Eric,

You tried a hammock and found it did not work for you. It is good for you to try new things. Sorry it did not work for you.

However, some of the comments about hammock indicate the person has not used a hammock. We need to talk about the gear we use and not speculate about gear we have never used.

I use a hammock, but:

I do not snow camp with a hammock because snow is good insulation and I want to take advantage of what nature provides. Cold camping is different than snow camping.

I sleep on the ground in the desert. On a trip into the Grand Canyon I hung three out of five nights. I could have hung all five nights, but a couple of spots were too scenic to pass up.

I sleep on the ground above timberline. It is often possible to hang, but just not worth the extra effort.

I did a six night trip with a ground dweller. He used a bandana to wipe the condensation from his tent each morning. Bandanas do not dry quickly under a poncho and my buddy admitted he had been warm and wet for most of the trip, and that was with him cooking under my hammock fly. I was dry the entire trip.

When I pack with the same buddy I do not even start to set up my hammock until he has his ground cloth down and laid down to check for level. I always have my hammock up before he finishes with his tent.

I am not out to convert anyone. This is gear not a religion. However if Dr. Phil asks "How is that working for you?" and I answer, "Great", then it is not appropriate to try to convince me otherwise.

Shug is a professional entertainer. He rides a unicycle and camps below zero in a hammock. I suspect he is a guy that collects skills.