How to choose a hammock that is more interesting than a tent for camping in the wild?
If you need to spend the night with a hammock, how do you choose the right style and surrounding equipment? The equipment required for hammock camping can be roughly classified into three categories: hammock \u0026amp; suspension rope, warming equipment, and canopy. The classification is as follows:
1. Hammock body
Staying overnight in a hammock is different from taking a nap during the day. Mosquito protection, wind and rain protection, and low temperature and warmth must be considered. Purchasing this type of hammock involves personal budget and the need for versatility of the hammock. It is also related to the choice of thermal equipment.
The common gathered end hammock body (gathered end hammock) is shown in the figure below. Various brands have added different functional designs to the basic structure of the gauze-free hammock, such as sewing gauze, diaper hook points, pull points, fabric cutting, replaceable top cloth… and other additional functions.
Pipes at both ends of the head and tail of the bed are closed by rope loops or tying ropes to facilitate the connection of the suspension ropes. The upper yellow ridgeline can not only fix the same curvature for each suspension, but also check whether the tree distance is too far and the suspension height is too high or too low through the ridgeline tension. In addition, it can also be used to hook storage bags, night lights, and also hold the external gauze away from the face. * The length of the ridgeline is about 83% of the length of the hammock, which can be adjusted slightly according to personal preference.
The hammock without gauze net in the picture above is suitable for nap during the day and as a bed or chair. If you want to spend the night, it is best to use gauze net to avoid mosquito infestation and keep warm depending on the environmental conditions (temperature, wind and rain).
1. Netless hammock can be equipped with external gauze to avoid mosquitoes. The gauze can be roughly divided into two forms:
a. Fronkey Style Bugnet enters and exits below, it is a little troublesome to set up but easy to enter and exit.
Fronkey Style anti-grain gauze, in and out from below.
b. Sock Style Bugnet sock gauze, which is faster to set up but relatively inconvenient to get in and out (you need to push the gauze from one end to the other when you get in and out).
Sock gauze
With any of the above forms of gauze, the original hammock without gauze can also avoid mosquito infestation, but it is inevitably more labor-intensive and inconvenient to set up and use. The advantage is that it depends on the itinerary or location to decide whether to carry the gauze. When purchasing an anti-mosquito net, you must also pay attention to whether the length of the net corresponds to the length of the hammock body.
2. Built-in gauze hammock
a. Basic built-in gauze hammock:
There are many styles of built-in gauze hammock. The basic styles are mostly single-sided zippers for easy entry and exit. The gauze and the body are stitched on the other side. Although the gauze cannot be removed and cannot be replaced with a winter full-cover top cloth, this form of hammock is relatively inexpensive and is sufficient for normal weather.
b. Multifunctional gauze hammock
There are zippers on both sides for easy entry and exit, the gauze can be completely removed, and winter top cloth can be added to enhance wind and cold protection. This type of top gauge hammock has more complicated work and more diversified purchase options, so the price is higher. Here are three simple examples (there are still brand choices):
1. Dutchware Chameleon
The gauze can be completely removed, and winter top cloth can be added to enhance windproof and warmth, and there is no directionality of sleeping position in and out of both sides
2. Dream Hammock Sparrow
The gauze can be completely removed, and the winter top cloth can be added to enhance windproof and warmth, and the two sides can enter and exit the sleeping position.
3. Warbonnet Blackbird XLC
The gauze can be completely removed, and the winter top cloth can be added to enhance windproof and warmth, can enter and exit both sides and change the direction of sleeping position
*The basic principle of buying a hammock body is to try to buy a hammock with a length of at least 10 meters. A longer hammock can make the reclining sleeping position more horizontal and comfortable. As for the width of the fabric, the choice of fabric, and the functional requirements, it depends on personal preference.
Suspension system:
With the hammock body, a suspension rope group is also needed to connect the hammock to the tree trunk. Here are four types of suspension ropes.
a. Daisy Chain Straps
Every few inches, there is a sewing rope loop that can be hooked, which is quick and intuitive to use. The disadvantage is that it is heavy and bulky.
b. Whoopie Slings
The wire made of 7/64 or 1/8 amsteel is not as easy to use as other types of suspension rope sets, but can greatly reduce the weight and volume, and needs to be used with tree guards.
c. Cinch Buckle Suspension
If it is not for users who are pursuing extreme light weight, cinch buckle is one of the most ideal suspension options, not only can be adjusted steplessly, but also achieves the maximum utilization of the rope body length.
d. Lightweight flat belt +Becket Hitch knot
Without any hardware, it can be as light as Whoopie Slings (or even lighter)
*Any form of suspension rope set has its advantages and disadvantages, just pick a set that you are used to. Please be sure to use a sling with a width of at least 2.5 cm (do not use round ropes) for the contact part of the suspension rope group with the trunk. The wider the sling, the less likely it is to damage the bark.
2. Sky Screen
Any canopy with a length of 3 to 4 meters can be used as a hammock canopy. The following outlines several types of canopy options.
1. Square canopy
The square canopy (more than 3.5 meters long is preferred) can be supported on one side by trekking poles, tent poles or thick branches picked up on the spot, which is convenient for entry and exit, and can expand the cooking and storage space.
2. Butterfly canopy
Butterfly canopy with different shading area
3. Diamond Sky Screen
Turn the square canopy to erect it to become a diamond canopy, the length increases but the side protection decreases
4. Asymmetric Sky Screen
Use the least amount of fabric to achieve the maximum covered area (commonly found in Hennessy Hammock). This sky curtain must be installed very close to the ridgeline of the hammock to reach the maximum covered area. The installation must match the direction of the hammock’s sleeping posture.
5. House canopy
The head and tail can be closed, the most complete wind and rain protection
In addition to the main body of the canopy, a rope set is required to connect the two trees and hook the canopy. Different knots or various hardware can be used to speed up the installation of the canopy.
3. Warm-keeping equipment
Many friends who experience a hammock overnight without additional warmth protection often wake up in the middle of the night, mistakenly thinking that the sleeping bag is not warm enough. As a sleeping system, the biggest problem faced by the hammock is the insufficient warmth below. Sleeping in a hammock is suspended in the air, and there is constant wind blowing under it to take away the temperature. In addition, the down or chemical fiber sleeping bag is squeezed by the human back and loses its bulk and cannot effectively store temperature. It is accompanied by the so-called Cold Butt Syndrome. Syndrome).
The warmth under the hammock can be roughly divided into two categories:
1. Warm sleeping pad
Foam pads, aluminum foil pads or climbing sleeping pads can help keep warm under the hammock to varying degrees. It is not easy to use a single-layer hammock with a sleeping mat. After all, the hammock is not flat and the sleeping mat often curls and shifts. If you decide to use a warm sleeping pad (a sleeping pad with an R value is preferred) as the lower layer of warmth, it is recommended that you consider the double-layer style (two-layer fabric) when buying a hammock. The interlayer can be inserted into the sleeping pad and is not easy to slide. Although the double-layer hammock is heavier, it also provides better cloth support, load-bearing force and durability.
The interlayer can be stuffed into an inflatable sleeping pad
2. Under Quilt (called diapers) *What is a diaper
Different from the sleeping pad, the diaper is hooked on the outside of the hammock. As long as it is adjusted properly, its covering feeling is very good, and the sleeping feeling is also different from the sleeping pad (depending on personal preference).
A common misconception among novices is that they can spend most of their budget on a hammock, but ignores that thermal equipment is more worth investing in. A lightweight and warm down diaper is even more expensive than a hammock.
Covering the bottom of the body is UQ (diaper)
Sleeping bag v.s blanket (Top Quilt)
Sleeping mats or diapers provide back warmth, and you can use existing sleeping bags or blankets (TQ) for personal warmth
Since sleeping bags can’t provide effective back warmth, you can cover them as blankets most of the time. After all, it’s not easy to get into a sleeping bag in a hammock and close the zipper (anyone who has tried it can experience it). If you have an extra budget, you can also consider buying Top Quilt.
The scope of this article is limited to folding hammocks, and other types of hammocks (ex: amok, bridge hammock, Tentsile tree tents… etc.) will be ignored for the time being. Please feel free to correct me if there are any errors, thank you!
I wish everyone a comfortable sleep and safe hanging.