Has anyone ever used a hammock for camping/backcountry hunting?

This spring I went on a 5 day hunt and my mattress pad popped on night 1 and I froze my tail off the rest of the trip. Additionally, I am not happy with my current tent setup, so I can either go all in on a new ground set up or make the switch to a hammock. I have a hunt coming up in the next month or so I would be able to try the hammock out on close to the truck, but I would rather not spend $700+ on something that doesn't work or is inferior to tent camping.

I have been looking at the Superior Gear 15 degree hammock. All in with the hammock, under quilt and tarp I am looking at around 5lbs in total weight. My plan is to use my current sleeping bag for a top quilt now to save some dollars until I can get one of those nice top quilts.

Curious as to if anyone has ever used a hammock while camping and what your thoughts were on the setup.

I am a fan of the Hennessy Hammock systems and have used them for years.

We hammock camp a lot in CO, mainly in the Flat Tops since we live here. Us locals like to call hammocks "bear burritos".

Not sure what brand mine is, I bet it is an amazon special with the quilt liner. I use it camping or hunting. I am not sure the last time I used my tent to hunt. With a hammock I can set camp up in minutes whereas my tent takes a bit longer and is more cumbersome.

That's kinda what I'm thinking. Nothing to pop and can pretty much set up anywhere.

Do you feel like you get better or comparable sleep vs sleeping on the ground?

I'm an Eagle Scout with, conservatively, 8-9 months worth of nights sleeping on the ground before I turned 18. Did that in all kinds of weather from Texas to Virginia to Colorado and New Mexico.

I've been hammock camping for the last 10-12 years (I'm 43). TX, OK, NM, and CO, maybe others. I've slept in a hammock in overnight temps from the mid 80s to the mid teens. I've got 3-4 months worth of nights in a hammock and ~1 month of cumulative nights worth of experience in 2 different roof top tents.

I will never go back to sleeping on the ground. I prefer the hammock to a roof top tent, though a really nice tent in good weather is comparable IMO.

Like any kind of camping, you have to be prepared from a gear standpoint for the weather to maximize your comfort in a hammock. And there is more technique involved in getting it right. I typically use a ground camping air pad, a down bag (get in the bag), a bug net, and a rain fly. If it's going to be cold progressively add a clean/dry set of sleep clothes, a top quilt, and an under quilt. You can rig a blanket as an under quilt, you don't have to buy a dedicated setup.

I hammock camp often and have spent nights from the teens to the eighties in comfort. You don't have to spend much. I use a cheap under quilt and have a few top quilts. Wool long underwear and a hooded quilted jacket help on the cold nights.
When I hunt out of it, I sleep in what I'm hunting in and just sit up and slide on my boots.

I've hammocked for years mostly backpacking. It's a BIG learning curve - give yourself several nights to figure it out. But if you can sleep on your back, it's more comfortable than the ground. You can set it up places where you can't put a tent as long as you have trees. Also a lot drier then a tent if you use a larger tarp.

11 foot hammocks with ridgelines are the minimum. Shorter hammocks won't let you lay as flat and a ridgeline ensures it sets up the same way every time. You will want an under quilt in all but the hottest weather - I use a 20 degree torso length quilt until the temps go below low 20's then switch to a zero degree full length underquilt. I don't use a pad - they move around and aren't as comfortable vs a quilt. The double layer Superior Gear hammock helps keep a pad in place.

Under quilts are a big part of the learning curve especially when it gets chilly. Very easy to get cold if not set up correctly. Any gap or bunching lets air between you and the hammock and will freeze your butt. There are cheaper options out there especially if you go with synthetic (Arrowhead Equipment). If you're backpacking, you'll want to eventually move to down. And as you said, a sleeping bag works for a top quilt.

Hammocking can be heavier, but the Superior Gear Starlite is 26 oz? A 10x12 sil nylon hex tarp weighs between 1 and 1.5 lbs. Not bad actually, and the double layer will allow you to slide a pad in between the layers for insulation instead of a quilt. I find single layer more comfortable (stretchier), double layer is more firm and tougher for bugs to bite through.

Your tarp is a big part of the system. It needs to be long enough to overlap the ends and wide enough to block rain from the side. In crappy weather the hammock shines. I'll pack up and eat breakfast in the dry under my tarp while my companions in tents get soaked taking their tents down. Then when I'm done, the tarp goes in the mesh pocket on my pack, and off I go.

What hammock would you guys recommend for someone just getting into it? I dont want to spend $700+ dollars on a Superior Gear setup right out of the gate but dont want junk either. Needs to be as light as possible as I am primarily a backcountry hunter.

Trips I have planned this year I will use the hammock on:

- Pronghorn hunt in October (temps down to low 40's high 30's at night)
- Fall Paddle Trip down the Nueces
- Spring paddle trip down the Devils
- Spring bear hunt in Idaho (temps down in the high 30's)

I wouldn't put a rifle elk hunt out of my near future either. What I am getting at is I need something that will be comfortable in the 30's but versatile enough to do some summer stuff in too. I think the removeable underquilt does a really good job of that. Just need recommendations on brands that aren't junk but aren't $1K either to start out with.

I love camping hammocks but have never truly figure out how to stay warm when hunting in even cool temperatures. Interested in the responses, because the only solution I have used that is effective is to lay down several thermal camping mats in the hammock, which inevitably shift while sleeping and require almost constant adjustment.

Just get a doubled Nested ENO, been using them for years. Cheap but comfy

https://eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com/?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A18644275653%3A144215301482%3A629294059405&nb_adtype=&nb_kwd=eno+doublenest+hammock&nb_ti=kwd-296397570120&nb_mi=&nb_pc=&nb_pi=&nb_ppi=&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=b&tw_source=google&tw_adid=629294059405&tw_campaign=18644275653&tw_kwdid=kwd-296397570120&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=18644275653&gbraid=0AAAAAC5r_iwYkJPC7dWQtvJ-Y8S8KJL5C&gclid=CjwKCAjwwL_UBhAjEiwAEhuT5HGjnCIeRDz3X2dLHidZNJJjwW-xiuLhSEIwxkCE6KYVQpVFZNmE9BoCrFcQAvD_BwE

Maximus Johnson said:

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What hammock would you guys recommend for someone just getting into it? I dont want to spend $700+ dollars on a Superior Gear setup right out of the gate but dont want junk either. Needs to be as light as possible as I am primarily a backcountry hunter.

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A couple of my scouts have the OneWind Tempest zipper hammock - looks pretty good. 11' with a ridge line and zippered bugnet.

https://www.amazon.com/Onewind-Premium-Mosquito-Lightweight-Backpacking/dp/B09LQ7JKPP

I've been recommending the Dutchware Chameleon or Hammock Gear Circadian to friends. Both seem to be good options. Not knocking the Superior Gear - any of the US based cottage brands will be good.

Hennessy is a heavier but reliable place to start - but if you're over 5'10", get the XL version. I'm not wild about their tarp because it is a tad small - but I've ridden out a severe thunderstorm under one and stayed dry.

Consider the tarp purchase as part of your normal kit that gets used with the hammock. My 12 oz 10x12 goes with me dayhiking. Use your sleeping bag as a top quilt, and a insulated pad to get started.

Maximus Johnson said:

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That's kinda what I'm thinking. Nothing to pop and can pretty much set up anywhere.

Do you feel like you get better or comparable sleep vs sleeping on the ground?

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I am not a good data point, as I am on call 24/7 with my job and a full nights rest is maybe 1 or 2 nights a week. With that said, I sleep better in a hammock than I ever have on the ground.

Tarponfly said:

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I love camping hammocks but have never truly figure out how to stay warm when hunting in even cool temperatures. Interested in the responses, because the only solution I have used that is effective is to lay down several thermal camping mats in the hammock, which inevitably shift while sleeping and require almost constant adjustment.

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A good under quilt will do it but it takes some work to figure out how to use it. If there's any gap between you and the quilt, that becomes a cold spot. And a 20 degree rated quilt is a minimum for anything under freezing.

Any gust of wind will suck the heat straight out of your quilt, so a BIG tarp is a necessity. Prewarming everything with a water bottle helps a lot.

To be honest, it's been a couple years since I've winter camped in my hammock. I just suck up the extra 4+ lbs and pack a hot tent and stove.

do these hammocks lay flat? i feel i could nap in a hammock but sleeping in one for several nights would get old quick.

Same here. I like hammocks but my back can't stand one for an entire night. I wouldn't be able to walk in the morning. I would look like a cro magnon man.

No trying to be an ass here at all but sleeping on an ultralight sleeping pad gets old REAL fast as well. Especially when they don't hold air through the night after hiking hard all day.

Do they all leak? Is that a characteristic of them? Genuinely asking.

Maximus Johnson said:

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No trying to be an ass here at all but sleeping on an ultralight sleeping pad gets old REAL fast as well. Especially when they don't hold air through the night after hiking hard all day.

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not going to argue with you there.......reminds me of the joke "air mattresses are cool if you want to sleep on the floor in a couple of hours"

I'm a stomach/side sleeper so I'd probably still have to choose the ground.

The lighter you go the thinner the material so you sacrifice durability for weight. I have not had one last over 2 years and only use them for about 2 weeks a year. You are one thorn / sharp rock / stick away from having a miserable experience.

On my last trip, I fell in the river on the hike in so all my stuff got wet and cold, set up my camp and right when I got warm and layed on my pad a stick went through my ground sheet and popped my pad. Tried to patch it with the minimal repair stuff we had on hand and it went flat about 5 times a night. Froze my ass off every night during that hunt. Woke up sore from sleeping on the ground as well.

I will do just about anything to not have that happen again. It was miserable.

I think I am going to try the OneWind setup as a starter. If it is substantially better than ground camping I will upgrade to the Superior or Dutchware.

Thanks for the recommendation. Anything else I should know before I dive in?

One thing I would definitely make sure is the dimensions of the hammock when purchasing. I would say if you want to get a flat lay it needs to be 11 feet long (can get away with 10 based on your height) and right around 60" wide. This is where you will notice the biggest difference between the hammocks you find in the sporting goods stores like ENO. I would also ensure that your hammock has a ridgeline and preferably a built in bugnet or one that can be zipped in to the upper of the hammock.

If you like a more modular setup I have always loved Dream Hammocks. Custom made but still reasonably priced. Pair this with hammock gear under and over quilt for best bang for the buck and all of the above is made in the USA.

If you want to simplify the setup then the new Dutchware hammocks with built in underquilts looks great and honestly might be my next purchase. If you don't buy a dutchware hammock I would still look at their suspension options because I think they are the best and most intuitive in the game.

Thanks. Makes sense!

Maximus Johnson said:

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Anything else I should know before I dive in?

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Straps should be ~ 30-45 degree angle with you in the hammock. Some people try to pull them straight and that puts a lot of stress on the system.

Lay at an angle. You won't get completely flat, but pretty close. I use a thin pillow under my head, but that's personal preference.

Foot end should be 6" higher than the head end. Video says 4", I tend to go a bit higher.

This video is for the Dutchware Chameleon, but the One Wind will set up exactly the same.