Hammock or Ground?

[Gus1990]

Wow there are many happy hammockers out there! I'm a ground dweller myself, we seem to be under represented!

To be honest hammocking never occured to me as most of my trips are by myself and i never realised they were an option. However i met up with a local bushcrafter recently who happened to use a hammock and he showed me the ropes (sorry I couldn't resist) I used a tarp and bivi for a long distance walk across scotland this summer and now I have all the kit I'll probably stay on the ground.

Here is a set up I used on a trip into the caledonian forest early this summer:



I use a waterproofed cotton tatonka tarp. If i'm staying in place for more than one night and if there are materials handy, I construct a bed like in the photo. Otherwise I just quickly line the ground with some vegetation, eg bracken, spruce bows or heather to keep the mud off the bottom of my kit and the bottom of my bivi. I find this to be especially necessary if it's raining while I set up, or if it has been raining recently...things can get muddy pretty quickly if you are directly on the wet ground.

But the biggest reason for me to stay on the ground is to have a fire burning nearby through the night, especially a long log fire when its cold.

(anyone know why the picture came out so small? (i'm new to the forum)

[Ben Casey]

Hi Gus I like your setup

[Gus1990]

Thanks, constructing a bed is quite time consuming, I suppose thats the advantage of a hammock: instant comfort!

[Ashley Cawley]

Hammocking comfortably is something you need to learn, for most it's a process of tweaking & adjusting your setup, you learn from your mistakes and improve and in the end you can have an incredibly comfortable night sleep. I've spent many nights on the floor and many in the trees and now I've got my hammock setup sorted every night in my hammock is without fail is more comfortable than any night I've ever experienced camping on the floor.

I slept in my hammock last night (Dec) and woke up briefly twice because I was too warm

I did a video a couple of years ago to introduce people to hammocking... although I should do a newer one to include all the tricks I've learnt since

anyone know why the picture came out so small? (i'm new to the forum)

They always show up with a fairly small thumbnail but users can click on them to enlarge it

[Jimmy69]

I have always camped on the ground, armed with bivi bag and sleeping bag. Although i'd love to give the hammock a try. Where i normally go roaming isn't always woodland and i'm usualy only surrounded by heather, bracken and rocks. But i have to admit it does look really comfy!

[Metal mug]

Has anyone used the travel hammock as bivi bag, and if so what was it like?

[jus_young]

Has anyone used the travel hammock as bivi bag, and if so what was it like?

Not yet but now I have got mine for christmas I am hoping for numerous opportunities to try different setups

[Ashley Cawley]

Not yet but now I have got mine for christmas I am hoping for numerous opportunities to try different setups

OOoo - enjoy

50 / 50 on the poll at the moment!

[Opal]

This is/was my set up,




got to start looking at all these hammock posts from now on, I bought a cheap hammock last year from TKMaxx (about £7 I think) to try out and see what all the fuss was about, felt comfy enough but I didn't go any further, things will have to change.

[jus_young]

Well it looks like you have the tarp already so with the DD Hammock you should be well away, happy hanging