How do you beat the heat & stay comfortable ?

[Chesapeake]

I know a lot of us just don't hang when the mercury rises, but some of us just can't wait for the hot and humid misery of summer to end so we can īhang again, and need to hang even when its a little on the warm side. So, what does everyone do to stay at least semi comfortable in the summer? Do you use a small battery powered fan, lightest clothes possible, lots of bug repellent/killer to go net less, or some other little trick or do-dad to scratch your hammock itch when its the middle of July, and October is waaaay to long of a wait? For me, I try to pick nights right before a cold front is moving in and there's a strong breeze off the bay, I'll wear the lightest weight synthetic shorts and shirt I have and pitch my hammock so the stiff breeze is hitting the side my head is on. Other than that, I keep some ice water in a nalgene and a micro fiber towel handy lol. What about you? What's your tried and true method of hanging comfortably in the summer?

[TrailSlug]

I head to the elevation this time of year to get my hanging fix this time of year. The closest cool heights for me are in the Smokies. I tried hanging last year in the humidity and couldn't ever get comfortable due to the night time humidity levels in out area. So I now reserve hanging for the fall/winter/spring seasons.

[leiavoia]

I have tall mountains where I live, so I also head upwards. I was sliding over snow banks on my Fourth of July outing.

Lakes and rivers you can swim in are great. Comes with bugs, but... swimming in lakes!

And if I am going to carry two water bottles on my pack, one of them is going to be a preloaded margarita.

[rick417]

This is my first summer hanging experience and I've camped mostly in the Florida panhandle area on private property. Temps in the evening start from 90*F+ and drop to around 72* or 74*F overnight, with humidity in the 80% or higher range. I sleep in lightweight tech fabric shirt & shorts treated with permethrin inside a fronkey style bugnet. Hammock and bugnet are also treated with permethrin. I start the night off with my UQ beside the hammock with a poncho liner for TQ tied to ridgeline at the foot end and inside the UQ. A battery fan on the ridgeline blows on my face. This has really helped me go to sleep. I've been shutting the fan off about 11 pm, and I use the UQ around 3 am. Only once have I used the poncho liner in the 5 nights I camped in June and July. I consider summer in the deep South the other end of the extreme camping spectrum but I have actually slept quite well since I can have air above and below me. Inside a tent, I think, would be miserable.

[BigSky!]

I just say something extremely stupid to my wife. Trust me, it's a very cold night in our camp after that.

[bradym77]

In the summer it's only car camping or at the campsite in the backwoods. Either way we set everything up, go jump in the pool to cool down and don't go back to lie down until it's pretty much dark outside and cooled down some. Definitely use bugnets and hammocks coated in permethrin.

[Backoff]

Same problem here. I wish I didnt need the bug net as its much cooler without it but even with Sawyer Permetrin coated the skeeters still get ya through the hammock. A combo of Sawyer and a thermocell keeps them at bay but it is still very warm unless there is a good breeze. I like it really cold so its tough for me to sleep through the night at all. Thinking of just getting an indoor hook just so I can get more used to the hammock in ideal conditions. You know, A/C going and a big fan. Maybe the TV going watching Shug youtube videos.

[SilvrSurfr]

I generally like to camp with overnight lows no higher than 60* F. This weekend I'm going to Lower Forge in the Pine Barrens, and the forecast says overnight low of 70* F. I know that's not true - there are no weather stations anywhere near Lower Forge, and it will definitely be around 60* F for the overnight low. I can sleep comfortably in 60* weather.

Second thing I look for is a cold river or stream near the campsite. If you get hot, you can take a dip in the water and cool right off.

[Country Roads]

I live in the WV mountains and have never had to worry about being too hot. I guess I am lucky. I have noticed that if camping near a stream or the confluence of streams, the temps are from 5 to 10 degrees cooler. I always call it the "swamp cooler" effect.

[TxAggie]

I grew up tent camping in the summer in west Texas, and a hammock is a WHOLE lot cooler than a tent. But even then, if the humidity pops up it can still be difficult. A couple of items I've learned from tents that have transitioned over:
-drink water
- during the daytime, hang your tarp high and relatively flat. Porch mode doesn't help much, pull up both sides. You want to keep the sun from heating the ground under your hammock as much as possible, so pull out that tarp, even if it's not raining. At night, you can roll it up for better airflow.
-drink water
- wear light, loose clothing, or as little clothing as possible, when sleeping. No socks at all for me.
- drink water
- a lightweight sheet actually helps create airflow. It may sound silly, but a lightweight sheet or pinch liner drapes loosely over you actually creates a small amount of airflow over your body as you breath, helping to pull away moisture. YRMV on this technique.
- did I mention drink water?


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