International travel with a hammock?

[Vargan]

Has anyone taken their hammock gear traveling abroad?

If so, what is your experience? Did you use it besides doing hikes there?

What size pack did you take? I'm trying to take little, and only use a 40L, but all the hammock+quilts+tarp+titanium pot are taking up more space than I would like. I'm left with hardly any room for food storage . (also taking a camera that takes up 5.3” W x 6.1” H x 4.5” D) Unless maybe I strap all the camping gear in a compression sack to the outside of the pack. :/

[Scotty Von Porkchop]

I've used my hammock etc abroad quite a bit but I've never gone quite as small as 40l (but I tend to go for extended walks and general holidaying). A quick flight to a warm country for a short stay with down gear should be easy enough provided you have compact light kit such as down quilts, smaller cook set etc. International flights will get really finicky about the backpacking food though so you may not be able to get really compact freeze dried for the host country.

My usual method is a day bag and a 60l duffel with a bigger rucksack inside that (to protect it) duffel has enough room for clothing suitable going out for meals, outdoor gear and room for the touristy garbage you are required to get for the family ;-)

I use my hammock as everything: conversation starter, hanging out watching rowing, mooching in the park.... My hammocks get battered this way and rarely last a year before I bin them (never failed. Yet.)

I wouldn't strap the hammock gear to the outside though just get a bigger bag and pay for it to go in the hold (I'm presuming the 40l is so it's classed as 'carry on'?)

[hutzelbein]

I have done a 5-month trip to New Zealand and a 3-month trip to the US with my hammock and hiking gear. But both times my base was a car, so I didn't have to pack light. 40l for everything (checked and hand luggage) would be a challenge for me. The backpack I take for multi-day hikes (and as on board luggage) has a volume of 35l + 10l, and I have never been able to pack more than a set of sleeping clothes, a pair of clean socks and some underwear in addition to shelter and food... If you don't take any food (as Scotty said, it's not recommended for many countries), you might just about be able to cram in an extra set of clothes - but I probably would opt for a bigger bag if I would intend to spend some time in the civilization. But then I'm not a UL hiker either, and I might be forced to travel that way if I ever get around to do either the AT, the CDT or the PCT...

If it's a heavy and bulky bag you're trying to avoid: there are quite a few foldable and lightweight duffel bags that offer plenty of space for very little weight. My favourite ones are from Mountain Hardwear; the duffels have the right balance of weight and ruggedness, and fold up in their own pocket tidily.

[tangara]

I've done it with a 40 liter pack, and with all the other things I carried (scope, tripod, camera and recording equipment), I put the hammock gear in with the tripod as padding. I wasn't just backpacking, though. If I didn't have the scope and tripod, I would have done as you say, compression sack to the bottom or outside of the pack. If those are your only luggage, carry the sack in a bag with a handle (reusable shopping bag?), as your second carry-on (personal) item. I haven't had any issues with the 40l pack and a fairly large personal item. Depends on the airline, I guess.

[Vargan]

The reason I was trying to go for a 40L is based on the online lightweight pack-lists I've been looking at. It seems like about the size, or a bit bigger than what, people are taking with them when they go light weight international travel. However, I am also trying to take with me some camping gear, and a lens camera....

My trip is 4 months in Peru (maybe will go to neighboring countries too). The weather will range from warm amazon to cold mountains.

I am not trying to take food with me, just want to make sure that there is room enough for food, in case I decide to do some hiking. The reason I am taking hammock gear is because I will be going to a community in the jungle where I will need it and will have to hike there (don't know for how long will stay there). But I also want to make sure I am able to do normal hiking, like in the mountains. So I will have to bring some food with me.

Not bringing much clothes with me. Like 2(or 3) Ts, 1 SS button down, 2 LS button down, 1 capeline thermal, 1 wool sweater, 1 rain shell, 2 pants (1 zip off), 1 short/swim, 3 socks, 3 boxers, 1 hat, 1 cap, 1 belt, 1 buff, 1 shemagh. I think that's it, and it includes what I will be wearing.

I am planning to check the pack in anyway, because I'm bringing a knife with me. I will also bring a small messenger bag (patagonia mini mass) for walking around town, and to hide my camera in there. It will be easier to take it out of there for a few snaps. I will use the messenger bag as my carry on. But I did want to make sure that I can stuff everything I have into the main pack, for the hike to the community. And the possible normal hiking I will be doing, I want to make sure there is also some room for food (I will buy there)

I am able to fit pretty much everything in there right now, but that excludes any water or food :/. Things would be much simpler if I was doing 'normal' traveling, like staying at hostels and such

Kind of wanted to go with a 40 just to stay light, and because the bag I found can sort of be locked (rei trail 40). Maybe I have no choice but to go for a larger size

[tangara]

Way familiar with Peru and South American travel. That's pretty much how I pack it. The pack is used for hiking when I'm at the destination (drop the heavy stuff somewhere for safe keeping). 40l should be plenty big. If you're going to have to carry your water, that will be the main weight and bulk. And food you can get when you get there and along the way. I never had trouble finding anything from the locals in Peru. Are you also taking some kind of water purifier? I got along just fine with supersaturated KI, treating water that way, or buying bottled along the way - widely available, but if it's a long hike between villages, you'll have to have room to carry enough water for the hike. I find 40l to be about the largest I've needed. Even extra clothes can be had very cheaply in the villages. Take a pocket full of weird little things to trade - stuff they might rarely see. You'd be amazed at the value of some of your stuff to somebody who thinks it's way cool

[tangara]

If the only thing you don't have room for is water, make a paracord sling for a 1 1/2 liter bottle and throw it over your shoulder for the hike. Same with food, carry a fairly large piece of square silnylon, tie food in there in a bundle and lash to the pack if needed. Those two items both fit in your pants pocket.

[hutzelbein]

If the only thing you don't have room for is water, make a paracord sling for a 1 1/2 liter bottle and throw it over your shoulder for the hike.

There are "clip-on" (or rather "velcro-on") bottle holders you can attach to your backpack's straps (or other places), too. That's a bit more comfortable to carry, because the bottle doesn't dangle.

[SilvrSurfr]

Just to make you paranoid about bottled water, here's a story about backpacking in Greece. Back in the eighties, I arrived at Pelekas Beach on the island of Corfu and immediately became deathly ill, so ill I couldn't even leave the beach to go in town and find a doctor. I couldn't even stray far from a bathroom for a few weeks. One day I went to a store to get some supplies (the same place I bought my bottled water) and the Hershey squirts hit me hard. Somebody was in the crapper so I ran behind the store to relieve myself in a grove of olive trees. There, behind the store, was a man filling up water bottles from their local contaminated well. He'd pop the sealed cap on them and sell them.

That day I switched to Perrier for my drinking water, since I figured the metal cap and carbonated water was tamper-proof. Within a few days I was well enough to move on. So bottled water might seem safe, but I wouldn't bet on it, especially in poorer countries.

[tangara]

Yes, I generally buy the carbonated water in South America. Water is usually available carbonated and non- just as easy to find either, except way out off the delivery tracks. But bottled water is everywhere there.