OP, why would it die? If you're in an area with plenty of trees, it becomes a great option. It can let you sleep in places that you could never get a tent. Its been the best sleep I've ever gotten going PrepHole.
>comfort
This is an obvious one. No matter how thick your pad is, it will never be as comfy as an appropriately sized and correctly hung hammock.
>ventilation/condensation
It’s a major issue in the south east, and hammocks are the most ventilated shelter option. The comparison to single wall tents isn’t even close.
>site selection is easier
On a macro scale, you can choose a general area and be guaranteed to find at least an ok hammock spot (if you’re in a forest, obviously). Generally that’s done to be on the leeward side of a hill, or further from a water source, or in a less-traveled area. In a micro sense, there are fewer worries about rocks, sticks, vegetation, or roots. A slight angle to the ground doesn’t matter. Puddles aren’t a major concern. You’ll never set up only to realize there’s a weird lump under your hip.
>slight versatility
I can keep my tarp in it’s skins if I’m certain there won’t be any rain, pull back just half of it for privacy, leave up one side in “porch mode,” or really hunker down in storm mode. A single walled tent is set up one way.
>utility
A hammock tarp is fairly large, providing much more useable space if there’s rain. It’s only a slight advantage, as most decent tents already have enough space under the vestibule. A hammock also doubles as a chair, but it’s not like you can just plop it down wherever (but it’s still a place to sit).
>not stuck in a dog house while it’s raining
Self explanatory. I’ll be in a hammock, sitting sideways, swaying lightly with my hammock in porch mode while I listen to the rain pattering lightly against my tarp. Peak comfy.
>cooler, as in less hot
This really only applies to the Deep South, where summer nighttime temps can make sleeping in a tent much less enjoyable. The convective heat loss in a hammock is a net positive.
>great for old people
Old folks have trouble sleeping on really hard surfaces, and we won’t be “young” forever.
Since everyone is tossing their own spin on this >Comfort
Honestly a matter of the person but at least personally this is why I choose hammock as my primary. I am often rolling around in bed over the course of the night, between the cocoon factor and generally being more tired after hiking I rarely move in the hammock. >Ventilation
I will actually give this to all forms of tarp camping. Although there's a skill and variability to it being able to adjust how close the tarp is to the ground, how closed off it is, etc. really allows you to dial it in. In the >Cooler
factor as well, you can get more air flow or with a large enough tarp can create a really nice wind shield. >Versatility
As above, can definitely tailor the shelter a bit more. Not as much as tarp only but close. >Site selection
I will give this a yes but it is dependent on your area. If you camp more desert, rocky alpine, meadowlands you may have more issues finding appropriate hang spots. >Rain
On one hand I've had gear get a little damp with splash, but on the other I have slept through inches of rain without a bother.
I will give tents credit in that the lack of flexibility is sometimes a boon. It only goes up one way and if you're comfy on the ground it's a lot more 'brain off do camp task' after a long day. It took many trips to dial in my hammock camping to a point where it is both fast and consistent.
Most good hammocks come with an attached bugnet. They zip on to one edge of the hammock, and are suspended above you by the hammocks structural ridge line. When not in use they can be bundled up and tied in neatly to the sewn edge. Some can zip completely off, but that’s not very common. Mosquitoes can easily bite through a hammock but not though an underquilt.
Another option is a full coverage net like the one in this pic I’ve posted a few dozen times. It’s several ounces heavier than a zip on net but can be used in the warmer months without an underquilt. Most have poorly designed, oddly shaped zippers, so you really have to shop around for one.
>comfort
This is an obvious one. No matter how thick your pad is, it will never be as comfy as an appropriately sized and correctly hung hammock.
>ventilation/condensation
It’s a major issue in the south east, and hammocks are the most ventilated shelter option. The comparison to single wall tents isn’t even close.
>site selection is easier
On a macro scale, you can choose a general area and be guaranteed to find at least an ok hammock spot (if you’re in a forest, obviously). Generally that’s done to be on the leeward side of a hill, or further from a water source, or in a less-traveled area. In a micro sense, there are fewer worries about rocks, sticks, vegetation, or roots. A slight angle to the ground doesn’t matter. Puddles aren’t a major concern. You’ll never set up only to realize there’s a weird lump under your hip.
>slight versatility
I can keep my tarp in it’s skins if I’m certain there won’t be any rain, pull back just half of it for privacy, leave up one side in “porch mode,” or really hunker down in storm mode. A single walled tent is set up one way.
>utility
A hammock tarp is fairly large, providing much more useable space if there’s rain. It’s only a slight advantage, as most decent tents already have enough space under the vestibule. A hammock also doubles as a chair, but it’s not like you can just plop it down wherever (but it’s still a place to sit).
>not stuck in a dog house while it’s raining
Self explanatory. I’ll be in a hammock, sitting sideways, swaying lightly with my hammock in porch mode while I listen to the rain pattering lightly against my tarp. Peak comfy.
>cooler, as in less hot
This really only applies to the Deep South, where summer nighttime temps can make sleeping in a tent much less enjoyable. The convective heat loss in a hammock is a net positive.
>great for old people
Old folks have trouble sleeping on really hard surfaces, and we won’t be “young” forever.
I have a full hammock setup with tarp and a decked out ultralight kit.
The biggest benefit is cost for the weight. If I had to, I would also rather spend a whole rainy day with my hammock/tarp setup than be zipped up in a tent.
>comfort
This is an obvious one. No matter how thick your pad is, it will never be as comfy as an appropriately sized and correctly hung hammock.
>ventilation/condensation
It’s a major issue in the south east, and hammocks are the most ventilated shelter option. The comparison to single wall tents isn’t even close.
>site selection is easier
On a macro scale, you can choose a general area and be guaranteed to find at least an ok hammock spot (if you’re in a forest, obviously). Generally that’s done to be on the leeward side of a hill, or further from a water source, or in a less-traveled area. In a micro sense, there are fewer worries about rocks, sticks, vegetation, or roots. A slight angle to the ground doesn’t matter. Puddles aren’t a major concern. You’ll never set up only to realize there’s a weird lump under your hip.
>slight versatility
I can keep my tarp in it’s skins if I’m certain there won’t be any rain, pull back just half of it for privacy, leave up one side in “porch mode,” or really hunker down in storm mode. A single walled tent is set up one way.
>utility
A hammock tarp is fairly large, providing much more useable space if there’s rain. It’s only a slight advantage, as most decent tents already have enough space under the vestibule. A hammock also doubles as a chair, but it’s not like you can just plop it down wherever (but it’s still a place to sit).
>not stuck in a dog house while it’s raining
Self explanatory. I’ll be in a hammock, sitting sideways, swaying lightly with my hammock in porch mode while I listen to the rain pattering lightly against my tarp. Peak comfy.
>cooler, as in less hot
This really only applies to the Deep South, where summer nighttime temps can make sleeping in a tent much less enjoyable. The convective heat loss in a hammock is a net positive.
>great for old people
Old folks have trouble sleeping on really hard surfaces, and we won’t be “young” forever.
>comfort
Totally disagree on this one, sleeping in a hammock if you're a side sleeper can be difficult.
>ventilation/condensation
Definitely true
>site selection is easier
I'd say this is 50/50, mostly because big enough/spaced out trees can make this tough at times.
>slight versatility
I wouldn't recommend doing this, it's like sleeping on a trampoline as a kid where you just end up soaking wet for whatever reason
>utility >not stuck in a dog house while it’s raining
Tarp is a huge advantage, I actually always carry a small tarp with me tent camping because of my hammock experiences; Especially in grizzly bear country, because I am trying to make my tent smell like food.
>cooler, as in less hot
On the other side of the spectrum, a little tricky if cold and almost impossible to sleep in if wind gust get over 45 mph. (Personally my biggest disadvantage)
>great for old people
Terrible if you've had a little too much to drink and just want to crash, will give you the spins. (second biggest disadvantage)
>Totally disagree on this one, sleeping in a hammock if you're a side sleeper can be difficult.
I am a side or stomach sleeper, it took a bit but I learned to sleep in a hammock on my back.
Anecdotally, I even sleep in one at home most of the time. It cured my chronic back pain.
If you set them up properly you can sleep on your side as well. Or at least I can.
I just don’t get it. Most people sleep on their sides. Most people who sleep in hammocks continue to sleep on their sides. It’s not difficult or confusing, so where does the opinion that it can’t be done come from?
some people can't handle the stretch. Even there, you can just curl up a bit and it reduces how much curve there is. I'm 6'4" and sleeping on my stomach can stretch me out a bit more than is comfortable, but side is usually fine.
>trend
Trends don’t fade away. I think you meant “fad,” but were inadvertently correct; people switching to hammocks from tents is indeed a trend.
It’s hard to say when it started, but it was definitely more than 10 years ago. I know Dutch (from Dutchware) hiked the AT with a hammock in 2003, and it was a sort of novelty at the time. But his company has been around probably since 2008, and he started selling hammock bodies in 2011 or 2012 (I still have a netless Poly-D).
The reason it even became a thing is because of the internet. For a large part of the US, a hammock has a lot of benefits. But tents are ubiquitous. People didn’t really think to use a hammock until they saw other people doing it online.
It’s not going to just fade away, but it won’t completely replace tents either.
It's the zoomie 'year zero' thing, they are so detached from anything that happened before they turned 5 that anything, Anything, they see on a social media feed is new and only relates to their immediate experience, why they keep using "Boomer" for anyone born before 1998.
This one probably doesn't realize how actual boomers vision of 1950's suburbia always includes Dad lounging in a hammock under the trees with a beer after mowing the yard on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
i chill all day on a hammock it's really nice, i have my girlfriend with me and our dogs, we are just chilling on weekends like that in our backyrad. pretty good life 🙂
only thing that has changed is that they tend to come with integrated bug net and the corona thing made them trendy yet again, now there are whole tents floating on air for some reason
no idea how are those supposed to work with ye olden memes about tents being an enclosed space from where you cannot enjoy nature
> I’ve never seen one in person
well i have seen one, i was making firewood with my dad when our neighbor got a visit from his daughter and her friend from the big city
they had him set it up and they played around it for awhile and took instagram photos with it and then slept inside the house
Set up correctly most of the load goes through the poles rather than the anchors, but you so still need pretty good anchors and the best ones to use depend a bit on the soil. Normally I use orange screws but there are a couple of other options. Def can't hang with anything like normal tent stakes.
(OP)
i stopped using hammocks because i have scoliosis. hammocks aren't going away but they'll never be more popular than they are now, with like 15% of hikers using them.
trying out hammocks made me switch from mummy bags to quilts while ground sleeping, which was a good move for me. those aren't a trend, they're just better for 20* and up bags.
hammocking also made me switch from a tent to a tarp as my primary ground shelter.
Maybe you should die if you're bothered so much about other peoples' business fgt
have a nice day, zoomie. I learned about hammocks from a 70-year-old ultralighter back in '02.
OP, why would it die? If you're in an area with plenty of trees, it becomes a great option. It can let you sleep in places that you could never get a tent. Its been the best sleep I've ever gotten going PrepHole.
What are the actual benefits of a hammock over an ultralight tent?
>comfort
This is an obvious one. No matter how thick your pad is, it will never be as comfy as an appropriately sized and correctly hung hammock.
>ventilation/condensation
It’s a major issue in the south east, and hammocks are the most ventilated shelter option. The comparison to single wall tents isn’t even close.
>site selection is easier
On a macro scale, you can choose a general area and be guaranteed to find at least an ok hammock spot (if you’re in a forest, obviously). Generally that’s done to be on the leeward side of a hill, or further from a water source, or in a less-traveled area. In a micro sense, there are fewer worries about rocks, sticks, vegetation, or roots. A slight angle to the ground doesn’t matter. Puddles aren’t a major concern. You’ll never set up only to realize there’s a weird lump under your hip.
>slight versatility
I can keep my tarp in it’s skins if I’m certain there won’t be any rain, pull back just half of it for privacy, leave up one side in “porch mode,” or really hunker down in storm mode. A single walled tent is set up one way.
>utility
A hammock tarp is fairly large, providing much more useable space if there’s rain. It’s only a slight advantage, as most decent tents already have enough space under the vestibule. A hammock also doubles as a chair, but it’s not like you can just plop it down wherever (but it’s still a place to sit).
>not stuck in a dog house while it’s raining
Self explanatory. I’ll be in a hammock, sitting sideways, swaying lightly with my hammock in porch mode while I listen to the rain pattering lightly against my tarp. Peak comfy.
>cooler, as in less hot
This really only applies to the Deep South, where summer nighttime temps can make sleeping in a tent much less enjoyable. The convective heat loss in a hammock is a net positive.
>great for old people
Old folks have trouble sleeping on really hard surfaces, and we won’t be “young” forever.
Thanks for that
Since everyone is tossing their own spin on this
>Comfort
Honestly a matter of the person but at least personally this is why I choose hammock as my primary. I am often rolling around in bed over the course of the night, between the cocoon factor and generally being more tired after hiking I rarely move in the hammock.
>Ventilation
I will actually give this to all forms of tarp camping. Although there's a skill and variability to it being able to adjust how close the tarp is to the ground, how closed off it is, etc. really allows you to dial it in. In the
>Cooler
factor as well, you can get more air flow or with a large enough tarp can create a really nice wind shield.
>Versatility
As above, can definitely tailor the shelter a bit more. Not as much as tarp only but close.
>Site selection
I will give this a yes but it is dependent on your area. If you camp more desert, rocky alpine, meadowlands you may have more issues finding appropriate hang spots.
>Rain
On one hand I've had gear get a little damp with splash, but on the other I have slept through inches of rain without a bother.
I will give tents credit in that the lack of flexibility is sometimes a boon. It only goes up one way and if you're comfy on the ground it's a lot more 'brain off do camp task' after a long day. It took many trips to dial in my hammock camping to a point where it is both fast and consistent.
what about bugs? especially in the south that's gotta be hell.
Most good hammocks come with an attached bugnet. They zip on to one edge of the hammock, and are suspended above you by the hammocks structural ridge line. When not in use they can be bundled up and tied in neatly to the sewn edge. Some can zip completely off, but that’s not very common. Mosquitoes can easily bite through a hammock but not though an underquilt.
Another option is a full coverage net like the one in this pic I’ve posted a few dozen times. It’s several ounces heavier than a zip on net but can be used in the warmer months without an underquilt. Most have poorly designed, oddly shaped zippers, so you really have to shop around for one.
Pic is from the Sipsey Wilderness in Alabama, so yeah, The South.
One: you don't need level ground
Two: you can pretend to be a pirate
That's it.
>only pretending
ngmi
And comfort. But you're probably a fat frick whose rolls get all squished up.
Didn't list comfort because that's a matter of preference. And your mom loves my abs.
It's personal choice
don't listen to this poser
I have a full hammock setup with tarp and a decked out ultralight kit.
The biggest benefit is cost for the weight. If I had to, I would also rather spend a whole rainy day with my hammock/tarp setup than be zipped up in a tent.
>comfort
Totally disagree on this one, sleeping in a hammock if you're a side sleeper can be difficult.
>ventilation/condensation
Definitely true
>site selection is easier
I'd say this is 50/50, mostly because big enough/spaced out trees can make this tough at times.
>slight versatility
I wouldn't recommend doing this, it's like sleeping on a trampoline as a kid where you just end up soaking wet for whatever reason
>utility
>not stuck in a dog house while it’s raining
Tarp is a huge advantage, I actually always carry a small tarp with me tent camping because of my hammock experiences; Especially in grizzly bear country, because I am trying to make my tent smell like food.
>cooler, as in less hot
On the other side of the spectrum, a little tricky if cold and almost impossible to sleep in if wind gust get over 45 mph. (Personally my biggest disadvantage)
>great for old people
Terrible if you've had a little too much to drink and just want to crash, will give you the spins. (second biggest disadvantage)
>Totally disagree on this one, sleeping in a hammock if you're a side sleeper can be difficult.
I am a side or stomach sleeper, it took a bit but I learned to sleep in a hammock on my back.
Anecdotally, I even sleep in one at home most of the time. It cured my chronic back pain.
If you set them up properly you can sleep on your side as well. Or at least I can.
I just don’t get it. Most people sleep on their sides. Most people who sleep in hammocks continue to sleep on their sides. It’s not difficult or confusing, so where does the opinion that it can’t be done come from?
some people can't handle the stretch. Even there, you can just curl up a bit and it reduces how much curve there is. I'm 6'4" and sleeping on my stomach can stretch me out a bit more than is comfortable, but side is usually fine.
>trend
Trends don’t fade away. I think you meant “fad,” but were inadvertently correct; people switching to hammocks from tents is indeed a trend.
It’s hard to say when it started, but it was definitely more than 10 years ago. I know Dutch (from Dutchware) hiked the AT with a hammock in 2003, and it was a sort of novelty at the time. But his company has been around probably since 2008, and he started selling hammock bodies in 2011 or 2012 (I still have a netless Poly-D).
The reason it even became a thing is because of the internet. For a large part of the US, a hammock has a lot of benefits. But tents are ubiquitous. People didn’t really think to use a hammock until they saw other people doing it online.
It’s not going to just fade away, but it won’t completely replace tents either.
they work for me. my little brother and friends have always complained about using em
>diff strokes for diff folks
nothing changed, you just turned 13 within the last few years.
quite with the cope, sleeping on the ground is for losers.
Whos leg are the poor snakes going to cuddle up to for warmth in the rain if everyone is in damn hammocks
Stop having fun!
As you wish, dark lord.
OP: “I hate hammocks because they’re popular! Reeeee!”
Everyone else ITT: “Nah, they’re great.”
It's the zoomie 'year zero' thing, they are so detached from anything that happened before they turned 5 that anything, Anything, they see on a social media feed is new and only relates to their immediate experience, why they keep using "Boomer" for anyone born before 1998.
This one probably doesn't realize how actual boomers vision of 1950's suburbia always includes Dad lounging in a hammock under the trees with a beer after mowing the yard on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
i chill all day on a hammock it's really nice, i have my girlfriend with me and our dogs, we are just chilling on weekends like that in our backyrad. pretty good life 🙂
only thing that has changed is that they tend to come with integrated bug net and the corona thing made them trendy yet again, now there are whole tents floating on air for some reason
no idea how are those supposed to work with ye olden memes about tents being an enclosed space from where you cannot enjoy nature
These are a meme and have been around for probably a decade now. I’ve never seen one in person.
> I’ve never seen one in person
well i have seen one, i was making firewood with my dad when our neighbor got a visit from his daughter and her friend from the big city
they had him set it up and they played around it for awhile and took instagram photos with it and then slept inside the house
I wish I could use them more but I tend to hike above the treeline.
If you can accept a weight penalty and are willing to spend time and energy on anchoring strategy there are ways.
What the hell kind of stakes do you use that won't be pulled up under your weight?
Set up correctly most of the load goes through the poles rather than the anchors, but you so still need pretty good anchors and the best ones to use depend a bit on the soil. Normally I use orange screws but there are a couple of other options. Def can't hang with anything like normal tent stakes.
(OP)
i stopped using hammocks because i have scoliosis. hammocks aren't going away but they'll never be more popular than they are now, with like 15% of hikers using them.
trying out hammocks made me switch from mummy bags to quilts while ground sleeping, which was a good move for me. those aren't a trend, they're just better for 20* and up bags.
hammocking also made me switch from a tent to a tarp as my primary ground shelter.
good thread.