Is a hammock less gear?

[Rug]

My setup is much less gear, then a camper.

If it wasnt' for the hammock the only time I would get out camping is if I took an RV or towed a camper.

[spaceweaseal]

I figure about the same amount of gear but lighter weight for my hammock setup..
Hammock. VS. Tent
Tarp. VS Ground Cloth
UQ VS. Pad
TQ VS Sleeping bag

The + on my hammock set up, is I can rig my tarp where I can stand up under it and have some room to move around and cook in when there is bad weather or when i want to get out of the sun. With the tent I don't have the room unless I bring a extra tarp so it adds more gear + more weight.

[Caribou Bentspoke]

I intentionally buy heavier hammocks, and my hammock gear is still lighter/smaller/simpler than tent gear. My quilts are just a sleeping bag in two pieces so to speak. My heavy Hennessy Explorer is not much more weight than my Tarptents were, but now I don't need a heavy bulky pad. I realize I could use a neo air on the ground, but reliability is also a gear concern.
My hammock gear also wins in the not carrying wet gear department, it just stays dry compared to a tent.

[Southpaw]

Hammocks are more gear in my opinion.

[DaleW]

So I totally get that hammocks may be more comfortable, dont have problems with level ground, etc.

But are they less gear than a tent?

With a tent, it seems like you have the tent, a sleeping bag, and a sleeping pad.

With a hammock, you have the hammock, sleeping bag, underquilt(s) or pads etc to get the same level of warmth (especially in winter)

Any comparisons out there?

IMHO, a full hammock setup is more gear. The tarps are typically larger than anyone uses for ground camping and underquilts really tip the scale. I did a thumbnail workup of the lightest hammock kit using a CCF pad and it was still a 10oz-20oz hit over a typical ultralight ground kit.

BUT, once you get into a double-wall tent and a comfortable sleeping pad, the weight difference evens out.

It is a comfort thing for me. I get to sleep cradled in soft fabric, away from the mud, running water, rocks and bugs. I have a dry place to stand up and change clothes and cook, and I get a lounge chair in the bargain. In better weather, I have a nice view too. Can't beat it

[I-NT]

So I totally get that hammocks may be more comfortable, dont have problems with level ground, etc.

But are they less gear than a tent?

With a tent, it seems like you have the tent, a sleeping bag, and a sleeping pad.

With a hammock, you have the hammock, sleeping bag, underquilt(s) or pads etc to get the same level of warmth (especially in winter)

Any comparisons out there?

Hot here nearly all year round!! the ground is a heat sink cooks you in your bed if you sleep on it in the hot weather. End up wakeing up in a puddle of your own sweat durring the night lots of fun

Hammock gets you away form the heated earth, is very light sleep system. We get about 6 months a year with no rain, normaly don't need to carry a trap or much bedding keeps the weight down and the hammock is much more comfortable

[dejoha]

For me, my hammock system is lighter, less bulky, and simpler than a tent by far.

Really, it's all about how you set it up, an honestly, the comparison is challenging since you really need to qualify what you are comparing to if you want a less subjective result. What tent system are you using and is everyone else using that same benchmark?

I did a quick comparison when discussing the perceived weight and bulk savings for two people sharing a typical tent system vs a hammock system here:

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...4&postcount=13

Bottom line results:
12 lbs for the two people in a tent
7 lbs for two people in separate hammocks

Again, this is just a simple comparison but the pendulum could swing either way depending on how you stack the comparison.

My hammock system is simple so I don't have lots of extra pieces, so my hammock has less gear than a tent.

This is how I compare the two systems:

Tent (poles, stakes, guy line, rain fly, foot mat) => Tarp (+guy line)
Pad => hammock (+tree straps)
Sleeping bag => top & bottom quilt


At the end or the day, use what works for you. I like lightweight with low bulk, so a hammock system for me MUST meet both of those qualifications or it's not much of a savings over a tent. For others the comfort trumps everything.

[Gary_R]

For me it less bulk and less weight with my Hammock.
Also much easier to pack without the Poles and Pad
I figure its the same amount of items but no question about the packability
Neva going back

[kobold]

i know it's not a fair comparison - i never ventured into ul tent gear - this is what i have now:
my lightest hammock config (hammock, bugnet, tarp, uq, tq, suspension) is 3.6lbs
my 2 person tent with ground sheet, pad and sleeping bag is at unfortunate 12lbs

[kayak karl]

LightHeart Solo tent in cuben fiber. 20 oz
enlightenment quilt 14 oz
a pad at 16 oz

3.2 lbs

i don't have this, but a friend has similar.

i think if i upgraded my 5 year old tenting stuff like i have my hammocking gear, i know i could beat my hammock weight. But that ain't happening