Hello all. Just starting out with some hammock camping and loving it.

[choffee]

Hi All,

Just joined up here as I am getting into hammock camping. Have been camping on an off for many years and recently have been doing more bike camping.

Go myself a hammock recently and have been playing in the local woods during the day. Recently went for my first few days out in a woodland campsite and loved the open feel of the hammock. Tipped it down with rain one day and it felt great just sitting under the tarp and looking out.

Any other hammock campers out there? Do you use one from a bike? Where do you go? How about wild hammock camping? Any tips?

 

[Gabri]

I’ve done a bunch of hammock camping on bike trips and it’s honestly hard to go back to a tent now. The best upgrade I made was getting an underquilt, before that I’d wake up cold from the wind underneath, even in mild weather. I usually keep my tarp pitched low and tight if it’s wet or windy, but on good days I set it higher so I can just lie there and watch the view. For wild spots, I try to find somewhere tucked away from trails and always check for any dodgy branches overhead. Little thing, but clipping small carabiners to each end of the hammock makes setup way quicker after a long ride.

 

[John Fenna]

Hello and welcome!

 

[Mesquite]

Hello and welcome to the forum

 

[crosslandkelly]

Hi, welcome and enjoy.

 

[Pattree]

Hi, Welcome.

 

[choffee]

I’ve done a bunch of hammock camping on bike trips and it’s honestly hard to go back to a tent now. The best upgrade I made was getting an underquilt, before that I’d wake up cold from the wind underneath, even in mild weather. I usually keep my tarp pitched low and tight if it’s wet or windy, but on good days I set it higher so I can just lie there and watch the view. For wild spots, I try to find somewhere tucked away from trails and always check for any dodgy branches overhead. Little thing, but clipping small carabiners to each end of the hammock makes setup way quicker after a long ride.

Great. Thanks for advice. There seems to be an infinite amount of tweaking and options. Part of the fun!

 

[Chris]

Welcome!

I can recommend the DD whoopie slings, they just make life far less of a faff with a gathered end hammock.

I’m new to the hammock world as well. Spent my first week in one just a fortnight ago and loved it.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Welcome to the forum!

• Save weight, instead of carabiners, consider soft shackles, or Dyneema dog bones and toggles made of old arrow shafts.
• Dutch hooks, or soft shackles at the ends of 1 inch tree straps, if you need to move the strap up the tree, and there is a branch in the way, no need to feed all the strap though a loop, huge PITA saver.
• Cotton string drip lines prussic looped to suspension lines.
• A micro hammock for cloths and gear set up above, below or ideally to the side of you main hammock.
• Suspend your boots.
• Hang rucksack from head end of hammock, keeps it drier and handy to rummage in.
• Micro hammock can double as a day lounger, or lunch seat to keep you cool and off the ground.
• When travelling with tent campers, beware, site selection rarely works for both.

Probably haven’t used as much as Gabri, but been using a hammock for since 2004. Used at all the Bushmoots. Started with early Hennessy, then a UKHammocks WoodsmanX, now a Dutchware Chameleon. Used to have a Hennessy Hex fly, now use a selection of my home sewn silpoly tarps and DIY under quilt.

Best place I have hammocked was Sweden, so many trees! Longest was my 3week road trip in western US in 2016, 17 nights in the hammock… but two nights in the car when I could find nowhere to hang, had to skip some sites due to no suitable trees. Done a couple nights in Namibian campsites, stars were phenomenal, and a couple nights in the jungle in Brunei…not a jungle fan, but hammocks are the only way. Took one to New Zealand, but official camp sites are worse than even those in the UK for finding hanging spots.

 

[demented dale]

welcome welcome welcome x