Backpack hammock camping can be a great option for your next trip. While many backpackers quickly resort to the good ol’ tent, a camping hammock provides several benefits worth exploring. It can even elevate your backpacking trip to new heights, no pun intended. In this article, you will get 5 compelling reasons to swap your tent for a hammock on your next backpack camping trip.
Already convinced? Make sure to check out the guide on hammock camping for beginners, and get a flying start on your hammock camping hobby.
1. Backpack Hammock Camping Provides Superior Comfort
Backpack hammock camping really shines when it comes to comfort. After many tent trips with a soar back, sloped terrain making you fall off your pad, and waking up on the wet ground, I can safely say that in my experience – camping with a hammock provides superior comfort. Hanging up from the ground lets you avoid most of the humidity and rain that can come in the midst of the night. You are also less of a “victim to the terrain”. As long as you have two trees, you are good to go.
That is not to say you can’t have a comfortable camping experience in a tent, but I would say it demands more of you to find the perfect campsite and also more expensive tent types than it is to simply hang your hammock. A tarp and a bug net and you are golden.
Not to mention the awesome feeling of swinging back and forth after a full day of adventure or walking. Feeling the slight breeze on your cheek and having a wonderful, unobstructed view of the stars.
Backpacking with a camping hammock, you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go. My current go-to setup, the Haven Tent Hammock, offers a true lay-flat experience. It is the most comfortable I have ever slept on my own adventures. It’s not the lightest setup when it comes to hammocks, but it is well worth it.
2. Minimalist backpacking Adventure
When I am tired from walking and ready to go night-night, the last thing I want to do is hassle with an extensive setup. With the right hammock tree straps and a quality hammock, I can have my camp up in minutes.
Carrying a hammock is usually more lightweight than a tent, and it is also easier to pack it down in your backpack. Leaving you with a minimalist backpack adventure, when choosing the hammock as your shelter of choice.
3. You Can Camp Pretty Much Anywhere With Trees
The perk of camping pretty much anywhere is appealing when backpack hammock camping. Set up camp between trees, over bumpy, uneven terrain, or above wet ground. With a camping hammock, you have more flexibility to camp where you want to, over where you HAVE to.
You can camp closer to water sources or get that stunning view that you’ve been craving. Did I mention that your hammock doubles as your ‘out and about’ chair?
4. Unobstructed Natural Views
Without the cramping walls of a tent, you can really soak in breathtaking sunsets and starry night skies.
Wake up to panoramic vistas right from the comfort of your hammock and immerse yourself in the beauty of the outdoors from a unique vantage point. You will get some new experiences once you start trying it. Like waking up to birds in the trees above, chirping happily as they are downing their breakfast.
5. Easy Camp Setup and Pack-Up
As a happy hammock camper, I’m quite fond of setting up and down camp quick and easy. Then I can spend less time on campsite logistics and more time enjoying nature. With a camping hammock, you can master the art of camp setup with quick and hassle-free assembly.
By eliminating bulky tent components, setting up camp and packing up after becomes a breeze. Bonus tip: If you reverse pack your hammock into a stuff sack, with the carabiners facing the opening – you can simply clip on your hammock to a daisy chain strap on each side and instantly get your hammock ready for the evening hang.
Streamline your packing process by eliminating bulky tent components.
Whether you are going backcountry camping, or some other form of backpacking, you need good sleep. Make sure to test your equipment before heading out, so you know what works for you.
Simon, the founder of HappyHammockCamper, is a passionate hammock camping enthusiast who discovered the joys of this unique camping style a few years ago. Through HappyHammockCamper, he shares his knowledge and experience in hammock camping, gear and camping tips.
