Tent vs. Hammock Camping: And The Winner Is…
The issue we have to settle: tent or hammock? Camping hammocks have exploded in recognition in recent decades, but are they all cracked up to be?
Above the previous 12 months, I have been toying about with my tenting hammock to see how it steps up to my tent. The outcomes may surprise you. Right before making an attempt hammock camping for your self, check out our guidebook to essential hammock camping.
Tent or Hammock | Hammock Camping Ideas and More!
In this write-up:
- Benefits of a Hammock
- Drawbacks of a Hammock
- When Is a Camping Hammock Better?
- When to Stick with Your Tent and Stay clear of Camping Hammocks?
Rewards of a Hammock
1. Trees Are Just about everywhere
At initially look, the tenting hammock seems far additional restrictive than the regular tent – at least when it arrives to locating the perfect location to crash for the night. Definitely, it is a pain in the backside to find the excellent pair of trees, right? Improper.
On most well-liked wilderness mountaineering trails, there is by no means a lack of trees. Most countrywide parks have plenty of trees, and even rather sparsely vegetated locations still have lots of places to string up a hammock. You just feel they are not there mainly because you haven’t been hunting.
If you are still unconvinced, try out this experiment: future time you go for a stroll in the wilderness, test retaining a depend of how numerous suitable hammock camping web-sites you see. Odds are, you will count much a lot more than you hope.
So in the tent vs. tenting hammock debate, trees just are not as significantly of a variable as you may possibly imagine.
2. That Suggests Extra Campsites!
In follow, I have observed that locking in superior hammock tenting web-sites is typically much much easier than acquiring a tent site. Although trees are almost everywhere, so is uneven, rocky floor. This is specifically accurate of wooded regions, in which tent campers have roots and stones galore to contend with.
How quite a few occasions have you settled down in your tent at the finish of a lengthy working day, only to have some sneaky rock jab you in the back again? What about individuals moments when you find out the ground is not nearly as even as you assumed it was, and now you are caught sleeping on an annoying slope?
The actuality is, once you switch to a camping hammock, you typically have additional versatility than tent campers. For instance, when was the past time you tent camped proper upcoming to your drinking water supply, or up a slope to the facet of a crowded campsite?
3. Speed of Set up
This just one could be contentious, but I’m going to say it: hammocks are faster to set up. Between expending much less time on the lookout for a site, clearing a sq., smashing those people pegs in and the like, tents get a number of minutes for even the pros to get set up.
Tenting hammocks, on the other hand, just entail clipping straps close to two trees. You are carried out in mere seconds, and it couldn’t be simpler. Cleanup is a breeze much too. Set merely, the problem of which tenting technique is a lot quicker to set up is effectively and definitely settled.
4. Security In opposition to the Chilly, Wet Floor
Who enjoys waking up to learn they are camping on slush? We all have experienced people evenings when the rain will come down, and all of a unexpected that best campsite gets to be a mushy, damp, mess of distress. You won’t get that with a hammock. At any time.
5. Consolation
Over-all, hammocks are much more relaxed than even the very best camping mattress. Maybe you are hardcore and like to say you never treatment about ease and comfort, but let’s be straightforward.
Deep down inside, all of us seriously want a decent night’s sleep, and tenting hammocks supply that much extra continuously than any tent. So relating to which is far more at ease, the hammock wins each individual solitary time.
6. Value
Perhaps not the most important variable for everybody, but camping hammocks are a little bit reasonably priced than most tent established-ups. My cost-effective hammock established-up charge me much less than $100, though my tent was a couple of hundred. Evidently, there is a good deal of place for variation right here, and the cost big difference may well not even make any difference to most campers.
Negatives of a Hammock
1. Frustrating Mastering Curve
I’m not going to sugarcoat it: my 1st several tenting hammock escapades were being pretty lame, primarily simply because I invested fifty percent the time wrestling with a to some degree uncooperative hammock.
I’m not on your own. Most campers are made use of to tents, and switching to a hammock can have a studying curve. Receiving the height proper and generating you at ease takes a little bit of exercise, not to point out a time investment decision.
2. Body weight
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(@warrenbond_knives) on Jul 21, 2020 at 1:28pm PDTEven though it is doable to make a tenting hammock setup lighter than the normal tent, it is not easy. In truth, the most sizeable grievance new hammock campers have is the further weight.
The hammock by itself is not the difficulty it’s the tarp, the bug internet, the straps, and other equipment that ends up producing this set-up just a couple kilos heavier than a tent. Unfortunately, hammocks get rid of in the excess weight office, even though potentially not all of the time.
When Is a Tenting Hammock Better?
Casual Camping on Nicely-Trodden Trails
For everyday tenting excursions to your regular nationwide park, tenting hammocks are just so considerably much better than tents. You are going to never have difficulty discovering somewhere to snooze in even the most cramped of camping websites. Not only that, but you are going to snooze far better than any person else.
When You are Tenting in Woodlands
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Any closely wooded locations lend them selves properly to hammock camping. Although tent dwellers are having difficulties with the aforementioned roots and rocks, you will be chilling a handful of toes above the ground in model and consolation.
When to Adhere with Your Tent and Stay away from Tenting Hammocks?
Shorelines
Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve had no achievement with seaside hammock camping. It may possibly seem idyllic to basically uncover a few palm trees and sit again with a beach-facet piña colada, but odds are it won’t perform out that way.
In fact, you will conclude up miles absent from the shore, seeking to come across a half-decent tree by the roadside. For seaside bums, tents are way improved.
Significant Mountains
When you are carrying out a really serious hike at over 4000 above sea amount, tenting hammocks are pretty significantly ineffective. The more excess weight will drag you down, and very good luck finding a one tree.
Even if you do manage to discover somewhere to camp, you will be knocked around all evening by the wind. Stick with your tent for intensive hikes.
In this article’s an fascinating online video from Survival Know-How that displays the good use of hammock camping gear:
The reply to the issue of a hammock or tent relies upon fully on your desires. Picking hammocks around tents is not about forgoing consolation for minimalism’s sake or roughing it in the terrific outdoors.
It is truly the other way about. Less complicated to established up and get down, hammocks can make tenting much more snug and enjoyable minus the sacrifices linked with minimalist tenting equipment.
What do you assume? If you’ve experienced your individual expertise with hammock tenting, permit us know in the reviews down below.
Up Subsequent:
- 21 Camping Hacks For Starter Campers
- Tenting Necessities For A Enjoyment And Secure Camping Excursion
- 7 Actions To Environment Up Your Camping Tent
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Editor’s Take note: This post was initially posted in February 2018 and has been updated for high quality and relevancy.
