Reasons not to use a hammock for backpacking?

[QiWiz]

In keeping with our Politically Correct Culture, we should avoid using hammocks for backpacking if we might encounter ground dwellers on the trip. The resulting feelings of inadequacy on their part would be tragic or they may be offended.

This made me laugh. One aspect of backpacking that I find more difficult when pursuing the hammocking way than I do when I am ground dwelling is using a pee bottle. As I get older, this is more and more of an issue.

[y0bailey]

I would say if I was expecting bad weather again, I would bring my tent.

Last trip the weather was TERRIBLE...aka in the 20s, rain that turned to the densest snow ever. The weather was going to keep at that for the next 12 or so hours, and it was only noon on the second day. So here we were, soaking wet, freezing, with 12 hours of misery to sit out. I had only my hammock and tarp and minimal dry clothes left. I basically had two options, get in my hammock in what little dry stuff I had left, and sit there until the following morning (18-20 hours in a tiny, comfortable, prison cell), or hike out and call it quits. I have terrible ADHD and the thought of sitting in one tiny area for 18 hours made me want to die, so I hiked my cold/wet body out of the woods. If I had a tent, I would have finished off my bottle of Maker's Mark while playing cards with my buddy and gone home the next day, slightly hung-over.

So only in cases of extreme crap weather that traps you into your hammock for the entire trip...choose a tent. Or just stay at home like a smart person.

[heyyou]

Most of my backpacking is solo.

In the winter, I can hang for 12-14 hours with no discomfort. I do have to drain a liquid every four hours. At daylight, I'm not enthusiastic about leaving my warm, comfy nest.

On the ground in the winter, I toss and turn after there are no comfortable postitions left to sleep. I'm always grateful for daylight just so I can escape the hard surface that I'm lying on.

I'm quite willing to tote the weight of my hanging equipment. My backpacking is not about having the lowest number on a weight scale, I am concerned about having the lightest gear that maintains my COMFORT during my trip.

As a retiree, I never go on overnight trips anymore, like I did on weekends when I was working. I go until the weather deteriorates, usually 4-5 nights. For shorter trips, I could try to achieve SUL, sacrificing comfort. That would be a stunt, done just for the bragging rights, then I would go back to hanging.

[MAD777]

In the winter, I can hang for 12-14 hours with no discomfort. I do have to drain a liquid every four hours. At daylight, I'm not enthusiastic about leaving my warm, comfy nest.

On the ground in the winter, I toss and turn after there are no comfortable postitions left to sleep. I'm always grateful for daylight just so I can escape the hard surface that I'm lying on.

That's the perfect description of why I went to hammocks and will not go back again!

I don't find that there is any weight penalty over tents. My skin out weight without consumables is 13 lbs. for above 40 degree lows.