Hammock Camping for Beginners

Going out camping is one of those activities that just got us excited when we were kids. Even now when we’re fully grown adults, there just isn’t anything like camping. The beauty of the outdoors is truly captivating and it affords you time to spend and bond with your family and kids away from all the hustle and bustle of the city. Well we also like to be comfortable in these occasions so what better way to enhance that then bringing your own hammock. Hammock camping presents a lot of benefits compared to your regular tent camping and can be fairly hassle free as well.

Since you’re not bringing a bulky tent around, you’ll have plenty of space for some essentials. Make sure to have some rope of course as these have a variety of uses at a campsite, a ridgeline cord which runs between each end of your hammock – others have these already installed and others will need one attached, carabiners and suspension straps is what you’ll use to hang your hammock on trees. For comfort don’t forget to bring a good pillow and sleeping bag to insulate yourself throughout the night. A handy mosquito net for those pesky bugs and a rainfly to protect you from the rain are definitely some of the basics you’ll need.

When getting to your campsite, it is very important that you go around and find the best spot to hang your hammock. Make sure you find two healthy trees with adequate distance between them, usually 10-16 feet, to give you a nice and comfortable hang. Trees straps are probably the best way to hang your hammock as they protect the tree as well. Make sure your suspension is at a 30 degree angle to prevent too much tension that would make your hammock turn over easily especially when you get in. With the chance of rain always there, you’d want to set up your tarp as well, note that the ridgeline of the tarp should be below the hammock’s ridgeline suspension as you wouldn’t want the rest of the tarp on your hammock suspension since it will move when you move. This setup however will keep you covered from the rain when you get in and out of your hammock.

Whether you are a seasoned camper or first timer, you can never go wrong with hammock camping. You’ll travel much lighter not to mention the ease of setup and better sleep experience than with a regular tent. So go out there and try it out for yourself, I guarantee it will be an awesome experience.