hanging two hammocks together for couples

[DanglingModifier]

reeock,

I agree with several of the posters that hanging each hammock's tree straps on opposing sides of a good size tree helps a lot in separating two hammocks. I see you have an XLC listed as your hammock. Those are a bit harder to hang side-by-side than many other hammocks if you intend to use the tie-outs for the bug net. It can be done, but the extra rigging takes up a lot of lateral space. Our XLC + ENO DN works fine side by side if the trees are just right and I'm careful with my tie-outs. Two XLCs would be harder.

As noted, three trees the right distance apart is usually ideal for couples hanging. It can be pretty hard to find three trees the right distance apart in designated camp sites. It's much tougher to find four trees in the right place. In June I scouted 50 car campground sites to only find one or two that would accommodate a side-by-side hang, and that was in Oregon where you can't throw a rock without hitting a tree. I had similar challenges the same month finding a duo hanging site in northern CA new growth redwood forest in designated primitive camping locations. It is easy to be surrounded by trees without three of them being in the right place.

Struts can make site location much easier. I've had my eye on the Handy Hammock strut kit with the idea that a single strut could become that third tree, and it could be placed an ideal distance from two trees to create the right sized triangle to hang in. Better yet, two struts would allow you to get away with using a single tree as a hub, at the expense of some extra weight in the pack.

I've never seen the spreader pole technique before for using two trees, and I'd definitely like to learn more about it.

As others noted you may want or need a wider tarp due to the extra human under there. Unless you go the spreader bar route, I wouldn't plan to hang side-by-side with the expectation of weight savings from leaving the second tarp at home. There are too many situations where you can't count on trees being in just the right place. I set up my hammocks like that primarily for the intimacy and companionship they provide, but the other tarp is always handy if my camping site doesn't cooperate.

[oldbiker]

My wife & I did this with 3 trees & was to close. If either moved during the night we would bump the other & wake them up. We found another tree further away and it worked fine. Being married 42 year we just say goodnight now & go to our own 2 trees about 15' away from each other. :-)
Check my gallery for pictures.

[Lazy Lightning]

My wife & I did this with 3 trees & was to close. If either moved during the night we would bump the other & wake them up. We found another tree further away and it worked fine. Being married 42 year we just say goodnight now & go to our own 2 trees about 15' away from each other. :-)
Check my gallery for pictures.

Yeah, that's happened with my girlfriend and me too. She tossed and turned all night trying to get comfortable with a pad while I got bumped each time. I was pretty grumpy the next morning and it was shortly after that incident that I got her an under quilt and we spent an afternoon experimenting with exact distances and came up with the 4' minimum at head end trees.

Finding 2 big trees or 3 correctly spaced ones is certainly an issue. We hike in the NW backcountry with plenty of trees and and without many established spots and haven't had that much trouble. We do start looking for a camp site a half hour earlier than we might if hanging apart though.

For car camping I have a 10x10 EZ-up with a stand-up tent. Pop a couple of the portable 9' Vivere floor stands in there and you've got a hammock palace for 2 with no need for any trees. But that's campground luxury and happens a lot less than backcountry hanging.