Family Camping with or without?

[Linkster]

Do you use your hammock when you go camping with your family? I use mine with the guys or on scout trips, but I usually bring a tent with my family.

[Gorilla-Z]

I've always used tent, but in the process of outfitting my family with hammocks.

[pgibson]

I have all of the family in hammocks. First camping trip with the family me and my oldest were in our hammocks while the wife and 2 younger kids were in a tent....wife was ready to kill me by morning I think. The kiddos were being a pain and did not want to sleep. Mostly they just were not used to it and would not just lay down at night so they kept her up. They have all gotten a little older and each have hammocks for their rooms and love camping now.

My wife sleeps great in her hammock and does not want to be stuck on the ground any more than I do. So everyone has their own hammock set up.

[psyon27]

I'll be watching this closely! I don't have a hammock yet and am kind of wondering if I will or not.

I can see me bringing it to have more room in the tent for the family. But also not taking it since we will be car camping and needing more campsites to accomadate a hammock and a tent. Doing so could cost more money or make getting campsites more difficult.

Very curious about others thoughts on this.

Ken

[oldpappy]

With a wife and 5 kids, I always brought both.
Main reason was for weather - Nothing worse than bad weather camping with the family huddled under the tarp.
You could have an extra hammock ready for short local outings when good weather is predicted, but for week or two trips bring the tent/pop-up/RV and your hammock.

[OCDave]

My wife will hammock during an afternoon nap but prefers a tent overnight. We now take hammocks for myself and sons and tent for the wife and dog. This still allows us to pack lighter as our family tent is overly heavy. Three hammock set-ups and a Tarptent Stratospire 2 is lighter, more compact and everyone sleeps better.

[bodhran4me]

I can see me bringing it to have more room in the tent for the family. But also not taking it since we will be car camping and needing more campsites to accomadate a hammock and a tent. Doing so could cost more money or make getting campsites more difficult.

Very curious about others thoughts on this.

Ken

It probably depends on your campsite. I have parked up to two cars, a pop up trailer and three hammocks in on site. I have had sites where I was limited to one car, the pop up and one hammock. I have passed o'er sites where I couldn't hang at least one. A hammock stand such as the turtledog may help in the ability to get enough hammocks on site. Some places do have restrictions or charge extra depending ding on the number of shelters you erect.
I find I need a bunk all to myself if I sleep in the trailer but since I got my first hammock I have not slept in the trailer. As previously stated, it is a nice bug and rain free place to go for family activities.

To the OP, as you have read, I always bring at least one hammock while camping with the family.

[FLRider]

Short answer: Yes, yes I do bring mine.

Long answer: The wife prefers to sleep on the ground, due to claustrophobia issues in a netted hammock (see above and to the left, regarding "FLRider"). Because of that and her comfort preferences, she likes to sleep on an air mattress. I can't. My lower back and neck always scream at me in the morning after sleeping on an air mattress.

Therefore, I've purchased her a GoLite Shangri-La t**t and a twin-sized air mattress. This supplies the comfort she expects, and I get to sleep in the hammock. As far as...mmm..."adult activities", well, that t**t is certainly large enough for two...

[dustinpn]

Well I don't have a family, but when I go camping with the girlfriend it honestly isn't worth the trouble sleeping alone

I really need to get her into hammocking so she is enthusiastic about it as I am.

[Short White Guy]

Although we haven't done any family camping in a while, my wife and I have agreed that with a tent, we can much more easily keep our young children corralled at night, especially when a couple of them love to wander.