Tent vs Hammock Camping

[pgibson]

When I stated getting into hammocks I went back and forth with the weight/bulk paradox. I packed both systems into the same pack, tried various combinations of things. I had a good ground set up that worked, was comfortably roomy...I did 1 man mini tents for a while and got tired of it, went to a single wall BlackDiamond tent that can fit me + Dog + gear with enough room to be ok and to sit up....something I did not like with the solo tent. Light weight pad...on and on. I can and have had a 12-ish pound base weight with both systems. I can get the bulk close to the same with both systems. But I can not duplicate the comfort with the ground system. I can not duplicate the restfulness. On the ground I toss and turn and am miserable....it was not always that way. I used to sleep like a rock. My first few backpacking trips as a teen I did not have a pad, slept right on the ground and slept fine. But as I have slowed down a bit I started to not sleep at all, pure misery all night. In the hammock I can get 2 hours of sleep and feel as rested as a full night at home....but more often than not I am the one snoring away long after the sun is up. I have no desire to lay on the ground ever again, not mater the weight of gear in my pack.

[johnspenn]

When I stated getting into hammocks I went back and forth with the weight/bulk paradox. I packed both systems into the same pack, tried various combinations of things. I had a good ground set up that worked, was comfortably roomy...I did 1 man mini tents for a while and got tired of it, went to a single wall BlackDiamond tent that can fit me + Dog + gear with enough room to be ok and to sit up....something I did not like with the solo tent. Light weight pad...on and on. I can and have had a 12-ish pound base weight with both systems. I can get the bulk close to the same with both systems. But I can not duplicate the comfort with the ground system. I can not duplicate the restfulness. On the ground I toss and turn and am miserable....it was not always that way. I used to sleep like a rock. My first few backpacking trips as a teen I did not have a pad, slept right on the ground and slept fine. But as I have slowed down a bit I started to not sleep at all, pure misery all night. In the hammock I can get 2 hours of sleep and feel as rested as a full night at home....but more often than not I am the one snoring away long after the sun is up. I have no desire to lay on the ground ever again, not mater the weight of gear in my pack.

I used to sleep like a rock on the ground in my days as a young Marine. But the last time I tried it as a 40ish year old, even after a full day of backpacking and fishing, I was miserable all night.

Now that I'm 49, I know that even with the best pad and bag I would never be comfortable enough on the ground to rest well. Even if I were to incur a significant weight penalty for hammock camping I would pay it, because you can't quantify a good night's rest in ounces and grams.

I said all that to say- it sucks getting old haha!

[Irregularpulse]

Tent campers getting up in the morning.

Y you stealing my pictures?
mudcovered.jpg

Yes.....I see many folks that just want to use a hammock but find it too perplexing and want the instant gratification. But as you know, it takes some patience to get right. And an investment of time and money.
I had no trouble converting but many do and go back to tents. So I think we will have our trees.

I got into hammocking because the 2 guys I was getting into backpacking with used hammocks. They raved about their comfort. I bought a $25 WalMart one and was disapointed. Bought an 11'er thinking it was just because of the hammock being too small. Still didn't have a great night, but saw potential. It's taken about a year and I'm really starting to figure out what a good hang looks like before getting in.

As far as the replenishing sleep, last month I drove 5.5 hours in my little Kia Soul (I'm 6'), slept in a hammock in the rain down to the 30's and got up at 4am to run my first 50k trail race. I felt great. That night I once again slept in the hammock and felt "good" (I had just run 34+ miles) the following day for the drive home. Can't ask for much more.

[Slowwalker]

I picked up about a pound when I switched from tent to hammock.

As far as the view argument goes, I cowboy camp while ground camping all the time, just as often as I sleep under the stars in my hammock. So its really a wash.

Matt, have you found way to lighten your Hammock setup? My winter set up is about 5lbs-- hammock, straps, tarp, TQ and UQ, which is understandable for winter. However, I only have one set up and one set of quilts. So, my Spring and Fall setup is still 5 lbs. I'm wanting to lighten my spring, summer, and fall pack weight and my shelter system is the heaviest thing. I've tried just a pad, but it's not nearly as comfy as a UQ. I'm thinking about selling my hammock set up, except for my TQ and going back to the ground w/ a Zpacks Duplex and pad. Ideas and suggestions on how to get a lighter spring/fall setup w/out having to buy a new UQ? Cowboy camping w/ a tarp is out. Tried that and woke up with a big 'ol nasty spider laying next to my head. That was the end of that. ** I apologize in advance for the HJ.

[Theguywitheyebrows]

i think the last time i "slept like a rock" whilst laying flat was...some time in childhood, because in my memory i cannot find an episode where some sort of other thing wasn't the factor that actually caused me to sleep good (ie many beers/bottles of wine, a whole lot of overwork, etc) and it wasn't going to matter if i was laying on a mattress or on a ccf pad or on a futon mat or tatami or pile of blankets or pillows it was the events previous that drained me away enough to abolish my insomnia not the surface i was laying on. except one time, i had a friend who had parents that were well off so they afforded their children some of the finer things in life; she got a memory foam mattress topper as a gift when we were still in high school. when i went to her house soon after she got it setup, she was like "dude! you've gotta lay on this bed now!! its SOOOO comfy!" and she dove onto it. well, i followed and i remember nothing but waking up confused. i slept GREAT, and, even then, that was rare. and her dad had a recliner that he swore was magical, because it put everyone who reclined fully to sleep, including him and me. never any other time, barring some sort of mass inebriation, have i slept that well until hammocks. it happened by accident, then i moved much closer to trees, and now they sell themselves and i buy more lol.

[Theguywitheyebrows]

Matt, have you found way to lighten your Hammock setup? My winter set up is about 5lbs-- hammock, straps, tarp, TQ and UQ, which is understandable for winter. However, I only have one set up and one set of quilts. So, my Spring and Fall setup is still 5 lbs. I'm wanting to lighten my spring, summer, and fall pack weight and my shelter system is the heaviest thing. I've tried just a pad, but it's not nearly as comfy as a UQ. I'm thinking about selling my hammock set up, except for my TQ and going back to the ground w/ a Zpacks Duplex and pad. Ideas and suggestions on how to get a lighter spring/fall setup w/out having to buy a new UQ? Cowboy camping w/ a tarp is out. Tried that and woke up with a big 'ol nasty spider laying next to my head. That was the end of that. ** I apologize in advance for the HJ.

bro, wow. screw spiders. awful image lol. i got something for you my friend, that may be right up your alley. i utilize a military poncho for when the weather doesn't suck too badly and its not too terribly cold, so naturally i utilize a poncho liner as well. since this woobie item is part of my kit almost no matter how i look at it anyway, i figure i might as well use it for all its worth. that poncho liner can be an underquilt (a PLUQ we like to call it, and those come in a couple different setups) a topquilt (i say pltq but i dunno if anyone else does lol) it can be part of the floor of my alphatent (for when push comes shove me all the way to the ground and i don't wanna be seen) it can used like a regular throw blanket at home; comfy, warm pieces of gear. great for between spring and summer at least. i use my pluq with a light mylar sheet inside. my pluq design is in my gallery, if you have questions on that post them there so that the next guy benefits \m/

[JohnVH]

I look at all my tent camping stash, and now I am collecting a ton of hammock stash. I really feel, like my pack will not be any lighter. I understand, not having to worry about finding a flat spot to put a tent, but finding trees can also be an issue.

I just am curious, what tips the appeal to the hammock side?

Woodsie - I too went down the Hammock path in search of greater camping options and found a very comfortable alternative to the ground. That being said, I have converted a number of ground dwellers to the joys of free swinging in the trees. I admit that on the occasional trip I still pack a trusty and true TENT into my kit, but only as a last result. I don't carry my load on my back - the trusty Wee Strom has that task - and I am grateful! A night in the woods beats all others in my view. Plan the journey or not, pack for the adventure and rejoice in the swinging of the breeze! The Hammock has set me free! BTW I'm not nuts, the hammock is truly comfortable for me.

[Theguywitheyebrows]

With all the gears, gizmos, and gadgets we come up with to help us dangle in the trees, the hanmock setup can be ths same or heavier than a ul tent setup, probably as or more expensive for quality gears, but nothing i have ever tried for sleep can beat a hammock. Tempirpedic mattresses suck, and there is no way you're gettin one to the woods. And when you wake up from your tent, thats it its get up and go time. When you wake up in a hammock, you sway for an hour and love everything around you.

[sidvicious]

With all the gears, gizmos, and gadgets we come up with to help us dangle in the trees, the hanmock setup can be ths same or heavier than a ul tent setup, probably as or more expensive for quality gears, but nothing i have ever tried for sleep can beat a hammock. Tempirpedic mattresses suck, and there is no way you're gettin one to the woods. And when you wake up from your tent, thats it its get up and go time. When you wake up in a hammock, you sway for an hour and love everything around you.

this is the thing about a comfort comparison. to equate the ground with hanging, the mattress has to be superb and/or supreme. so, yeah........we can fashion a really light ground kit. its just a wild-eyed guess, but my thinking is it'd take a 2+ inch tricked out mattress at least to get the ground in the ballpark.

i should qualify by adding that i'm in the 50+ age crowd.

sv-

[WalksIn2Trees]

One of my ground dwelling FB buddies this morning is complaining about waking up wet and muddy after a storm

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