How did you get interested in hammock camping?

**Popeye 62** · 11-26-2011, 21:03

I've never posted on here before. I've done a lot of reading of these threads and I wondered just how did you get interested in hammock camping?

The interest for me came by accident. I was researching cook systems since I was going to do some backpacking in my retirement and had planned on sleeping on the ground under a tarp. You know something to keep me active so I don't die early. I stumbled across one of Shug's videos on cook systems, that led to another, and then I watched his hammock videos. Since then I've been hooked. I've yet to buy a hammock but will be doing so soon.

**Riverpirate** · 11-26-2011, 21:16

Forme it was about finding a better way to sleep when camping than in a tent. I love camping and do it a good bit. Not whiling but I travel and fish a lot as part of my prostaffing for Ocean Kayak. The last straw was a trio down to the FL panhandle. We went to fish and camp and it rain hard for four days non stop. The campground was flat and the water was just standing. Everybody's tent was floating. 4 of the most miserable days of my life. I will never sleep in a tent again.

**HONDO LANE** · 11-26-2011, 21:18

I got tired of waking up. I mean waking up sore, tired, and unable to do anything else because I had slept little, or none at all. Since I discovered hammocks I have moved up to a wbbb 1.7 double with uq and tq and it is the first time camping I was too hot, with the exception of the summer.

**ShadowAlpha** · 11-26-2011, 21:27

I was looking for a smaller lighter shelter for my state guard 72 hr pack. I always carried a small mesh hammock when tent camping. So now I eliminated the tent & upgraded style of hammock & insulation. :-)

**Dave10** · 11-26-2011, 21:28

I was about 14 as a scout and I woke up moving. It was raining and my tent flooded and I was floating on my ground pad. Then I bought a rope hammock.

**Fibby** · 11-26-2011, 21:34

I started with decluttering. When that was done, I got into self-sufficiency stuff and that led to prepping. I got so freaked out by those websites that I went looking for a less stressful way to be prepared and stumbled on bushcrafting. One of the sites I was hooked on was a guy over in England who uses a hammock. I decided I should know how to use all my survival gear and might as well use it since I have it. By then I had bought a tent as an emergency shelter and my living room test lasted only 2 hours and I was sore. After that I got an ENO and have been building on it ever since. I kept running into this site while researching any kind of hammocks or camping gear. I love it here!!!!

**jons4real** · 11-26-2011, 21:34

I cant say that I have spent an over night in my hammock but I have been head over heel in love with them since I was a kid.

**Roadrunnr72** · 11-26-2011, 21:46

I think a thread along this line has popped up before, but for me....

When the Scout Jamboree was in town, (I live about 5 miles from A.P Hill, the former home of the NSJ, and are the home troop, Bowling Green). I decided to sleep in a hammock. I had no other experience. I just remember that the last time then Jambo was held, there was a stand with several hammocks. I went to Gander Mtn, bought an ENO SN and the bug net. I just used a cheap 8' x 10' tarp hung on the diamond. It wasn't the most comfortable nights sleeping, but was better than the cots our troop uses. At the Jambo, I saw the hammock set-up again, found out that the Hennessy Hammocks were used. Got home and started a little research. I was also researching using a tarp and ground pad. I was trying to cut the weight of using a tent.
In the back of the scout magazine, there is a tarp tent. I almost bought one, but started reading about making my own. I found Speers site, then on to Just Jeff site. I learned alot from them. Then somewhere, and I can't remember which one, mentioned Hammock Forums. I sure have learned alot since joining, including what I had done wrong the first time.

**JTXR** · 11-26-2011, 22:36

I saw Shug's videos on You Tube and becuase of his videos I had to try a hammock and became a dedicated "hanger".

**SweetLou** · 11-26-2011, 23:30

Well, for me, I don't hike and what I do I wouldn't call camping. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I just try to find a nice place on the side of the road to sleep.

When I was younger, I could sleep anywhere and however I wanted. I've slept in tank tracks with a poncho over me and thought that was the best. But now that I am older with arthritis, It was getting difficult getting in and out of a tent. Not to mention how I felt after sleeping on the ground for a night. I would wake up in a lot of pain, making for the first couple of miles not the best.

I started doing some research, trying to find a better system to sleep. I wasn't looking for a new way of sleeping, I was looking for better equipment. Somewhere in my searching I came across hammocks. First it was the Hennessy Hammock. After doing some more reading and finding this forum, I decided to give it a try.

I will most likely sleep in a tent again, but that will be my last choice. I'm still learning on how to hang without trees. I am even thinking about learning rock climbing equipment so I can hand from rock when there are no trees around.