View Full Version : Hammock or Tent??
Big Suave
12-10-2008, 13:42
Just registered on the sight, but I've been reading it OBSESSIVELY for weeks. Thanks for all the awesome info folks. I'm considering my first thru hike this spring and kind of like what I'm hearing about hammocks, but I'm definitely a side sleeper and it seems like most people are saying that's not a good fit for me. Any advice on the subject? Also, what do you do with your pack? Do you worry about critters getting into it or anything?
millergear
12-10-2008, 13:53
If you haven't already check out the Hammock Forum site ( http://www.hammockforums.net/ ) for lot's of good advice. As far as side sleeping it depends to a large degree on the kind of hammock and how you set it up. Personally I've settled on a Speer hammock and I always sleep on my side in great comfort.
Steve
:welcomeWelcome to WhiteBlaze, first of all. Like you, I'm a dedicated side sleeper, but have been using a hammock for about 3 years now. I sleep a whole lot better in it than I ever did on the ground. It's definitely worth checking into. You'll definitely be doing yourself a favor to sign up on Hammock Forums (http://www.hammockforums.net). Read and ask lots of questions if you have them, there's almost always someone to answer them.
sclittlefield
12-10-2008, 14:24
I'm a big time side sleeper as well. I bought a Hennessy Expedition and my first night was miserable... didn't sleep the whole night. It had as much to do with my back being cold as just adjusting to hammock sleeping.
Toss a thin CCF mat under the sleeping bag and two more nights of getting used to it and I don't think I'll ever go back to the ground (it generally takes me a couple nights of my body adjusting to any change in my sleep system - even from my bed to a hotel bed). Once your body adjusts, hammock sleeping is fantastic. You can still sleep on your side if you get a proper hammock - I recommend using a structural ridge-line to set the sag and keep it right. Hennessy hammocks come with, but you can add one to most any other type.
Slo-go'en
12-10-2008, 14:41
A sign in my chiropractors office says hammocks aren't good for your spine.
One good thing about a hammock is you can set it up anywhere there are two trees about 8-9 feet apart and don't have to worry about what the ground under you is like - muddy, rocky or 60 degree slope. Thier good in the summer when its hot, but not so good in the cold or when its windy out without quilts under them.
Having tried both hammocks and tents, I'm sticking to my tent.
What to do with your pack? I hang it from a broken tree branch a few feet off the ground with the pack cover on. If there is no food or candy wrappers in the pack, critters leave it alone.
Gray Blazer
12-10-2008, 14:42
What do you do with your dog? Does he/she have it's own hammock?
I slept on my side most of last night. Not a problem. I can't sleep on my stomach in a hammock, but then I can't sleep on my tummy ANYWHERE, so that makes no difference to me.
I have a Travellers hammock (gathered end type hammock) & sleep only in one of my two every night.
Some of My reasons for hanging:
I do NOT have to crawl on the ground to get in / out of my shelter.
I do NOT have to clear my site of rocks & sticks & stuff.
I do NOT have to worry that my pad will: deflate, be thick enough, etc.
I DO sleep in absolute comfort, no worries about if I'm on a hill etc.
I have, just because I can, hung: over a flowing stream, over HUGE rocks, over a large fallen log (in front of the Moutaneer falls shelter), on the side of several 45 degree or greater slopes, etc.
I have a place to sit at night, again: without crawling on the ground.
I am no more worried about critters getting in my hammock than I was in my tent.
I have withstood several nights with wind gusts of in excess of 50 mph, with driving rain &/or freezing rain.
I can, if I have to, go to ground. In a tent, you can't hang if it comes to that.
IMHO: there is no reason for me to go back to a tent, at least as long as I am hiking in areas with trees. If I ever go desert camping, I'll reconsider my options. But on the AT, "It's all good"
WILLIAM HAYES
12-10-2008, 15:04
over the past ten years I have tried just about every lightweight tent on the market-which my wife did not appreciate me doing and I have settled in on a for a HH with zipper modifications by the zipper queen who did a supurb job I sleep on my side and have no problem it will be the best night sleep you will get at least it has been for me and all of my hiking buddies who are now tree hangers Hillbilly
Big Suave
12-10-2008, 15:21
Thanks a lot. You've been very helpful. One more quick question. If I do thru hike I'll probably go between the middle to end of March, NOBO. I hear hammocks can get a little cold. What's the lightest most cost efficient way to keep warm? Thanks
Thanks a lot. You've been very helpful. One more quick question. If I do thru hike I'll probably go between the middle to end of March, NOBO. I hear hammocks can get a little cold. What's the lightest most cost efficient way to keep warm? Thanks
Lightest is probably an underquilt, but they are expensive. I use my 20" wide pad with a Speer Extender to acct for width needed to stay warm. If you don't already have a pad, then just look into getting a closed cell foam pad that is 28" or more wide. I've heard Oware thrown around as a maker of such pads. Pads aren't perfect - they will slide around some and provide for more pressure points - but you get used to it and its not much more than some of the ground dwelling issues you encounter. Once you have a few initial frustrating squirms getting settled, you'll get used to it and it will be nothing going forward.
Note: if you don't already have a sleeping bag, then you have several options there in terms of type of bag or a quilt.
Check out hammockforums.net and look at the Warbonnet threads. This seems to be the latest/greatest thing going on with hammocks.
Just registered on the sight, but I've been reading it OBSESSIVELY for weeks. Thanks for all the awesome info folks. I'm considering my first thru hike this spring and kind of like what I'm hearing about hammocks, but I'm definitely a side sleeper and it seems like most people are saying that's not a good fit for me. Any advice on the subject? Also, what do you do with your pack? Do you worry about critters getting into it or anything?
I am a dyed-in-the-wool side sleeper, and a hammocker, too. If you stretch your hammock tightly, you can sleep comfortably on your side.
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/237103382ByZIeG
I use a Golite Feather-Lite bag over the hammock now, saving almost a pound, and it's warmer, too. If you use a setup like mine you must make sure that the sleeping bag fits snugly around you and the hammock when you are in it, otherwise, you will get cold spots underneath. Wear a hood from a jacket, or a jacket with a hood inside, and regulate your temperature much as you would while using a bag and pad on the ground, namely, use more or less clothing.
Welcome to Whiteblaze.
Have a blast!:banana:banana
Oh, the pack. I simply empty it, hang the food, and strap the pack to a nearby tree upside down with all pockets open. That way curious critters (mice and squirrels, mainly) can poke around without chewing through the pockets, and rain won't fill it up.
I will chime in on this one. I just got into this hammock camping thing BECAUSE I just cant get too comfortable on the ground. Too many pressure points when I am on the ground and it is just hard to find spots that are just right (level and free of pokey things).
One person mentioned his Chiropractor with a poster about how hammocks are bad for the spine. That seems like a very general statement would need more qualifying. The wife had some pretty uncomfortable back issues related to birth of our latest son (8.5 months ago) and the problems continued after he was born. She tried a number of things that did not seem to help much. I told her to try out the hammock I had set up in our living room (long story) for a couple of nights and see how it felt....couldnt feel too much worse at that point. The first night was not the greatest but it was no better or worse than if she were sleeping in our normal bed. However after 3 nights in the hammock she came up to me and said "Watch". She bent over and picked up a toy or something off of the ground. At first I was like...yeah and...( I am a little slow somtimes..:eek:). Then I got it...it was the first time she had bent over to pick something up in like that in months!
I am not saying hammocks are the cure all for back problems...that would be lame. I am just relating our experience. YOU CAN LAY VERY FLAT IN A HAMMOCK. Emphasis... not yelling...:D
I love my hammock
Adam
Bucky Katt
12-10-2008, 17:38
Are there any females on this forum who use hammocks? I tried laying on my side in a hammock and it felt weird. Because my hips are wider than my waist, it felt like all the pressure was on my hips and shoulders and there was no support on my side....
I'm sorta interested in hammocking simply b/c of the weight savings and I like the idea of having a seat at night....
I think I could probably sleep on my back w/o too much of a problem, but I do like sleeping on my side a lot. Anyone else feel like their backs are unsupported like this?
Are there any females on this forum who use hammocks? I tried laying on my side in a hammock and it felt weird. Because my hips are wider than my waist, it felt like all the pressure was on my hips and shoulders and there was no support on my side....
I'm sorta interested in hammocking simply b/c of the weight savings and I like the idea of having a seat at night....
I think I could probably sleep on my back w/o too much of a problem, but I do like sleeping on my side a lot. Anyone else feel like their backs are unsupported like this?
yes there are females who hammock in this forum. i have been hammocking for almost 7yrs now. will not go back to a tent. if you want to learn "everything 'bout hammocking" come join us at hammock forums.net. it's the sister site to this one. and you will not feel guilty about asking! and :welcome
Plodderman
12-10-2008, 17:55
Tent
boarstone
12-10-2008, 22:18
I hammock, all I can shortly say is...sleep in it a lot, practice, practice, practice...I hang in mine on my open air porch when not hiking w/it, I love it...I be female and 55...have/had back issues w/ ground dwelling, now I don't...
Bulldawg
12-10-2008, 23:25
What do you do with your dog? Does he/she have it's own hammock?
That is an issue I am currently wrestling with. I'd love to hear ideas!
Originally Posted by Gray Blazer http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/wb_style/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=737722#post737722)
What do you do with your dog? Does he/she have it's own hammock?
That is an issue I am currently wrestling with. I'd love to hear ideas!
Mine is leashed to one of the trees the hammock is tied to, laying under the hammock tarp. Admittedly, she is not a "snuggle puppy." If I am tarping, unless it's extremely cold (<0F), she prefers to sleep "outside".... She's only snuggled up to me once under a tarp - on Shining Rock in January, temps below 0....(when I woke up the next morning, the only spot on my body that was warm was the small of my back, where she had buried her nose!)
If cold (teens for her - sibe), I'll pack a butt pad that she can sleep on if she chooses - I've only seen her sleep on it once.
River Runner
12-11-2008, 01:34
I'm a female who sleeps on my side in the hammock, and haven't had a problem feeling my back or side is not supported. I've found it works best for me to elevate the foot end slightly. You might try that Bucky.
I just throw my pack on the ground under my hammock. If it's really rainy, I might put it in a trash bag. I would caution about leaning a pack against a tree if it is really rainy. A friend of mine got the contents of his pack (with pack cover on) soaked that way - I guess through capilary action of the rain seeping from the tree trunk through the pack's back.
The cheapest and lightest insulation for a hammock is probably a RidgeRest wide, used inside the hammock, but the drawbacks are that it is very bulky, and not quite as comfortable as an underquilt and can create some condensation when the conditions are right.
fiatspider2000
12-11-2008, 04:36
Hammock, makes a hiking back feel good.
Popeye
No privacy in a hammock. Setting up in the rain would seem to be more of a hassle. Most of the good views are on top of the mountains, where trees 8 to 10 feet apart are limited. Cooking food in the rain is a bummer. Sleeping will occur when your body is tired and ready. My pack stays inside my tent with me and is always available and dry. Both shelter systems have advantages and detractions. I admit I have never tried a hammock, and would never discourage someone from trying one. However they are no more perfect a shelter system than a tent; only different. Pick one and try it out if it doesn't work for you - switch.
No privacy in a hammock. Setting up in the rain would seem to be more of a hassle. Most of the good views are on top of the mountains, where trees 8 to 10 feet apart are limited. Cooking food in the rain is a bummer. Sleeping will occur when your body is tired and ready. My pack stays inside my tent with me and is always available and dry. Both shelter systems have advantages and detractions. I admit I have never tried a hammock, and would never discourage someone from trying one. However they are no more perfect a shelter system than a tent; only different. Pick one and try it out if it doesn't work for you - switch.
Privacy in hammock? Absolutely with the right tarp.
Good views? When sleeping I don't need them. Many alpine summits prohibit any type of camping anyway. Those that do not, I have never had a problem finding trees. In fact, I can often find more hammock trees than suitable ground for a tent. Wouldn't set up a tent on an exposed summit either.
Cooking in the rain? Not a bummer with the right tarp. And the hammock makes a great chair while cooking and eating. Sure is a bummer with a tent though unless you spark up a stove inside. :eek: And sitting on the floor of a tent isn't as comfortable.
Advantages and disadvantages? For sure, but we need to be accurate with them.
The biggest disadvantage to a hammock is the learning curve. A hammock is not idiot proof unless the conditions are perfect. The best thing is learning is fun with it as long as you go slow. The first trip should not be in a thunderstorm at 40*.
take-a-knee
12-11-2008, 10:19
No privacy in a hammock. Setting up in the rain would seem to be more of a hassle. Most of the good views are on top of the mountains, where trees 8 to 10 feet apart are limited. Cooking food in the rain is a bummer. Sleeping will occur when your body is tired and ready. My pack stays inside my tent with me and is always available and dry. Both shelter systems have advantages and detractions. I admit I have never tried a hammock, and would never discourage someone from trying one. However they are no more perfect a shelter system than a tent; only different. Pick one and try it out if it doesn't work for you - switch.
Setting up in the rain is one a hammock's strong points, I keep my hammock stowed on the outside of my pack. I use my hiking poles to "measure" between to suitable trees, then tie and stake the tarp to the trees. I can then secure the hammock to the trees under shelter. Try that during a downpour with a conventional tent with a rainfly, especially these uber-lite mesh types.
Setting up in the rain is one a hammock's strong points, I keep my hammock stowed on the outside of my pack. I use my hiking poles to "measure" between to suitable trees, then tie and stake the tarp to the trees. I can then secure the hammock to the trees under shelter. Try that during a downpour with a conventional tent with a rainfly, especially these uber-lite mesh types.
Absolutely one of the strongest arguements for hammocking, though I've done that with a tent (set up tarp, which becomes group dining area, then set up tent under it in the rain, then moved tent out into the rain), but, of course, it would be a little impractical hiking solo with a tent unless you don't mind carrying the extra weight of a separate tarp.
Bucky Katt
12-11-2008, 10:45
I'm a female who sleeps on my side in the hammock, and haven't had a problem feeling my back or side is not supported. I've found it works best for me to elevate the foot end slightly. You might try that Bucky....
The cheapest and lightest insulation for a hammock is probably a RidgeRest wide, used inside the hammock, but the drawbacks are that it is very bulky, and not quite as comfortable as an underquilt and can create some condensation when the conditions are right.
Thanks for the reply River Runner. Does it feel like you're sleeping "down hill" if you elevate the foot end? I will have to try this.
I've heard many hammockers talk about their sleeping pads, and one rainy night I was awakend numerous times by a hammocker whose sleeping pad kept slipping (grrrrr). THe pad that slipped all night was a standard self-inflating thermarest. My boyfriend was using a cheap foam pad from walmart he seemed to like. He would shift on occassion, but nothing like Mr. infalting thermarest did.
Do you find that self-inflating pads don't work terribly well for hammocks? What about the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core pads?
take-a-knee
12-11-2008, 11:04
Setting up in the rain is one a hammock's strong points, I keep my hammock stowed on the outside of my pack. I use my hiking poles to "measure" between to suitable trees, then tie and stake the tarp to the trees. I can then secure the hammock to the trees under shelter. Try that during a downpour with a conventional tent with a rainfly, especially these uber-lite mesh types.
Sorry, I meant to say I carry my hammock TARP on the outside of my pack.
sclittlefield
12-11-2008, 13:02
Agreed. Rain setup, at least from my experience, is far easier with a hammock. I keep my HH hammock body in the waterproof snake skins with the tarp loose in the stuff sac. String up the hammock, pop the tarp on top, and then pull back the snake skins. I really don't see any great advantage to keeping the tarp in the skins - especially if for some reason I would like to put the tarp up first thing. And if it's still soaked for the start of my hike in the AM, I can just strap it to the outside of my pack and let it dry a bit on the way.
And for a hammock pad, you won't find a cheaper system that really does work than the $5 blue ccf pad at any cheap department store. Lay it down in the hammock, then lay down your sleeping bag, opened up, and climb in. If you can, try and do your moving around and readjusting inside your bag and the pad should stay in place fairly well.
For a little more $$ you can adhere a space blanket to the bottom of the pad with spray adhesive.
Or try the sleep pad system I use now - not hard to build yourself and very cheap. Basically, build a layered system as follows (to whatever size you want, but go wide to help with the "shoulder wrap" phenomenon): 1.1 ripstop ($1.50/yd from walmart), CCF packing material sheet (free, or probably can find it at a packaging store, the stuff that's about 1/16" thick), space blanket, another layer of the foam, and fleece on top (cheap stuff by the yard, or get an inexpensive fleece throw blanket). Leave a bit extra of the ripstop around the edge to hem the whole thing, then sew rows about every 4" creating a square pattern to keep everything together. It also helps in building the layers to use spray adhesive, at least between the foam and space blanket on both sides. Granted, this is not for extremely cold weather, or if so, only as an addition. But it works great for the average night if your sleeping bag is decent.
No privacy in a hammock. Setting up in the rain would seem to be more of a hassle. Most of the good views are on top of the mountains, where trees 8 to 10 feet apart are limited. Cooking food in the rain is a bummer.
Depending on the tarp you can have total privacy. Setting up a tarp in the rain is easy if you know your tarp. I carry mine in an outside pocket. I tie the one end up then tie the other. Once that's done I pull off the mesh snake skins and stake out the 4 corners. I set my tarp up last trip in under 2 minutes when a storm caught me and my 2 boys by surprize. It should of rained closer to dinner by the forcast, not lunch. :mad:
Why do I need trees 8 to 10 feet apart? I can go from 10 to 30ft apart with my hammock. It all depends on your strap system.
Cooking food in a tent attracts bears. It's true, I read it on the internets. :D
daddytwosticks
12-11-2008, 17:42
Ground sleeper...
HikerRanky
12-11-2008, 20:41
What about the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core pads?
As a hammocker that also uses the BA Insulated Air Core pad inside on cold nights, it doesn't slide around on me... Of course, getting in makes a fair amount of noise, but once inside and I drift off to sleep, it doesn't move on me, and neither do I.
Bucky Katt
12-12-2008, 16:42
Do you guys use ENO hammocks? I've tried out a doublenest and I'm not sure I like the fact that there is extra material that comes up on the sides...anyone have one of these or use a singlenest. What sort of attachments do you use--the slap strap or something else entirely?
I'm wondering if a hammock with a tarp and whatever I use to strap it to the tree with will save me much weight in the end?
sclittlefield
12-12-2008, 17:11
The ENO is pretty lightweight. Though, I"m not sure in the end after their mosquito net and tarp how it compares to other hammock systems. I would recommend adding a structural ridgeline to it yourself if you plan to use it for camping so you don't have to fuss with setting the proper sag each time.
As for tree attachment, I like to just get some 4mil accessory cord (30') at any local outfitters store, and (2) 6' pieces of 1.5" webbing to make tree huggers with. I hang my homemade hammocks (I've got one exactly like the ENO single) like you would with a Hennessy. Not the most high tech, and probably not the lightest in the world, but it works fine for me.
Bulldawg
12-12-2008, 17:29
FWIW, and I know I'll get prosecuted for this, but I quit using straps long ago (deal with it). I tie off with ropes. The knot and wrap I use probably puts less stress on the trees than straps. I just never could get the straps to cooperate with me and went to purely ropes. Now my hammock stays exactly as I tied it when I made camp all night long.
CajunHiker
12-12-2008, 17:36
Hammocker - HH Expedition - Hex Tarp
The larger tarp is kept in snakeskins for a rain setup, and the hammock is stored in the HH sack in bishop bag mode.
I was using a separate bag/pad until I recently acquired a BA Yampa and Exped 7 short mattress. I mainly decided to go with this combo in case the need to do a ground pitch arose. I also was constantly sliding off my pad, but not with the BA sleeve.
A tent, as silly as this may sound, is a "home away from home", a place to shield yourself from the elements, have some move around privacy, and get in and out of with much more ease than a hammock. Just my humble opinion.
A tent, as silly as this may sound, is a "home away from home", a place to shield yourself from the elements, have some move around privacy, and get in and out of with much more ease than a hammock. Just my humble opinion.
sheild from elements - hammocks don't flood, tents can
privacy - Jacks are better hammock hut, fully enclosed
get in and out easy - you sit in a hammock, have to crawl in and out of a tent. sitting is easier than crawling in my book.
Just Jeff
12-12-2008, 21:11
I think it's cute when non-hammockers give hammocking advice. :D
I can sleep on my side in many hammock models. If you want completely flat, try a bridge hammock. JRB makes the only commercial one but several folks at HammockForums have made their own. But with a few nights to play around with it, many people can get comfortable in the gathered end style hammocks as well...just takes some fiddling at first to see what's comfortable for you. Here's Youngblood in a Speer sleeping almost on his stomach.
http://www.tothewoods.net/Images/050424YoungbloodSleepingStomach.jpg
Re: rain, I keep my tarp on the outside of my pack, so when it's raining I can string it up for lunch or breaks in minute or two w/o ever opening my pack. Then to make camp, I put up the tarp so I have a dry place to open my pack and take out the hammock. All while standing up, not putting my gear down on the mud or getting it covered with wet leaves, etc. And I get in and out w/o crawling on my knees in the mud or on the hard ground, too. And the hammock makes a comfortable chair to sit on for cooking or lounging, so I'm not bent over inside a tent doing all my camp chores.
Re: privacy, I tend to camp where I don't need any. But my tarp covers everything but my ankles if I hang it right. Don't much care if folks see my ankles while I change clothes. But I go camping to enjoy nature and not to shut myself off from it, so I usually hang the tarp high enough that I can see out from under it when I wake up. For me the best sunrises are winter camping in the mountains, where I can stay snug in my bag as I watch the sky change. But if you really want 360' privacy, get a JRB or Speer winter tarp and hang it with the doors closed, or a JRB Hammock Hut. You can even have a ground dweller sleep below you under the same tarp.
http://www.tothewoods.net/ImagesHikingPictures/20051217WinnemuccaLake-02.JPG
Re: pads, some folks love them and others have condensation issues. ThermaRest-style pads tend to be very slippery, but you can overcome this with a SPE. Big Agnes, Exped, etc seem to be much easier to use in the hammock...my Exped Downmat 7 never slides around when I don't want it to. And CCF hardly slides at all.
Re: where to put your stuff, there are several options. I usually hang mine from the hammock support so it's under the tarp. I put it at the head end, or even on my hammock's ridgeline, so I can reach it from the hammock. There are also storage pockets, gear hammocks, hammocks with shelves or with enough room to put a pack at your feet, or you can put it in a pack liner or garbage bag underneath the hammock. When I leave camp, I just throw it in the hammock.
http://www.tothewoods.net/ImagesHomemadeGear/HH-GearHammock.JPGhttp://www.tothewoods.net/ImagesStayDry/SlowhikeEndCaps3.JPG
Here you can see the packs hanging from the hammock supports on the right side, and some things on the pack liner underneath the hammock. (This is two hammock hung side by side.) AND the firewood that stayed dry in the rain b/c it was under the tarp, too...much easier to deal with than in a tent. And the green tarp was high enough that I could stand up straight and stay dry while it was raining.
http://www.tothewoods.net/ImagesHikingPictures/20080815-JonesGap-02.JPG
Personally, my time in the woods is much more enjoyable with hammocks, but it's all personal preference. Hammock do have a learning curve and this is what turns many people off. Everyone went thru this same learning curve with tents or tarps when they first started camping...but that was so long ago that many folks don't remember it, and it comes naturally now so hammock camping seems frustrating to learn. And other folks have tried it for 5 nights and genuinely aren't comfortable in them. If you enjoy your time better with tents, so be it - as long as we're all in the woods then it's all good in the end, right?
Man! You hammock hangers sure are sensitive. The points I stated were the reasons I use a tent, not a reason to not try a hammock. Setting up in the rain in a tent is no more a problem than a hammock, I carry a ground cover that can be used for cover while I set up my tent under it; it is a freestanding model. I've spent all night in my tent in driving rain(20 to 30 mph wind) and stayed dry, it has a good bathtub bottom that I check before I go camping. The only time I really get wet is when I have to break camp, but I am in my rain gear before I get out of my tent. I use my pack and my sleeping pad as a chair, probably just as comfortable as bending down between your knees and working on the ground. My tent has a vestibule that I do cook under when its raining. To be fair, here are what I see are the bad points of a tent. 1. There are more trees for a hammock, than open areas for a tent. 2. A good tent probably weighs more than a good hammock. 3. There are more peices of a tent to loose.(stakes tend to be misplaced unless they are counted) 4. Condensation is more of a problem in tents because they are more enclosed. 5. There is more area for a tent to get wet and are probably heavier versus a hammock tarp. 6. I'm not sure of this one; but a good tent would seem to cost more than a good hammock setup. 7. There are more seams in a tent, thus more potential for leaks. Finally, I admit I am predjudice toward tents; I grew tent camping and it would be a huge change in my approach toward hiking. But I hope everyone uses what makes them comfortable and allows them to enjoy their hike.
SouthMark
12-13-2008, 10:26
Man! You hammock hangers sure are sensitive. The points I stated were the reasons I use a tent, not a reason to not try a hammock. Setting up in the rain in a tent is no more a problem than a hammock, I carry a ground cover that can be used for cover while I set up my tent under it; it is a freestanding model. I've spent all night in my tent in driving rain(20 to 30 mph wind) and stayed dry, it has a good bathtub bottom that I check before I go camping. The only time I really get wet is when I have to break camp, but I am in my rain gear before I get out of my tent. I use my pack and my sleeping pad as a chair, probably just as comfortable as bending down between your knees and working on the ground. My tent has a vestibule that I do cook under when its raining. To be fair, here are what I see are the bad points of a tent. 1. There are more trees for a hammock, than open areas for a tent. 2. A good tent probably weighs more than a good hammock. 3. There are more peices of a tent to loose.(stakes tend to be misplaced unless they are counted) 4. Condensation is more of a problem in tents because they are more enclosed. 5. There is more area for a tent to get wet and are probably heavier versus a hammock tarp. 6. I'm not sure of this one; but a good tent would seem to cost more than a good hammock setup. 7. There are more seams in a tent, thus more potential for leaks. Finally, I admit I am predjudice toward tents; I grew tent camping and it would be a huge change in my approach toward hiking. But I hope everyone uses what makes them comfortable and allows them to enjoy their hike.
It seems to me that when the question is Hammock or Tent only those that have used both should respond.
Just Jeff
12-13-2008, 10:36
Haha - my post wasn't aimed at anyone in particular, xnav. It's just that a lot of naysayers have never even overnighted in a hammock. No sensitivities here! :D
I agree with some of your reasons...here are some comments:
1 - Depends on where you're hiking, obviously. Hammocks are only a tool to enjoy a trip and you gotta use the right tool for the job. Tents obviously have the advantage above treeline, in the desert, or in many state parks (like FL) where nothing can be tied to trees.
2 - Weights are very comparable...see here (http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockGroundWeights.html) for some comparisons of systems people actually use.
3 - Maybe. Hammockers have stakes to lose too, though. This one's probably a draw.
4 - True...tents generally have more condensation issues.
5 - There are very small tarps (stock HH) and very large tarps (JRB and Speer winter tarps, MacCat delux) and the same with different sized tents. I think the advantage for a hammock w/ tarp is that you can set up only the tarp and sleep on the ground, or just use it for lunch breaks, or you can push your hammock out of the way and use it for a gathering place, etc. And you can hang it at standing height if the wind isn't bad so no one has to be hunched over.
6 - Again, it depends on what you buy. Some hammocks are ~$200, plus the tarp can be another ~$200, plus underquilts for another $200-300, etc. Or you can get a $20 travel hammock with a $30 urethane coated tarp and two $10 Walmart pads and be just as warm...but it's heavier. (My kids aren't going to college until I sell all my hammock stuff to pay for it :D )
I recently bought a Hennessey Hammock. I haven't brought it out on a trip yet but yesterday I set it up to test it out and loved it. It's very comfortable and relaxing - much better than the tent I previously used. Go with a hammock, in my opinion.
In the last year, I've really expanded my use of hammocks, mostly because of my wife, Sleeps With Skunks.
She has damaged disks from a car wreck a few years ago and always slept somewhat stiff, even on the 2 1/2 inch thick Big Agnes Aircore. She insisted that since she was mostly a stomach or side sleeper, she could never use a hammock.
Well, on a summer trip, while I hammocked and she tented, she got curious and crawled into my Hennessy. And fell asleep within one minute's time. This past fall, she spent a full night in my Hennessy and discovered she didn't need to stomach sleep since her was more evenly distributed in the hammock.
Three months later, and she has her own Hennessy and I now have an ENO I like for cooler weather. She made underquilts for both of us, and really enjoys sleeping with just the quilt, no pad. She LOVES the hammock and uses it even when we car camp now.
In sub-freezing weather, I double up with the pad, but still love the comfort of the hammock.
I do NOT save weight with a hammock. By the time I add the large Speer Winter Tarp (23 ounces with stakes), underquilt with carabiners (22 ounces) and quilt itself (2 pounds +/- depending on system, I could take my 2-person Hubba Hubba for about a 1/2-pound less. I could save almost 3 pounds with my Lunar Solo Tarptent. But I sleep so much more comfortably, it's worth the extra weight.
hammocking eh? who knew bears liked hammocks?
http://snapshot.parade.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=782589&g2_serialNumber=3
how much for the lunar solo :-?
jk
hammocking eh? who knew bears liked hammocks?
http://snapshot.parade.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=782589&g2_serialNumber=3
Smarter animal than most folks gave 'em credit for then, isn't he? :D
SouthMark
12-14-2008, 19:12
Notice how he is taking advantage of it's multi use as a camp chair and a swing.