For the longest time, I've been dreaming about hammock camping since I went backpacking with two guys who had a hammock during April 2011. Finally, I was able to purchase a hammock set. My hammock itself with bug net and suspension system weights 2 pounds even. My hexagon tarp weights 11.5oz. While I could go lighter by swapping out the hammock (it a freaking huge hammock!), I thought this was a good beginner hammock in case I do not like sleeping in a hammock. Anyway, back to the original purpose of this thread.

I think a lot of people have a perception that hammock is lighter than using a tent. I have yet to find an entire hammock system that weights less than 1.10 lbs (not saying there isn't one out there, just that I haven't found one). By the time you add everything required such as: bug net, hammock, ropes, straps, tarp, etc you are looking at anywhere from 1.11 to 4 pounds.

I think this debunk the perception that hammock are lighter than tent. So, in my opinion these will be the following factors that will assist you in your decision to buy a hammock: never have to clear debris on the ground like you do for tent, it will increase the volume available in your pack which enables you carry more food, extra clothes, or more random gears while on longer trip and/or let you buy a smaller pack, and lastly, the flexibility of letting you sleep just about anywhere as long as there place to wrap the straps around. It's quick and easy to set up a hammock when you want to take a 10 minutes break on the trail or have a food break. (beats laying on the rocky mountain ground! haha) The only downfall to a hammock is complexity in learning the knots and getting better at making adjustments. A lot of learning compare to setting up a tent.

Sorry for the long post, just thought I share my thoughts. My first trip with the hammock will be around August 18th to perhaps Mt. Sterling in the Smoky Mountain.

One more factor is that it's a lot warmer to sleep on the ground than in a hammock. I used to bring extra clothes just to sleep, which added weight and took up space in my pack. Now I bring a tent and I'm warm at night, but I sure do miss the convenience of being able to hang over rough terrain.

Interesting, did you try a under quilt and/or an insulated sleep pad during the cold months?

Some hammock setups are lighter than some tent setups. Some tent setups are lighter than some hammock setups. Both tenting and hammocking have a learning curve. However since most migrate from tenting to hammocking thus they have to learn something new compared to the knowledge they take for granted. If someone was brand new to backpacking or camping in general they would have to learn how to tent or to hammock. As far as temperature, my sub-zero Fahrenheit kit is lighter than my previous subzero tent kit. Not to say this will always be true, but it is nearly impossible to generalize with backpacking gear when the gear being compared is so different. Doesn't matter is we are talking hammocks vs tents, alky stoves vs canister, saw vs knife. Freeze dried vs dehydrated foods. All gear choices have their tradeoffs and we all prioritize characteristics differently. There is a perfect backpacking gear list, there is only the perfect one for "you". The best part is the trying to find it means we get to hike and camp!

Actually I found much the same to be true with a tarp set up. By the time I took a ground cloth and some kind of bug protection I had as much weight as my Tarptent.

I know it has been mentioned before but if you want to learn everything about hammocks, tarps, top quilt, bottom quilts, whoopie slings, Dutchware, straps..I can go on and on

any go to www.hammockforums.net and start reading

I'm on it! A lot of informative read. I'm very intrigued by the DIY section.

Though I spent 4 months one summer hiking in the Sierras with just an 8x10 plastic "ground cloth" that I flipped over my bag when it rained, I've never spent much time "tarp camping".

So on the last trip I took a silnylon tarp - around 12 ounces, a 6 ounce mosquito tent, and an 8 ounce "foot sack" made from a fuzzy goretex Early Winters bivy sack. I guess thats 26 ounces. My lightest tent is nearly 25 years old and its a Sierra Designs Flash Magic single walled "flashlight" at 52 ounces. Funny the tarp set up weighs exactly half what the tent weighs, but in bad weather I'd be happy carrying the extra 26 ounces for a tent.

Hammocks are versatile and around here they may be the only way to camp since the ground is largely either covered with rain forest or lava flow. OTOH a hammock can also be hung on a slope giving it a distint advantage where the land going down to lakes is steeply sloped - again as in Oregon since many of our lakes are water filled volcano throats.

Many of the hammock forum people are into "handtruck" camping. May are into light weight camping. Be sure to decide which you are and don't get caught up in all the bs.

You don't hammock because of any real weight savings, especially if you have underquilts etc etc. You do it because you prefer to sleep curled up in a hammock rather than flat on a pad. I personally can't stand the limiting nature of sleeping in a hammock. I also cannot stand bivy sacks or 18 inch tall tents. Its my attitude - yours may vary, but you should seriously think about what will be comfortable to you before spending all the money to buy it.
Jim

Exactly why I bought a cheap hammock. Also why I'm still keeping my tent. I might need my tent in the winter months or after a couple trip I may decided I just need my tent more. If it comes down to fact I need my tent to be comfortable, I'm use the hammock for dayhike and lounging. I'll probably still take the tarp and use it for weather protection around campsite such as cooking under it during a rainstorm instead of in the tent vestibule or something like that, or me and my hiking partners could sit under the tarp and talk during a rain storm instead of our cramped solo tents. haha.

I switched to hammock camping because a) my tent was a cheap thing that wouldn't keep me dry even in dry weather, b) my tent was very difficult to put up and take down, and you couldn't put up the fly first (meaning the inside got soaked before the fly was secure), and c) sleeping on the ground was very uncomfortable.

I've got an ENO DoubleNest and I love it. It's cold in the winter; I have yet to experiment with underquilts, but given the current size of my pack when fully loaded that may not be much of an option. Also, my fiancee would prefer to tent together than hang separately.

I may begin looking around for a two person tent and air mattresses. But for solo trips, and trips with my brother, particularly in warm weather, I'm sold on the hammock.

YMMV, of course. ;-)

I prefer hammocks because it is FLATTER to sleep in them than on the ground.

On the ground, YOU are conforming to a flat surface. In a hammock it conforms to you. All body aches ceased when I left the ground.

I am warmer, cleaner and drier in a hammock. The only time I am in a tent is when I am going alpine, or writing a review on a pad or tent. I must have an air matress to be comfortable.

My full hammock setup with insulation and tarp is less than five pounds - your average double wall three season tent can weigh that.

BS is that hammocking is always heavy, cold or not flat.

My tarp arrived today. I'm impressed. I posted it under the Wilderness Logics section on the hammockforum.net My handle on there is kwchannell89. The file is too large to post here and I'm too lazy at the moment to upload it to Photbucket then here.

Anyway, I did a water hose test with my mawmaw under the tarp and she remained dried. The tarp weight a total 10oz without the stuff sack on my scale. I cannot wait to go backpacking and get caught in a downpour.