Camping with no tent, hammock

[yknpdlr]

When a fellow wilderness guide instructor convinced me to try hammock camping, I can tell you it was a frustrating couple of nights until I learned some valuable lessons. I knew I needed a Thermarest pad inside under me, even on relatively warm summer nights. The dang thing kept floating up and ending up on top of me. So very frustrating. I soon decided to take an old bed sheet, sew it to make a bag out of it and place my pad and sleeping bag inside. Problem solved. Later I bought Big Agnes bags with built in bottom sleeves to hold a pad. Problem solved again. How tight and at what level to tie the ends between trees is a very trial and error personal learning process to find the right level so you don't slide down where you don't want to be in the thing.

After we convinced other instructors to try their first night in a hammock, it became a comedy show to watch their antics until they learned too. Most became converts like me. Especially those of us who like to primitive camp away from designated flat treeless campsites and prefer to be in rough unlevel terrain at random lake shore sites, or when bushwhacking between remote ponds. A second extra lightweight large silnylon tarp over the integral netting and tarp completes adequate rough storm proofing gear. I feel that necessary extra weight and bulk to survive in very cold 4th season weather means you might as well just use an old school lightweight tent for better comfort.

 

[ppine]

I started backpacking with a tarp about 12 years ago. I wear a head net at night over a baseball cap. It is cool in the West except for the desert so the rest of the body is not exposed to bugs in a sleeping bag. Usually I still bring a tent for river trips because they can be more insects along rivers. Lately I have been just rolling out a pad and sleeping bag under some big trees. The big trees keep the dew off.

 

[TrailBlaser]

I've been using a Rhombus Hammock Hot Tarp for early spring, fall and early winter trips for a few years now. The design works great for my Warbonnet Ridgerunner hammock, with enough room for a stove and an area to sit in. I especially like the option to leave one or both ends open for airflow. I've seen videos of it being used on backpacking trips - I don't see that as a viable use, because to the weight and bulk. However, for canoe camping, it is great. I don't use it in the summer because there is no protection from insects (with exception of the netting on my hammock). Instead, I use a Nemo Bugout Shelter, which has double zippers on each end, allowing my hammock straps to go through and still close up enough to keep insects out. Like the Rhombus, there's enough room inside for cooking, sitting etc.