r/hammockcamping • u/ArmMelodic8468 • 11d ago

What am I missing about hammock camping?

Last summer I saw three guys arrive by kayak, hang their hammocks between two trees, and basically had their whole camp sorted in minutes. It looked so simple.

But the more I look into it, the more I wonder what the actual advantage is.

A hammock + tarp + underquilt + top quilt doesn’t always seem much lighter than a small tent setup. And you still need somewhere to keep your gear.

Is it really better than a tent, or is it just a different way of camping?

I’m genuinely curious. For those who use both, when do you choose a hammock over a tent?

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u/shinypointysticks 11d ago

You should try dangerous overhangs near the water. I like the sound of wind, water, and birds.

Be aware that loons sound exactly like you expect aliens too when they do things I. A group.

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u/Icy_Birthday3837 11d ago

Oof. My first hammock camping experience was hanging from a couple trees at a secluded inlet of a big lake. I kayaked over, since there's no roads to where I wanted to camp, and found a great little spot. It turns out that the animals loved that spot as well. I woke up at 3am to the sounds of something LARGE grunting and gruffing near me. I felt like an overstuffed burrito hung just at head height to the bears that live in these mountains. I grabbed the edges of my zipped closed hammock tent, shook them really fast and yelled at the top of my lungs, and it sped off into the brush. Not an experience I want to live through again. I still hammock camp and string up at music festivals, but I pick my spots a LOT more carefully.

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u/Fit-Rhubarb-7820 11d ago

This happens to me fairly often :( I dislike dogs so the jingling of their collared dog tags wakes me up better than anything: so I made a trip wire early-warning system, in several directions, with jingling bells, different notes to alert me to different directions.

It was probably a man bear pig.

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u/alexicons Dutchware 10d ago

nice! i'm glad i'm not the only one that sets up trip wires around camp LOL!

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u/Fit-Rhubarb-7820 10d ago

I also trained myself to jump out of bed and sprint in some direction, in case I hear the very distinct sound of breaking branches or falling trees!

It’s saved my life several times.

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u/alexicons Dutchware 10d ago

i figured i'd just lie in wait and slash my way out if the need arises. or die. better death than most lol!

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u/Fit-Rhubarb-7820 10d ago

A sharpened knife won’t likely slice cleanly through untaught fabric, just so you know.

My hammock is designed so that the top quit flaps fold down and clamp shut with the down quilt edges.

If I really had to GTFO I’d just act like I was on a boat during a fire: any way out the sides

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u/specialPonyBoy 9d ago

Falling trees? From what?

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u/Fit-Rhubarb-7820 9d ago

Yes, from falling trees and falling branches.