Hammocks have been a staple sleep tool for people around the world and through the ages because they offer light weight comfort. It's a simple way to get off the hard ground, away from animals and insects. Personally, I have even noted improvement in back pain and mobility. However, there are conditions that may arise which challenge your notion of comfortable hammock camping. During the summer months, when nights are cool but the air is stagnant and humid, constant convection on the underside of your hammock may be welcome to keep you comfortable! But during spring, fall and especially winter, more care and consideration should be taken in what to pack in order to properly react to temperature and weather changes.
Convection; air flow around your hammock, can keep you nice and cool after exertion in hot conditions. That same airflow can keep you awake for hours during the night. Hammock campers typically pack three or four pieces in their kit to combat convection and adverse weather: a lightweight hammock with suspension, an under quilt, a tarp and a top quilt or blanket (optional in hot weather).
With temperature in mind, consider constructing a lightweight under quilt for your hammock kit. An under quilt hangs just under your body as you sit or lay in the hammock, forming a pocket of air that traps your body heat and blocks convection. Using thin bungee cord and a surplus poncho liner blanket from eBay, one can easily rig a pocket of air underneath a sleeping hammock. The same method can be used with either thinner or thicker insulation, depending on expected temperatures. Many experienced hammock campers use down insulation because it is extremely efficient in trapping heat and usually packs very small. Synthetic insulators, like a poncho liner or woobie, are cheaper and insulate very well but will probably require more space and weight in your pack. If you are proficient in sewing, manufacturing a goose or duck down under quilt can be cheaper than purchasing after-market products. Up-cycling other insulators is also a popular way to make under quilts. Sleeping bags can be a quick convert to hammock camping. The envelope types are easily rigged underneath a hammock with bungees and the mummy types can be converted with a small hole in the foot; string the hammock through the hole and the sleeping bag becomes a pod that covers the bottom and top when zipped! What a great winter option with another blanket inside! In very cold weather, a lofty down under quilt with a down sleeping bag inside the hammock does the trick. These types of setups coupled with a low-set tarp for added wind break and appropriate personal attire can be comfortable into freezing temperatures. When approaching zero degrees F, doubling up on insulators may become necessary.
While temperature changes can be uncomfortable when hammock camping, wet or extremely windy weather can create perilous conditions when unprepared. A waterproof tarp made of lightweight materials like nylon, polyester or cuben fiber can be paramount in keeping wet and windy weather out of your sleeping space. When adverse weather is expected, the hammock should hang about a foot off the ground when weighted and the tarp should be set as low as possible, both to prevent rain from entering and to block wind and trap heat. The prevailing wind should be taken into consideration when orienting your shelter, as well. The tarp and hammock should hang on trees almost perpendicular to the direction of the wind as to not allow the tarp to become a wind tunnel or worse, a sail! Some tarps have doors to block wind and retain heat but most are open ended. Be sure to properly tie the corners and flaps down taught and close to the ground with opposing stakes or with large rocks. Doing things properly the first time will ensure you don't need to scamble out of your hammock to do maintenance in rain or high winds. Another simple consideration for hammocking in wet weather is to ensure that your suspension has a drip point that diverts water from the suspension to the ground. This prevents water dampening the ends of your hammock. Sometimes small things will need to be tweaked to create a comfortable experience.
After you've camped in your hammock several times you will get to know what to bring and what to leave at home in order to stay comfortable. Some folks like to sleep warm and bring many insulators even in summer temperatures and will decide to carry more to be warmer at night. Others are content with almost nothing but a hammock as long as their pack is ultralight! A top quilt or additional blanket to use inside the hammock may be especially welcome in cold or breezy conditions for the average camper and there are plenty of aftermarket products out there made specifically for hammock camping. But a sleeping bag or blanket will certainly work just fine as a top quilt.
While you begin to experience hammock camping for yourself, keep in mind how your personal kit can be tweaked and upgraded to keep you more comfortable with a lighter carrying weight. Try earnestly to create your own simple solutions to persistent problems; there is always a way! When in doubt, get in touch with us! We would love to help you with hammocking questions and concerns. We can even manufacture custom gear for your particular situation! Remember to check the weather before your next hammock camping trip and to pack accordingly. Keep your hammock and suspension, under quilt, tarp and top quilt dry and in good repair. And above all else, have fun hanging in the trees!
Yea! That's really me in the first picture. I also made all these hammocks and their suspension systems from scratch with premium materials! Believe it or not, I sold 30 of these hand made hammocks in my first month in business! They are so comfortable, are built to last but are also very light and easy to pack and set up. I love hammocking so much, I invested my free time into building them for others! Go ahead and let me know how much you love hammocks and tell the world why we need this amazing sleep solution!