Right... that's it... I have to get this off my chest....

[AlexRowan]

Can someone please explain the obsession with hammocks?

I'm sorry... this will really go against the grain as so many people on here have them but that's really the point of the question...

My (albeit uneducated in the ways of hammock) view is as such:

Comfort: Can't argue with that, they must be comfy (if you sleep on your back!!! - or spend a million quid on one of those asym ones)

Warmth: Our survey says...... ERR ERR..... nope, actualy designed to help keep the occupant cool. It seems people will go to great lengths to insulate them...

Hassle: Got to find somewhere to put it up. Let's not pretend they are easy to get in and out of either.

I spose that's it.. it just seems that they are the "done" thing on this site, whereas I've spent many many nights on the floor with a roll mat, sleeping bag and bivi bag and been perfectly comfy, dry, warm etc...

Of course, this only applies to this country/temperate regions...

Also, my background is mainly from military application so I spose I've got used to the methods that are needed for tactical/practical reasons.

Sooooooooo.... is it just a personal choice thing or what?? I mean, would it be correct that "my" method is simple effective and practicle but hardly luxurious whereas using a hammock is actually the most pleasurable way of sleeping out??

Any feedback from people that do or have done both would be particularly useful..


PS: this is of course a bit tongue in cheek and by no means meant to cause offence to anyone. I fully understand that we all actively seek to do things which ever way we want and that freedom is in itself one of the reasons we partake in such activities...... and breathe!!!

 

[Steve K]

Hi Alex,

I have a Nomad Tropical Hammock (Thai hammock style) and also use a bivi bag set up.

I was also scepticle about comfort as I sleep on my side/front but I sllep quite soundly on my side in the hammock with no problem.

Warmth is an issue but I use a thermarest in the hammock and just use the bivi bag if I think it will be too cold in the hammock. I don't use the bivi bag when in the hammock.

I just choose the most approprite bed for where I am and how cold it is.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Goose]

I have used both methods of sleeping, and have got to say try a hammock!
Yes getting in and out is a pain but once you are in they are amazingly comfortable with a therma rest(or similar) underneath they are as warm if not warmer than sleeeping on the floor.
It has took me a while to get out of the "tactical" mindset, hammock and basha is higher and more easily seen than a low basha, how do I get out quick if I need to bug out etc. but those things aren't important anymore, comfort is and the hammock wins hands down. I find them a lot comfier than campbeds and campbeds are lots comfier than the ground!
I started with a net hammock and found it a little short but still comfy and warm, still better than the ground then I bought a cheap nylon hammock and I wouldn't go back.
People sometimes try a hammock for a few minutes and spend more time getting in and out than lying there but you only get in and out once a day(ok twice if you include the 4'o' clock pee!) so it is a small amount of hassle for 8 hours of comfort.

And did I mention they are comfortable?

 

[Topcat02]

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to sleep in both.

The hammock was great for sitting and reading during the day, (a lot more comfortable than resting your buttocks on a damp log, and takes the weight off your feet.

Takes a bit of practice to get the heights right, so that your not sliding up or down the hammock, and it can get very interesting getting into your sleeping bag, which is inside your bivi bag, which is inside your hammock.

Once settled however it is much more comfortable than sleeping on the ground, which is hard, and damp, even if you are inside a debris shelter.

I suppose it also depends on how big the hammock is, time of year, location, and various other things.

Never really saw the attraction at first, but if you end up in a wood which is damp and muddy underfoot, perhaps a hammock might sound more appealing.

 

[Marts]

There is a particular joy to be got from lying in a hammock in the forest. Its a very peaceful experience.
That being said you sleep how you want to. Whatever floats your boat

 

[AlexRowan]

yeah all pretty good points, thanks.

One thing that strikes me as odd is that so many people use hammocks with a bivvy bag and a thermarest!

However, I do agree that bedding down on mud is never that pleasant especially in the morning when you slide out of your maggot only to put your warm *rse straight off the end of the roll mat and into a cold wet puddle!!!

but still.. it doesn't seem very "efficient" to me???

 

[directdrive]

Hello: Never used a camping hammock though I would like to try one out. I can see that finding the right location to hang one could be problematic. The getting in/getting out part also worries me. I'd also like to know if the hammock can be used by someone like me who has lower back pain (chronic)? Even in bed at home, I get up and stagger about the room trying to straighten out after a nights "rest"........

Best to All

Bruce

 

[Goose]

One thing that strikes me as odd is that so many people use hammocks with a bivvy bag and a thermarest!

Because they are good bits of kit, the thermarest(or kipmat) is used for its insulating properties rather than its cushioning, your sleeping bag gets compressed underneath you even in a hammock so all the pile is useless on the bottom and you lose heat without it. The bivvy bag gives you a bit more insulation and keeps out any draughts and drips that you can get with any basha, I usually put it round my bottom half ready to draw around me if the weather gets really wet.
And if you find yourself in a place that is not suitable for a hammock you will need the for underneath you on the floor!

 

[Great Pebble]

Never seen the attraction myself it must be said.
I always figure when you're on the ground, you can't fall any further.

 

[Graywolf]

Alex,I purchased the hammock because I read so many threads concerning the theraputic properties for people with back problems.I thought I would give it a go .First trying the wifes one we have in the garden,God knows what the neighbours thought.But it was the best nights sleep I have had for years.So I went and bought a hammock from Trek Direct ,though you are restricted where it can be pitched(trees)and as you say depending on how warm you sleep there is the insulation problem.But I have not regretted the purchase.
Clayton

 

[moduser]

Depending on where & when I'm going I'll either use a tent, a hammock (with tarp) or a bivy bag.

I use an inflateable mat and sleeping bag with all three so no difference there.

Generally I'll use the tent in open areas when it is very wet, windy and cold (or no trees) or a bivy bag if the weather is mild.

The hammock is used for the woods anytime of year mostly because it is very comfy but it also gets me out of the mire if it's very wet.

A summer evening in a hammock with no tarp looking up at the stars through the trees is wonderful

I'll use a bivy in the woods if I want to be discreet, nature watching etc or when I just can't be bothered with setting up a camp.

It just depends I suppose but I like having the choice.

Also I must say that I have yet to have a problem getting in to or out of a hammock, never understood what all the fuss is about

Moduser

 

[philm4]

I have the Nomad hammock, an ex army basha, an ex army gore tex bivi and a thermarest. It may seem excessive but I have slept out in winter with light snow covering twice and it was warm enough. In the summer months you could carry less.

With that combo the only thing that gets dirty are your boots.

Carrying that kit enables me to get comfy but also I can not use the hammock and still have a comfy night or survive if I get caught out somewhere. I use walking poles which help make a great shelter. For me flexibility is key, which is why so far I have not got a hennesy.

Hammocks are pretty small and quite cheap, get one and try for yourself. I find if you sleep on your side string it pretty tight and it will stop you sliding.

 

[Wayland]

Most of it's been said already but here's my twopenneth worth anyway.

I have lower back pain too but feel most comfortable in a hammock.

Because they are so comfy some people are surprised that a kip mat is needed but it's not for padding it's for insulation, just as it is on the ground.

As for sites they can be put up between any two stable points. That is often just as easy to find as comfortable dry ground.

Since you often need a couple of fixed points for a bivi they often coincide quite well.

I've had to do the tactical thing in the past too but these days if there are no bullets flying around I prefer a hammock.

 

[gregorach]

Well, I've never had much problem getting in or out of a hammock - it does take a little practice, but once you get it, it's fine.

As for the problems of location, tents and bivy bags have their own, albeit different, problems - in that you need fairly flat ground.

As for weight, my hammock / tarp combo is lighter than my Macpac Microlight, and that's about the lightest tent I could find. And if it's reasonably warm, you can get away without a mat, whereas I wouldn't consider sleeping in the tent without one.

A significant part of the attraction to hammock camping for me is that I'm not a great fan of waking up inside a tent - it's usually too stuffy, and you have no idea what the weather's like. And I once suffered condensation so bad that it was literally raining inside my tent when I woke up.

Horses for courses I guess...

 

[Squidders]

I have also slept in a hammock up at a crag in the peak district by using two cams and attaching to the inside of an arete.

Much more comfy than my climbing mates bivvying at the bottom on the rocky ground.

 

[anthonyyy]

Hammocks must make for a better night's sleep in snake and scorpion country. (never used one myself)

 

[redflex]

Love the hammock, like to see what is going on around, use it as much during the day as, as at night. great for watching wildlife while relaxing.

Tents okay but after working in rain forest and working away in forest it made sense for me. Never been cold can get in and out very quickly and easy

 

[C_Claycomb]

As so many have said, horses for courses. Its possible that hammocks are popular with people here because they are so good in woodland, where many like to spend time.

I have only used a tent for a brief time in Scotland, and on that trip I am glad that I didn't have to rely on tarp or hammock. It was open, damp, and then there were the midges. The places with fewer bugs were the open areas.

Its all about using the best system for your situation. You can however also tweak your situation to suit your system

I have used my hammock a few times where there was absolutely no place for sleeping on the ground. Steep hill sides, boulders, and underbrush don't pose much problem. Maybe it gets better with practice, but I didn't enjoy being in a tent on a very gentle slope, fighting all night not to pile up all at one end.

Warmth is a difficult one. I have been cold in July in a hammock due to poor and improper insulation under my feet. I have also been cosy in late November when I woke to a dusting of snow. If you set things up right you can use much less insulation in a hammock than you need to be comfortable on the ground. Also, the enclosed nature of some hammocks blocks drafts, and the height keeps you above the coldest, dampest air. In early spring, sleeping under a basha, my clothes are invariably frigid unless I keep them all in the bag with me. Boots too. In a hammock the boots hang up a couple feet off the ground, the clothes are bundled in a stuff sack ouside my sleeping bag, everthing stays much warmer than it is if left at ground level.

I also like that my hammock keeps me above the bugs and slugs that always seem to walk over me when on the ground.

 

[Doc]

I guess most 'wild camping' in the UK is in mountain country, and the lack of trees in that environment obviously favours a tent.

However, I am a partial convert to hammocks. You can use a hammock on sloping ground or fairly dense woodland where a tent is not feasible. This can be handy for canoe camping.

Hammocks are also reasonably low priced.

Weight wise a DD hammock is about 600-700g, and the 3x3m tatonka tarp 900g. This compares reasonably well with a solo tent (eg hilleberg Akto, 1.5kg).

 

[AlexRowan]

you know what.. thank you very much for all your replies. I'm not suprised but still glad to see that everyone has a reason/justification for using them. That was my point really. I wondered if people used them because they had thought about and therefore matched their needs or just because they are the done thing.

I'm still not going to rush out and buy one just yet but I am thinking that relaxing in a hammock at the end of a warm summer's day might be something I'm missing out on!