Have you ever had to go to ground?

[UncleMJM]

Never have had to go to the ground here in Texas either. The one exception of sleeping on the ground was a planned beach camping trip and I knew ahead there'd be no trees.

Also, even in heavy multiple day rain storms, my down has not gotten wet.

My only concern is in this region I may go to a place that's new with limited or no trees so I like the flexibility of going to ground if necessary, but again, never had to do so.

[Buffalo Skipper]

I have been hammocking for nearly 1 year now; 45 nights total. Mostly car camping with scouts but also backpacking. Knock on wood, I have yet to go back to ground. I have not been above the tree line (and may not for some time). Occasionally I may be on the beach here, but even when I was back in May, I found 2 trees on which which I could hook up.

I do not have a weather shell, but I have a large tarp, and I can pitch low to avoid any splatter.

Fingers crossed that I will not go to the ground any time.

[born2roam]

One time I, from a social point of view, opted to go to the ground...

marshy area, a friend of mine just doesn't get on with hammocks, uses a bivy, exped down 9 and still is not really comfy....

So... I pick a great spot for me and the hammock... lousy for him..
He picks a great spot for him.... no trees for me....

Just a quick canoe camping weekend... so I went to the ground with half a mat and my sleeping bag, a top quilt, a head mozzie net and that's about it...

You'll survive....

Grtz Johan

[gunner76]

Once when we got to camp ground late and all the sites with trees we could hang from were taken. Wife and I sleep in tent. Most uncomfortable night of trip.

[flannery]

Thanks for all the info!! It seems that with proper planning, order of hanging tarp, hammock and bedding and good tarp technique that it is rare someone was surprised with having to go to ground.

It also seems that it's rare to get the underquilt wet.

With this info I think it's prudent to have a backup plan (like a tent and pad in the car and/or good weather planning but it's quite safe to have just a down underquilt for the vast majority of hammock campings. Seems the packability and comfort of a down underquilt far outweighs the risk of getting it wet or having to go to ground. Maybe I'll find a way to include a small ccf pad and/or a space blanket.

Thanks again!!

[kayak karl]

Once in Madison Hut in the Whites. Hated it. Never stayed in a Hut again.
This past winter slept on a pad on the snow for Kaia's sake, but now she hangs with me.
Even in the Whites i hiked 24 miles one day just to get to tree level. It's hard to hike with tenters you end up doing your own thing and alone some nights.

[kkilgroe]

Hit the ground a couple of times kayaking on the NC obx when the only available trees were small and scrubby. Hanging in an hh deluxe I suspended the ridge-line with sticks and stakes. My tarp was large enough to use as a ground cloth and tarp. Had a small water flooding issue once due to poor site selection but stayed safe from the mosquitos and biting flies.

[Jcavenagh]

I did this August. But I had been warned and so was prepared.
See this thread:
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=37832

[McSpartan]

Have not had to go to ground. Regarding wet UQ's, I spent 7 days at summer camp with the scouts this past June. We had a sideways TS come through our site during the day and we were not fast enough getting back to shut the flaps on the canvas tents. Cots and sleeping bags were wet. My hammock was bone dry, with the exception of a small amount of splash that came up from the dirt on the tarp periphery and made it to my UQ.

[Rolloff]

I know of someone, perhaps he'll post the complete story, blew out his hammock, and headed back to his car, then ended up rolled up in his tarp beside the trail until daylight, when his headlamp went out. I'll leave the grunts and buck snorts out....but that my friends is going to ground.