Getting my head wrapped around hanging.

[nastynate]

I've slept in my hammock a few nights around the house but always take my tarp tent backpacking. Its sometimes hard to find a flat spot or one thats not bare ground. I sleep like crap on a foam pad so I usually take Advil pm so I can function the next day. I would like to try hammock camping more but there seems to be so much to buy and you have to get it from several different places. I almost always take my little boy, so that doubles every item. 2 tarps, 2 hammocks, 2 underquilts, etc. I would need to sell my tent to buy everything. And my tent is so simple. I guess I'm looking for a little moral support to either take the plunge or drop $120 on a deluxe ul air pad and stay on the ground.

[Alligator]

The pad will be cheaper.

The hammock may be more comfortable. I'm not a back sleeper so it was a little different for me. I never switched although I tried them. I made one myself. My deciding factor was my thermarest chair. You can sit in a hammock but you can't move the trees. I can move my chair around inside/outside if I want to read, cook, play cards, or sit by the fire.

Maybe you could make some of your own stuff to bring the cost down? You can make a hammock cheaply, use a cheaper tarp, a foam pad for underneath insulation, and then a quilt or sleeping bag on top. Information like that you could get at Hammockforums.net. Just realize there are a lot of committed hangers there so the opinion you get will be enthusiastic.

[nastynate]

Yeah, that's the exact reason I posted here. I have no problem MYOG. I've already made us both apex quilts. I guess a couple double layer 1.1 quilts, utilizing our ridgerests, and a decent tarp wouldn't be a huge expense.

[imscotty]

NastyNate, you are right about the cost, it can be significant. I take my Warbonnet when hiking solo, I find the hammock so comfortable. When I convince one of my kids to join me on a hike, I bring the tent. The company makes up for my sore back from ground sleeping.

I suggest you keep your tent for when you are with your son and add to your hammock set up a little at a time. The foam pad and a sleeping bag will work for warmth until you can upgrade. Just invest in a tarp and give it a go.

PS: We were car camping last weekend and I let my son use my hammock while me and my wife used the tent. He slept like a baby, I could not get him to give it up. Now he wants me to get him a hammock for his bedroom.

[modiyooch]

My hammock has the rain fly built in, and I only carry my sleeping bag to go with it. Obviously, I don't camp in the winter or early Spring which would warrant the underquilt for warmth. My hammock was reasonably price, but I did buy it at Trail Days. What I like about my hammock over my tent is the drastically reduced setup and tear down time. Also, it's much lighter and compact than my tent. AND, comfortable.

[Hoop]

As has been said above, hammock forums is home to a bunch of friendly zealots . Mine isn't lighter, cheaper or quicker than a tent - but it is more versatile and comfortable. No more Advil.

[Tuckahoe]

I've slept in my hammock a few nights around the house but always take my tarp tent backpacking. Its sometimes hard to find a flat spot or one thats not bare ground. I sleep like crap on a foam pad so I usually take Advil pm so I can function the next day. I would like to try hammock camping more but there seems to be so much to buy and you have to get it from several different places. I almost always take my little boy, so that doubles every item. 2 tarps, 2 hammocks, 2 underquilts, etc. I would need to sell my tent to buy everything. And my tent is so simple. I guess I'm looking for a little moral support to either take the plunge or drop $120 on a deluxe ul air pad and stay on the ground.

You're already set up with your tent. Hang onto it and enjoy it. You dont have to run out and buy any hammock gear right this moment. I joined hammock forums back in December and I have in that time tried to learn all I can about hammocks to the point that I recently finally made a purchase.

Check out hammockforums.net and get yourself comfortable with an understanding of hammocks, the gear, and who vendors are. See if there are local hangs so that you can check out the different gear choices. And spend a little time getting a grasp of DIY gear. In the end, you will either take the plunge and start hammocking or reinforce your desire to keep using a tent.

[nastynate]

Thanks for the tips. I need to get out in the woods and less time browsing the gear forums.

[medestar]

As many have stated, keep your tent for when there are more than yourself. You can also make you gear, but you could also do like I did. I saw an inexpensive hammock on sale at the local REI (it had a bug net), and I bought it to try it out. Initially that would be all you need. Plus your regular sleeping bag and a foam pad to lay on in the hammock. I think my hammock was on clear-out for $20. Then for a tarp, I bought a cheap 8x10 tarp to start with. It isn't the greatest, and over time will not hold up, but it will let you know if this is something you like.

[Dogwood]

Hmm, just sayin, you might have thought of another way to rephrase the thread.

[T.S.Kobzol]

If money is a factor at this moment then stay on the ground. I was just doing inexact math for my buddy when he asked me how much for the whole setup. I came with rough 600 to 1000 if you get a cuben tarp. multiply this by two campers and you got your budget estimate.

[bigcranky]

The pad will end up being a lot cheaper . Some of the new really thick air pads seem pretty comfortable. But I find hanging the most comfortable way to sleep in the backcountry. So I hang when I'm solo in warm weather, and use my Tarptent and a pad in cold weather.

[Xristos]

I'm a hammock camper. Sleep like crap on the ground, waking up 5-6 times a night. Sore in the morning. I MIGHT wake up once in my hammock to pee if I've been hydrating.

I've heard of people (esp. with children) hanging one hammock over the other like bunk beds to take advantage of using a single tarp. I have never tried this but I have seen pictures. Just hang the tarp higher.

[dla]

I've slept in my hammock a few nights around the house but always take my tarp tent backpacking. Its sometimes hard to find a flat spot or one thats not bare ground. I sleep like crap on a foam pad so I usually take Advil pm so I can function the next day. I would like to try hammock camping more but there seems to be so much to buy and you have to get it from several different places. I almost always take my little boy, so that doubles every item. 2 tarps, 2 hammocks, 2 underquilts, etc. I would need to sell my tent to buy everything. And my tent is so simple. I guess I'm looking for a little moral support to either take the plunge or drop $120 on a deluxe ul air pad and stay on the ground.

The ONLY real benefit of hanging is sleep comfort. Otherwise it is heavier and more expensive. If I were you, I would invest in a good down/air mattress & pillow for now. When the kid(s) get older, then you can put everybody in hammocks.

Anyways, the secret to staying comfortable on the ground for me is (a) get my head at the right height/angle - i.e. pillow solution of some sort. This relieves the shoulder pressure point and neck owie. (b) extra chunk or two of CCF for that nagging hip pressure point. Combine that with a really good air matt and I think your sleeping will get better. Of course there is really nothing you can do about 1st night nerves - but that's another subject.

Here are the hammock cost basics:

• Warbonnet Blackbird Double 1.7 hammock, straps & buckles, ~$175, ~40oz
• Hammock Gear 3 Season Incubator full-length under-quilt. ~$240, ~18oz
• Warbonnet Black Mamba Long & Wide 3 Season Top Quilt, ~$275, ~24oz
• Warbonnet BigMambaJamba Tarp with pullouts, ~$120, ~12oz

[T.S.Kobzol]

The ONLY real benefit of hanging is sleep comfort... and the rest of the stuff is wrote was good.

Why would you say cllaim that comfort is the ONLY benefit of hanging?

Would you not consider that on the AT the ease of finding a camp spot is a real benefit of hanging?

I would add another benefit of staying dry in prolonged torrential downpours or in spots where the water runs down the slope and collects in a flat ground (like in the mountains and pooling up at primitive camp spot.). This is an obvious advantage here in New England but I'm not sure where your home base is.

[nastynate]

I ordered a tarp from Wilderness Logics. I can experiment with my ridgerest and prolite, or make an apex UQ for about $40 if those don't work. I'm going to give it a whirl for a few weekends and see if I want to invest any more. The ability to hang most anywhere here in Tennessee is a big draw for me. I like to stealth camp and sometimes its hard to find a flat spot in a good location with no vegetation.

[Tuckahoe]

The one thing I tend to notice with the discussions of the tent or hammock options of camping, is folks seem to approach it as though they are recruiting for their religion; as though they get some tangible reward if the can keep a soul from flipping over to the other side.

The second thing I notice is that folks tend to overstate and inflate their case (as though there is a case to be made), to the point that it arises to the point of being dishonest.

Dont cherry pick the figures to get what you want. Bottom quilts and top quilts are bedding and should only be compard to similarly performing pads and sleeping bags. Why include figures for bedding with a hammock set up, without doing the same for a tent set up?

And as a comparison my tent, seam sealed, with stakes, ground sheet, and poles comes in at an honest 46 ounces, and by the time, i bought all the components and seam sealed it, I had $311 in it. My hammoch and tarp comes in at 53 oumces and has cost me $357.

But then again I place a lot of importance on sleeping comfortably and the few extra ounces and dollars are more then worth it.

dla, why are you so dissmissive of sleep quality in the hammock, and then go on to tell us about all the extra pads you carry for tose special sore spots? (Pppppsssssss oh yeah, I can get a good enough set up in my hammock, that i can ditch the pillow)

[Tuckahoe]

I ordered a tarp from Wilderness Logics. I can experiment with my ridgerest and prolite, or make an apex UQ for about $40 if those don't work. I'm going to give it a whirl for a few weekends and see if I want to invest any more. The ability to hang most anywhere here in Tennessee is a big draw for me. I like to stealth camp and sometimes its hard to find a flat spot in a good location with no vegetation.

My Wilderness Logis tarp arrived yesterday. Pretty pleased with what I see so far. The nice thing about hammock gear is that it holds a pretty good resale value.

Also for another hammock pad option check out Lawso Outdoor Equipment at http://lawsonequipment.com/InsuLite-Foam-Pads-c127/

[dla]

The one thing I tend to notice with the discussions of the tent or hammock options of camping, is folks seem to approach it as though they are recruiting for their religion; as though they get some tangible reward if the can keep a soul from flipping over to the other side.

The second thing I notice is that folks tend to overstate and inflate their case (as though there is a case to be made), to the point that it arises to the point of being dishonest.

Dont cherry pick the figures to get what you want. Bottom quilts and top quilts are bedding and should only be compard to similarly performing pads and sleeping bags. Why include figures for bedding with a hammock set up, without doing the same for a tent set up?

And as a comparison my tent, seam sealed, with stakes, ground sheet, and poles comes in at an honest 46 ounces, and by the time, i bought all the components and seam sealed it, I had $311 in it. My hammoch and tarp comes in at 53 oumces and has cost me $357.

But then again I place a lot of importance on sleeping comfortably and the few extra ounces and dollars are more then worth it.

dla, why are you so dissmissive of sleep quality in the hammock, and then go on to tell us about all the extra pads you carry for tose special sore spots? (Pppppsssssss oh yeah, I can get a good enough set up in my hammock, that i can ditch the pillow)

Do you actually read a post before commenting on it? How did you determine that I was "dismissive" of hammock sleep quality from what I wrote?

In my opinion as somebody who has been hanging in a hammock for a few years now, the greatest benefit of a hammock is sleep comfort. I've spent plenty of time in dense forests where I couldn't find two trees 12-15' apart to get the perfect sag. I've had my share of nasty rain storms with wind bouncing my hammock around. About half the time in the mountains of central Idaho I have to settle for a sub-par hang on a hillside because the trees and underbrush just don't cooperate. My point is that hammocking doesn't mean care-free site selection or invincibility to the weather. Hammocking just means that I'm not laying on the cold, hard ground anymore.

Now for my hiking style, which is 99% solo, hammocking is fine. But if I had small children with me I would use a tent.

And unless you sleep on your back, you'll need some sort of pillow in a hammock. And it never hurts to carry a sit-pad size chunk of CCF to deal with CBS.

[Tuckahoe]

Yup, its clear that I read your original post with a interpretation that you did not mean. In my defense I read it while I was in line for a roller coaster at Busch Gardens... I was distracted