My winter setup is pretty exposed and I feel comfortable. I started with a hennessy in the spring and fall. with its little tarp pulled in close, it feels very snug and secure. Then I moved up to the bigger hex tarp for rain concerns, and felt a little more open. Now I have an ENO hammock with NO skeeter net or anything for the winter, and just that big hennessy tarp above me. Someone could walk right under the tarp, reach over and touch my nose without going through any material. There is a false sense of security that walls give us. Sure, if something really wanted to, it could grab your backside in a hammock. The same goes for a tent, however. Tent material is nothing special, just like hammock material. A few teeth or a sharp claw and whatever it is will be inside your tent, just as easily as it could be in the hammock. I ham mocked and camped over 500 miles or so and never had an intruder, and although I've heard some strange sounds, most were easily explained by fellow hikers. I couldn't see myself sleeping on the ground at this point. And having the big hex tarp is nice. Since it gets put up last, it comes in handy providing a nice dry place to eat on rainy mornings. Five of us ate under it during our last trip.