A friend and I decided to go on a camping tour of Europe this summer and we just got back a few days ago after a three week trip. I saw Ray Mears using a hammock on television and thought it might be a laugh to try. My friend agreed to give it a go but I had no idea what was involved, this site made it possible to have a successful trip and although I only read and never posted I doubt we could have succeeded without the information and advice I found here.

We bought two DD Travel Hammocks ($80) and a couple of cheap polyethylene tarps ($10) and they performed superbly - I chose camouflage patterned tarps almost on a whim but it turned out to be a fortuitous choice as we were able to camp undetected in some less than ideal places.

I thought my Snugpak Jungle Bag would be sufficient insulation for August in Europe but the first night (Belgium) was one of the coldest experiences I've had and my friend wasn't prepared either, however we were lucky to find some heavier sleeping bags on sale at Aldi's in Germany and got a couple for $20 each. That and some cheap foam mats solved the problem even when we camped at high altitude in the Swiss Alps (Mauvoisin). I should have taken the warnings about insulation on this site more seriously. Having said that: once we got south of the Alps my Snugpak was sufficient.

It's hard to guess how much money we saved as a result of being able to camp just about anywhere (we got into the habit of staying at a proper campsite every 3-4 days just for the showers) but I guess about $40 - $60 per night so 15 nights would be between $600 and $900.

Anyway, we had an incredible adventure and a big thank you to those members here whose advice made it possible.