Tent or Hammock?

[ErichFromm]

So I'm planning to take advantage of the long weekend next weekend and get a long overdue hike in but...

I'm a big fan of hammock camping (WBBB) and prefer to use the hammock whenever I can. In contemplating the coming hike though I'm worried I'll not find the required trees. I'm thinking it will be safer to take my tent. It's a bit of a conundrum: take the hammock and risk not finding what I need or play it safe and take the tent? My destination is alpine - i know there are trees but really can't recall if they are what I need or not.

To other hammock campers: do you ever rely on the hammock when going to new locations, or only use it for familiar locations or when certain there are plenty of appropriate trees?

[perfectlydark]

Personally i wouldnt take a hammock alpine. Are you going to be above the treeline? If unsure i wouldnt.risk iy

[Empty]

Perhaps take neither and just 'sit on the fence all night". Sorry couldn't resist

[perfectlydark]

Pity you cant swing a hammock from walking poles

[ErichFromm]

Personally i wouldnt take a hammock alpine. Are you going to be above the treeline? If unsure i wouldnt.risk iy

Yes - above the treeline at points. I love hammock camping (tents seem hard and closed in now) but unfortunately most of my hikes are alpine.

You are probably right though. Was hoping someone would convince me otherwise - TT Double Rainbow we meet again....

As to hiking poles: you can actually get "poles" that allow you to peg into the ground and do a freestanding hammock....

[simonm]

If I am not sure I take a tent. It then reinforces why I love hammocks.

[perfectlydark]

Yep. You could take a tarp if the conditions are going to be ok? Best of both.worlds (except the comfort )

[ErichFromm]

If I am not sure I take a tent. It then reinforces why I love hammocks.

i was hoping you'd chip in Simon...

After getting my WBBB I'd be prepared to climb down into the treeline just to use the hammock but I'm going with friends so...

Curious as to what a purveyor of fine hammocks has as a tent though - care to share?

[simonm]

If I am not sure I take a tent. It then reinforces why I love hammocks.

i was hoping you'd chip in Simon...

After getting my WBBB I'd be prepared to climb down into the treeline just to use the hammock but I'm going with friends so...

Curious as to what a purveyor of fine hammocks has as a tent though - care to share?

I have a barely used Tarptent Moment DW. I really don't get out on overnighters as much as I would like but I will be taking the Moment on the OLT in a few weeks, with another hammocker who will also be carrying a tent. No doubt we will be complaining about sleeping on hard surfaces for much of the walk .

[simonm]

I did get out for a brief day hang the other day though, which is also a benefit of hammock ownership .

Peregrine tarp.JPG (118.11 KiB) Viewed 11050 times

[DanShell]

Are hammocks any good for side sleepers?

This young fella used his hammock on the OLT

[ErichFromm]

[quote="DanShell"]Are hammocks any good for side sleepers?

quote]

It's all very personal of course - and to some degree it depends on what hammock you get. Asymmetrical hammocks allow you to sleep on an angle rather than in line with your tie off points and this means much flatter sleeping. I'm a side sleeper, have a Warbonnet blackbird and sleep fine on my side.

I'm a massive fan of hammocks. I've never really "looked forward" to sleeping in a tent at night and always got up with a degree of aches - and that's not the case with hammocks. I regret living in an apartment else I'd set one up in the backyard for during the week... There is a bit of a learned skill in setting them up properly though. A great resource if you want to start considering it is "theultimatehang.com".

SimonM (tiergear) also sells really cheap premade or do it yourself hammock kits if you want to give it a go before stepping up to the more expensive ones.

[perfectlydark]

Im a side sleeper yet in a hammock i am able to sleep fine on my back, usually i wind up somewhere in between through the night

[stepbystep]

A very rude hammocker strung his monstrosity all over the largest campsite at Lake Tahune on my most recent visit. One hammock in a space that could have taken 3 2 man tents....their ropes also restricted access to the lake. Ridiculous thing to take to such a place. Tents were forced to use the helipad...

[ErichFromm]

A very rude hammocker strung his monstrosity all over the largest campsite at Lake Tahune on my most recent visit. One hammock in a space that could have taken 3 2 man tents....their ropes also restricted access to the lake. Ridiculous thing to take to such a place. Tents were forced to use the helipad...

Was there another place they could've set up?

[stepbystep]

A very rude hammocker strung his monstrosity all over the largest campsite at Lake Tahune on my most recent visit. One hammock in a space that could have taken 3 2 man tents....their ropes also restricted access to the lake. Ridiculous thing to take to such a place. Tents were forced to use the helipad...

Was there another place they could've set up?

In the forest perhaps, I don't like the idea of hammocks in Tasmanian alpine areas at the best of times. They should have stayed in the hut.

[ErichFromm]

Each unto their own I guess...

Hoping to do the overland within the next year. I'll be investigating whether I'll be able to do it with my hammock as did the guy in the youtube clip above.

[stepbystep]

Overland is very different to Frenchmans.

[DanShell]

Hoping to do the overland within the next year. I'll be investigating whether I'll be able to do it with my hammock as did the guy in the youtube clip above.

Im not wanting to get into the etiquette too much of where and when hammocks should and shouldn't be used but I am going to start seriously looking at them myself in the near future.

The more I look into them the more I realise they are truly only in their infancy in Australia and given time I am sure more people will be using them. There seems to be a general consensus that they are no good for bad weather or 4 seasons use yet I watch plenty of youtubers using them in all sorts of conditions.

Getting a good nights sleep is something I have been chasing since I started hiking so hammocks are my next thing to try. The more I see them, the more I think they might be just the thing I need

Can I ask SBS, why you don't like the idea of hammocks in our alpine areas?

[stepbystep]

Sure, most of the trees are not suitable for hanging them on. Some sites on the OLT will be perfect for hammocks, some not so, all due to the vegetation. It might be a wise move to have some sort of infrastructure installed off the side of the OLT huts. Lake Tahune is a bad place for hammocks. I'd just be researching where is and isn't appropriate to use them is all.

[DanShell]

Sure, most of the trees are not suitable for hanging them on. Some sites on the OLT will be perfect for hammocks, some not so, all due to the vegetation. It might be a wise move to have some sort of infrastructure installed off the side of the OLT huts. Lake Tahune is a bad place for hammocks. I'd just be researching where is and isn't appropriate to use them is all.

Thanks ok.

[forest]

I've used my Hammock alpine, 4 nights actually around Mt Jagungal (If you class that as "Alpine", fair bit of timbered country). Just have to be a little selective of your campsite and have a group willing to be flexible if need be. I enjoyed the challenge on two occasions of getting it to work. I think my friends were amused at the time and expected me to crawl into a tent in desperation. They know better now. Managed to find a few little patches of timber, didn't need much.
Depends on the area I guess and how far the nearest tree's are away.

[simonm]

Who needs trees?

[markg]

Although I don't own one, I think they are pretty versatile things. Surely not too hard to find a couple of suitable trees to hang one between. Seen them in some vids in some pretty harsh /pleasant places. Wonder how one would go in a place that has bears and the like. Imagine waking up to a big wet tongue and sniffing nose at 2am.

[ErichFromm]

It's fairly new everywhere but has really taken off in the states. Highly recommend- I've heard people who've given up hiking due to bad backs are able to start again due to hammocks.

I think they can be fine in any weather-you just need the right setup. One of the strengths is how adaptable they can be...

[perfectlydark]

True, nothing a good underquilt cant help with. Just need the trees which usually arent an issue in most places

[stepbystep]

1 hammock over 3 tent sites, guy ropes interfering with access to the lake. Sure they found the trees to hang this monstrosity, but p*ssed off many, many others. All the while there is a hut 50m away with room for this camper.

And yes, hanging off young-ish Myrtle and Celery Top's .... careful where you hang!

[nq111]

I don't think hammocks are a good choice for alpine areas at all. Not much fun to deal with wind and sleet, cook breakfast and get ready for the day. I know they use them in the cold in the USA, but this is generally continental conditions where wind and the like are minimal.

At the same time I don't think tents are a good choice for tropical areas. Hammocks are the only way for a good nights sleep when it is really warm.

[perfectlydark]

That would have been frustrating s2s. Hammocking (well any form of campsite) should be respectful and not sprawl out over good real estate. Surely there wasnt somewhere else they could have hung?
When at a cleared campsite i always find trees.on the perimeter to hang. Dont get in anyones way that way

[ErichFromm]

Looks like a bad setup. Tie off points going to distant trees etc. Not necessary. I would've asked them to redo.... I would think you could go along the path too rather than across......