Hammock or tent? Plus some questions...

[EvaLaBam]

Ive been debating whether to take a tent or a hammock for my thru-hike attempt. Ive come up with the following pro/con list but I have some questions that I hope experienced hammock users can shed light on. I did purchase a Hennessy Ultralite Backpacker Asym Classic with the Supershelter Insulation System from a friend but Ive only used it once so far (due to full-time school and work schedules).

Hammock Pros
- Lighter than tent
- More comfortable
- Cooler in summer months
- Can set sup anywhere, just need two trees
- Breaking camp is faster

Hammock Cons
- Can be heavier than tent when prepared for cold temps (UQ, insulation system, heavier sleeping bag, rainfly, wear more layers)
- Sleep colder than in tent
- Easier to get soaked in bad weather (winds/torrential downpour)


Tent Pros
- Always used it so its what Im familiar with
- Protection from the elements (downpours, winds)
- Warmer in cold temps
- Less need for a lower rated sleeping bag

Tent Cons
- More stuff to carry thus heavier than hammock (tent, footprint, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, stakes)
- Must be on level or near level ground
- Breaking camp is slower
- More uncomfortable than hammock


Questions:
1. If you decided to hammock on the AT, why did you choose to do so? And would you do it again?
2. How did you deal with the colder temps at night or high elevations?
3. What did you do with your pack? Bring it in the hammock with you or leave it outside? What if it rains that night? (Sorry, silly question I know but I always wondered)
4. Did you experience really bad weather and how did the hammock & yourself hold up? (Rain, wind)
5. Did you bring a sleeping pad anyway? I debating whether I should in case I need/want to sleep in a shelter one night.
6. Did you send your cold weather items home when it got warmer and picked them up again up north or did you carry everything until the end just in case? Which is the wiser option?
6. Am I overthinking this? haha

[Monkeywrench]

I think you've got the "easier to get soaked in bad weather" backwards. You'll stay drier in the hammock as there is no risk of getting swamped in a heavy downpour. I thru'ed in the wet year of '09, and was often glad to be able to hang above the standing water on the ground. I remember a wild thunderstorm at Limestone Springs in Connecticut when the couple tenting near me got flooded out of their tent. I rolled over and went back to sleep...

For insulation, I had a Hennessy Hammock with the supershelter undercover and underpad. On the coldest nights I supplemented that by adding my down jacket to the under insulation. After hanging my food bag, everything else not in use was stuffed back into my pack, then I put the rain cover on it and just left it on the ground underneath my hammock. Never had any issues with it.

I did not bring a sleeping pad, which meant I was committed to hanging every night. I did have my Therm-a-Rest sent to me at Fontana Dam for the Smokies, where you are required to sleep in the shelters. Once out of the Smokies I sent it back home. I had it sent to me again just before the Whites so I could get work-for-stay and sleep on the tables in the Huts. Other than the Smokies and the Whites, I slept in my hammock every single night on the trail.

I started my hike with the stock Hennessy tarp, but once summer weather and the accompanying thunderstorms descended, I found it inadequate in wind-driven rain and swapped it out for an OES Maccat Deluxe tarp.

[EvaLaBam]

Thanks for your input Monkeywrench, very much appreciated

[Old Hiker]

[QUOTE=EvaLaBam;1292742]......................................

I started out on 29 Feb with my Clark Jungle hammock, which I love. However, after trying to get up on several cold, rainy mornings and trying to stay dry under the fly getting dressed, packing, etc., I had to have my Alps Zeypher 1 tent sent to me for the remainder of my hike. (See my avatar! )


Questions:
1. If you decided to hammock on the AT, why did you choose to do so? And would you do it again?

My hammock is comfortable in everything but getting up in cold, rainy weather. Here in FL, I never experienced 35* temps, with hard wind and rain. No, I would not take it again. I found plenty of camping spots to tent, either within 1/4 mile of a shelter or somewhere along the Trail. You just have to start looking about 30-45 minutes before you have decided to stop for the day.

2. How did you deal with the colder temps at night or high elevations?

Had a 1/4 inch foam pad in my hammock. Had NO problems with a 0* bag down to about 23*. Had light, t-type shirt and briefs on. I have NEVER had an under quilt, just my pad and have not had any problems to date.

3. What did you do with your pack? Bring it in the hammock with you or leave it outside? What if it rains that night? (Sorry, silly question I know but I always wondered)

Pack was in the rain cover on the ground under me. Never had a problem with wind-driven rain getting to it.

4. Did you experience really bad weather and how did the hammock & yourself hold up? (Rain, wind)

The first rainstorm, I was surprised to find out that seam sealing doesn't last more than 3 years! A few drips, but nothing bad. My fly will sometimes push against my netting with hard wind, but no problems.

5. Did you bring a sleeping pad anyway? I debating whether I should in case I need/want to sleep in a shelter one night.

1/4 inch foam under me always. Also, helps spread out the hammock so I don't feel so enclosed. I have a Thermarest Ridgerest now, and I want to try it out as soon as my ankle allows me to.

6. Did you send your cold weather items home when it got warmer and picked them up again up north or did you carry everything until the end just in case? Which is the wiser option?

Sent my 0* bag home at Hot Springs, only because temps were running 15-20* above normal at first. After I got my tent and the temps were getting down into the 20s and 30s, my tent kept me warmer in the mornings as I got dressed and packed up.

Also with my tent: I could pretty much pack up everything in the rain except for the tent, which was last. I could also spread everything out in the tent as needed. As an older individual, I NEVER, EVER leave my tent after I'm in for the night. I always have a couple of 20 oz bottles for.......ahem, several times a night voids. MUCH easier in a tent than my hammock.

Hope this helped a bit.

[Old Hiker]

Just in case you need additional incentive.

http://www.aol.com/video/hammocks-of...c3_lnk2|163983

[JaxHiker]

Hammock Pros
- Lighter than tent
- More comfortable
- Cooler in summer months Unless you do the 2QZQ mod so you can remove the netting the Hennessy can be quite hot. That's one reason I love my Light Hiker (former Hennessy user).
- Can set sup anywhere, just need two trees This is big for me. Just wanna take a break? The hammock and/or tarp can be setup very quickly.
- Breaking camp is faster

Hammock Cons
- Can be heavier than tent when prepared for cold temps (UQ, insulation system, heavier sleeping bag, rainfly, wear more layers)
- Sleep colder than in tent
- Easier to get soaked in bad weather (winds/torrential downpour) I'll agree with MW. You can get soaked setting up your tent in the rain. Not so with a hammock. Like he said you don't have to worry about your tent floor flooding either.


Tent Pros
- Always used it so its what Im familiar with
- Protection from the elements (downpours, winds)
- Warmer in cold temps
- Less need for a lower rated sleeping bag

Tent Cons
- More stuff to carry thus heavier than hammock (tent, footprint, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, stakes)
- Must be on level or near level ground
- Breaking camp is slower
- More uncomfortable than hammock


Questions:
1. If you decided to hammock on the AT, why did you choose to do so? And would you do it again? The only time I use a tent is with the family.
2. How did you deal with the colder temps at night or high elevations? Insulation. I've been very comfortable in both of my hammocks between 20 and 25.
3. What did you do with your pack? Bring it in the hammock with you or leave it outside? What if it rains that night? (Sorry, silly question I know but I always wondered) I carry a Tyvek footprint so I have a place to stand with my shoes off. I lay the pack on it at night. If I'm worried about ground splash I have a pack cover. It's never been a problem.
4. Did you experience really bad weather and how did the hammock & yourself hold up? (Rain, wind) I spent three days in a mostly non-stop rain a couple of years ago. I just chilled out in the hammock. Having the right tarp afforded me the option to get out and cook (can't do that with the stock Hennessy tarp).
5. Did you bring a sleeping pad anyway? I debating whether I should in case I need/want to sleep in a shelter one night. I've never carried a pad.
6. Did you send your cold weather items home when it got warmer and picked them up again up north or did you carry everything until the end just in case? Which is the wiser option?
6. Am I overthinking this? haha

Hopefully this'll help.

[Monkeywrench]

Something else to think about. When setting up in the rain, if you are using a hammock with a separate tarp you can set the tarp up first, then unpack your backpack and set up the hammock undercover. I always carried my tarp in the outside pocket of my pack so I could do this without having to open my pack in the rain at all. The hammock also gives you a comfortable place to sit under the tarp while cooking and eating dinner.

I know there are some tents that can be set up fly first, but not many, and not easily.

You can also get out of the hammock at night to pee without getting out from under the protection of your tarp. Probably doesn't mean much to you younger guys, but as you get older...

[scooterdogma]

1. If you decided to hammock on the AT, why did you choose to do so? And would you do it again? I choose a hammock for a good nights sleep, ease of set-up and not having to worry about bad weather. Yep, would take a hammock every time.

2. How did you deal with the colder temps at night or high elevations? I have a Gossemer Gear Thinlight 1/4 inch pad and an Baby Orca underquilt.I was never cold, and I am female and sleep cold.

3. What did you do with your pack? Bring it in the hammock with you or leave it outside? What if it rains that night? (Sorry, silly question I know but I always wondered) I hang it from the end of my hammock. It is under my OES Deluxe Tarp and completely out of the weather.
4. Did you experience really bad weather and how did the hammock & yourself hold up? (Rain, wind) I went through a couple of nights with torrential downpours and very high winds. I stayed dry and so did my gear.

5. Did you bring a sleeping pad anyway? I debating whether I should in case I need/want to sleep in a shelter one night. I carried the 1/4" thick ThinLight™ pads at a 41" width , when I went to a shelter I would double it up and sleep like the dead on the platform in the shelter.

6. Did you send your cold weather items home when it got warmer and picked them up again up north or did you carry everything until the end just in case? Which is the wiser option? I carry a synthetic jacket, fleece cap and glove liners at all times. I, actually consider it part of my emergency equipment in warm weather. The warmth would help with the symptoms of shock in case of an emergency. To carry or not to carry is the eternal question of Backpacking!

[kidchill]

Alright, this post had me seriously thinking about getting a hammock all weekend. I've been scouring the internet and I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on a WarBonnet Blackbird. Check out http://hammockforums.net There's a lot of good info there. Let me know what you decide on.

[Stir Fry]

WarBonnet Blackbird is the bomb, and you will love it.

[JaxHiker]

I didn't care for the BB as much as a lot of folks do. I'd try several out if possible before purchasing.

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[dla]

Here is some information on the cost & weight of a 3-season WBBB setup. Hope this helps (the prices are a year old).

[msupple]

I didn't care for the BB as much as a lot of folks do. I'd try several out if possible before purchasing.

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I also drank the koolaid and bought a Blackbird only to sell it. I have several hammocks. When I left Springer on April 2nd I brought the Dream Hammock's Dangerbird because it has a built in weathershield which is huge in cold windy weather. I'm off trail right now but will be returning soon with my Tree To Tree Gear Switchback. It only has bug netting. If at all possible...try before you buy. Check out Hammock Forums and see if anyone lives near you. Those folks are very helpful over there.

I agree with everything the others have said. I used a 20 degree UQ from Hammockgear and stayed warm in the snow with temps in the twenties sveral nights. Rectangular tarps such as the OES Maccat and others provide max protection. On the other hand I have been through some very heavy rains with a diamond shaped tarp and have walked away high and dry.

Cat in the Hat

[JaxHiker]

I'm off trail right now but will be returning soon with my Tree To Tree Gear Switchback. It only has bug netting. If at all possible...try before you buy.

Cat in the Hat

Look at the 2QZQ Switchback mod for the netting. I had Donna mod my Light Hiker and it's even more awesome now.



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[Bearpaw]

Questions:
1. If you decided to hammock on the AT, why did you choose to do so? And would you do it again?

I thru-hiked inn 1999, before hammocking was really a thought for backpacking. However, since 2005, I've walked a couple thousand miles of trails with my hammock. It is so much more comfortable than life on the ground, so much more flexible and roomy versus a tent, and so much easier to stay dry versus a tent, where both top and bottom get wet.

2. How did you deal with the colder temps at night or high elevations?

I use underquilts, every thing from my 11-ounce Yeti half-quilt, 20-ounce DIY primaloft model and thick down options from Ed Speer and Hammock Gear. I've used pads, but they are not so good for me as I am wide in the chest and shoulders and my arms are off the pad (and thus cold). I LOVE how warm I sleep in my hammock. I have slept down to single digits and been warm. One note: in these cold temps, you DO have to carry more weight than in a tent. Underquilts add a degree of bulk and weight, but the quality of sleep is phenomenal. I love to sleep in cold weather any time, and especially in my hammock rig.

3. What did you do with your pack? Bring it in the hammock with you or leave it outside? What if it rains that night? (Sorry, silly question I know but I always wondered)

I place a pack cover over it and hang it from the suspension where it meets the tree.

4. Did you experience really bad weather and how did the hammock & yourself hold up? (Rain, wind)

As an important note, I quickly ditched the little tarp that came with my first hammock, a Hennessy. Get a decent sized hex tarp and you will be MUCH happier. I have handled cold windy weather with a tarp with doors, making the experience quite comfortable. Hang it low to the ground and you have weather protection comparable to an A-frame tent.

I have spent many a rainy night in my hammock. Hang your tarp close to the hammock and it will stand up to the elements just fine. I used ring buckles on most of my hammock suspensions and these shed water nicely, if it tries to roll down the suspension webbing. Now I have changed to whoopie slings and hooks. The hook doesn't look like it would shed water like a descender ring, so I have added a hanging piece of cord to catch runoff and keep it away from the main hammock (and me).

The wildest night I spent in a hammock was March of 2011 on the Bartram Trail. Intense storms rolled through that night, knocking down a couple of trees in the distance. There is not much to be done by that except to be vigilant when setting up to avoid widow-makers, a good policy whether tenting or hanging.

5. Did you bring a sleeping pad anyway? I debating whether I should in case I need/want to sleep in a shelter one night.

If you like using a pad for your underinsulation instead of an underquilt, the AT would be a good place for it. Personally, I would maildrop a pad to Fontana for use in the Smokies, and even then I would try to hang out until the shelter filled so I could hang my hammock. I would likely send a pad up to Hanover, NH as well, so as to deal with the Whites as well.

6. Did you send your cold weather items home when it got warmer and picked them up again up north or did you carry everything until the end just in case? Which is the wiser option?

I shuffled different weights of sleeping bag when I thru=hiked, and I would do the same with my quilts and underquilts on a thru-hike.

7. Am I overthinking this? haha

Yes, but it's normal. Try out a hammock well before you do any hiking. Many people love them. Some folks hate them. Find out which you are before you commit to a hammock system on a long hike.

[Sacchoromyces]

Oh, since no one has mentioned it: Creepy-crawlies live on the ground and find you at night.

[Saprogenic]

I really like my Warbonnet Superfly tarp. Great year round in any weather. Doesn't weigh much, and packs down small. A set of down quilts are not only impressivly lightweight and compressive, but the same set that will take you comfortably into the teens or negatives, can also be vented to be comfortable in cooler summer/fall temps.

http://undergroundquilts.com/
http://warbonnetoutdoors.com/gallery.php?albumId=11
http://www.jacksrbetter.com/
http://hammockforums.net/
http://www.outdoortrailgear.com/

[msupple]

Look at the 2QZQ Switchback mod for the netting. I had Donna mod my Light Hiker and it's even more awesome now.



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Could you please be more specific regarding the mod? Did they add some sort of weathershield? If so I'd be VERY interested.

Thanks, Cat in the Hat

[msupple]

Could you please be more specific regarding the mod? Did they add some sort of weathershield? If so I'd be VERY interested.

Thanks, Cat in the Hat

I checked their site and I think I think you are referring to a weathershield for the bottom of your hammock. I am referring to a weathershield that covers the bugnetting such as the Clark hammocks and the Dangerbird by Dream Hammocks.

Miguel

[Saprogenic]

I checked their site and I think I think you are referring to a weathershield for the bottom of your hammock. I am referring to a weathershield that covers the bugnetting such as the Clark hammocks and the Dangerbird by Dream Hammocks.

Miguel

The tarp is your weathershield. The weather shields you see for the bottom of the hammock are designed to protect your underquilt from hard rain splashing up, soaking the down. But a lot of people avoid this need by using a fullsized tarp and pitching it low to the ground if needed during heavy rain/winds. Hennessy makes a 'supershelter' which when combined with a hammock such as hennessy with a intergrated bugnet, you kin of get what your talking about (I think). Or if you have the money, one of the hammock gear vendors will custom make what-ever you want. My Jacks 'R' Better hammock is real comfortable, has an intergrated bug net that's out of the way. My WB Superfly gives me the range of sleeping in wind/rain/snow/hot/freezing/etc. And a good set of down quilts (top quilt & under quilt), I'm set. No extra netting, weather shields, or sleeping bags needed. Try HammockForums.net also, they reallyknow their stuff when it comes to hammocks...