Set Up Security

[LFCRed]

What ways have you found to safeguard your gear when away from camp? I usually camp in out of the way places so don't worry much about things getting stolen but I am about to go car camping in a state park campground and feel I need to take some precautions.

Since its car camping weight is not a concern. I have thought about threading a bike lock cable through the channel at the end of my hammock and anywhere strategic I can find on the rest of my gear and then securing that to something fixed.

I hope to avoid having to take it all down and then set it up again later.

I would love to hear anyone's thoughts or experiences.

[Cali]

I secure anything of value in the car. As for the hammock and rainfly, I see them as a tent and leave them up. No one ever bothered my tent, and so far not my hammock. I don't think I would leave an UQ and TQ since they are quite expensive to replace, and someone may have down envy, and decide to take it for their own.

[TinaLouise]

most of my trips are scout related and I don't worry to much about security if I'm away from my gear. I don't leave small items out.

Now if I'm backpacking, I do not leave my gear to go somewhere else. Most of the time, I'm with someone else and one of us will stay with all our gear and the other will go for water. If you're set up "incognito" and if you're absolutely sure no one knows where you are, then you can probably take the chance of maybe leaving your gear. Notice that there's a lot of "ifs" and maybe's with that last sentence!!

I've even heard of some people getting ripped off and they were in their hammock when it happened.

It's your gear though... Me, I'd diffinately take down my site and pack it in the truck if I was in a more public place that other's would be walking through while I was away.

[Raul Perez]

I normally dont stray too far from my gear. I primarily backpack and when I do I set up for the night and pack up in the morning to head off to the next camp site.


At night I keep everything under my tarp within arms reach.

[weird1]

Lots of threads on this, lots of ideas too. I am with water monkey. I take it with me 99% of the time. Even car camping. For me it boils down to this I don't want to replace my gear, and packing it up and setting it up doesn't take that long compared to the work,and wait to replace my kit. I would like to believe and trust in my fellow man, but the sad fact is I don't and with good reason.

[dragon360]

Lots of threads on this, lots of ideas too. I am with water monkey. I take it with me 99% of the time. Even car camping. For me it boils down to this I don't want to replace my gear, and packing it up and setting it up doesn't take that long compared to the work,and wait to replace my kit. I would like to believe and trust in my fellow man, but the sad fact is I don't and with good reason.

+2 on this as well. Where I go, my kit goes with. Not usually enough to worry about in terms of packing (or even weight - lugging it around). Especially if I'm deep in the green, it tends to be my lifeline to getting back safely.

[Red Wing]

If I'm backpacking, it's always with me.

If we're basecamping an area and dayhiking, it's usually so far out of the way (last time we had to kayak 3 miles to our spot, open water) I don't mind leaving it setup, but we don't leave all day either, it's a couple hours here, come back to camp and eat type scenerio.

If I'm car camping, when I'm ready to check out the trails or whatever reason I'm about to leave my site, everything I'm not taking gets locked up in the car.


Everyone has a tent at a campground, not everyone has a hammock. It's a pain in the *** to set tents up or take them down, compared to a hammock. All the motivation I need to secure my gear.

[Weta]

I agree with everyone. Just remember that our gear isn't cheap, which means that others who knows about hammocks would love to get their hands on them. I had a pair of touring kayaks stolen, even that they were bike changed to a tree & I was sleeping 5 metres away from them. Hammocks are valuable items & we pride ourselves on how quick they are to set up & put down.

Put your gear in the car if your car camping. If your on your trails & your staying in unpopulated campsites, then it maybe ok but where there are people there are opportunists (sounds all pessimistic but there are scums out there who think they have a right to steal other peoples gear).

[Cannibal]

where there are people there are opportunists (sounds all pessimistic but there are scums out there who think they have a right to steal other peoples gear).

True enough. Happily, those kind of folks are in the minority. Especially in our little niche.

Still, I use common sense. If I'm in a crowded campground, I honestly don't worry about it my gear too much. I put everything not on my person, into the hammock and leave the tarp set-up. Never a problem.

In the backcountry, I rely on the fact that the vast majority of folks I've met that are willing to trek where I am camped, are good people. I may be proven wrong one day, but until then, I have faith in my fellow outdoorspeople.

[Red Wing]

I agree with everyone. Just remember that our gear isn't cheap, which means that others who knows about hammocks would love to get their hands on them. I had a pair of touring kayaks stolen, even that they were bike changed to a tree & I was sleeping 5 metres away from them. Hammocks are valuable items & we pride ourselves on how quick they are to set up & put down.

Put your gear in the car if your car camping. If your on your trails & your staying in unpopulated campsites, then it maybe ok but where there are people there are opportunists (sounds all pessimistic but there are scums out there who think they have a right to steal other peoples gear).

Another danger of sleeping in a hammock j/k

There have been a few threads where people have been jacked of their gear. Think they were in more park type settings as well vs. trail settings.