigged to be used on the ground like a bivi than others.
It depends on your budget too! (Do you really want to drop AUD $400 on a complete set up If you only go out once or twice a year when an AUD $80 set up might suffice??) Do you only want the ones available in Aus or are you willing to pay even more to have one shipped in?
Accessories like under quilts also need to be taken into account (some can be used with many different types of hammocks while others need accessories that are specifically designed for use with it) ie It's a pain to use a Onewind brand under quilt with a "classic" bottom entry Hennessy Hammock. You can even modify your hammock suspension system or tarp if you wish. The choices are as many & varied as the people who like to hang in hammocks!!
Do as much research as you can by watching TH-cam videos & reading reviews on the type of hammocks that catch your eye. In a perfect world, the best way would be to try out numerous different types & brands to see which one suits you best.
I hope I've been of some assistance in the initial considerations you need to take into account before buying a hammock.
I NEVER leave the house without one because I I enjoy hanging so much! (Keep in mind some places in Aus do NOT want you tying hammocks off to any trees at all!!)
Best of luck in your search.
Regards,
Dave
You touched on a lot of good points here that people don’t talk about much with hammock camping. I have friends that love it. A lot of it is personal preference. I’m a side sleeper and I tend to flip from side to side a lot. Probably just takes more getting used to but I just didn’t like the set up and couldn’t really get used to it. Around here where I camp a tent just makes More sense and I know this is dependent on the terrain and climate you’re in. Some people will even tell you they can just sleep under a tarp. Not here, good luck fighting back all the mosquitoes 😆. Definitely need bug netting around here! For me the reasons I listed are why a traditional free standing tent just makes a lot more sense. Like I said it’s all personal preference.
I’m might be weird but a hammock with spreader bars is ideal for me. Also raccoons will walk under you and climb out on your ridge line. We scared each other.
Ha! Never had that happen but had a black bear stick his head under my Big Agnes tent vestibule near Gunnison Colorado.
One thing that I have found new hammock campers doing, including myself, is to hang the hammock too tightly. Hang it so that the lines are 30-45 degrees. Experiment hanging it with about a 20 degree drop, then 30 & 40. You'll find your sweet spot pretty quickly depending on your hammock and sleep style.
Yes hammocking is more fiddly and requires a but of effort to dial in, but the beauty of it is that you can fine tune your lay and get a beautiful night of sleep even on rough, wet or uneven ground. It really does get to be second nature quicker than you would imagine. Within 5-10 hangs you will just be able to eyeball the appropriate distance between trees and get set up quickly
Completely agree! It's take a good 10 hangs to dial it in to where it's intuitive and quick. Love my Sierra Madre NINOX flat lay hammock.
I’ve only ever hammock camped so may not be great for comparison but there are some things I’ve learned.
What works best for someone else may not work well for you. I personally like a little flatter pitch because I’m a side sleeper and sleep with a lot of pillows at home. That little flatter pitch hugs me just right and supports me to sleep semi on my side/back.
Always pitch your feet slightly higher. Not like a foot but a few inches.
ALWAYS bring cotton drip lines. I run two on my set up because we hike just south of Pisgah National Forest a lot and it’s like a mini rainforest.
Try to set up in a more wooded area to prevent the effects of swirling wind.
Hope this helps.
Realizing I didn’t need any kind of flat ground and only needed two trees and to figure out my level/equal strap heights… was golden.
Then I moved on to the Moab area…
Having google earth, a tent, a hammock and a hooped bivy in the vehicle is the best way to hop between different areas.
Lately, I’m loving my hammock hanging from my trailer hitch in the desert.
I tried hammock 2,5 years ago , and now I've already spent almost 200 nights in it. Absolute blizz if the surroundings are peaceful.
👊🏻
The most important thing about hammock camping is knowing your knots and knowing how to use which knot where. Initially my setups took a ton of time, but now everything is streamlined and ready to quickly deploy and pack back up again. I have quick releases on my ridge line and prusik quick releases for my tarp. The only thing that takes time is staking out the tarp and adjusting the hammock tension. In return you get a refreshing night of sleep. Tents always feel stuffy to me, but in a hammock it really feels as if I'm camping in the open.
1)Yes your pack will pack differently, but with the down, it does pack down pretty good. Hammocking in the summer will take even less room as you'll be using a cooler TQ and can use a pad for your underlayer.
2)The fiddle factor will disappear over time. The first handful of times is going to require a little extra effort and head scratching. Dutchware gear offers so many things that make setup much faster and simpler.
3)Gear storage. For your pack, if it's raining, hang it from a carabiner at your foot end from your suspension, or on the ground underneath you. Laid on top of a ground sheet. Keys, phones etc, a RLO will remedy that.
4)If you are still 'bowing' while sleeping, then your head and foot ends need to be adjusted and your sleep angle needs to increase. I'm 6'1" and sleep in both an 11 and 12' hammock. The 11' has very slight shoulder squeeze, and I can spread, bend my legs pretty good (like sleeping on a couch with a foot over the back cushion). The 12' has zero shoulder squeeze and tons of leg room, BUT..... needs the underquilt to be custom fit in order to get proper coverage.
5)Tarps with doors will give you that Tenting feel, and with a pole mod, will give you enough room to sit in a chair and cook your meals with a friend and give you as much privacy and ventilation as your heart desires.
I came from a tenting background as well as time in the infantry, and I can never go back to a tent unless it's in my tipi with the family.
My biggest suggestion, is to take an afternoon, and go to the park or trail where you can hang, and do all the fiddling and adjusting.
Take it down, find another set of trees and do it again, but this time, settle back and relax, and tweak the final adjustments. Take note of what height you hang your suspension on the trees. What height on your body does your head and foot end rest (my head end I set at my hip height, and my foot end at my chest height). Make sure you can bend your Ridgeline with one hand while laying in it. If it's too loose, tighten the suspension. If it's too tight, loosen it until you can bend.
After one or two afternoons of doing that, setting up on a trip will be much much more enjoyable.
I hammock camped for a year in Havvai'i. It's the only way to camp now, I will never go back to anything else. I even spent a night outside (in the hammock) during a tropical storm (downgraded hurricane). It was wild.
One of the best tricks I learned was to replace the guy lines holding the rain fly with the same nylon straps you use to hang the hammock. It's a little more expensive (you will need between 3 - 4 sets of straps depending on how many anchor points it has).
I've also used underquilts, but recently I came across a new solution - the next hammock I'm getting is a Draumr 5.0 and it has a sleeve for a sleeping pad (they sell sleeping pads too, but I see no reason not to go with a cheaper foam cell pad instead). the sleeping pad works as insulation too, and it can be used in a pinch to sleep on the side of the road if you are not set up or are in the process of moving to a new site.
I do hammock backpacking for years and I can sleep 8 hours without wake up. Love it
I think that hammocking vs tenting is like skiing vs snowboarding. Whichever you start with first will be easier and more comfortable for you. Switching over takes adjustment. I got a hammock early on and found daisy chains super easy to use. It's still tricky falling asleep comfortably because I'm a side-sleeper, but I sleep great when I get it. As a remedy for bulk, I've just been using my sleeping pad in the hammock. I know people say you need a quilt, but for warm weather it works just fine. It also forces the hammock open, giving me more room. That just goes to show that you don't need to spend big bucks on high-end stuff. My hammock, sleeping pad, and tarp were all $30 a piece or less. The one thing I invested in were good ENO straps, and those were $40. You don't want anything that stretches (and in some parks you are required to use straps at least 1 inch thick to prevent damage to trees). I'll be curious to see if an insulated pad works in cooler temperatures. However, I would feel more secure in a tent in winter/shoulder season weather.
I actually picked up a rather nice hammock kit from Kammock through its Kickstarter campaign (for the discount), and while the hammock itself turned out to be rather nice, I'm still on the fence about hammock camping.
On the one hand, it does make for a comfortable sleep, but on the other it's a bit awkward for just about everything else. And it's not an option in some of the most majestic alpine environments where the trees are scrubby (if they grow there at all).
It does take a bit of practice to get used to pitching a hammock, but I don't see that as a negative, just a learning curve. And once you figure it out, it's kind of trivial -- just like pitching a trekking pole tent; once you get used to the right geometry for yours, it becomes pretty easy.
For me the issue was the shelter side; in a tent you have space to organize your gear out of the rain, which you kind of don't in a hammock. When I was camping on a group trip and sharing my tipi we did stash some of our gear outside of the tent, and for that I wrapped my pack in a small tarp to keep it dry since it's not waterproof. When hammocking in the rain, I brought that same small tarp (a Klymit Roamer), but used it as a groundsheet to lay out my gear to attempt to dry it, and also as a place to sit out of the rain. Later though when I was doing some colder weather camping I got an Exped insulated mat, and that was so comfortable that it rivaled the hammock, and that was that.
So the next time I went camping in the rain, I used a large 10x12 tarp as an overhead shelter, the Klymit Roamer to sit on, and an Outdoor Research AscentShell bivy to sleep in. That was actually quite nice, because I had an enormous amount of space plus a nice warm and waterproof sleeping environment. I honestly didn't NEED the big tarp, but it was nice to have the big space.
I have the exact same system; just got it in March. You’re right, there is some learning to be done. I bought the ridge line organizer from Hammock Gear but before that arrived I just used a small stuff sack clipped around the ridge line, worked fine. If you’re feeling exposed, try sleeping inside the bug net, even if there are no bugs. Kinda simulates the tent feeling a teeny bit. I’m also considering swapping out the daisy chain for cinch buckles or something a bit more easy to customize. And you’re bang on about taking up more space in the pack. Like you I put both pieces of insulation inside my pack, then I put the hammock and tarp in a long stuff sack and strap that to the top of my pack in the same spot I would have carried my tent. It works so far.
For laying more flat. Try getting a wider or double hammock and sleep in it diagonally. That helped me out a ton.
The ridgeline is great for organizing but remember it should be shorter than your hammock and strong enough to hold you. As it's original purpose was to keep the hammock hanging low and help prevent banana hammocking.
Want more privacy? Get a bigger fly. My 17×12 works wonders. I can bring down the sides right to the ground to block wind/sight.
1. Those quilt stuff sacks are HUGE. You can easily get quilts that are 1/2 that size or smaller to take up way less space in your pack.
2. Always have your feet side of the hammock up higher than the head side. This will keep you from sliding down during the night and having to re-adjust.
3. Sleep at an angle. It feels counter intuitive, but you actually sleep at about a 30 degree angle in your hammock for the best results to not have that bowing effect you mentioned.
Overall, the best sleep I've ever gotten in the wilderness is in a hammock, and I'd say just mess around with whatever fits you best. Like you said there are so many options, and that lets you customize your own gear exactly how you want!
Welcome to wonderful world of hammock camping. Some tricks I try to follow is knowing what the terain is like under the hammock and setting up your gear such as a pice of plastic for your shoes or pack, knowing if there is soft grass or sand under the hammock or rocks and thistles, rf if it is best to hang your pack from your suspension or a tree. Getting the tarp sidways to wind and rain makes a big difference as well. And YES ridgeline organizers such as those from Dutch or comthing that you make really help. I have a small flashight that hangs directly above my head so I can easily find light in the middle of the night and a beanie in a pouch that sits hangs at the end of the hammock above my head in case it gets cold
Four is the magic number! When looking for a decent spot, find two sturdy trees which are four big paces apart, that should equate to around 4m. Pack just four things - one hammock (obviously), one tarp, one set of tree-straps and a sleeping bag or blanket.....simple
I’ll just keep tenting cuz when you wake up in the rain it’s nice to have a enclosed shelter that you can move around make coffee and pack up your bag.
I will definitely say that setup requires more experience and it’s unsettling at first to be “exposed”, but that being said.
1. If you know what your’e doing It’s the most comfortable sleep you’ll ever get
2. Much easier to stay dry in the rain.
3. Gives you a place to cook in the rain.
4. I’ve found it’s much much warmer once you get the right gear.
5. Condensation is a thing of the past.
6. Lightest setup I’ve ever had.
7. If you have back pain or trouble sleeping on the ground, this will allow you to get you back into the back country again.
8. No more fighting over or trouble finding a flat tent site that doesn’t create problems in the rain. Hammocks can be set up just about anywhere there are trees.
Ultimately for me, having tent camped for nearly 20 years, the only thing I miss is playing cards while inside your sleeping bag with a friend.
1. You no longer need to find level ground. 2 Feet end of hammock needs to be clearly higher than head end. 3. Once you get to used sleeping in hammock you will sleep better than you ever could in tent.
Point one i mean really you can camp in places Where you never could with tent.
@@v4L0 Visa versa also holds true. You can camp in some places with some pretty amazing views that you can't hang. Also, out here in Utah, with the way much of our forests are, especially in our Uinta mountain range with so much beetle kill, You can almost always find a level spot to pitch a tent and have camp all set up well before you find a suitable pair of healthy trees trees with the ideal space between them that don't have a widow-maker or undergrowth blocking out the space you want your hammock to go. It really all just depends on where you're at that dictates whether it'll be easier to find a spot to hang vs a level spot to lay on the ground. Out here, the latter is often more abundant than the former in so many cases. I do love to hammock camp, but now I only take mine out when I'm going into an area I'm familiar with and know beforehand that there are prime spots to hang.
@@WasatchWillyou’re failing to think about the fact that most tent hammocks can still be setup as a ground tent…
I have used a cheap Grand Trunk double hammock for 5 years now with a built in net and a spreader bar for my shoulders. It is great. It's long with lots of room. A double will let you get very flat and a wide bar instead of a cinch is easy on the shoulders.
Just from a casual listen to your video two things I would recommend are a structural Ridgeline that has already been mentioned I'm sure. You can use a level app on your phone to see what angle your structural Ridgeline is at so you can always set either level or your head end up or down according to your preferences. The other thing I would highly recommend is a backpack liner to keep everything inside dry but also at night I take that out of my pack and put my backpack and loose items in that bag and rubberband it closed. This keeps things dry and smaller things from getting scattered by the wind.
I have become a fan of hammock camping. Glad you’re enjoying it also. I’m really big into bikepacking, not backpacking, so my gear differs. I have three hammocks and a variety of hammock gear to choose from, and the one that works best for me in almost every case is my Amok Draumr 5.0 assymetrical hammock. It’s a game changer, but at a higher entry cost than budget gear. It lays flat, can be used as a chair, a reclining lounge, and the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in. I have about 400 nights in it so far, from hot summer nights to cold, snowy winters. And everything in between. Keep on searching for what works best for you. Once you find the right set up for you, you’ll know. Enjoy!
Biggest thing I’ve learned hammocking is 1. During winter camping, take care to block the wind. I’ve had a quilt rated above the temp but the wind sucked all the heat out and I had cold butt all night and slept awful. A tarp with doors, underquilt protectors, or simply anticipating wind direction in a valley all would have saved me if I had paid more attention 2. Snakeskins for the tarp. They’re 20$ and make life so much better. 1 piece or 2 piece, hammock gear,Dutch ware, sew your own. doesn’t matter just get them, I promise.
Omg. Brilliant. This is every last Q+A topic that a tent hiker has when trying out the hammock routine. Lots of subtle setup things and fussing around. Learn your prusik knots and get those drip lines in place!!
Love that you are getting into this! Autumn Ultralight is supposed to be secret 🤫. Her stuff is amazing. I run the Dream Hammock Darien in 1.2 and the ridgeline organizer from them is my favorite as my water bottle slide into the middle of it. Hang time hook makes watching a movie AMAZING in the hammock. I got some Niteize LED string lights to go on my ridgeline so I can see my hammock better at night and I just love the look. Peak Loft for electronics and Diddy bag as well as beanie and insulation Hoodie (I use a Senchi Alpha). Newest experiment is a wide mouthed soft 750mL Nalgene flask as a pee bottle. Just sit up and go without getting out. As for the pack, that chair is now multi use! I unpack what I need into the hammock, and when it's bedtime I bring my chair within arms reach of the hammock and put everything not in the hammock in the chair. Then in the morning after breakfast I again use the chair to organize my stuff as I pack so I'm not bent over. Summer quilts make a big difference. I have the Loco Libre 50⁰ Operator TQ/UQ. Both fit into a 10L dry bag and all together weigh 18.5 Oz. Good down to 60⁰ for me, anything near 50⁰ needs the 20⁰ HG quilts I started with. The HG down pillow is perfect for me. It hangs from the ridge line so you don't lose it.
There are tarps with storm doors, they feel much less exposed. I have the Warbonnet Superfly and I like to keep my foot end closed and head end partially opened as an entrance. It also has a tent pole sleeve to increase the interior volume a bit.
Also I put a partially inflated air pillow under the back of my knees so I don't feel calf pressure. I think a down pillow is better for your head , air pillows are a bit too high in this scenario. You could also just used a down jacket.
I've been using a hammock now for about 3 years. I'm never going back to a tent unless my girlfriend comes with.
My hammock set up is simple , ultralight ,
Find two trees that (won't fall) and boom ten minutes later done!
It's really pretty awesome 😎
Practice, practice, practice worked for me to get more familiar with hammocking. Started in backyard then took hammocks with me on multiple day hikes to get the set up and hang worked out. Not always gonna find the perfect spot so be prepared for the unexpected. As your hammocking skills evolve so will your hammocks and your set ups. I know my hammock set ups and the way i pack my hammocks have evolved over time
One solid stuff sack can handle top and under quilts. Between my warbonnet eldorado, minifly, and sld top/bottom quilt, I was running a lighter big three than a lot of people on the Appalachian trail. The learning curve is definitely worth it. And the distance of trees matters less as long as you’ve got a decent thirty degree hand angle
Been hammocking for about 12 years now. You'll love the cinch buckles. To save a space in your pack, you can set up your hammock, put your UQ on it, and take them down as a unit, and stuff them into a compression sack. You can also leave your TQ inside your hammock and take all 3 down as a unit, or, just the hammock inside the UQ, and stuff your TQ into your pack like you would any quilt/sleeping bag. Biggest thing I've learned is to sleep on a diagonal, use a pillow under your head and another one under your knees. Blowups are fine, but I use a travel pillow, or a Thermarest style pillow under my head (down in the winter), and a Klymit Cush seat under my knees.
One other thing I learned was that if you want to lighten your load, you can get a 3/4 length underquilt, and use a sit pad under your lower legs/feet. It also lessens the amount of space needed in your bag.
Finally, you can get a "gear sling" that goes under your hammock, or can be hung separately next to the side of the hammock you don't exit from, which can hold your pack, shoes, etc. They don't weigh that much and are very handy. You can also get a peak bag from Simply LIght. That can be hung either inside the hammock, or off your ridgeline/straps to hold things like your headlamp, etc. as an alternative to a ridgeline organizer. Check out the Accessories in the Store on Dream Hammock's website as well.
One very last thing, I would also suggest you get a set of Nama Claws for your tarp ridgeline. Makes adjustment sooo easy. Not much heavier than a Prusik loop, just easier to use for adjustment.
When your hammock softly sways in the breeze at night, the frequency of the swaying is awfully close to the frequency of footsteps when walking slowly. And when you have some vegetation touching your hammock from the underside, it sounds like someone is slowly walking around your camp. Took me a while to figure this out and get use to it.
I put tie-offs on either side of both ends of my hammock. I cross guidelines underneath and stake them on opposite sides. Prevents swinging quite nicely.
I totally relate to both the fantastical wonder of that exposure, and the fear at night. If you can find some comfort with them, I recommend ear plugs and noise canceling headphones. (True, not exactly back-country friendly with their weak, urban construction.) I have a love affair with noise canceling headphones because of my sensitivity to sound, so they're something I'm going to carry anyway. I recently spent a few nights behind my Grandmother's house between a telephone pole, and a tree, in a city with busy streets nearby. It was pretty frightening without the headphones, but luckily, I did have them, so I put on some soothing music. When I was ready to really go to sleep, I put in earplugs, and sunk into the cocoon of the hammock. Sometimes you just need a little help to focus back in on your little corner of the world, where the lurking monsters won't look for you.
I also recently got the Ninox Flatlay Hammock from Sierra Madre Research. I'm 5'8" so it's super deep sag might not be the most necessary thing for a comfortable lay (but boy is it comfortable), and it presents a few issues reaching up high enough to get a good hang. However, I love the fabric, the double walled design that I got, and that it's part of such a highly engineered system that there's a level of trust and ease built in, that in turn makes the whole system quite comfortable to use. For a bigger guy, I can easily understand how the virtues would multiply.
The cinching straps from SMR did need some work, and if you really think you're going to zip the netting completely off frequently, I'd look elsewhere. My personal pet peeve is that the netting closing up the gathered ends of the hammock isn't attached all the way around, so I imagine all sorts of creepy crawlies making their way inside. But, hey, compared to everything they've figured out, and done well to the nth degree, that's pretty small potatoes. I can work on making an insect trap or barrier myself.
That said, the most interesting bit of gear I have from Sierra Madre Research, that I have yet to dial in, is the gear hammock. I suspect putting the becket hitch to the test is the solution. The hammock comes with knots to comfortably hang the hammock under the Ninox. In practice, I've found there doesn't tend to be enough room to hang anything below the Ninox. It's a stretchy hammock that sags even more overnight, but the real problem has been my reach. (Yes, tree climbing is great, just not into spider and ant colonies. You know the sketchy trunks of which I speak.) However, I did see a guy set up his gear hammock inside the mosquito net of the ninox. For a truly drippy load, that might be a bit sketchy, but the gear hammock is made of a waterproof (or really highly resistant -Don't test me on this!) fabric. There's easily enough space between the ridgeline and you to hang stuff without feeling claustrophobic. (In my experience.)
I also went looking for some way to attach a cooler bag to my cargo e-bike, and found a video talking about this guy who makes this net/strap/ carabiner set up to carry backpacks, guitars, and other loads on his bike. He calls it the mundo airpannier. I can't speak to the stabilization strap being able to do a good job in this case, but I think he might be barking up the right tree, when thinking about gear hammocks to attach to a tree sling.
One thing I feel I should say about hoisting a backpack into the air, instead of setting it on a ground cloth, or wrapping it up for the night, is that I don't pack super light, so putting my bag on the same suspension as my hammock, tends to drag the straps down. In theory suspending something to lay just as my hammock does, on the same straps, shouldn't be a problem. I'm not going over the load limit by any means. The problem usually presents its self because tension is holding the straps against the tree. Through the course of a night, loaded down, you expect a little slippage/adjustment anyway. But then, as you go to adjust the tension or hike up the straps, you have to unburden the load, and then it's the fiddly little adjustments that kill you, as you put everything back together and have to adjust again. Ridgelines are great, but you don't actually want absolute taughtness in them, either, so if you're counting on them to create a fixed load structure, I'd think again. Honestly, I have daisy chain straps from my old hammock system too. I still think that provided I have a solid water and critter proofing system for my bags, the best solution is suspending my bag from its own daisy chain tree strap. If you're using a stand instead of trees (like a tensa)... Sometimes a weight is good, and sometimes you just need a place on the ground for your s***. I've seen people happily string up their stuff above and below their hammocks, so it could be I'm just not doing it very well yet...
Get a one-piece mesh "snakeskin" for your tarp. Makes setup a breeze. Keep on the outside of your pack if it gets wet. Trust me on this one!
Put your gear on a camp chair or tie to the foot end of your hammock if it's gonna rain. Otherwise bring a small piece of plastic or tyvek to set on the ground underneath you.
Ditch your stuff sacks and cram quilts in the bottom your bag in the order you be removing them on setup. Much better use of space.
Be patient. Stick with it and you will develop a routine that works for you. Love that fiddle factor for now and you will be rewarded 😁
I'm 5'8", so getting the Sierra Madre Research Ninox Flatlay Hammock ended up being a bit overkill, but it does deliver on a flatter lay than my Eno Doublenest Hammock. This particular hammock is made to a slightly different, optimized pattern, a wavy kind of thing, but I think the trick is in getting a longer hammock, as long as it's nice, soft material. I do have to put the hammock up as far up the trees as I can, with such a big hammock. Something to keep in mind is that the nylon that makes a nice, soft hammock, will stretch over time with weight in it, dropping you overnight up to a foot, even if the rope doesn't slip down, where you anchored it.
I've got to say a more rigid tarp, or poncho really makes a terrible hammock for sleeping. As tempting as it is to double up uses, and carry less, I wouldn't recommend it at all.
I haven't found the optimum carrying situation yet for my gear.
As far as ridgeline organizers go, and hanging a backpack... There are under hammock options for having your backpack close. If you have decent weatherproofing, hanging it up on a tree works, but I recommend carrying a separate line for that. You don't want to drag your hammock or tarp slowly down a tree. Something to think a bit about is what kind of trees you might be hanging in. Branches and sap can change the calculus a bit (also ants). If you have just a few things you want in your ridgeline organizer, using the ridgeline to hang stuff is fine. If you want to hang a full hot water bottle, on the other hand... In my experience that can make the ridgeline too tight to do it's job properly. I recommend carrying another line for ridgeline organization. Sometimes it just needs to reach the tree loops, and tie through, or off, there. I've seen people use carribeaners, little metal slider loop things (relatively light little aluminum pieces that are super easy to pop on a line, and grip wherever you like, offering a loop to put things through), and just good old knots to organize things, as well as netting organizers. If the gear you want won't change much, it might be worth it to play around, and lock onto what you like. Learning a few knots with some cords you feel comfortable cutting up, is probably the lowest cost way to start playing around. There are ways to make carriers for individual things, with just a bit of cord. I recommend a pinterest search on carrying knots. Also, with a bit of netting, cord, and creativity, you could create a lightweight little gear hammock.
Cold nights, electronics, and hammock camping are a combination I'm still trying to figure out. I kind of thought using reuseable hand warmers, and some kind of insulation might negate the necessity of using body warmth overnight. Food for thought. I prefer my electronics to be close, and accessible, without actually digging into my body.
Adjustability is your best friend when it comes to various tree lenghts and camp sites
I love hammock camping because of that exposure feeling!!
I personally feel safer. I feel like I'm high up in a tree, away from anything bad that can get me. I'm reality, I'm 3-6 inches off the ground where everything bad can get me. 😄
best gear organizer i've used comes from Autumn Outdoor Gear. it's called the Baganizer and love its duel use as a stuff sack for your hammock.
I’m glad you’re enjoying it. :)
I love my Ridge Runner Bridge hammock. I slept in a gathered end hammock for years but I got to feel like I was sleeping in a bag and my heels always had a pressure discomfort. After switching to my bridge hammock I have gotten the best sleep that I have ever gotten. The under quilt can be put on without as much of a problem as a gathered end hammock. There is no need to adjust it. It just works. I have modified it for a ridge line so I can lay in comfort and watch a movie with my Hang Time. The side pockets are so handy. I have a single layer and would prefer this then the double layer because the 20 degree under quilt is that good. I just can't say enough good things about it.
Very junior hammock camper here, already thinking of how to make set up easier; first will be to sewing snakeskins to enclose my entire setup ( hammock, Quilt, underquilt, sleep clothes, ridge line organizers)
i have been sleeping in a hammock in camp and at home for some years now. my bed backpacking is my bed from home.
you probably have a stuffsack or a place in your pack that would hold a whole sleeping bag. don't pack your quilts in separate bags. that wastes space. stuff them in one sack and put them where you would usually put a bag.
i use a contractor bag as a pack liner and guess what? it also makes a nice floor mat to put stuff on.
yes, you do learn how to get your perfect hang over time. also, your perfect hang changes a bit sometimes. you kind of develop a knack for scrunching around in the hammock to support the parts of you that need supporting. i can sleep on my belly if i like.
for my bits and bobs inside the hammock, i use a gear sling from dream hammock that is double ended, zips on top, and can be attached to my ridgeline or to my attachment points like a little side shelf. it also doubles as the stuffsack for my hammock.
since you have an HG wanderlust i know you have no shortage of attachment points.
for that exposed feeling, i like a tarp with doors. it's about double the price (because double the fabric) but you can guy it down when it's raining sideways and there you are off the ground and happy.
i have three hammocks (one of which is a wanderlust), a small collection of quilts, a variety of suspensions, and some freestanding rack hardware.
at first i worked to find the RIGHT combination, now i play around to see what combos work best for different situations.
why, yes. i have learned to splice dyneema cord.
Peak bags/pockets are great. I have one that is really big. As big as the gear loft on the new Copper Spur (my favorite tent). Two additional things to consider.... Hammocks with sleaves that hold a sleeping pad and some of my light gear (my preferred way). R value is whatever pad is. Summer and most of Winter I just carry a Thermarest accordion style and a quilt for comfort. Youth Hammock or gear sling (under or beside hammock) for gear if needed. Also great for camp chair...Ground to floor netting (stand and change) and last, a decent ground sheet. Obviously, you can go as light or heavy as you want but my pack whether tent or hammock is always very close to the same weight. Good luck. I enjoy your channel bunches... Thanks for the hard work and effort.
I bought my hand-made Tier Gear Goshawk hammock in 2016 but only hung it for day use. This year my camping car was written off and I went back to backpacking after 35 years of vehicle-based camping. That has been a learning curve but not as steep as the hammock one. Everything you say here I have also experienced. I do enjoy it now as I get a good hang and have top quality under and top quilts and a good tarp. It is heavier and bulkier than tarp camping but for me getting up off the ground is problematic (age, obesity, injuries etc) so the hammock is perfect. While I have a thousand bucks hanging off two trees with my set up, I have bought $30 hammocks and $40 tarps for my girls and they work fine with $50 Subito underquilt and some decent sleeping bags. Point is the learning curve is the same, regardless of how much your gear cost. The main thing is to get out there and give it a shot.
I was a backpacking and canoe camping ground dweller for years until a friend lent me his double eno hammock on a 9 day float trip. I was hooked and never looked back…reason…I slept great!
I have moved on to mostly using a Hennessy ultralight hammock with a dutch dynema hammock with storm doors on the end for cold bad weather. I use a jacks r better Mount Washington 0 degree underquilt. I also have a underquilt protector…like a wind shell over a down jacket.
I have tried several hanging systems. I have settled on carabiners attached to tie line with a larks head. I usually keep them pretty close but can extend if needed. I went to an eno atlas strap . I hook it a little tighter than you think you need at first. When you get in you will generally be at the right hang, much flatter and less banana shaped. Go diagonally until the fabric comes up under your knees like a lazy boy.
Use your sleeping bag like a quilt with feet up into foot box. Zip up your shell jacket and slide over end of sleeping bag to keep feet extra toasty on cold nights. You don’t need much of a pillow keep it flat as possible.
Most of the time I stuff my sleeping bag in backpack first then roll up my hammock with underquilt and protector attached. I can setup and breakdown my setup in less than 5 minutes.
Sometimes, especially out west it might take some time to find two trees. Once at moon lake close to the tree line I had to fine two trees on top of a large boulder…best camping spot ever.
If your are a stomach sleeper a hammock will never work but for the rest of us it should. I love getting into my hammock and i am never ready to get out of it. I could never say the same about ground dwelling where I often popped an ibuprofen just to be able to get out of my tent.
I used a hammock system for my first ever backpacking trip (I went to Yosemite en route to half dome).
I had a hammock, sleeping pad, and my sleeping bag.
No under quilt, no rain fly, no net.
Of course I was very inexperienced then, and luckily the weather was absolutely PERFECT throughout the trip. Since then, I ditched the sleeping pad for the under quilt and got a rain tarp/net.
I always make sure the trails I’m going have trees, otherwise I’ll opt for my tent. But if I can, I’ll opt for my hammock system :)
Im in a hammock almost every weekend on a trail...A couple things very few are aware of with a hammock is you need an adjustable Ridgeline so you can set your sag so that you get a nice flat diagonal lie...Most think that you stretch it tight to try to get a flat lie but it is just the opposite...Also to get the correct sag you need at least an 11ft hammock so when you set your Ridgeline your hammock isnt to short...My hammock is 11ft and it is set at 110 inches which is basically 9 ft..Once you set a Ridgeline where you want it it doesn't matter how wide the trees are as long as your straps reach you are good... Your Ridgeline will not allow your hammick to stretch out...Lot of videos on TH-cam about this...
Great video. Like others have said, check out all the shug videos. I love hammock camping on the AT because I never have to look for a relatively flat spot without a root or slope - when your ready to stop hiking, you usually can. Setting up a tarp in the rain and taking off wet clothes standing up is awesome compared to crawling into a tent. Coffee in the morning while lounging in a hammock is the best - I usually just lean over, light my silent alcohol stove and make coffee. A hammock is always off the ground and is very nice for lounging. Set up your tarp with dutchware and a ridge line - I use Dutch fleas in the corners and 4 stakes with attached lines - quick to stake and attach to tension. If you can , porch mode with trekking poles really opens things up. What I like about the ridge line is that I can slide the tarp to where I want it and it gives you a place to attach small carabiners to that you can use to hang your clothes and odds and ends bags - I use hmg pods with small carabiners, but any bag works. Clip your empty pack to your hammock line and keep all but your camp shoes off the ground. I use a 12 ft tarp over a 11 ft hammock and don’t have problems with coverage. If you know your facing wind and rain, take the time to set up smartly and keep the tarp low to the ground.- at least on the wind side. While there is more fiddling, the time spent scouting for good tent space can go on forever. If you like to sleep with some gear, check out the war bonnet hammock with shelf; I love the airflow and comfort of my dream weaver sparrow and the Dutch wear chameleon is nice. I started with woopie slings and Dutch clip straps and have never regretted this set up, it just works. My hammock, tarp, and quilt have been sprayed with permethrin, the bugs stay far away - I haven’t yet needed my hammock bug netting. My pack is packed with quilts on the bottom, followed by food bag, followed by clothes bag, followed by odds and ends bag and cook set, followed by hammock and then tarp - all fits in a 40 liter frameless light af pack - easy. Because I typically use a partial under quilt in the summer, I use a thermarest sit pad for my feet in the hammock, it works well enough and gives me the pad for use throughout the day; get one of these. The one down side for me, if my feet have really taken a beating, I typically put something soft between my feet to separate them as the hammock wants to push my feet together - ouch! My back packing set up without food and water is < 14 lbs and is much more comfortable than my tent setup which is about a lb lighter. Buy quilts that manage the temperatures you will travel in - warmer than you need just takes up space and weighs you down.
I do definitely understand the overwhelming options being scary when you start. I was looking all over and got kinda scared at all the options. I ended up with a kammock mantis because it was very user friendly, not many options, no knots, everything in one package. After having that for a few years I went to dream Hammock and made all the customizations and I love it.
The set up complications I don't get so much, even my first few times out I found it really easy to get the right lay, I would maybe adjust it once or twice. I always eyeball, you don't need to be that exact, then I set in it and make sure it's good height, if it is I'll slip off my shoes and lay down. If I feel I need to adjust all do that and test again.
On the exposure, I get that as well. When it's dark and quiet a squirrel can sound like a bear when you are tired. I tell new people to bring ear buds and that usually drowns that out.
On space, I actually find a hammock feels more spacious and organized than a tent. The Ridgeline organizer, peak lofts, and sometimes side wings/pockets. I find myself way more organized with what I need access to. On space, well under my tarp especially in porch mode I feel like I have a ton of room and I can sit up in that space and cook and enjoy the view.
Novice hammock camper here. Very relate-able points (especially different sleep and feeling exposed!).
My tip would be making a pillow for under your knees (I use a stuff sack with clothes), it breaks the banana shape en relieves stress from my knees. Makes it so much more comfortable.
Thanks for the great video!
Good to see thos video. Looking to.purchase mynfirst hammock. Thank you for the tips
DUDE 😁 So well said!! I've done both extensively and you are spot on 👍. Set-up can be a real PITA... but I find clean-up is a dream. Quick and easy. BTW, if I'm hammocking I now bring a good garbage bag for my gear and lay it underneath me. NICELY DONE 🥳
I've been a hammock camper for near 10 years now. One thing I learned over the years as a hammock camper is that I hate the tarps that often come with a hammock set and are intended to be used in a diamond formation. I personally use a 12x10 tarp with my 11ft hammock and more often then not use it in an A frame configuration with the option to fold the ends down, making doors to block wind and driving rain in the summer, while also giving me less exposure if unwanted and the ability to have a bit more privacy.
In winter when the sled comes out, I'll even opt to bring a larger tarp then my 12x10 to do the same thing but have the ability to have the tarp form a tent to the ground around the hammock, pile snow around it, and allow me to create dead air for added warmth. Couple years ago I even added a stove jack to one of my tarps that lets me turn it into a hot tent with my hammock; absolutely love it for winter camping.
p.s. I keep my pack under my hammock resting in a net that suspends it off the ground. Adds only a couple ounces and is nice for also stuffing boots and other things you want within quick reach of you so you're not having to get up and out of your hammock to get something... like your coffee set in the morning. Coffee in bed anyone? yes please.
I'm an older camper in my 50s and I prefer hammock for the quality of sleep and comfort. I'm not an ultra light backpacker, but I'm also not a car camper. The system you have while not basic is still heavy and bulky. What you need is underquilt made of down of at least 650 power and top quilt of similar value or a sleeping bag. Down packs better than synthetic, higher value like 800 pack much smaller than anything else. In essence, use down to cut on weight while getting great insulation.
I went hammock camping once in a costco style hammock, no insulation, just a -4*C sleeping bag and warm clothes during a chilly night. I have, however, spent a lot of time hammocking around the forests throughout the day time. My rule of thumb was to always have roughly 4ft of space between the lowest part of my hammock and the ground for a body weight of 137lbs. Honestly, just to save time, make the tension in the hammock and cords as tight as possible and set a hanging line roughly 2ft above the hammock (high tension aswell) and set up a tarp or poncho that youd then wrap around the hammock itself (keep in mind i only had these 4 items and it was only around 15*C at night. Mosquitos still managed to fly through but i only ever counted 2-3 mere minutes before my alarm rang.
TLDR: Set ur lines and hammock with high tensions asap to save time, wrap a tarp around it for rain and flies to save money and weight.
I'll take you hammock camping Devin. Cmon lets go! #1 advice, take time before dark to make sure your hammock is set up comfortably, keep your foot end a little higher than your head end to get that flat lay.
Dude! Let’s go!!!
You want to have your body at more of an angle when you lay in the hammock. That will fix the majority of the curve in your body and let you lay much straighter. Basically turn your body until your head and feet are almost to the side edges of the hammock. Also, hang the head end a little lower than the foot end so gravity will pull your body into the "sweet spot". Most importantly, watch Shug's videos on TH-cam. He's the expert!
I remember that first super exposed feeling. I’ll never forget that moment. Wind blowing up from the gorge causing the small trees I was hanging from to sway rhythmically.
I have been hammock camping for more than thirteen years. I have tried five different hammocks and five different rain flys. I am on my third fourth suspension system.
You are right about all the strange quirky things about hammock camping. I t still beats the ground! I am currently using whoppie slings as my suspension system and a 11’ hammock. All I have to say is keep on camping!
Hey Devin,
It's so awesome you put this video out there. I've been searching for different ways to pack my pack with a hammock, and there's not much talk about it! Thank you for starting with that!
I've been hiking the AT this year SOBO, and A LOT of ground sleepers have been checking out my setup. I'm going to recommend this video to them if they are curious because the finicking is the #1 thing I tell them. I say, "You need to sleep in your backyard or the backcountry MANY times to understand a hammock system. If you're patient, go for it!"
Again, I'm stoked your video exists. Hammocking takes a lot of adjustment but is overall worth the learning curve if you're after a restful night for your back and shoulders.
-Buzz
*About organizing your stuff:
If you prefer your foot-end a little higher, you can hang your pack on your head-end (right at the gathered end) to off-set the suspension. This is how I organize my gear in addition to a ridgeline organizer for small things. All that's left in my pack is usually my rain coat and pants, and I put my shoes on the outside mesh of my pack in case of any flooding. Water bottles and camp shoes go on the ground (because who cares if they get wet!)
I have always used a tent and after watching your video I think I will continue,,
Good video,,
Thanks, Trail Flea...
I love hammocks, use them in Bear country of the Inland PNW. It does take some getting used to with the added exposure but a tent wont stop a bear either. I have moved to making my own hammocks and gear. Just finished 3 hammocks with zip on bug nets for the family. Still have a list of projects to do, DIY means never stopping and always improving my sleep systems.