Hammock safer than tent in lightning

**Rambler_** · 06-23-2021, 16:19

I was thinking about this the other day and was wondering if anyone has seen any studies or any info saying one is safer than the other?

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**rmcrow2** · 06-23-2021, 16:41

Well in a hammock you would be safe from the electric discharge.
You are at much more of a risk suffering from Shockwave. Due to the higher likelihood of a lightning bolt striking a tree than bare ground.

I'm here so I obviously use a hammock. And I camp out in these storms a lot.

And while I have never been struck by lightning myself I know someone that has been struck 3 times. None of which were outside

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**SubaruWx** · 06-23-2021, 16:45

I haven’t seen any study specific to hammocks vs tents, but there is a general safety rule for lightning: Don’t be (or be near/under) the tallest thing around e.g. the only trees.

So I’d suggest that since hammocks (generally) require trees, they would be higher risk than tents (generally) for lightning strike.

**FLTurtle** · 06-23-2021, 16:45

I know someone that has been struck 3 times. None of which were outside

You have my attention.

**rmcrow2** · 06-23-2021, 17:51

Originally Posted by FLTurtle

You have my attention.

This is from a woman not a man so I am quite likely to believe it. However you should downgrade the veracity is it's my grandmother's sister. I've never known her to ever tell a lie or even shade the truth. But she obviously keeps bad company.

She'd been living in a two-story farmhouse on top of a hill for near 40 years.

All three times she had been inside her home. Once in the shower . Once while on the telephone while calling to warn her sister about a tornado in the thunderstorm. Once through the stove pipe on her cookstove.

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**Twistytee** · 06-23-2021, 18:02

According to weather.gov, half of all lightening related injuries are caused by ground effect lightening, which would imply tents can be equally as dangerous depending on where they are pitched. Side flash (like tree to adjacent object) is next highest lightening fatality path so I would take that to be the path for hammocks, especially if you’re hanging from tall trees or trees in the open/edge of a clearing.

**SilvrSurfr** · 06-23-2021, 19:54

It's darn near impossible to "study" lightning because it is so random. There just aren't any studies on lightning; just anecdotal best guesses.

**mmveets** · 06-23-2021, 21:59

Someone should do something to try to take the randomness out of it. I'm picturing a kite, maybe with a metal object attached to the kite string up in the air. ;-)

This thread is timely, because I was just thinking about a backyard DIY tensahedron stand made from EMT. Would it be a bad idea to be in one of those during a storm?

**rmcrow2** · 06-23-2021, 22:39

Originally Posted by mmveets

Someone should do something to try to take the randomness out of it. I'm picturing a kite, maybe with a metal object attached to the kite string up in the air. ;-)

This thread is timely, because I was just thinking about a backyard DIY tensahedron stand made from EMT. Would it be a bad idea to be in one of those during a storm?

Take a couple of long fluorescent bulbs.
Attach to head supports. They start to glow and wake you up, run.

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