I still prefer to be on ground where I can move around even in dense forest...unless the ground is seriously dodgy: wet/muddy, brambles/ steep sloping ground. Then I break out my versatile hammock. I don't get a good night of sleep, but it beats hours of scouting for a good ground spot I'm not likely to find anyway, especially in the dark which is common for me.
I'm 65 I still prefer a Tarp. Although it can be challenging, I can still crawl in and out of one, even pitched low for the rain. Once in, its cozy. That's just me.
Review your tent set up. I have had some tents that were great EXCEPT I had to do a push up and walk out on my hands and toes. I shopped around and traded tents with a wide side vestibule allowing me to stand up straight right out of the tent. The 'calisthenic' tent had only one door at the foot of the tent. It was really light, weather proof roomy, just too hard to get in and out of. Side door tents allow easier egress. Being heavier than the average bear the hammocks get a real workout not to mention the poor trees.
I'm just getting started hammocking, and on my first trip I managed to barely stay warm enough in my terrible set up. But I felt like I slept better in that hammock than in my own bed. My mom asked me later if the hammock was lighter and/or easier. I didn't hesitate when telling her nope, it's all about comfort for me.
Comfort is a complex topic, but if you want easy, you blew that just by going out into a wilderness area to spend even a single night. Sadly some contemporary egomaniacs mischaracterize the need to stay warm as "comfort" and essential extra clothing as "luxury items" really stupid of them, but that's how bloated egos work. Some people simply like to sleep dozens of degrees colder than what some of us are willing to tolerate. A Swede and an Australian bushman might both enjoy adventuring through the same terrain, but they don't have the same physiology. A warm night for one might be chilly cold to the other and slightly cold for one person's genetics might be serious hypothermic threat conditions for the other. If you don't basically like cold to cool conditions, then it's quite tricky to make a hammock and adequate insulation work sufficiently well together. If this were not so, then it wouldn't take something as radically NOT off-the-shelf as a customized and very expensive hammock underquilt to do the same job as a fairly cheap ground pad, quilt and a bit of wool...actually the latter (much easier and cheaper to get) is still vastly superior insulation for us who don't like cold. Anyway if the predictable form of a hammock works for someone it might be worth the big investment to add the underquilt. Stay warm, stay alive
Hike Your Own Hike. Consistency of sleep for me goes to the hammock. Its an acquired taste. For me, setting up is not a race, it's part of the ritual. Love the videos.
@@scottburkhart6953 Hammock = almost the worst sleep for me. Almost means that sometimes ground conditions are just so bad that a hammock provides a better alternative. It doesn't happen often, but it's not rare either, so I actually carry a lightweight hammock now.
Hike your own hike, and as we say in the hammocking community. Hang your own hang! 😂 There certainly hammock setups that are slower and some that on the faster end of things. I made a bag the holds both my quilts and hammock, and I string them all out in one quick motion. I also use a tarp that only uses two stakes. The one thing o miss from tents is the “spread out” factor though I’ve gotten good at hanging the gear I want quick access to from my ridge line. :)
Dixie makes some great points. But for me, I get better sleep in a hammock. No waking up or toss and turning. No "hot spots". So the hammock wins out for me. A good nights sleep is number one for me.
I generally sleep very well, especially for my age, but not if I am prevented from freely moving around. I an my back really dislike how a hammock restricts my body. Yet I still carry one bc sometimes the ground just isn't suitable where I find myself when I'm ready to call it quits after a day of hiking. A lightweight hammock fills a nice gap to accommodate such conditions that a non-tourist hiker sometimes encounters.
This was really well reviewed. I agree with all you said here. I still go hammock though, just for the quality pf sleep. If you're going home the next morning, who cares, but not waking up every 30 mins makes a huge difference for me. I feel when I camp my energy drains over time and most of the recovery comes from sleep. If I can't sleep, I can't recover. One thing you could mention is the total lack of any kind of condesation with a hammock. Probably not a problem with the expensive tents but for the cheap setups, having that clear air in my lungs all night makes the difference to feeling good.
@@sportdriver I'd have to disagree. Every time I sleep in a hammock, I've noticed a ton of condensation in the hammock, puddling even, if I drink too much water before hand. Yellow condensation.
I'm just happy you tried the hammock again. I'm very happy with my hammock setup and my back seems to much more appreciative. Setup time comes more naturally with use I'm down to about 2 and a half minutes at most.
A fair and balanced comparison. As an old geezer, I think that I will try a hammock again. I last used one in the Army 50 years ago. We would use a poncho to better enclose the hammock. Good Luck, Rick
Enclosed hammock can be set up just as fast as a tent if not faster. Hammocks wrapped may take a little longer bit with it being elevated near a fire an elevated c with the back to the wind would be better to a tent. Setting up a plow point to a hammock is not really that practical, but over a tent is which radiates heat better. Poncho and woobie are a major difference no matter which way you go. I also pack empty 50lbs pedigree bags in case I need extra insulation.
I also agree with "to each their own". I have owned, and still do, many different tents. They were my staple camping shelter until I discovered hammocking. Being in my 60's now, the comfort and recovery available from my hammocks make the choice for me now. No more crawling around on hands and knees on roots, rocks, acorns, etc. No more searching out that elusive "flat spot". No more of that sauna feeling once the morning sun hits the tent. Now I relish the views of my surroundings as I recline without the pressure points while enjoying my hammocks. I used to let hot weather keep me in town because of the tenting misery. Now my hammocks allow me to enjoy any slight breeze and the air surrounding the hammock keeps me cooler. So yes, to each their own, but for me it's a hammock as that what gets me out there more comfortably.
Same to me. I am 58 now, was hiking with tents and tarps for decades. Now I am a convinced hammock hiker. Here in Germany hammock hiking is absolute perfect due to the forests everywhere. Never had a problem to find a good campspot for a night.
“. . . to each their own.” I can’t agree with anything that mixes singular and plural that way, although the incorrect use of “their” is now rampant. It’s due to people being intimidated by woke folks about assigning gender, especially male gender to anything. For a short while people tried the grammatically correct “his or her,” decided it was too convoluted, and defaulted to the incorrect “each . . . their.” What the hell, it’s just English, no big deal.
Well, Dixie, kudos on attempting to give a full and fair comparison to hammock v. tent camping/backpacking. It has taken a few years and a few dollars to get my hammock set up dialed in. However, I am dialed in now. I think you point out the most important thing to remember. Whatever rig that works best for you so that you can get out and enjoy the trails, vistas, and beauty of nature, THAT is the best one.
Curious what your thoughts are for a " zippered hammock w/bug net vs hammock with no zip, and a bug net sock that you pull over " ...... curious about weight and overall use ? thoughts ?
@@crazywisdom2 Good questions. I use the bug net "sock". My son uses the hammock w/bugnet. He likes the integrated bug net but misses a place to put things that "creepie crawlies" can't get to. Weight is negiligible between the two. I prefer the sock style. I use it during the buggy months and leave it behind during the cold weather treks/camps. Most integrated bug nets detach however, making that a non issue. It's all preference. I like the detached bug net.
Oh dear Lord I assume this means you did have snakes in a tent, my husband and I are preparing for our first backpacking trip this spring and we already got a tent 😫😩
@@chrisbruno1086 Part of it was setting up next to a wall. In Texas, when a snake encounters a wall, the snake turns left or right and skirts the edge of the wall.
I can't see going without an underquilt, even in the summer. I recommend watching some of Shug's u-tube videos, and reading "The Ultimate Hang 2" by Derek Hansen.
Came to the comments to make this point also. I get cold sleeping in my hammock even inside my house without an under quilt or pad. I mean if it was the dead of summer in the humid American South where it gets DOWN to 80F at night, ok yeah it's possible. But if the temps drop to even the low 70s at night it would feel chilly.
Personally I sleep better cold. I don't like to sweat while sleeping. Hammocks made that more possible even through summer, I live on the coastline but I learned to backpack in the rockies
+1 on Derek Hansen's "The Ultimate Hang" book. When someone asks me about hammocks, I recommend buying Derek's book first before buying anything else hammock related. The wealth of knowledge will save you time and money for years and shorten the learning curve considerably. Disclaimer: I'm not Derek and have no affiliation with him in any way; I just like his book a lot.
Don't forget to include ground prep in your tent timing. I've spent way more than just two minutes just clearing twigs and rocks out of the tent pad. You want the total time from entering the camp site to shelter complete; so picking a spot, preparing it, etc. Even in the summer, I need something under me in a hammock. It just doesn't need to be as much. Something I haven't seen people talk about is that the mosquitos feel like they're in the hammock with me more so than in a tent (even when they're not.) You'll never hear a mosquito below you in a tent!
Hammock! 1. Speed- Pack hammock and tarp in single set of Snake-skins. Tie up, pull back the snake-skins and you're set up. Plus the Snake-skins allow you to hike with a much caller pack because you just lash the skins outside the pack (everything exposed to weather stays outside the pack. 2. Time arranging under quilt equates to blowing up pad, and organizing tent. 3. use over quilt, not sleeping bag (minor weight savings). 4. Want to spread out, get bigger tarp. A huge one is still super light, and a shaped vs flat tarp allows privacy from ankles up. Again pack in Snake Skins to allow near instant setup. Hiking poles allow a ground pitch. Stuff leaves, grass, under a section of the oversize tarp for one night sleep pad. I don't hike but dirtbike camp. At 59, any increase in sleep comfort TRUMPS weight and setup speed. Sleeping on the ground equates to hitting two more trees during the day PAIN! , That's my two cents, love the channel!
I am also more into bike packing than hiking, getting more miles in with less afford and way more comfort than hiking, but still man powered - is the way to go for me.. However about your explanation of one big snake skin, I have been there seen it and done that long time ago.. But I would not recommend that! Just sleeve the hammock separate from the tarp.. You do not want to sleeve a wet tarp together with your hammock, it will make your hammock wet the next time you set it up during that trip.. And the moisture inside one big snakeskin can also cause mildew, if you do not vent the wet gear.. The tarp therefore even requires another kind of snakeskin, it is more like a mesh snakeskin instead of the waterproof fabric the hammock requires - with the mesh skin you will be able to hang the tarp on the outside of your pack, so it can breathe and or airdry itself.. Just adding some info, cheers!
Not sure how to say this: I’m glad to hear you have the same problems tenting as I do (waking up regularly, hip going numb, etc). I thought I might be on the odd end. 🤔. To me the sleep is the biggest thing that makes hammocks worth it, after all it makes up about 1/3 of your day. I also like having the rain fly on my hammock because if need to I can set up by itself just to give myself a break from the elements and I could string it in front of a shelter to deflect the rain /wind. Hammocks let you elevate your feet much easier.
Hard to believe. I've hammocked on the AT for over 15 years and have never been able to do a set up that quickly. Just looking for 2 trees is often time consuming. Getting the tension right is also an issue because the trees are never the same distance from site to site. Slope of the land can be an issue. Do you consider picking a site part of the set up time? If not I apologize for disagreeing. Hammock on.
Since you are picking a tent with few bells and whistles compared to the double wall I think he might win if he picked a basic hammock: no tarp, no under garments, no netting. It really would be a difficult task to set up a fair contest because of variations in shelters. But I agree with you. I have used both quite a bit and I think the hammock offers more challenges. Forget about the time needed. In the course of a day 2 min. or 5 min. for a set up is irrevelant. I think the frustrations with setting a hammock are more numerous and more common than with a tent. I enjoy your reviews and field tests.
@@kimberlymayo9951 look up Shug on RUclips. Very informative and entertaining, and he has several series available to watch for getting into hammocking!
If I can't sleep comfortably, I'm not going. My warbonnet blackbird XLC is extremely comfortable. No it's not "fast" to set everything up the way I like it, but it's not prohibitively time consuming. I got a superfly tarp, and when set low, with the doors closed, it provides plenty of privacy and protection.
Love my tent, love my hammock. It all depends on where I'm backpacking. If there are trees (I live in the PNW where there are always trees) I use the hammock. If I'm someplace where there are no trees, the tent is a no-brainer. The hammock is far and away more comfortable. Not only because there's no hard spots under me, like when I slide off my pad in the middle of the night because the ground is sloped, but also because of the fact that there is no cold ground, no rocks, no roots, no mud. No chance of flooding in the middle of the night when the rain cuts a channel right through the tent spot. And at 73, I have less fun than I used to crawling in and out of the tent on hands and knees. The tarp goes up quickly, allowing me to set up the rest of everything under shelter when it's raining. Did I mention I'm in the PNW where we get a lot of rain? I have the tar and hammock in snakeskins, so they are easy to manage both setting up and taking down. Honestly, it only takes a few minutes, and there is no need to inflate a pad. The underquilt is toasty and comfy, and takes zero time to clip under the hammock. Meanwhile my pack and everything is sitting on a Tyvek footprint or hanging from the suspension. Thanks for the long awaited review of your experience with the hammock. I think that the longer you use it the easier and faster it will be for your setup. And a good night's sleep is not to be underestimated.
@@granthaller9544 Well, still going … not as strong as I used to be, but still going. On moderate trails, I'm down to about two miles per hour. But I eventually get there. That's when I love the hammock, 'cause I can have the tarp ridgeline set up in about a minute, then deploy the tarp in a couple more. Then comes the hammock, and in less than five minutes I'm stretched out, dry and comfortable. I even take it on day hikes so I can have a comfortable place to kick back for half an hour, eat a snack, take a nap, look up at the trees and be thankful for the whole experience. Then I pack up and head along the trail again. Love it!
I really do prefer being one with nature and so the Hammock provides that for me. I also feel safer being able to see and not feeling trapped by walls (again this is subjective to how I feel). I also feel I have plenty of privacy in my hammock and tarp. I barely even use the tarp doors. It's neat to hang out in porch style while it is raining. For me the weight isn't an issue for the restoration I get, it's more the space that all of mine takes up that I need to figure out..lol I got all the winter degree stuff atm.
I commend you for trying, however I think you should check out Frozen’s outdoor adventures. He is a hammock user with some really informative videos, including tarp hacks.
I’m happy to offer the same race challenge without the sleeping pad or with my blowing up my short neoair. But the commenter below is correct, I blew up a pad for the hammock too :)
@@bigmutant69 in the video she started saying how you have to stake out the tarp and maybe you have an UQ (while in the vid putting on an UQ) I took it as she was adding the putting on an UQ as part of set up time but not including blowing up a pad as part of a Tent set up time. UQ=Pad.
@@HomemadeWanderlust it would be a fun race! My tarp is in snake skins with a continuous ridgline already attached that takes only 4 stakes and my hammock uses beetle buckle suspension. I might be able to give you a run for your money :)
@@HikingFreak yea, thats one thing I dont understand when it comes to the great debate of Tents Vs Hammocks. People always lump in UQs as part of the total weight but dont add the sleeping pad to the total weight of the tent. UQ's to Hammocks are Pads to Tents.
We should do what works for our circumstances, skill level, and safety and hike your own hike. I used my tent once for backpacking, then relegated it to car camping. Now I use a Hennessy Hammock for the lower weight and setup/packing speed. A foam pad, three part sleep system, and all my layers is enough for me in cold weather. The very few times I couldn't use the hammock I just used the rainfly as a tarp tent with my trekking poles or cowboy camped.
Thanks for an objective review, and I appreciate your preferences. For me, alot older and heavier with a lifetime of injuries, the sleep benefit for the hammock justified the minimal weight difference between it and a tent. I'm glad we agree on comfort. As for your challenge: 1. Speed - A hex tarp with split Stingerz (Dutchware) in a snakeskin with Linelocks on the pullout can be put up in well under a minute. A hammock with a quick connect suspension (too many to list) and an integrated underquilt, such as a Superior Hammock, can be up in less than another minute. The difference between setup times would be in seconds, and hardly negligible. Add the time for you to blow up an air mattress and I win. 2. Weight - Again an integrated Superior Hammock (Hopefully Danny Warnock chimes in here) in 950 fill is 24 oz hammock/underquilt inclusive, a Dyneema hex tarp and your suspension options combined less than 8 oz. That's a total of 2 lbs. Your tent may only be a pound, but to compare apples to apples, add your air mattress and ground sheet to even up the equation and I think it would again be a negligible difference. 3. Storm worthiness, I have to flat out disagree on your preferences here. Setting up a tarp (carried on the outside of my pack, and again, configured for ease of setup as listed above) gives me a safe haven to stand, collect my gear, and set up in the worst of downpours. The reverse has everything tight in my pack with the tarp going down and packed outside last. I don't see how crawling around on the wet ground, and crawling in and out of a tent during rain or snow is advantageous in any way. For cold weather, lying on the cold ground inside a tent, to blow up an air mattress, seems equally as unappealing. Thanks for sharing.
Or if you don't want weight of quilt try a folded tarp on ground under hallmock stops just like for the tents ground cold get a garden mat or 2 now your shoes have a place an twigs won't hurt 5or6 an you've a pee path for bare feet at night
I take my dog with the hammock unless your dog is in your sleeping bag the wall of a tent doesn't insulate or keep the dog out of the weather any better than a hammock tarp does.
I'd recommend trying a hammock sleeping bag for cooler weather. I don't need an underquilt nor a sleeping pad even when it's cold as the hammock sleeping bag goes around the hammock and isn't compressed anywhere! It works beautifully for me. Definitely recommend giving it a try.
I’ve got both. The hammock is an Amok Dramur (definitely not the lightest but it’s the most comfortable hammock I’ve used) and the other is a four season tent. Which I choose depends on many factors temperature being one.
Just got a Draumr 3.0, still waiting for the tarp. Yes, it’s heavy, but quite packable, so it will be fine for kayak and cycling trips. Maybe not for ultralight hiking, but that’s fine. Can’t wait to try it out for the first time! I already love my „normal“ gathered-end hammock. If the Draumr is even more comfortable, it‘ll be awesome.
I have watched your story from the beginning. I actually started watching you when I found your video on switching to a tent from a hammock. I have used hammocks for years due to my age (50). I agree with everything that you said to different degrees. I have also used tents and I agree for the most part with "ideal" conditions for both the tent is faster and as a rule lighter. That being said there are several ways that you could speed up and make your system more flexible. First off I pack my entire hammock, underquilt, overquilt, and as long as it is dry suspension as one big blob that I push to the bottom of my compactor bag. This shortens setup and tear down time by a magnitude. It also gets rid of all of the lumpy individually packed items. Second I use 15' straps from dutchware with his clip to speed up the tree strap, I then use a titanium toggle, also from Dutch, to make a larks head knot and attach the whoopie sling to this. The whoopie sling is 8' long and I attach it to a continuous loop with another piece of hardware incase it gets wet I can store it with my tarp instead of with the hammock. This system allows me to use trees that are very large diameter or are very far apart. There is also away to use the strap as an anchor on a small tree. I believe that you gave the hammock a fair shake but you only tried one system. As I said there I have not commented before but after I read your Idea for a second attempt I had a sinking feeling. I would recommend getting your suspension figured out to your satisfaction, which can be done in your back yard, prior to planning anything else. Also if you are going ultralight then look into a "Dream Hammock" with an integrated bug net. Also a full length under quilt is lighter that that Yeti with a pad or look at the "Superior Hammock". The wrap around versions are a weight penalty and the ones that drape over you just suck. Most of all your weight penalty should be suspension weight. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Also the best budget hammock out there is a "Hammock Bliss Bug Free Sky Bed" but they have to be set up level. I use the same Warbonnet Black Bird XL that you used and I consider it the overall best I have ever used and I have used the following. DutchWare Chameleon, Hennesy, Dream Hammock, Walmart, Hammock Bliss, and probably others.
Honestly, you do you. I have a hammock set up and a tent set up depending where I'm going, and how I feel. I definitely sleep better in a hammock, but that's not always viable. I won't say one is better than the other, but I do have my preference given the choice. It's up to whatever you like, and whatever gets you out and just sleeping outside, because that's the thing that's most important, right?
The title of the vid literally says "I still prefer tents" and she says explicitly in the video that's its a matter of personal preference. What are you on about? Are you nervous that she's using mind control techniques to manipulate you into tent sleeping?
After reading several comments it strikes me funny how some who don't agree with your conclusion seem to be almost offended. Why does anyone care? To each their own. Great comparison / contrast. Appreciate your insights.
I just got my permit to hike the PCT! You are such an inspiration to me and am busy watching all your videos! I am not a hardcore hiker (at least not yet!) and am 57 years old. Your channel offers some of the best advice that I can find. Sorry that what I just wrote doesn’t match this video. Thank you Dixie!!!❤️😊
@@Henning_Rech thanks for the idea! I have never joined a RUclips Patreon Group before so am not fully aware of the positives for joining such a group. I know that joining helps to support the channel. What do you mean when you mention exchanges?
@@elisabethmiller8335 Patreon is not YT, it's independent. Jessica offers membership for just 1$ a months, the link is in the description of this video. You can message her (the answer will need a week or two, but take into account the large # of people there), there is extra info what she is doing (undelayed, other than the vlogs here), regular "Q&As" (often more fun meetings then just a Q&A) via YT with chat window, and we also had 2 or 3 Zoom meetings in the past year, the most infamous one for a full seven hours :-) - you'll have both fun and can discuss your questions seriously. BTW I hiked the JMT in 2019, and found this channel during preparation. I may return this year for a PCT section hike or the CT if the covid situation will allow. jmt2019.de/
@@donaldvanvliet9039the PCT goes trough several national parks where indeed you need a permit for to camp in. If you get a permit for the PCT it includes all national parks you must go trough
Well thought out and fairly evaluated. I fall into the category of I'd never camp again if I needed to use a tent so I've got my setup down to 1.1 pounds. And if you count the underquilt you better count your sleeping bag and pad. Apples to apples. I'm tempted to set up my hammock in the house as I sleep far better in it than in bed.
When I was younger, it was always a tent, because well, that's the only thing anyone did, except rock climbers. As I got older, I wasn't able to get the sleep I did when younger. This forced me to find a different way to hike. The hammock has been a God-send, as I can now get some great, restorative sleep. It's definitely heavier and more gear, but I just don't put in the miles per day like I was able to when young. Love your channel. Keep up the great work!
I never understood why people would try to sleep in a hammock. But a little over a year ago, I was invited to a hammock hang. After my first night in a hammock, I was sold. I always woke up two or three times, to relocate my pad, or pillow. I sleep through the night, and sometimes part of the morning in my hammock. HYOH, getting out there is the most important thing.
My first time in a hammock took me back to being a child, I lie down and eight hours later the lights all different and things look different. My ex wife called it the time machine, I’d sit for a bit and hours later pop back up apologizing for drifting off.
I am a hammock camper. I use a poncho for my rain gear. When I want to change clothes I put the poncho on and change under it. All is covered. My poncho zips down the front so if I need to vent I can open it up just like with a jacket.
Any hammocker that does it on a regular basis uses snakeskins... So in half the time it takes you inflate your tube, we can have our entire setup done.
I prefer a hammock for several reasons. Top four are...1. extremely comfortable after a long day of hiking, and 2. I like to get everything off the ground. 3. Tarp with doors for storms and privacy and 4. side sling and sidecar attachments on Dutchware Chameleon for organization of gear.
I've got a Dream Hammock (actually 3), and I use one of their gear slings underneath for the stuff I want off the ground. It's a great addition regardless of who's hammock you're using.
@@timweaver3207 oh yeah! I've got a ridgeline organizer in each of mine, and they're a Godsend for the small things like my glasses, headlamp, earplugs, etc. Can't go wrong with one of those.
@@paulblackburn4245 - I have a Hammock Gear dynema tarp with doors, and it's great. Get a snake skin to go with it; you'll have a much faster take-down.
Jens Williamson, III (Deaf) I prefer the dome tents when I can't stand about the hammock. Reason: I have the Diabetes (type 2) and Heart Disease. Not funny! It is up to others. You will understand why. Okay! Thanks for your time. Have a great day! Respectfully, Jens C. Williamson, III 😎😷👍🇺🇲 Bexar County 🇨🇱 Retired ID Hearing Impaired The Disability I love 🏕️. Just put 8 by 10 Camo Tarp with 14 Binder Clips (strong) on rain fly (lousy). Worry Free! + MVP! 2 reasons: Dark Room No rain drops in Dome Tent. Big Smile!
I went back to the ground after trying hammocks for several years. Could never get comfortable and got tired of the “fiddle” factor. I sleep much better on the ground.
I never had this issue. I got a hammock stand for my bedroom, and slept in my (single person) hammock for a year. Now i sleep in my bed, but still think the hammock is really nice.
Same here. I want to love hammocks so badly! However, after an incredible amount of fiddling, variations in setups, different angles, different ridgeline lengths, different heights and distance, and all with an asymmetrical lay, I still wake up with a destroyed lower back that has me hobbling around camp.
@@patrickdewhurst3378 He does have a point, though. Variations in the same hammock isn't the same thing as a more comfortable hammock. Hammocks are not all created equal. :)
Dixie, I prefer the tent ⛺ also . Cause, I'm thinking 🤔 The Cold 🥶 The lightning 🌩 Wind and dead limbs falling on my head, from the trees 🌳 My hammock is tied too ? And , like you said, it makes it a little easier cooking 🍳 and Changing my Clothes or making a midnight Snack or fixing a Cup of hot Chocolate ? JUST GIVE ME A ONE PERSON PUP TENT ⛺ AND SOME CAMP DRY AND A SMALL TARP TO GO OVER MY TENT ⛺ AND I WILL BE HAPPY AND DRY .. AND DIXIE, I WATCH ALL YOUR VIDEOS..You have been there and already did it ? AND, THAT'S WHY I WATCH YOUR VIDEOS...THANKS AND I LOVE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR...WHAT WE LEARN IS WHAT WE KNOW ? And , I think 🤔 She knows alot, When it comes to backpacking 🎒 THANKS DIXIE 👌 😊
Thank you again for the gear review (and your overall curiosity. I sleep in a hammock at home and inside my Vanlife van since at 6’6” normal beds just burn too much real estate. Plus a hammock is just more comfortable for single sleeping. Happy Trails !!
The value of this video is immense, especially for anybody who has at least TRIED one or the other for one night. I got a giggle out of sleeping in either or, tent or hammock, but the sheer comfort of sleeping in a hammock is a huge factor, when deciding a favorite. As you said, when the conditions won't allow for the alternative, you have to pack one or the other, no matter which you prefer. Fortunately for me, I rather just hike where I can take my fav choice of gear :P I am lazy that way! Sleeping in a tent is hardly ever comfortable compared to the hammock.
Hi Dix. Good Review but there are still some aspects of hammock camping that improve and get fine tuned with experience just like tents. Fellow Alabama hiker here but definitely a hammock person and would only go back to tent if there were no trees. I won't argue the weight aspect because I do think a tent setup is going to be lighter than most comfortable hammock setups. And an underquilt is required even in most summer night time temps. (below 65 and 70 usually). I do hammock camp as you said due to the pure comfort of a hammock. Years ago I quit tent camping because i got tired of waking up sore. In recent years when I discovered hammock camping, I started enjoying camping and backpacking again because I realized I could sleep in comfort. Ease of setup comes mostly with experience but I'm lazy and made a lazy slug tube which keeps the complete hammock setup including both quilts etc...already connected and in place. You hang your straps, connect your lazy slug tube, peal it back and your done...quilt are in place and ready to go. I also like a larger tarp with doors. i have the WinterDream which I originally purchased as a winter tarp but enjoyed the extra space and protection so much that I started using it all seasons. You could even pull the hammock to the side and have the full coverage of a tent along with a polycro ground sheet. As for weight: I could go with a lighter setup but do make some sacrifices for comfort. I use a full size 20 degree quilt for all seasons and just vent when needed and though I have a lighter summer top quilt I usually just carry the 20 degree. So far for me the comfort out weighs the weight difference but happy that you have found your perfect shelter. I really enjoy your videos and love having the Pinhoti in our backyard.
Well, to truly compare a tent versus a hammock and focusing on weight and price you should include your trekking poles in the mix. You can't setup the duplex without them I understand. Might not add much in weight but in price for sure.
We go (hammock) camping every other weekend so our setup is pretty fast but, admittedly slower than tent setup time BUT, I get better sleep in hammocks. I will say, now that I have hammock camped so so so many times,setting up at night/in rain/ etc... It is so easy now. Haven't done a lot of camping with other people so I actually have never thought about the changing challenge! But yeah- good point.
If you're flatlanding that may be true, but there are tons of places I've hammocked where there was no flat clear ground for a tent. Neither is right or wrong, just pros and cons that are situation dependent.
Nothing in this life is simple. Try sleeping in 100 degree high humidity night after night with absolutely no breeze in a tent. Summer in central Georgia is a real bummer.
Well, great video. But.. you didn't consider the lightest, simplest, fastest, cheapest, roomiest, and driest setup of all: just the tarp. This provides privacy because you can pitch one side low to the ground. It also helps in windy conditions, if you pitch it low. One side can be pegged right to the ground. You can't do this if it is going over a hammock. You don't need trees to pitch the tarp (I've never had trouble finding two stout sticks). It can be a lot of fun to camp at high altitude under a low tarp. Because the tarp is lighter, it can be somewhat larger, and this provides by far the driest, most comfortable camp in a heavy rain. I love cooking, relaxing, and packing up under my tarp on a wet day. On a wet day in forest I would pitch the tarp higher, for more space. In addition, a tarp is easily the simplest sewing project of all. You can save hundreds of dollars by making your own. If you add Ray Jardine style 'lifter lines', your tarp will be roomier, because it will not sag in the middle.
I’m old now, and have had several foot surgeries, so the hammock is important to me. I’m going to get back into just regular camping this year, haven’t been camping in years. Probably do some backpacking next year.
I think it depends on your specific problems, tho. My back is badly injured, from a road accident - badly enough that I need a wheelchair on my worst days - & the curve angle of lying (correctly) in a hammock is very quickly far too painful, for me. Sleeping on a firm, flat surface, on the _right_ pad (my lightest is a very low-tech but thicc Trekology UL80), with some balled up clothes between my knees & chest, means I get to wake up without (especial) pain. Horses for courses, as they say. 🙂
I couldn't hike after the first day if I weren't in a hammock. After my Army days, crawling out of a tent after a hike took most of the fun out of backpacking. I liked the hammock so much I now sleep in one every night, I don't even own a bed. It is so much easier transitioning into yoga after sleeping in a hammock.
Outrageous! Horrendous! Scandalous! JK, I can totally see why a tent would be better for thru-hiking. Setting up a hammock system can definitely be finicky. I tend to be more of a destination backpacker where I hike to a base camp and explore the area for a few days. I sleep so much better in a hammock though. And I kinda like fiddle factor, as long as it’s not raining.
I prefer the hammock, honestly getting a good night sleep is the most important thing in the world. Though not having privacy is kind of a downer but you get use to it.
Good honest review. I’m not not through hiking and I no longer carry tons of camera gear. Quality of sleep is my major concern so it is hammock all the way
I like many have used both. Sleeping in a hammock makes my back feel like a banana even with head tie higher than feet. Encountering a thunderstorm in GSMNP had rain blowing under the “rain fly” saturating everything. I prefer tents even though I take a hammock for lounging.
For light Hammocks, there is just a new invention sold by dutchgear. The fabric is called "Cloud 71". You can also get it with the "Chameleon" Hammock, which is almost the "Blackbird" from WB. So maybe give it a try. Also you can get alot of Informations about Hammocks at the English or German Forum. Greetings and happy hanging.
This women hit the whole tent verses hammock on the head by my thinking. By far having room to spread out things I might need during the night is really important to me. Also waking up with rain coming down and having the ease of cooking under the vestibule is important. I also tend to travel in areas where trees are far and few because I am often above tree line or on a glacier.
I like hammocks precisely because I have more space. I run a separate gear line with prusisxs and a mini gear hammock offset, above and off yo the other side of the tree of my hammock. This gives me a sleeping area and gear storage that is dry, spacious, off the ground, and organized. The tarp overhead gives me a good 12x(including the angled pitch) 8-9 foot area that is protected. When not in use, I can use a gear strap to tether the hammock to the ridge line up and out of the way. I usually even have the space to cook proper meals on a wood stove with a cast iron pan under the protection of the tarp.
i never quite figured out how to sleep comfortably with a dog in a hammock. So for that plus “the moon factor” 😉 we’ll continue to sleep on the ground.
My little maltipoo is a cuddle bug too. She sleeps mostly in the bend behind my knees when she's not sleeping behind my daughter's knees. Sharing a tent with the pup pup is easy.
I also have both types of setup, both ultralight. I can say: yes, its difficult to make a decission. In Germany stealth is more important, so this goes to the tent also. And with a hammok more things can go wrong. But if camping places in aera with trees are small on numbers the hammock wins.
Tent stakes weight/costs are probably a consideration for a comparison like this. I love my Crua tent and Henessey Hammock setup almost equally. I can also set up my hammock as a ground tent with poles so that’s a nice option. The larger hammocks designed for diagonal asymmetric sleeping are key.
No sides here. Tents are a bit faster to set up, require less fine tuning, and can be used anywhere the ground is mostly level and clear. Hammocks are more comfortable, cleaner to pack up after use, and can be set up anywhere with hang points, including uneven ground and above low brush. Each has benefits, and each has drawbacks. I prefer a hammock, but still use a tent when appropriate. Actually, what first got me interested in hammocks was that I hated having to set up my tent after any camping trip to clean it and dry it (or face mildew and stench later) and was hunting for an alternative. But then the comfort factor was so nice, I actually set up hanging points in my home for sleeping some nights in the hammock at home.
I tried hammocks for 3 years, and wanted to love them, but I have given up now and I'm very happy about it. It's just so fast and consistently comfy in my experience.
Yeah, I never understood hammocks. On its own it's not a shelter, not insulated, and not comfortable to me. Main function seems to be just to hang between two trees. Thank you for actually giving it a try! To each their own
Of course a hammock isn’t a standalone shelter. You can think of the hammock as your own personalized ground that makes an excellent sleep surface. And then the bugnet and tarp provide the shelter equivalent to a tent. And insulation needs to be added to any shelter so that’s a silly consideration.
Interesting that you prefer a tent in rainy weather, i definitely prefer my hammock in that situation! I've never woken up in a puddle in a hammock, but often in a tent. Thanks for the video, great perspectives!
Hey Dixie! I have the Zpacks tarp- its great, although mine is the standard tarp, not the hammock cut. I added my own guy lines, but didn't put on (yet) those little triang-ley pieces that adjust the line like on the tent lines- It definitely will help with ease of set up. I hammocked because I am the fussiest sleeper ever and like you found a a better night sleep while hanging. When its warm and summery out in the woods- hammock and tarp are great for air flow and incidental laundry line! I bring a z lite pad and use it under my hammock as a place to put all my stuff out- I saw you had a seat pad- and the bigger pad would give you some more spread out room! Storms: it is pretty amazing to actually watch the rain fall- and be warm and cozy in your hammock! I have stayed dry in some nasty weather in the Whites of NH- and being off the ground is nice bathtub floor or not! Once in Vermont right near Stratton Mountain, we had flash flooding- and I had everything off the ground (secure and hanging) because I was mildly concerned with flooding before bed. I woke up to 6'' of water running under the hammock! It was like sleeping over a river. The thru hikers (I was a doing the LT) had tents that looked like wet garbage in the morning! In any case- thanks for the post- looking forward to seeing your Florida Trail journey!
I sleep better in a hammock, and that trumps every other consideration. Started hammocking the same year I bought my kayak and went kayaking for two weeks in Sweden. Brought both a tent and the hammock. Loved the hammock so much that I ended up sleeping in it for 13 out of 14 nights. Haven’t looked back since. Yes, it’s more fiddly to set up, but once you get the hang of it (hah!), it’s really no big deal. Pros: More useful to lounge in during the day. I just love reading in the hammock. Or setting up the tarp first, sitting under it in the rain and brewing a coffee after a day of kayaking or cycling. I‘d feel trapped in a tent on a rainy day. Also: You can see your surroundings. Watch the treetops moving in the wind. Or the squirrels. And the best thing: No back problems, no matter how long I sleep! Yes, there are circumstances when a ⛺️ is better. But if I have the choice, hammock it is!
I love being kicked back in the hammock with out the tarp watching the tree tops sway and the critters running aroumd the canopy just somwthing about those afternoon naps and a hammocks
Two good examples of the backyard hammock. Lay back and read a book. Seriously? You can hold a book/phone up long enough to read a novel? And you can easily reach down to the ground and grab a water bottle (if you have arms like a gorilla I suppose)
I like both tents and hammocks. I live in Norway, and I tend to use the tents during winter, and hammocks during summer. It's easier to keep both me and the dog warm in a tent, and during winter we spend most of the time above the tree line. During summer, its easier to stay cool, and avoid condensation in a hammock, and i spend a lot of that time along the shore, where there's always trees close by, usually too many to set up a tent 😂 they both have pros and cons 😊
I prefer my hammock. I was a tent only and converted to a hammock. I only use the tent in areas that I cant set-up a hammock. Its also great chilling under the tarp in rain than being stuck inside a tent when its raining. Also, you dont have to deal with a ground sheet or bottom of a tent thats covered in dirt or mud. Id be up for the challenge, I feel I could set up my tarp and hammock just as fast as you could set up your tent.
Totally agree, and at the age of 69, I have had about 55 years of practice with tents, and about 15 years with hammocks. I can set up either one just as quickly as the other.
I totally agree with the chilling under the tarp in the rain part! I‘m sure I would be slower setting up the hammock than Dixie setting up her ZPacks. But sleep quality is way more important than gaining a few more minutes. It’s like those gas stove comparisons where the stove that boils two cups of water 30 seconds faster wins. I mean, really, who cares? 😉
I like my hammock because if it's raining I can be sheltered under the integrated rainfly in less than a minute. Wrap tree trunk, wrap tree trunk, slide snakeskins, stake rainfly from underneath, done. It isn't about the speed, it's the convenience. And I love to sit under the hammock and watch the rain while the water boils.
I slept for 3 months in a hammock one year, probably the best year of my life. I have AT aspirations but own a dog. I attempted to sleep in a hammock with her once, never again!
Especially as you get older sleep quality is so important. I switched to hammocks and have never looked back. It works for me. Beauty is we have choices that fit our lifestyle.
I like to lay on my stomach some. I usually have my dog with me, so tent for me. If I want to enjoy the stars I just sleep outside the tent, but have it set up in case of weather. Plus good point on ease of setup.
I will choose to carry the heavier weight hammock when it is feasible because good quality of sleep is essential to my overall enjoyment and ability to complete hikes. Obviously, sometimes a tent is the only realistic choice.
Bottom line, you chose what's best for YOU. That's all that matters. Rule #1 is Hike Your Own Hike. For some folks, the hammocks better fit their style. You prefer the tent. Rock on. Either way, you're getting out there and getting it done, so tent away. Being out there is all that matters.
You might get your duplex up faster, but while you’re blowing ur pad up I’m making tea lol. It’s all about deployment. Don’t give up, you’ll dial it in!
Hammocks are like sleeping on clouds to me, I love it. There are definitely things to get faster at setup like ridgelines. I like to camp places in the forest where there's just no place for a tent though. I do hope you'll continue practicing at least. You may turn to the dark side yet!
I think hammock camping is a novelty. I could see the new wearing off if you did a through hike. For me I have been enjoying it. Did an overnight on the AT with 2 of my kids and it worked out well. Cool thing was it was a little rainy out and I could put up the tarp in just a few minutes if it started up. Cool memory having lunch under the tarp with the kids while it rained. One thing if you go to the "family" camp sites you got to figure every tree around the camp site has probably been peed on 10,000 times. Just sayin.
It generally just comes down to the terrain for me. Dense forest? Hammock. Open plains? Tent. Rocky mountain above the treeline? Bivouac sac. ✌🏻
Hammocks are definitely limited above treeline. 😂 But a hammock without trees becomes a bivvy sack whether you want it to or not!
I still prefer to be on ground where I can move around even in dense forest...unless the ground is seriously dodgy: wet/muddy, brambles/ steep sloping ground. Then I break out my versatile hammock. I don't get a good night of sleep, but it beats hours of scouting for a good ground spot I'm not likely to find anyway, especially in the dark which is common for me.
Can't be showing everyone those moons and stars! A wonderful expression.
I've seen too many moons, but not enough stars! :)
At 53 I prefer a hammock because I can’t crawl in and out of a tent as easy. Much easier to fall out in the morning than getting up and out😂
I'm 65 I still prefer a Tarp. Although it can be challenging, I can still crawl in and out of one, even pitched low for the rain. Once in, its cozy. That's just me.
I'm 33 and the last time I slept in a tent, getting out in the morning resulted in the ice on the inside snowing all my gear.
Review your tent set up. I have had some tents that were great EXCEPT I had to do a push up and walk out on my hands and toes. I shopped around and traded tents with a wide side vestibule allowing me to stand up straight right out of the tent. The 'calisthenic' tent had only one door at the foot of the tent. It was really light, weather proof roomy, just too hard to get in and out of. Side door tents allow easier egress. Being heavier than the average bear the hammocks get a real workout not to mention the poor trees.
Came here to say this. Also 53 and crawling up off the ground every morning is not easy or fun. Forget about midnight business...
Just swing your legs over the side of the hammock and Fred Flintstone it backwards and stand right up it's great!
I'm just getting started hammocking, and on my first trip I managed to barely stay warm enough in my terrible set up. But I felt like I slept better in that hammock than in my own bed. My mom asked me later if the hammock was lighter and/or easier. I didn't hesitate when telling her nope, it's all about comfort for me.
They are cold without an under-quilt. plain and simple. but with an under-quilt I've been comfortable to -20 F
Comfort is a complex topic, but if you want easy, you blew that just by going out into a wilderness area to spend even a single night.
Sadly some contemporary egomaniacs mischaracterize the need to stay warm as "comfort" and essential extra clothing as "luxury items" really stupid of them, but that's how bloated egos work.
Some people simply like to sleep dozens of degrees colder than what some of us are willing to tolerate. A Swede and an Australian bushman might both enjoy adventuring through the same terrain, but they don't have the same physiology. A warm night for one might be chilly cold to the other and slightly cold for one person's genetics might be serious hypothermic threat conditions for the other.
If you don't basically like cold to cool conditions, then it's quite tricky to make a hammock and adequate insulation work sufficiently well together. If this were not so, then it wouldn't take something as radically NOT off-the-shelf as a customized and very expensive hammock underquilt to do the same job as a fairly cheap ground pad, quilt and a bit of wool...actually the latter (much easier and cheaper to get) is still vastly superior insulation for us who don't like cold.
Anyway if the predictable form of a hammock works for someone it might be worth the big investment to add the underquilt.
Stay warm, stay alive
My $46 underquilt keeps me nice and warm.
Hike Your Own Hike. Consistency of sleep for me goes to the hammock. Its an acquired taste. For me, setting up is not a race, it's part of the ritual. Love the videos.
Blow up mattress. Boom.
I agree. A hammock delivers the best sleep for me.
@@scottburkhart6953 Hammock = almost the worst sleep for me.
Almost means that sometimes ground conditions are just so bad that a hammock provides a better alternative. It doesn't happen often, but it's not rare either, so I actually carry a lightweight hammock now.
Hike your own hike, and as we say in the hammocking community. Hang your own hang! 😂
There certainly hammock setups that are slower and some that on the faster end of things. I made a bag the holds both my quilts and hammock, and I string them all out in one quick motion. I also use a tarp that only uses two stakes.
The one thing o miss from tents is the “spread out” factor though I’ve gotten good at hanging the gear I want quick access to from my ridge line. :)
@@scottburkhart6953 If you don't move and you're not a side sleeper a hammock can be nice.
Dixie makes some great points. But for me, I get better sleep in a hammock. No waking up or toss and turning. No "hot spots". So the hammock wins out for me. A good nights sleep is number one for me.
also no waking up to a puddle of water underneath you if a storm comes through or the ground floods if you're in the right environment.
lol I can't sleep in them for some reason even though they are so much more comfortable.
I generally sleep very well, especially for my age, but not if I am prevented from freely moving around. I an my back really dislike how a hammock restricts my body.
Yet I still carry one bc sometimes the ground just isn't suitable where I find myself when I'm ready to call it quits after a day of hiking. A lightweight hammock fills a nice gap to accommodate such conditions that a non-tourist hiker sometimes encounters.
Let’s face it. Inflatable ground pads work until they pop. And when are they going to pop? The most inopportune time.
Tent or hammock is a personal decision. Neither is perfect but I love my hammock
From now on, anyone who says they go hiking hoping to see the "moon and stars" is going to have to be more specific.
Funny!
; )
@@karendavis7880 I think it was more fanny he was referring to 🤣🤣
@@leeomurchu1213 in hindsight, it's because my affairs are in a rears.
Who knew Dixie was carrying a whole planetarium on trail?
This was really well reviewed. I agree with all you said here. I still go hammock though, just for the quality pf sleep. If you're going home the next morning, who cares, but not waking up every 30 mins makes a huge difference for me. I feel when I camp my energy drains over time and most of the recovery comes from sleep. If I can't sleep, I can't recover. One thing you could mention is the total lack of any kind of condesation with a hammock. Probably not a problem with the expensive tents but for the cheap setups, having that clear air in my lungs all night makes the difference to feeling good.
Condensation is one of the biggest reasons for me to go with hammock. And of course the quality of the sleep.
I agree with you 💯
@@sportdriver I'd have to disagree. Every time I sleep in a hammock, I've noticed a ton of condensation in the hammock, puddling even, if I drink too much water before hand. Yellow condensation.
@@patrickdewhurst3378 Bwahahahhaaaaa!
I'm just happy you tried the hammock again. I'm very happy with my hammock setup and my back seems to much more appreciative. Setup time comes more naturally with use I'm down to about 2 and a half minutes at most.
A fair and balanced comparison. As an old geezer, I think that I will try a hammock again. I last used one in the Army 50 years ago. We would use a poncho to better enclose the hammock. Good Luck, Rick
Enclosed hammock can be set up just as fast as a tent if not faster. Hammocks wrapped may take a little longer bit with it being elevated near a fire an elevated c with the back to the wind would be better to a tent. Setting up a plow point to a hammock is not really that practical, but over a tent is which radiates heat better.
Poncho and woobie are a major difference no matter which way you go. I also pack empty 50lbs pedigree bags in case I need extra insulation.
"Breakfast from the hammock!!" - Shug
So easy and cozy!
Whooo buddy!
I also agree with "to each their own". I have owned, and still do, many different tents. They were my staple camping shelter until I discovered hammocking. Being in my 60's now, the comfort and recovery available from my hammocks make the choice for me now. No more crawling around on hands and knees on roots, rocks, acorns, etc. No more searching out that elusive "flat spot". No more of that sauna feeling once the morning sun hits the tent.
Now I relish the views of my surroundings as I recline without the pressure points while enjoying my hammocks.
I used to let hot weather keep me in town because of the tenting misery. Now my hammocks allow me to enjoy any slight breeze and the air surrounding the hammock keeps me cooler.
So yes, to each their own, but for me it's a hammock as that what gets me out there more comfortably.
I agree with you 💯
Same to me. I am 58 now, was hiking with tents and tarps for decades. Now I am a convinced hammock hiker. Here in Germany hammock hiking is absolute perfect due to the forests everywhere. Never had a problem to find a good campspot for a night.
“. . . to each their own.” I can’t agree with anything that mixes singular and plural that way, although the incorrect use of “their” is now rampant. It’s due to people being intimidated by woke folks about assigning gender, especially male gender to anything. For a short while people tried the grammatically correct “his or her,” decided it was too convoluted, and defaulted to the incorrect “each . . . their.” What the hell, it’s just English, no big deal.
@@guermeisterdoodlebug7980 Yes, it is just English. So why do you get mad about it?
@@junebay5265 because I prefer correct English
Well, Dixie, kudos on attempting to give a full and fair comparison to hammock v. tent camping/backpacking. It has taken a few years and a few dollars to get my hammock set up dialed in. However, I am dialed in now. I think you point out the most important thing to remember. Whatever rig that works best for you so that you can get out and enjoy the trails, vistas, and beauty of nature, THAT is the best one.
Curious what your thoughts are for a " zippered hammock w/bug net vs hammock with no zip, and a bug net sock that you pull over " ...... curious about weight and overall use ? thoughts ?
@@crazywisdom2 Good questions. I use the bug net "sock". My son uses the hammock w/bugnet. He likes the integrated bug net but misses a place to put things that "creepie crawlies" can't get to. Weight is negiligible between the two. I prefer the sock style. I use it during the buggy months and leave it behind during the cold weather treks/camps. Most integrated bug nets detach however, making that a non issue. It's all preference. I like the detached bug net.
For me, gotta have a hammock. I haven't had any ticks or snakes since I got off the ground.
As a newbie/wanna-be backpacker..Sold! Hammock it is. you had me at 🐍!!!!
Oh dear Lord I assume this means you did have snakes in a tent, my husband and I are preparing for our first backpacking trip this spring and we already got a tent 😫😩
As long as you have a sturdy tent and close all entrances you’ll be just fine. Also ticks can still easily get into hammocks.
@@chrisbruno1086 Part of it was setting up next to a wall. In Texas, when a snake encounters a wall, the snake turns left or right and skirts the edge of the wall.
I can't see going without an underquilt, even in the summer. I recommend watching some of Shug's u-tube videos, and reading "The Ultimate Hang 2" by Derek Hansen.
woo buddy
Came to the comments to make this point also. I get cold sleeping in my hammock even inside my house without an under quilt or pad. I mean if it was the dead of summer in the humid American South where it gets DOWN to 80F at night, ok yeah it's possible. But if the temps drop to even the low 70s at night it would feel chilly.
Personally I sleep better cold. I don't like to sweat while sleeping. Hammocks made that more possible even through summer, I live on the coastline but I learned to backpack in the rockies
+1 on Derek Hansen's "The Ultimate Hang" book. When someone asks me about hammocks, I recommend buying Derek's book first before buying anything else hammock related. The wealth of knowledge will save you time and money for years and shorten the learning curve considerably.
Disclaimer: I'm not Derek and have no affiliation with him in any way; I just like his book a lot.
The marine is great too
Don't forget to include ground prep in your tent timing. I've spent way more than just two minutes just clearing twigs and rocks out of the tent pad. You want the total time from entering the camp site to shelter complete; so picking a spot, preparing it, etc.
Even in the summer, I need something under me in a hammock. It just doesn't need to be as much.
Something I haven't seen people talk about is that the mosquitos feel like they're in the hammock with me more so than in a tent (even when they're not.) You'll never hear a mosquito below you in a tent!
Hammock!
1. Speed- Pack hammock and tarp in single set of Snake-skins. Tie up, pull back the snake-skins and you're set up. Plus the Snake-skins allow you to hike with a much caller pack because you just lash the skins outside the pack (everything exposed to weather stays outside the pack.
2. Time arranging under quilt equates to blowing up pad, and organizing tent.
3. use over quilt, not sleeping bag (minor weight savings).
4. Want to spread out, get bigger tarp. A huge one is still super light, and a shaped vs flat tarp allows privacy from ankles up. Again pack in Snake Skins to allow near instant setup.
Hiking poles allow a ground pitch. Stuff leaves, grass, under a section of the oversize tarp for one night sleep pad. I don't hike but dirtbike camp. At 59, any increase in sleep comfort TRUMPS weight and setup speed. Sleeping on the ground equates to hitting two more trees during the day PAIN! , That's my two cents, love the channel!
I am also more into bike packing than hiking, getting more miles in with less afford and way more comfort than hiking, but still man powered - is the way to go for me.. However about your explanation of one big snake skin, I have been there seen it and done that long time ago.. But I would not recommend that! Just sleeve the hammock separate from the tarp.. You do not want to sleeve a wet tarp together with your hammock, it will make your hammock wet the next time you set it up during that trip.. And the moisture inside one big snakeskin can also cause mildew, if you do not vent the wet gear.. The tarp therefore even requires another kind of snakeskin, it is more like a mesh snakeskin instead of the waterproof fabric the hammock requires - with the mesh skin you will be able to hang the tarp on the outside of your pack, so it can breathe and or airdry itself.. Just adding some info, cheers!
@@SkywalkFPV I now use two snake skins b/c tarp is a much larger than stock one. Mesh snakeskin is an interesting idea.
Not sure how to say this: I’m glad to hear you have the same problems tenting as I do (waking up regularly, hip going numb, etc). I thought I might be on the odd end. 🤔. To me the sleep is the biggest thing that makes hammocks worth it, after all it makes up about 1/3 of your day.
I also like having the rain fly on my hammock because if need to I can set up by itself just to give myself a break from the elements and I could string it in front of a shelter to deflect the rain /wind.
Hammocks let you elevate your feet much easier.
Get a better sleeping pad
Tarp breaks in the rain are great. And if it keeps raining, just hang the hammock under it and take a nap lol
My hammock sets up in under 1 min cause the tarp and under quilt are built in
My offer stands! If our paths shall cross we will race 😅
To be fair, Dixie, you have to also inflate your sleeping pad.
I just got a Superior Hammock with the built in under quilt. I think it’s going to make hammock camping even easier, quicker and less finicky.
Hard to believe. I've hammocked on the AT for over 15 years and have never been able to do a set up that quickly. Just looking for 2 trees is often time consuming. Getting the tension right is also an issue because the trees are never the same distance from site to site. Slope of the land can be an issue. Do you consider picking a site part of the set up time? If not I apologize for disagreeing. Hammock on.
Since you are picking a tent with few bells and whistles compared to the double wall I think he might win if he picked a basic hammock: no tarp, no under garments, no netting. It really would be a difficult task to set up a fair contest because of variations in shelters. But I agree with you. I have used both quite a bit and I think the hammock offers more challenges. Forget about the time needed. In the course of a day 2 min. or 5 min. for a set up is irrevelant. I think the frustrations with setting a hammock are more numerous and more common than with a tent. I enjoy your reviews and field tests.
A permanently installed hammock ridgeline makes a consistent set-up exponentially faster.
Yes. I keep everything in a snake. Can deploy my hammock in seconds.
@@rangerdoc1029 that seems like the only way to go, for hammocking.
Novice here....want to hike this summer. Where should I start researching hammocks. What is a snake...that was mentioned....not a real one 😀
@@kimberlymayo9951 look up Shug on RUclips. Very informative and entertaining, and he has several series available to watch for getting into hammocking!
@@RBares4 does shug use 'gear snake skins'? Didn't think I seen them on his channel.
If I can't sleep comfortably, I'm not going. My warbonnet blackbird XLC is extremely comfortable. No it's not "fast" to set everything up the way I like it, but it's not prohibitively time consuming.
I got a superfly tarp, and when set low, with the doors closed, it provides plenty of privacy and protection.
This is the way
@@Thoaus21 He has spoken
Love my tent, love my hammock. It all depends on where I'm backpacking. If there are trees (I live in the PNW where there are always trees) I use the hammock. If I'm someplace where there are no trees, the tent is a no-brainer. The hammock is far and away more comfortable. Not only because there's no hard spots under me, like when I slide off my pad in the middle of the night because the ground is sloped, but also because of the fact that there is no cold ground, no rocks, no roots, no mud. No chance of flooding in the middle of the night when the rain cuts a channel right through the tent spot. And at 73, I have less fun than I used to crawling in and out of the tent on hands and knees. The tarp goes up quickly, allowing me to set up the rest of everything under shelter when it's raining. Did I mention I'm in the PNW where we get a lot of rain? I have the tar and hammock in snakeskins, so they are easy to manage both setting up and taking down. Honestly, it only takes a few minutes, and there is no need to inflate a pad. The underquilt is toasty and comfy, and takes zero time to clip under the hammock. Meanwhile my pack and everything is sitting on a Tyvek footprint or hanging from the suspension. Thanks for the long awaited review of your experience with the hammock. I think that the longer you use it the easier and faster it will be for your setup. And a good night's sleep is not to be underestimated.
Going strong at 73! Inspiring.
@@granthaller9544 Well, still going … not as strong as I used to be, but still going. On moderate trails, I'm down to about two miles per hour. But I eventually get there. That's when I love the hammock, 'cause I can have the tarp ridgeline set up in about a minute, then deploy the tarp in a couple more. Then comes the hammock, and in less than five minutes I'm stretched out, dry and comfortable. I even take it on day hikes so I can have a comfortable place to kick back for half an hour, eat a snack, take a nap, look up at the trees and be thankful for the whole experience. Then I pack up and head along the trail again. Love it!
I really do prefer being one with nature and so the Hammock provides that for me. I also feel safer being able to see and not feeling trapped by walls (again this is subjective to how I feel). I also feel I have plenty of privacy in my hammock and tarp. I barely even use the tarp doors. It's neat to hang out in porch style while it is raining. For me the weight isn't an issue for the restoration I get, it's more the space that all of mine takes up that I need to figure out..lol I got all the winter degree stuff atm.
I commend you for trying, however I think you should check out Frozen’s outdoor adventures. He is a hammock user with some really informative videos, including tarp hacks.
Link?
Why is setting up your UQ part of your overall set up time? If comparing set up time with your tent, shouldnt blowing up your pad be part of it?
Doesn't she already blow up a pad for the hammock too?
I’m happy to offer the same race challenge without the sleeping pad or with my blowing up my short neoair. But the commenter below is correct, I blew up a pad for the hammock too :)
@@bigmutant69 in the video she started saying how you have to stake out the tarp and maybe you have an UQ (while in the vid putting on an UQ) I took it as she was adding the putting on an UQ as part of set up time but not including blowing up a pad as part of a Tent set up time. UQ=Pad.
@@HomemadeWanderlust it would be a fun race!
My tarp is in snake skins with a continuous ridgline already attached that takes only 4 stakes and my hammock uses beetle buckle suspension. I might be able to give you a run for your money :)
@@HikingFreak yea, thats one thing I dont understand when it comes to the great debate of Tents Vs Hammocks. People always lump in UQs as part of the total weight but dont add the sleeping pad to the total weight of the tent.
UQ's to Hammocks are Pads to Tents.
We should do what works for our circumstances, skill level, and safety and hike your own hike. I used my tent once for backpacking, then relegated it to car camping. Now I use a Hennessy Hammock for the lower weight and setup/packing speed. A foam pad, three part sleep system, and all my layers is enough for me in cold weather. The very few times I couldn't use the hammock I just used the rainfly as a tarp tent with my trekking poles or cowboy camped.
Thanks for an objective review, and I appreciate your preferences. For me, alot older and heavier with a lifetime of injuries, the sleep benefit for the hammock justified the minimal weight difference between it and a tent. I'm glad we agree on comfort. As for your challenge:
1. Speed - A hex tarp with split Stingerz (Dutchware) in a snakeskin with Linelocks on the pullout can be put up in well under a minute. A hammock with a quick connect suspension (too many to list) and an integrated underquilt, such as a Superior Hammock, can be up in less than another minute. The difference between setup times would be in seconds, and hardly negligible. Add the time for you to blow up an air mattress and I win.
2. Weight - Again an integrated Superior Hammock (Hopefully Danny Warnock chimes in here) in 950 fill is 24 oz hammock/underquilt inclusive, a Dyneema hex tarp and your suspension options combined less than 8 oz. That's a total of 2 lbs. Your tent may only be a pound, but to compare apples to apples, add your air mattress and ground sheet to even up the equation and I think it would again be a negligible difference.
3. Storm worthiness, I have to flat out disagree on your preferences here. Setting up a tarp (carried on the outside of my pack, and again, configured for ease of setup as listed above) gives me a safe haven to stand, collect my gear, and set up in the worst of downpours. The reverse has everything tight in my pack with the tarp going down and packed outside last. I don't see how crawling around on the wet ground, and crawling in and out of a tent during rain or snow is advantageous in any way. For cold weather, lying on the cold ground inside a tent, to blow up an air mattress, seems equally as unappealing.
Thanks for sharing.
Or if you don't want weight of quilt try a folded tarp on ground under hallmock stops just like for the tents ground cold get a garden mat or 2 now your shoes have a place an twigs won't hurt 5or6 an you've a pee path for bare feet at night
im a simple man, i hear "hey y'all, Dixie here", i click like lol
For me it’s simple, I cannot have my dog on a hammock. I can have my dog in the tent.
Hammock is optional. Dog is not.
I take my dog with the hammock unless your dog is in your sleeping bag the wall of a tent doesn't insulate or keep the dog out of the weather any better than a hammock tarp does.
@@paulhutchings7527 dog is a cuddler. She is usually right next to the quilt bag
Hmm... My dog loves to sleep in my hammock with me.
You can bring most dogs with you into the hammock. This is also an option for a chonky doggo. dutchwaregear.com/product/pup-tent/
Agree with you, Dixie. A tent gives me the feeling of security that is often missing when you are not in your own bed and home.
I'm in my 40's, and I'm weekend warrior. Definitely a hammock for me
I'd recommend trying a hammock sleeping bag for cooler weather. I don't need an underquilt nor a sleeping pad even when it's cold as the hammock sleeping bag goes around the hammock and isn't compressed anywhere! It works beautifully for me. Definitely recommend giving it a try.
Please provide example of commercially available hammock sleeping bag. I am not sure of what you mean.
Yeah, I'd like to know too. Must not have an insect net?
half of Dixie's concerns go away if she get a tarp with storm doors
I’ve got both. The hammock is an Amok Dramur (definitely not the lightest but it’s the most comfortable hammock I’ve used) and the other is a four season tent. Which I choose depends on many factors temperature being one.
Just got a Draumr 3.0, still waiting for the tarp. Yes, it’s heavy, but quite packable, so it will be fine for kayak and cycling trips. Maybe not for ultralight hiking, but that’s fine. Can’t wait to try it out for the first time! I already love my „normal“ gathered-end hammock. If the Draumr is even more comfortable, it‘ll be awesome.
I have watched your story from the beginning. I actually started watching you when I found your video on switching to a tent from a hammock. I have used hammocks for years due to my age (50). I agree with everything that you said to different degrees. I have also used tents and I agree for the most part with "ideal" conditions for both the tent is faster and as a rule lighter. That being said there are several ways that you could speed up and make your system more flexible.
First off I pack my entire hammock, underquilt, overquilt, and as long as it is dry suspension as one big blob that I push to the bottom of my compactor bag. This shortens setup and tear down time by a magnitude. It also gets rid of all of the lumpy individually packed items.
Second I use 15' straps from dutchware with his clip to speed up the tree strap, I then use a titanium toggle, also from Dutch, to make a larks head knot and attach the whoopie sling to this. The whoopie sling is 8' long and I attach it to a continuous loop with another piece of hardware incase it gets wet I can store it with my tarp instead of with the hammock. This system allows me to use trees that are very large diameter or are very far apart. There is also away to use the strap as an anchor on a small tree.
I believe that you gave the hammock a fair shake but you only tried one system. As I said there I have not commented before but after I read your Idea for a second attempt I had a sinking feeling. I would recommend getting your suspension figured out to your satisfaction, which can be done in your back yard, prior to planning anything else. Also if you are going ultralight then look into a "Dream Hammock" with an integrated bug net. Also a full length under quilt is lighter that that Yeti with a pad or look at the "Superior Hammock". The wrap around versions are a weight penalty and the ones that drape over you just suck. Most of all your weight penalty should be suspension weight.
Plan for the worst and hope for the best.
Also the best budget hammock out there is a "Hammock Bliss Bug Free Sky Bed" but they have to be set up level.
I use the same Warbonnet Black Bird XL that you used and I consider it the overall best I have ever used and I have used the following. DutchWare Chameleon, Hennesy, Dream Hammock, Walmart, Hammock Bliss, and probably others.
Honestly, you do you. I have a hammock set up and a tent set up depending where I'm going, and how I feel. I definitely sleep better in a hammock, but that's not always viable. I won't say one is better than the other, but I do have my preference given the choice. It's up to whatever you like, and whatever gets you out and just sleeping outside, because that's the thing that's most important, right?
Bingo 🙌🏻
The title of the vid literally says "I still prefer tents" and she says explicitly in the video that's its a matter of personal preference. What are you on about? Are you nervous that she's using mind control techniques to manipulate you into tent sleeping?
After reading several comments it strikes me funny how some who don't agree with your conclusion seem to be almost offended. Why does anyone care? To each their own. Great comparison / contrast. Appreciate your insights.
They make different types of gear for a reason-just like different clothing, cars, housing, etc. ♥️
Huh. I haven’t yet read a single comment where someone seemed offended. 🤷♂️
Always a sourpuss or two. I'm a hammocker who agrees with almost everything Dixie said, just prioritize things a bit differently. HYOH
Totally prefer a free standing tent. You can't even use a hammock everywhere... Tons of places forbid it and good luck in the desert.
I just got my permit to hike the PCT! You are such an inspiration to me and am busy watching all your videos! I am not a hardcore hiker (at least not yet!) and am 57 years old. Your channel offers some of the best advice that I can find. Sorry that what I just wrote doesn’t match this video. Thank you Dixie!!!❤️😊
Why not join the Patreon group for more exchange?
@@Henning_Rech thanks for the idea! I have never joined a RUclips Patreon Group before so am not fully aware of the positives for joining such a group. I know that joining helps to support the channel. What do you mean when you mention exchanges?
@@elisabethmiller8335 Patreon is not YT, it's independent. Jessica offers membership for just 1$ a months, the link is in the description of this video. You can message her (the answer will need a week or two, but take into account the large # of people there), there is extra info what she is doing (undelayed, other than the vlogs here), regular "Q&As" (often more fun meetings then just a Q&A) via YT with chat window, and we also had 2 or 3 Zoom meetings in the past year, the most infamous one for a full seven hours :-) - you'll have both fun and can discuss your questions seriously.
BTW I hiked the JMT in 2019, and found this channel during preparation. I may return this year for a PCT section hike or the CT if the covid situation will allow. jmt2019.de/
You need a permit to hike a trail? (Sorry european here)
@@donaldvanvliet9039the PCT goes trough several national parks where indeed you need a permit for to camp in. If you get a permit for the PCT it includes all national parks you must go trough
“we pack our fears” no doubt.
I came here to say that.
Well thought out and fairly evaluated. I fall into the category of I'd never camp again if I needed to use a tent so I've got my setup down to 1.1 pounds. And if you count the underquilt you better count your sleeping bag and pad. Apples to apples. I'm tempted to set up my hammock in the house as I sleep far better in it than in bed.
i do this!
@@flaskehrlenmeyer4349 Me too 🤣
When I was younger, it was always a tent, because well, that's the only thing anyone did, except rock climbers. As I got older, I wasn't able to get the sleep I did when younger. This forced me to find a different way to hike. The hammock has been a God-send, as I can now get some great, restorative sleep. It's definitely heavier and more gear, but I just don't put in the miles per day like I was able to when young. Love your channel. Keep up the great work!
I never understood why people would try to sleep in a hammock. But a little over a year ago, I was invited to a hammock hang. After my first night in a hammock, I was sold.
I always woke up two or three times, to relocate my pad, or pillow. I sleep through the night, and sometimes part of the morning in my hammock.
HYOH, getting out there is the most important thing.
My first time in a hammock took me back to being a child, I lie down and eight hours later the lights all different and things look different. My ex wife called it the time machine, I’d sit for a bit and hours later pop back up apologizing for drifting off.
Yes after a long day of shop lifting and striping at the dollar store. I don't feel like a hammock
She’ll never hear the end of that one.
I am a hammock camper. I use a poncho for my rain gear. When I want to change clothes I put the poncho on and change under it. All is covered. My poncho zips down the front so if I need to vent I can open it up just like with a jacket.
That's actually really clever.
Any hammocker that does it on a regular basis uses snakeskins... So in half the time it takes you inflate your tube, we can have our entire setup done.
Agree Dixie. would like too have a Hammock for fun but too go camping I want a decent Tent. congrats on the Pinhoti trail and stay safe.
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh3
I prefer a hammock for several reasons. Top four are...1. extremely comfortable after a long day of hiking, and 2. I like to get everything off the ground. 3. Tarp with doors for storms and privacy and 4. side sling and sidecar attachments on Dutchware Chameleon for organization of gear.
I've got a Dream Hammock (actually 3), and I use one of their gear slings underneath for the stuff I want off the ground. It's a great addition regardless of who's hammock you're using.
@@DonP_is_lostagain For sure. I think I will add a smaller mesh organizer for glasses, keys, headlamp. Small stuff gets lost in the side sling.
@@timweaver3207 oh yeah! I've got a ridgeline organizer in each of mine, and they're a Godsend for the small things like my glasses, headlamp, earplugs, etc. Can't go wrong with one of those.
@@timweaver3207 I have the same hammock, what tarp with doors would you recommend?
@@paulblackburn4245 - I have a Hammock Gear dynema tarp with doors, and it's great. Get a snake skin to go with it; you'll have a much faster take-down.
Jens Williamson, III (Deaf)
I prefer the dome tents when I can't stand about the hammock. Reason: I have the Diabetes (type 2) and Heart Disease. Not funny! It is up to others.
You will understand why. Okay! Thanks for your time. Have a great day!
Respectfully,
Jens C. Williamson, III
😎😷👍🇺🇲
Bexar County 🇨🇱
Retired ID
Hearing Impaired
The Disability
I love 🏕️.
Just put 8 by 10 Camo Tarp with 14 Binder Clips (strong) on rain fly (lousy). Worry Free! + MVP!
2 reasons:
Dark Room
No rain drops in Dome Tent.
Big Smile!
I went back to the ground after trying hammocks for several years. Could never get comfortable and got tired of the “fiddle” factor. I sleep much better on the ground.
I never had this issue. I got a hammock stand for my bedroom, and slept in my (single person) hammock for a year. Now i sleep in my bed, but still think the hammock is really nice.
Same here. I want to love hammocks so badly! However, after an incredible amount of fiddling, variations in setups, different angles, different ridgeline lengths, different heights and distance, and all with an asymmetrical lay, I still wake up with a destroyed lower back that has me hobbling around camp.
try a better hammock
@@kitt080863 That's not always the answer, hence my comment "variations in setups..."
@@patrickdewhurst3378 He does have a point, though. Variations in the same hammock isn't the same thing as a more comfortable hammock. Hammocks are not all created equal. :)
Dixie, I prefer the tent ⛺ also . Cause, I'm thinking 🤔 The Cold 🥶 The lightning 🌩 Wind and dead limbs falling on my head, from the trees 🌳 My hammock is tied too ? And , like you said, it makes it a little easier cooking 🍳 and Changing my Clothes or making a midnight Snack or fixing a Cup of hot Chocolate ? JUST GIVE ME A ONE PERSON PUP TENT ⛺ AND SOME CAMP DRY AND A SMALL TARP TO GO OVER MY TENT ⛺ AND I WILL BE HAPPY AND DRY .. AND DIXIE, I WATCH ALL YOUR VIDEOS..You have been there and already did it ? AND, THAT'S WHY I WATCH YOUR VIDEOS...THANKS AND I LOVE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR...WHAT WE LEARN IS WHAT WE KNOW ? And , I think 🤔 She knows alot, When it comes to backpacking 🎒 THANKS DIXIE 👌 😊
Thank you again for the gear review (and your overall curiosity. I sleep in a hammock at home and inside my Vanlife van since at 6’6” normal beds just burn too much real estate. Plus a hammock is just more comfortable for single sleeping. Happy Trails !!
The value of this video is immense, especially for anybody who has at least TRIED one or the other for one night. I got a giggle out of sleeping in either or, tent or hammock, but the sheer comfort of sleeping in a hammock is a huge factor, when deciding a favorite. As you said, when the conditions won't allow for the alternative, you have to pack one or the other, no matter which you prefer. Fortunately for me, I rather just hike where I can take my fav choice of gear :P I am lazy that way! Sleeping in a tent is hardly ever comfortable compared to the hammock.
Hi Dix. Good Review but there are still some aspects of hammock camping that improve and get fine tuned with experience just like tents. Fellow Alabama hiker here but definitely a hammock person and would only go back to tent if there were no trees.
I won't argue the weight aspect because I do think a tent setup is going to be lighter than most comfortable hammock setups. And an underquilt is required even in most summer night time temps. (below 65 and 70 usually).
I do hammock camp as you said due to the pure comfort of a hammock. Years ago I quit tent camping because i got tired of waking up sore. In recent years when I discovered hammock camping, I started enjoying camping and backpacking again because I realized I could sleep in comfort.
Ease of setup comes mostly with experience but I'm lazy and made a lazy slug tube which keeps the complete hammock setup including both quilts etc...already connected and in place. You hang your straps, connect your lazy slug tube, peal it back and your done...quilt are in place and ready to go.
I also like a larger tarp with doors. i have the WinterDream which I originally purchased as a winter tarp but enjoyed the extra space and protection so much that I started using it all seasons. You could even pull the hammock to the side and have the full coverage of a tent along with a polycro ground sheet.
As for weight: I could go with a lighter setup but do make some sacrifices for comfort. I use a full size 20 degree quilt for all seasons and just vent when needed and though I have a lighter summer top quilt I usually just carry the 20 degree.
So far for me the comfort out weighs the weight difference but happy that you have found your perfect shelter. I really enjoy your videos and love having the Pinhoti in our backyard.
Well, to truly compare a tent versus a hammock and focusing on weight and price you should include your trekking poles in the mix. You can't setup the duplex without them I understand. Might not add much in weight but in price for sure.
I prefer sleeping on the ground. I’ve never slept well in a hammock despite trying for several years. Probably because I’m a side sleeper.
Same. I toss and turn more in a hammock.
I'm a side sleeper and the ground just plain hurts me. I sleep great in my 11' hammock. Is it heavy? Yes. Is it worth it? yes.
I side sleep in the hammock.
@@haroldkerwinjr3026 I tried but could never figure it out.
Its about sleeping in an angle. You lay out kinda flat that way
We go (hammock) camping every other weekend so our setup is pretty fast but, admittedly slower than tent setup time BUT, I get better sleep in hammocks.
I will say, now that I have hammock camped so so so many times,setting up at night/in rain/ etc... It is so easy now.
Haven't done a lot of camping with other people so I actually have never thought about the changing challenge! But yeah- good point.
it's simple. The ground exists everywhere I can walk. Trees, not so much.
Winner 🏆
If you're flatlanding that may be true, but there are tons of places I've hammocked where there was no flat clear ground for a tent. Neither is right or wrong, just pros and cons that are situation dependent.
Hammocks wouldn't work for most of the places I backpacked or camped because of the lack of trees. Mostly the Sierra and the desert.
So do rocks, roots, snow, mud.... ;) No system is perfect. But I'm a tenter too. :)
Nothing in this life is simple. Try sleeping in 100 degree high humidity night after night with absolutely no breeze in a tent. Summer in central Georgia is a real bummer.
Well, great video. But.. you didn't consider the lightest, simplest, fastest, cheapest, roomiest, and driest setup of all: just the tarp. This provides privacy because you can pitch one side low to the ground. It also helps in windy conditions, if you pitch it low. One side can be pegged right to the ground. You can't do this if it is going over a hammock. You don't need trees to pitch the tarp (I've never had trouble finding two stout sticks). It can be a lot of fun to camp at high altitude under a low tarp. Because the tarp is lighter, it can be somewhat larger, and this provides by far the driest, most comfortable camp in a heavy rain. I love cooking, relaxing, and packing up under my tarp on a wet day. On a wet day in forest I would pitch the tarp higher, for more space. In addition, a tarp is easily the simplest sewing project of all. You can save hundreds of dollars by making your own. If you add Ray Jardine style 'lifter lines', your tarp will be roomier, because it will not sag in the middle.
I’m old now, and have had several foot surgeries, so the hammock is important to me. I’m going to get back into just regular camping this year, haven’t been camping in years. Probably do some backpacking next year.
Good video you mentioned things that I have not seen elsewhere I find your comparison to be quite astute. 🤠
Wait! Did I hear, “or if I’m going on a backing trip and I won’t be vlogging” ? What? Hahaha😁 Great job, as usual!
You said it.us older guys don’t like crawling in and out of a tent. Great content. Your my # 1
And older gals! My back can't handle sleeping on the ground either, no matter how great the sleeping pad is.
I think it depends on your specific problems, tho. My back is badly injured, from a road accident - badly enough that I need a wheelchair on my worst days - & the curve angle of lying (correctly) in a hammock is very quickly far too painful, for me.
Sleeping on a firm, flat surface, on the _right_ pad (my lightest is a very low-tech but thicc Trekology UL80), with some balled up clothes between my knees & chest, means I get to wake up without (especial) pain.
Horses for courses, as they say. 🙂
I couldn't hike after the first day if I weren't in a hammock. After my Army days, crawling out of a tent after a hike took most of the fun out of backpacking. I liked the hammock so much I now sleep in one every night, I don't even own a bed. It is so much easier transitioning into yoga after sleeping in a hammock.
I don't use mine every night, but I do have one in my room. Super comfy indoors or out!
Sounds like you almost convinced yourself to go all in on hammocks. 😁
Outrageous! Horrendous! Scandalous!
JK, I can totally see why a tent would be better for thru-hiking. Setting up a hammock system can definitely be finicky. I tend to be more of a destination backpacker where I hike to a base camp and explore the area for a few days. I sleep so much better in a hammock though. And I kinda like fiddle factor, as long as it’s not raining.
I'm going to do the thru hike the Appalachian trail this spring even if it kills me !
I prefer the hammock, honestly getting a good night sleep is the most important thing in the world. Though not having privacy is kind of a downer but you get use to it.
Good honest review. I’m not not through hiking and I no longer carry tons of camera gear. Quality of sleep is my major concern so it is hammock all the way
So my Hennessy and tarp with SuperShelter set up in less then 2 mins. So yeah any time any where I accept your challenge.
I live in the Cascades mountains and lots of camping happens in the alpine where there are no suitable trees.
I like many have used both. Sleeping in a hammock makes my back feel like a banana even with head tie higher than feet. Encountering a thunderstorm in GSMNP had rain blowing under the “rain fly” saturating everything. I prefer tents even though I take a hammock for lounging.
I sleep in a tent. I have a hammock chair for lounging.
@t weda, generally it is more comfortable to have the head end LOWER than your feet in a hammock
For light Hammocks, there is just a new invention sold by dutchgear. The fabric is called "Cloud 71". You can also get it with the "Chameleon" Hammock, which is almost the "Blackbird" from WB. So maybe give it a try. Also you can get alot of Informations about Hammocks at the English or German Forum.
Greetings and happy hanging.
This women hit the whole tent verses hammock on the head by my thinking. By far having room to spread out things I might need during the night is really important to me. Also waking up with rain coming down and having the ease of cooking under the vestibule is important. I also tend to travel in areas where trees are far and few because I am often above tree line or on a glacier.
I like hammocks precisely because I have more space. I run a separate gear line with prusisxs and a mini gear hammock offset, above and off yo the other side of the tree of my hammock.
This gives me a sleeping area and gear storage that is dry, spacious, off the ground, and organized. The tarp overhead gives me a good 12x(including the angled pitch) 8-9 foot area that is protected. When not in use, I can use a gear strap to tether the hammock to the ridge line up and out of the way.
I usually even have the space to cook proper meals on a wood stove with a cast iron pan under the protection of the tarp.
For camping in the urban environment, I often spend several hours looking for trees for my hammock, so it's tents for me.
i never quite figured out how to sleep comfortably with a dog in a hammock. So for that plus “the moon factor” 😉 we’ll continue to sleep on the ground.
I always see dogs sleeping underneath hammocks. Why would you do otherwise?
@@geraldhenrickson7472 well, because I’ve got a little cuddle bug 😊
My little maltipoo is a cuddle bug too. She sleeps mostly in the bend behind my knees when she's not sleeping behind my daughter's knees. Sharing a tent with the pup pup is easy.
@@rodrod5000 hey so funny! That’s Khloe’s favorite spot as well 😊
I also have both types of setup, both ultralight. I can say: yes, its difficult to make a decission. In Germany stealth is more important, so this goes to the tent also. And with a hammok more things can go wrong. But if camping places in aera with trees are small on numbers the hammock wins.
“All these miles make me weary, gotta stop for a while...” 🤗❤️👍
Tent stakes weight/costs are probably a consideration for a comparison like this. I love my Crua tent and Henessey Hammock setup almost equally. I can also set up my hammock as a ground tent with poles so that’s a nice option. The larger hammocks designed for diagonal asymmetric sleeping are key.
Leave it to the internet to "PICK SIDES" about tent vs. hammocks. pft! We are tribal dorks in America.
No sides here. Tents are a bit faster to set up, require less fine tuning, and can be used anywhere the ground is mostly level and clear. Hammocks are more comfortable, cleaner to pack up after use, and can be set up anywhere with hang points, including uneven ground and above low brush. Each has benefits, and each has drawbacks. I prefer a hammock, but still use a tent when appropriate.
Actually, what first got me interested in hammocks was that I hated having to set up my tent after any camping trip to clean it and dry it (or face mildew and stench later) and was hunting for an alternative. But then the comfort factor was so nice, I actually set up hanging points in my home for sleeping some nights in the hammock at home.
@@yaemz123 I agree. I think I’ll get an upgraded hammock for my deep woods dispersed camping this spring.
I don't like the back posture when sleeping hammock.
I tried hammocks for 3 years, and wanted to love them, but I have given up now and I'm very happy about it. It's just so fast and consistently comfy in my experience.
Yeah, I never understood hammocks. On its own it's not a shelter, not insulated, and not comfortable to me. Main function seems to be just to hang between two trees. Thank you for actually giving it a try! To each their own
Of course a hammock isn’t a standalone shelter. You can think of the hammock as your own personalized ground that makes an excellent sleep surface. And then the bugnet and tarp provide the shelter equivalent to a tent. And insulation needs to be added to any shelter so that’s a silly consideration.
Alright! 👍
Interesting that you prefer a tent in rainy weather, i definitely prefer my hammock in that situation! I've never woken up in a puddle in a hammock, but often in a tent. Thanks for the video, great perspectives!
I probably have 400-450 nights in a tent, often with friends, and I've never once seen anyone waking up in a puddle of water.
I'm a Boy Scout Scoutmaster, and I've seen several Scouts wake up in there tents in a puddle 🤣
Hey Dixie!
I have the Zpacks tarp- its great, although mine is the standard tarp, not the hammock cut. I added my own guy lines, but didn't put on (yet) those little triang-ley pieces that adjust the line like on the tent lines- It definitely will help with ease of set up. I hammocked because I am the fussiest sleeper ever and like you found a a better night sleep while hanging.
When its warm and summery out in the woods- hammock and tarp are great for air flow and incidental laundry line! I bring a z lite pad and use it under my hammock as a place to put all my stuff out- I saw you had a seat pad- and the bigger pad would give you some more spread out room!
Storms: it is pretty amazing to actually watch the rain fall- and be warm and cozy in your hammock! I have stayed dry in some nasty weather in the Whites of NH- and being off the ground is nice bathtub floor or not! Once in Vermont right near Stratton Mountain, we had flash flooding- and I had everything off the ground (secure and hanging) because I was mildly concerned with flooding before bed. I woke up to 6'' of water running under the hammock! It was like sleeping over a river. The thru hikers (I was a doing the LT) had tents that looked like wet garbage in the morning!
In any case- thanks for the post- looking forward to seeing your Florida Trail journey!
I sleep better in a hammock, and that trumps every other consideration. Started hammocking the same year I bought my kayak and went kayaking for two weeks in Sweden. Brought both a tent and the hammock. Loved the hammock so much that I ended up sleeping in it for 13 out of 14 nights. Haven’t looked back since.
Yes, it’s more fiddly to set up, but once you get the hang of it (hah!), it’s really no big deal. Pros: More useful to lounge in during the day. I just love reading in the hammock. Or setting up the tarp first, sitting under it in the rain and brewing a coffee after a day of kayaking or cycling. I‘d feel trapped in a tent on a rainy day. Also: You can see your surroundings. Watch the treetops moving in the wind. Or the squirrels.
And the best thing: No back problems, no matter how long I sleep!
Yes, there are circumstances when a ⛺️ is better. But if I have the choice, hammock it is!
I love being kicked back in the hammock with out the tarp watching the tree tops sway and the critters running aroumd the canopy just somwthing about those afternoon naps and a hammocks
Two good examples of the backyard hammock. Lay back and read a book. Seriously? You can hold a book/phone up long enough to read a novel? And you can easily reach down to the ground and grab a water bottle (if you have arms like a gorilla I suppose)
I like both tents and hammocks. I live in Norway, and I tend to use the tents during winter, and hammocks during summer. It's easier to keep both me and the dog warm in a tent, and during winter we spend most of the time above the tree line. During summer, its easier to stay cool, and avoid condensation in a hammock, and i spend a lot of that time along the shore, where there's always trees close by, usually too many to set up a tent 😂 they both have pros and cons 😊
I prefer my hammock. I was a tent only and converted to a hammock. I only use the tent in areas that I cant set-up a hammock. Its also great chilling under the tarp in rain than being stuck inside a tent when its raining.
Also, you dont have to deal with a ground sheet or bottom of a tent thats covered in dirt or mud.
Id be up for the challenge, I feel I could set up my tarp and hammock just as fast as you could set up your tent.
Totally agree, and at the age of 69, I have had about 55 years of practice with tents, and about 15 years with hammocks. I can set up either one just as quickly as the other.
I agree also. Especially when you have to factor in blowing up an air mattress
I totally agree with the chilling under the tarp in the rain part!
I‘m sure I would be slower setting up the hammock than Dixie setting up her ZPacks. But sleep quality is way more important than gaining a few more minutes. It’s like those gas stove comparisons where the stove that boils two cups of water 30 seconds faster wins. I mean, really, who cares? 😉
I like my hammock because if it's raining I can be sheltered under the integrated rainfly in less than a minute. Wrap tree trunk, wrap tree trunk, slide snakeskins, stake rainfly from underneath, done. It isn't about the speed, it's the convenience. And I love to sit under the hammock and watch the rain while the water boils.
I slept for 3 months in a hammock one year, probably the best year of my life. I have AT aspirations but own a dog. I attempted to sleep in a hammock with her once, never again!
I hope at least you aren't a dyslexic, agnostic insomniac
Especially as you get older sleep quality is so important. I switched to hammocks and have never looked back. It works for me. Beauty is we have choices that fit our lifestyle.
I like to lay on my stomach some. I usually have my dog with me, so tent for me. If I want to enjoy the stars I just sleep outside the tent, but have it set up in case of weather. Plus good point on ease of setup.
The Amok hammock is a good choice for stomach sleepers, but it is also on the heavy side. I don’t have one myself but it’s a cool design.
I will choose to carry the heavier weight hammock when it is feasible because good quality of sleep is essential to my overall enjoyment and ability to complete hikes. Obviously, sometimes a tent is the only realistic choice.
Bottom line, you chose what's best for YOU. That's all that matters. Rule #1 is Hike Your Own Hike. For some folks, the hammocks better fit their style. You prefer the tent. Rock on. Either way, you're getting out there and getting it done, so tent away. Being out there is all that matters.
I do too...but probably because I backpack with my two little pups. ❤ Hammocks are fun for short trips, though!
You might get your duplex up faster, but while you’re blowing ur pad up I’m making tea lol. It’s all about deployment. Don’t give up, you’ll dial it in!
Thanks for helping me escape this world for a bit.
Hammocks are like sleeping on clouds to me, I love it. There are definitely things to get faster at setup like ridgelines. I like to camp places in the forest where there's just no place for a tent though. I do hope you'll continue practicing at least. You may turn to the dark side yet!
I think hammock camping is a novelty. I could see the new wearing off if you did a through hike. For me I have been enjoying it. Did an overnight on the AT with 2 of my kids and it worked out well. Cool thing was it was a little rainy out and I could put up the tarp in just a few minutes if it started up. Cool memory having lunch under the tarp with the kids while it rained. One thing if you go to the "family" camp sites you got to figure every tree around the camp site has probably been peed on 10,000 times. Just sayin.
I agree totally 🎏Dixie if we all thought the same
it would be an incredibly dull world. Love your channel