DRESSING OR UNDRESSING

[DuctTape]

I pitch my tarp high enough to stand under it. I use the hammock as a chair for ease of dressing/undressing not for modesty. My tarp is usually pitched wider than most for the larger footprint. Sideways rain fear is mostly disproportionate to reality. Best solution is site selection to mitigate wind issues. Tent pad sites are generally not good hammock sites. Plus, we do not need flat ground; I actually prefer the undisturbed forest when choosing where to hang. For those who desire privacy (for undressing or otherwise), setup farther away.

[cataraftgirl]

We have a saying on river rafting trips.....You don't have privacy. You give privacy. I am frequently the only gal with a group of guys on trips. I have never had the guys be anything other than gentlemen, but I have to speak up and let them know when I need privacy. I have found that a quick change under a tarp is pretty easy. Easier than in my backpacker tent.

[KiwiMark]

Just give a warning first, hysterical blindness is no joke!

[Penfold]

I camp frequently with cub scouts so, I pitch the tarp high enough for me to stand ( I am 5'5") and change underwear in the hammock and then pull everything else on standing under the tarp. I don't keep the tarp in porch mode when camping cub scouts.

If camping with the family, my wife sleep on a cot in a tent, co I change there.

[BrRabbit]

I wonder how do people change in backpacking tents? Those are so tiny, you only can sit in them... No different IMHO than changing in the hammock.

[jdripley]

Well, on the one hand, dressing makes the salad taste good, especially if you have some nice balsamic vinaigrette or something like that. But on the other hand, many dressings aren't very healthy for you, and if you're eating salad for health purposes, that's a thing to consider.

...was that not what this was about????


Different folks have different ethics/feelings about showing their body and/or seeing another body. I find it best (as others have mentioned) to be a gentleman and give the courtesy of turning your back to a changing person. Maybe they don't care if they're seen, in which case it didn't matter what you did. Maybe they do care if they're seen, in which case you've taken a very minimal effort to make this person feel comfortable. That's an easy thing to do.

I don't find it too awkward to change in my Hennessey. No, it's not as easy as when I am standing in my bedroom at home (but then, nothing is as easy when camping as it is at home, aside perhaps from enjoying the grandeur of nature). But.. changing a shirt is no big deal from a sitting position. Socks, no issue.

Pants require a bit of wiggle, but it's no big deal to lay back and lift your butt off the hammock and slide the pants off of your butt, then you sit down on your butt and lift your legs off the hammock to slide the pants off. Pants on is the same in reverse... slide the pants up your thighs and get your feet through the pants all the way, then just lie back, lift your butt, and pull the pants the last little bit, button up and you're good to go.

[Nodust]

You don't get privacy, you give it. If with people that isn't Mrs Nodust I give a warning and try to be discreet. Turn my head if others are changing ado. It's part of the backcountry experience.

If with the scout troop I'm more careful. Normally wait until dark. Too many ways to get in trouble without meaning to.

[T- Minus]

You see there is this thing called darkness, it's free and happens once at the end of a day, if your really that worried.

But in general all the squirrels don't mind what you look like they already are laughing at those neon colors combined with cammo.

[SilvrSurfr]

Okay I can agree, follow suit, with what you fellows are saying but it seems like you're taking it for granted that the weather is decent.

So not to be argumentative but how about when it's raining 'cats and dogs', or when the temperature is below freezing,...and maybe snowing?

If it's raining cats and dogs or snowing or below freezing, then who exactly is gonna be out to spy on your modesty? I have a cuben fiber tarp, and the whole modesty thing just cracks me up. Cuben fiber is fairly translucent, but if you are trying to get titillated by a view of my naked body, you're going to have to use a lot of imagination because you're not gonna see much.

[Scouter_Ken]

Privacy is a very big factor when camping with scouts.

For this very reason I have a superfly. Have it high on nice days to get better ventilation and I can stand up to change. Low to the ground for bad or very windy weather. sit on hammock or crouch to change.

either way, with the superfly there is lots of privacy