What is the most "interesting" comment/reaction from a non-hanger when seeing your set up?

[Catashep]

Of course we always get the "nice set up" comments but we also get the presumptive and uninformed comments as well. I have comments like (while using a WBBB, Yeti UQ, and SF)..."You can't tell me you stayed suspended in that all night!!!" ... and that was from a person who stayed in a tent that night during a rainstorm. Most of the comments come while car camping because of higher population and lower number of hangers. I had one guy laugh at me in a very insulting way (another tenter) say "Is that all you have? ... I could loan you some money so you could camp in comfort". That one really bothered me and when I started explaining he raised his hand dismissively. I have also had one person tell their son not to talk to "the weird guy" ... the son told me his parents said that earlier in the day. Any other interesting reactions out there?

[bdaabat]

How about, "Aren't you afraid you're gonna fall out?"

I've got to admit, I've successfully recruited boys to our Troop because of my hammocking! I've also converted one of our ASMs to hanging.

There will always be folks that are closed minded. In general, my experience has been that many people are curious, some are skeptical, and very, very few are intentionally mean when it comes to hanging vs. tenting. The folks that are most skeptical seem to have had some sort of negative experience with hammocks....as in, the only time they have ever been in a hammock was one of those woven rope get ups with the wooden spreader bars that are super tippy, or, attempting to sleep about the "Constellation", with short woven hammocks intended for sailors of small stature.

Bruce

[Dead Man]

First time I took my son out the overnight temps were going to be in the mid to low 30's. Had this one lady, who had a huge RV that her family was in, walk past at least a half dozen times. On the last fly by she stopped and asked if we were sleeping in those that night. When I said yes she replied, "Don't you know you're going to freeze!?!" I laughed and said we were prepared for that. About 30 minutes later the husband comes by, asking about the set up. I put him in mine and he marveled at the comfort and the warmth of my TQ/UQ set up. I know his wife was ticked about it too.

Makes me laugh every time I think about it.

[Bubba]

Any reactions I've received have always been out of curiosity and interest. So far nothing insulting or anything like that. I do hear "Are you afraid of falling out?" sometimes or "aren't you going to freeze?" when I tell them I use it in winter. Most times its just uninformed inquiries. Once I explain things they usually become very interested because they often mention they do not like sleeping on the ground.

[gospidey]

I usually get the "They're ok for naps, but I can't imagine sleeping in one ALL NIGHT!"
But most are curious, and when given a chance to lay in them, are impressed and sometimes converted.

I remember one forum member who told me he tried a friend's Blackbird out of curiosity, and ended up sleeping for hours.
Upon arrival at home, he dropped his camping gear and went straight to the computer to order one!

I've never gotten any negative comments, but most definitely some seasoned "tenters" giving me that "you clueless schmuck" head shake.

My wife will NOT get in a hammock, feels it's too unsecure no matter what I tell her about comfort, breaking strength, etc...

[CoreyR]

"We can't have you damaging the trees." By far the most usual reaction from "campground hosts" in national parks.

[UrsaMajor1887]

I usually have a backpack hung from my hammock suspension even when car camping and have got the "You don't backpack with that do you?" a couple of times and the "It can't be comfortable all night" and "You will freeze" comments. In the morning they will ask "How did it go last night" or "I thought you would have bailed and slept in your car as it was so cold and windy".

The only negative experiences have been people walking into my suspension or tripping on my tarp lines while cutting through my campsite.

One time, at Boy Scout camp, at 4 AM someone decided they needed to be somewhere else, packed up, and while walking to get their car when they got clotheslined by my suspension. Not the best way to wake up! They didn't even say sorry and made sure to put their hand on it each time they ducked under it on subsequent trips past my setup.

Come to think of it, they parked their car next to my hang too and I was sucking carbon monoxide for a while. Someone also punched a hole in my Hammock Gear Tarp that weekend. I learned a lot that weekend. The following year I made sure I was off in the woods away from the road and everyone else. I also set up when I went to bed and packed up in the morning. Much better experience. Side note: Hammock Gear fixed my hole at no charge! Thanks guys!

[mountain_man_mike]

Most have been positive and from a curious viewpoint. After telling people that I got tired of waking up with the aches & pains in the hips, back, knees, etc. people warm right up to it. If they try out the hammock they start thinking about how they can get a set up like it and it's one more post on the hammock wheel.

[Nodust]

Most think I'll be cold, hot, wet or just miserable hanging out. One kid in our pack kept saying I was the crazy guy in the cacoon.

I just smile and climb in my comfortable hammock.

[Pretbek]

Most people think of an uninsulated 8 foot gathered end backyard hammock, or a tippy knotted/woven hammock with a spreader bar.

I've gotten most of the remarks quoted in the thread so far: You'll freeze. Won't you fall out? You sleep in that ALL night!? These are all based on misconceptions of the type of hammock and insulation ("insulation?") that we use.

Tent people do start to get it when I explain that I have no joint pain when I wake up, my bed is never bumpy and always level, and that I don't worry about rain, in fact I love it at night, unless it pools higher than a foot.
That last one usually has them laughing, but you can really see them think and compare that to their standard worries.