Why do people not like hammocks?

[atmilkman]

"Oh, a storm is threat'ning my very life today, If I don't get some shelter, Oh yeah i"m gonna fade away." -Mick Jagger

[dla]

$275 for a 3 Season top quilt and $240 for a 3 Season full-length under quilt. $515 for head to toe sleeping insulation. Not sure what sort of pad you are talking about or what sort of bag, but at some point you've got to admit that hammock solutions are much more expensive than tenting. I can give myself a $120 Campmor down bag, a $35 Z-lite and 1/2 a $10 blue pad for a tent/tarp solution. $515 for ultimate sleeping comfort or $165 for an adequate system on the ground. I use both.

[Raul Perez]

This whole weight thing was bugging me and since I'm riding out Irene tonight I did some research and posted on my Blog www.watermonkey.net

Here is my study:

First off... using just a tarp is right now the lightest option out there period. Undisputed. I get it and I have ZERO problem with that.
In this gangsta rap of a blog I’m going to see if these non-hammockers are right. Does a hammock weigh significantly more than the current basic ultralight tent option? Well since my 3 season base weight is at the 8.5lbs mark the answer is probably not. BUT I hate it when someone just makes a comment and doesnt back it up with thuggish facts. So let the Water Monkey spit some hot fire and lets be surprised together (since I’ve never done this much research in the subject before):
In this comparison lets look at the shelter in 4 areas for 3 season - Structure, Weather Protection, Bottom Insulation, and Top Insulation. All figures will be taken from the manufacturer’s website and the assumption will be an average 5’10” individual weighing 180lbs.
Tenting Option (Basic):
Structure/Weather Protection - Tarptent Contrail - 24.5oz ($199)
Bottom Insulation - Neo Air Medium - 13oz ($140)
Top Insulation - Montbell Down Spiral Hugger 30*F - 21oz ($285)
Total Weight (cost) = 58.5oz or 3.67 lbs ($628)
Hammock Option (Basic with some knowledgable UL changes):
Structure - Warbonnet Traveler 1.7 Single Layer ( 12.5oz) with dynaglide whoopies & Tree straps (3.5oz) = $93.00
Pappa Smurf Bug sock = $60 (2oz)
Weather Protection - Warbonnet Edge Tarp silnylon (11.5oz) with guylines = $100
Top Insulation - Warbonnet 3 Season Mamba (19oz) = $250
Bottom Insulation = Warbonnet Yeti (12.5oz) $189 & Gossamer Gear Thinlight Cut down pad (1.5oz) $30 = $219
Total Weight (cost) = 62.2oz or 3.89 lbs ($722)
So what’s the difference....
3.7oz or .23 lbs Favor Tent in weight. Less than a quarter of a pound.
$94 difference in favor of the tent.
So there you have it... This is where it becomes subjective. Is 1/4 of a pound a big difference to you? I’m not sure, I’m not you. But that’s fairly comparable if you ask me.
Now the reason that I threw in the prices also was because I know hammocking does cost a little more than tenting. And based on the basic version with some UL suspension swap outs you are looking at $100 more. This could be the deal breaker for many people so the Water Monkey wants to keep it real for ya.
You can go lighter on both sides by tossing in cuben fiber to the equation for the tent. You can also do the same for the hammock and even choose a smaller/lighter hammock (GT Nano Hammock). You can play the what if’s till you are blue in the face. I chose what I chose because it was easy to research and many who are on the quest for UL backpacking on both sides are familiar with those products and manufacturers.

As stated on page 5 of this thread.

[Don Newcomb]

I was just curious as to reasons why people may not like them.

The most important reason is back problems. Some people can not sleep in the position that a hammock demands.
Another problem is that in some places you may not be able to find trees of the appropriate size and spacing. This is a concern in the West and in some parks that require that you camp in a designated spot.

[Raul Perez]

The most important reason is back problems. Some people can not sleep in the position that a hammock demands.
Another problem is that in some places you may not be able to find trees of the appropriate size and spacing. This is a concern in the West and in some parks that require that you camp in a designated spot.

Is this position like in a banana position? Or is this also considering laying diagonally to get a flatter lay?

I can understand stomach sleepers having an issue. But many side sleepers and back sleepers are fine with the hammock transition. Not to mention I've read a lot of people with back problems transitioning over to hammocks with rave reviews.

[Don Newcomb]

Is this position like in a banana position? Or is this also considering laying diagonally to get a flatter lay?

I personally think the hammock is the most comfortable way to sleep, particularly in hot weather. I'm just repeating what I've been told by some people who told me that, because of back problems, they could never find a way to get comfortable in a hammock.

[dla]

My point is simple: A nice tent/tarp insulation solution is $165 and a nice hammock insulation solution is $515. I own both. Use both. Hammock is NOT cheaper - not even close.

As others have said, (and I will reiterate), a hammock is primarily a sleep comfort solution.

[Raul Perez]

My point is that your prices are comparing apples to oranges. The prices are actually closer than your examples. One could easily use a campmor sleeping bag and use a gossamer gear 1/4 inch wide thinlight pad in between a double layer hammock for the same price you are comparing and be comfortable down to 40*F if weight isn't an issue and price is. My friend does this. On our outing this november I'll video his set up.BUT as I stated in my analysis it is more expensive to hammock than to tent. Just not as extreme as your examples

[Hoofit]

Never mind the 'banana 'thing.
Try watching the sun rise from your hammock
Too many trees in the way!!!
Ah! Love my tent....

[Hoofit]

You might as well sleep NAKED in a hammock 'cos you're gonna be 'BEARASS" anyway!
(Just here for the chuckles....)

[dla]

No you can't use a Gossamer Gear thin-light and a Campmor bag in a hammock and come anywhere near the low temp you can do on the ground. Again - not even close.

The $165 insulation solution I mentioned will take you nicely down into the 20's. That GG pad poops out at around 40*F. Again I know because I own a GG pad and have tried it - it's a pretty sucky pad for the $.

[Raul Perez]

No you can't use a Gossamer Gear thin-light and a Campmor bag in a hammock and come anywhere near the low temp you can do on the ground. Again - not even close.

The $165 insulation solution I mentioned will take you nicely down into the 20's. That GG pad poops out at around 40*F. Again I know because I own a GG pad and have tried it - it's a pretty sucky pad for the $.

Exactly why I stated the 40*F rating in my post. You can easily use a Walmart Blue pad as well which is thicker and probably gets you lower in temps.

I have the GG pad as well and as stated before so does my friend. He got his down to 27*F and was fine. Being a warm, neutral, and cold sleeper also has to be taken into consideration. There are also synthetic underquilts out there for half the price of a down UQ which can achieve a 30*F rating (example Lost River 2/3 under quilt at Arrowhead Equipment $125.00). It also depends on what time of the year you want to hike and your location's temperate zone.

Also your assumption you need a full length UQ for those temps is not entirely true. Most noobs to hammocking prefer the full length. But as you progress in your understanding of hammocks and insulation you realize you can cut weight and bulk and maintain the same amount of comfort with partial under quilts. The full length under quilts ARE the most expensive.

[Bigbaby]

The comfort is great, and its just cool. lol

[kayak karl]

'banana 'thing.
Try watching the sun rise from your hammock
too many trees in the way!!!
Ah! Love my tent....

what banana thing????
And how high do you think we hang???

[gram cracker]

I think the reason many don't like hammocks most of us started with tents. If we had started with hammocks, we'd probably not like tents.

[Don Newcomb]

No you can't use a Gossamer Gear thin-light and a Campmor bag in a hammock and come anywhere near the low temp you can do on the ground. Again - not even close.

Here's where my experience is a little different. I was born and raised in Florida. Summer tent camping in Florida was an exercise in misery. When I was growing up, what everyone wanted was a genuine WWII jungle hammock (I still have one). In a jungle hammock you could be cool and comfortable in the rain with the temperature hovering in the low 90s. But we were mostly canoe, car or boat camping. The real jungle hammock was too heavy for backpacking. Backpacking equipment was made by folks from Colorado and Oregon who didn't understand camping in the 90s (both heat and humidity). You could find a few 2nd class cheap jungle hammock knock-offs but nothing made for backpacking. Then Hennessey changed everything. It was a complete rethink. I got one as soon as I could. Now I use the hammock whenever it is a reasonable option. Clearly there are times and places when it isn't reasonable. Sometimes finding trees is an issue. Sometimes you plan some nights in shelters where you need the weight of a good thick pad. Sometimes your hiking partnershave decided to bring a big tent. And I've never really mastered staying warm in a hammock in very cold weather. But as far as my preference it's always for a hammock, when it will work.

[kayak karl]

I think the reason many don't like hammocks most of us started with tents. If we had started with hammocks, we'd probably not like tents.

your right, look how long it took some of us to give up our exterior frame packs.

[Yukon]

This post sent from my Warbonnet Blackbird hammock. It's so comfortable I can barely finish thizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rain Man]

Spent last night in a shelter on the Montgomery Bell Trail at Montgomery Bell State Park here in Tennessee. Even with a thick, self-inflating inflatable, it reminded me of how my hammock is more comfortable.

RainMan

.

[Bearpaw]

The most important reason is back problems. Some people can not sleep in the position that a hammock demands.
Another problem is that in some places you may not be able to find trees of the appropriate size and spacing. This is a concern in the West and in some parks that require that you camp in a designated spot.

I personally think the hammock is the most comfortable way to sleep, particularly in hot weather. I'm just repeating what I've been told by some people who told me that, because of back problems, they could never find a way to get comfortable in a hammock.

My wife, who injured several disks in her back in a car wreck about 8 years ago, "couldn't sleep in a hammock because of her back. Until she tried a nap in my hammock I brought on a day hike. Now she only tents if we are car camping and she has a cot and thick pad. The rest of the time she hammocks.

If you are sleeping on a diagonal, you sleep relatively flat, not particularly in a "banana" shape. And there are basically no pressure points, a big part of why hammocks offer better sleep to some folks.

Folks should try different things. Experience will help them figure out what works for them better than internet hearsay.