Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Group Forum: Solo Tripping :: Hammock -vs- Tent
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markaroberts |
the hammock seems quicker to set up. . .I use carbiners and rings with tree staps. cold i handled with under quilts, top covers and using sleeping bags as top quilts. cold shoulders are due to not having bottom insulation that wraps completely around you to shoulder height. altough it is easier to dress in a tent, I often pull my clothes on while still in the hammock, then just step out into my boots. Another things that helps is I use a very large hex fly. . .offers plenty of room under the hammock/fly to dress, cook, stay dry in the rain. We have been in some strong thunderstorms in the BWCA. I can tell you that I did much better in the hammock then the tent. (my hammocks do not swing free. .I guy them out). Lastly, with my tent it was packing the tent, the pad, stakes, ground cloth, etc. And when it rained, the tent ended up muddy from the rain splashing off the ground. the hammock packs into a bag the size of a football, and the bottom quilt even smaller then that. I use snake skins so take down is quick and neither I nor the gear gets wet. |
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IBFLY |
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OBX2Kayak |
Many sleepless nights in the tent. |
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twston |
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bhouse46 |
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Majohnson73 |
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CanvasAndSteel |
Worst tent experience would just be the numerous times packing/pitching a soaked tent or trying to sleep on rocks and roots or looking for a way to situate myself so that my head is higher than my feet. Only bad hammocking experience was tripping with a friend who had not spent the requisite time setting up his system before the trip. There are certainly things you don't want to figure out on the fly. |
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outsidej |
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housty9 |
Worst tent experience once we had a little water from rain on the floor, but that was more from bad tent placement, never had one fall down in the wind, just good things to say about tents. |
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TomT |
quote Ragged: Worst experience was 20 some years ago when we had a zipper fail on a eureka, rigged it as best we could but still had skeeters dive bombing all night, can still hear the buzzing in my ear" That reminds me of a terrible experience in a hammock. Me and my brother decided to sleep in our day "string" hammocks because we rolled into a site very late one evening in Quetico. It was June but we had down 20 degree bags and wore headnets. The skeeters were relentless as they tried to find a way inside our defenses. They buzzed 2 inches away from our faces as we sweated our asses off inside our down cocoons. That was probably the worst night I have ever experienced in the BW. |
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Ragged |
Worst experience was 20 some years ago when we had a zipper fail on a eureka, rigged it as best we could but still had skeeters dive bombing all night, can still hear the buzzing in my ear |
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sunnybear09 |
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bwcasolo |
i have not had a bad time in either, so sorry i can't comment on that. i use an innie in my tent which has saved my butt during heavy rain periods. i sleep real well in a hammock, better than a tent, even with an exped pad. if it is too cold i will set up the tent. if it is warmer i will string up the hennessy. i like having both options. |
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SourisMan |
Speaking of water leakage, I was on Clove Lake once and experienced one heck of a miday down pour. I'm not sure I've ever seen it rain that hard. Every tent spot in that site had 2 to 3 inches of standing water when the rain stopped. I doubt it would have made much difference if a tent had actually been in those spots. I was high and dry in my hammock! |
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fishfry |
I would like to what your preference is Tent or Hammock and why, I would also like to know what is your worst experience in your tent or hammock. |
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removedmember1 |
Worst experience in a tent: Leakage Worst experienece in a hammock: Getting stung by an Asian tiger mosquito (in the midwest) through the bottom fabric into the head and feeling feverish for several days. |
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IBFLY |
Hammock whenever I can - on solos and some group trips. Tent when needing to share space. Usually tripping with family or spouse. Only problem in tent has been leaking. No problems with hammock. |
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Sierra1 |
As for the worst experience a friend and I were on Agnes when a huge T-Storm blew up overnight. The tent was a two man Ted Williams backpack model with external poles and tie outs. The %&$#ing thing came down three times that night no matter how we tried to keep it standing. It leaked like a screen door and there was a puddle an inch deep in the center. The air mattress deflated because I kept moving it around to avoid the water and hit something that caused a slow leak. This was in the days of the old time sleeping bags with a batten filling. It was all I could afford so the cheap &%$#ing bag soaked up water like a sponge. We took two extra days at the campsite just to dry out. Now it's one of those camping stories that I use to justify a new gear purchase. :) |
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ZaraSp00k |
but I also like my tent, I often sleep without the rain fly, I guess i like to see the sky and stars |
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TomT |
Worst experience was water inside the tent but also just discomfort in the joints when waking up. There also was the time when sharing a tent with my snoring Dad for a week. Not good. The smells arent the greatest either. Worst in a hammock was last Sept. when it got down to the mid 20's with wind and my under insulation was inadeqate. Operator error on this one. I actually like getting dressed when I use the hammock because it doubles as a chair. Really nice to put on socks and boots this way. |
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Merganser |
The hammock is just hands down more comfortable when sized and outfitted properly. I also like not crawling in/out. Much better in the rain, and with a tarp in porch mode you have a sheltered area to hang out it. |
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bumabu |
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slipbobber |
My canoe partner that has been on every trip is totally opposite, he loves his tent. So, I guess mileage varies with users. |
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TheBrownLeader |
My worst hammock experience was on a trip in 2009. It was my first hammock trip, and I didn't understand about how hammocks are cold if you don't have an underquilt. I froze. And, late in the trip I had a hammock malfunction and I spent some time on the ground under a tarp. But EVEN STILL, I knew I was never going back to a tent... |
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PortageKeeper |
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Mort |
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SevenofNine |
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HansSolo |
I bought a Hennessy Hammock "Expedition" several years ago, but I've only used it for an "emergency" shelter, or for having a bug free hammock while lounging in camp. Definition of "emergency" 1.) I'm forced to camp in less than ideal terrain that does not support a tent. 2.) All of the "legal" campsites are occupied in the BWCAW, the sun is setting, and it's too late, or unsafe to press on. (As a general rule, this is a last resort situation. But, by using a hammock, a stove, and no campfire, it's minimizes the impact on an "un-designated" BWCAW campsite as much as possible.) On a Kayak Touring trip to Isle Royale in 2011, my nephew and I were essentially "shut down" by dangerously large waves on the North Shore and forced to take shelter in a small protected cove for the night. It's doubtful that any human had ever stepped foot in this area of Isle Royale before and the tent pitching conditions were limited at best. The Hennessy Hammock was just the ticket. (My Nephew somehow flattened a small area for his MSR tent, but his set-up left something to be desired.) Although the Hennessy provided a great night's sleep, it still wasn't enough to convince me to use it as everyday sleep solution. At the time of purchase, the "Expedition" model was the largest Hennessy Hammock available, and was rated for users up to 6' tall, and was rated for a 250 pound capacity. At 6' 4", and 219 pounds, it's a bit tight for me, but serviceable. I now see Hennessy offers a "Expedition Deluxe", rated for users up to 7' tall. (Obviously, this is also the model they market to NBA players!) The "DeLuxe" version might be a better fit for me, pun intended. Also, my Hennessy is the "bottom closure", what Hennessy has now deemed the "Classic" model. The side zip option was also not available at the time. (The side zip option allows your Hammock to be used as a chair, as pictured in "TomT's" photo.) The bottom closure, not so much. Maybe with these new features, I may eventually become a "Hammock Guy". Then again, it may also be my sleeping style that's restricting me from becoming a Hammock "convert". Hans Solo Are Hammocks good for you? |
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ZaraSp00k |
Worst night was when it was 25-30 below, it was the tent, wouldn't have been any better in the hammock :) |
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OBX2Kayak |
quote SevenofNine: "A tent because there are too many trade offs in a hammock." Hmmm. To each their own. I feel as if I've only gained by switching to the hammock. |
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TomT |
It's a new paradigm and a little scary to make the switch. Takes a few nights to get the setup just right, but after using both methods I'm sold on the hammock. Besides, it's way damn fun and I know I will stay dry and have the same lay no matter what. You just can't say that about using a tent. All that said - I wouldn't use a hammock if I wanted cuddle time with a significant other or if I had my young kids along. Those are THE ONLY drawbacks that I see about using a hammock. After reading some other comments someone mentioned having to get dressed in "an insect cloud". That is very valid. I only go in Late Aug. or Sept. so don't have experience with that. Yes, that might suck. |
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amhacker22 |
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RainGearRight |
With the improvement of tents over the last twenty years, I haven't had any problems with them, other than waking up every hour with some part of my body sore. I sleep incredibly well in my hammock and find I need less sleep than in a tent. |