Camping with a hammock is slowly but surely becoming more popular in recent years, with new and improved hammock designs preferred by some campers, compared to the traditional tent.
This article will discuss some of the key benefits and drawbacks of sleeping without a tent and analyze critical criteria for choosing your preferred shelter choice!
Weatherproof
Most tents work well in the rain; however, you’ll need to bring a tarp if you’re using a hammock. Traditional hammocks are not waterproof and are generally open at the top, allowing water to find itself inside if you don’t have a good tarp. Moreover, a decent under-quilt is also a good idea to stay warm and cozy during cold and stormy nights.
Packing up your hammock after a long night of rain isn’t too bad, whereas packing up a soaking wet tent is always annoying. You almost always get wet in the process.
Setup
For first-time campers, pop-up tents are the simplest to set up. All you need to do is find flat ground, and bam, your setup is complete! The beauty of pop-up tents is that you don’t need to worry about figuring out where to insert the poles and erect the tent. Although, traditional tents are usually more robust and have a longer life span.
Essentially, a tent is simple, but a hammock can become more complicated for first-timers. You’ll need to find two trees facing a good direction and tie each end of the hammock to them. If your hammock setup is too tight, you will generally wake up with sore ankles, but if it’s too loose, you run the risk of the hammock touching the floor and insects crawling in with you.
If your campground doesn’t have many trees, or if the trees are dead (they could break and injure you), hammock stands come to the rescue! Hammock stands allow you to pitch a hammock if there are no trees nearby. They are portable, adjustable, and easy to set up. The only drawback is that the ground should be relatively flat, whereas if you were to hang a hammock between 2 trees, there won’t be any stands touching the ground, so that a rocky floor wouldn’t be a problem.
Comfort
One of the main reasons for choosing a hammock is the comfort you provide you! It has an in-built seat which is arguably more comfortable than a standard blow-up mattress. You need to pick your trees wisely, though! You don’t want a pinecone falling on your face mid-sleep.
If you have constant back pain and find it hard to sleep inside tents, you should give hammocks a try as they cause you to sleep sideways, similar to a banana shape, which many people find much more comfortable.
Price
Hammocks are usually lighter and don’t include the wealth of poles and gear that tents do. Depending on the type of hammock you purchase, they are generally quite similar to tents. You can, however, find very cheap tents <$60, but they most likely won’t last long.
A good tent or hammock can cost between $200 and-500 without accessories. If you need a hammock stand, that will add to your cost, just like a mattress and other tent necessities will to its cost.