Hammocks, or tents?

[jhawk]

Hi all,

I'm planning to do a Cross-Canada tour in 2014 and am gearing up for it.

I'm wondering how many of you use camping hammocks, as opposed to tents, when touring. What are your experiences with both? (if you've used both) Which do you prefer? What are the benefits? The downsides?

Which brands make the best? What are they like in terms of price?

Lastly, show me your setup!

Cheers,

Jack.

 

[avalon]

The trouble with a hammock is that you need to find somewhere to hang it, wheras a tent can be pitched almost anywhere.
You could take both, a hammock won't add a lot of weight.

 

[Koga]

Plenty of trees in Canada !

 

[jhawk]

Plenty of trees in Canada !

You beat me to it! Yes, this is true. We've enough trees to last us long after the rest of the World is gone and we can still breathe oxygen!

But yes, there are PLENTY of trees over here.

 

[Bodhbh]

I cycled for a a couple of days with someone heading down the Danube, he was 100% wild camping and using a hammock. Ticks seemed an occupational hazard for him, dunno if that's the rummaging around in the woods every night or the lack of side cover in the hammock itself. He'd had a couple of dozen over 3 weeks or so. Didn't sound like fun! He did have a funny story about putting it up in an electricity pylon tho.

Just mean as an anecdote, sure someone who knows there stuff will be along.

 

[andym]

I must admit I quite like the idea of a hammock for lazing away summer afternoons in, and the weights don't seem outrageous:

http://www.twhammocks.co.uk/Hammocks/Ultralight-Hammocks/Green-Ultralight-Hammock

I think it's a bit like bivvy bags - OK for a high or two in decent weather, but for a longer tour?

I think it comes down to imagining whether you could live in something like this:

when it's absolutely tipping down, and the rain just goes on and on. Only you know whether that's something you'd be comfortable with.

If you have any camping experience you can probably work out some of the practical issues for yourself eg it's really muddy and your shoes are covered in mud: with a tent you'd leave them in the porch, but with a hammock? And then reverse the question, suppose you've left your shoes on the ground in a bag and you wake up in the night needing to pee, and it's tipping down ...

For prices etc you could check out the website for the leading brand: Hennessy Hammock.

 

[jhawk]

I must admit I quite like the idea of a hammock for lazing away summer afternoons in, and the weights don't seem outrageous:

http://www.twhammocks.co.uk/Hammocks/Ultralight-Hammocks/Green-Ultralight-Hammock

I think it's a bit like bivvy bags - OK for a high or two in decent weather, but for a longer tour?

I think it comes down to imagining whether you could live in something like this:

when it's absolutely tipping down, and the rain just goes on and on. Only you know whether that's something you'd be comfortable with.

If you have any camping experience you can probably work out some of the practical issues for yourself eg it's really muddy and your shoes are covered in mud: with a tent you'd leave them in the porch, but with a hammock? And then reverse the question, suppose you've left your shoes on the ground in a bag and you wake up in the night needing to pee, and it's tipping down ...

For prices etc you could check out the website for the leading brand: Hennessy Hammock.

I was looking at the Hennessey, but I also saw the ENO Hammock. Dad'll be getting one, and I might try that out before deciding whether or not to buy one myself, or a Hennessey, or just a regular cycling tent.

Here's the ENO: http://www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com/product/ONLK-DH.html

 

[sheddy]

Jusst keep calm http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/bear-attack.htm

 

[Koga]

I know you have a lot of trees! But would a single roof tent not be easier. When I toured (5 months in New Zealand) I had a nylon one, weight only about 1 kg. It was reasonably water proof and just about fitted all my gear (excluding bike) and myself in it. You would probably want something to sleep on, but a little mattress is very light and space should not be a problem on a bike.

 

[bigjim]

I sleep on my side and struggle in a hammock. I'm also a restless sleeper, so turn over a few times, not ideal in a hammock. At 6'2" I need the longest hammock which puts the weight up. By the time I've got the big hammock plus tarp and sleeping mat [hammocks are colder than tents] and midge net, there is little weight difference between that and a good quality tent.
It also seems to take me a while to set a hammock up correctly.
I can set one of my simple, cheap tents up in about 3 minutes which is pretty ideal for wild camping and it weighs only 800g.

 

[rich p]

You must be nuts! Get a lightweight tent - there are so many advantages over a hammock it would be too time-consuming to list them

 

[Profpointy]

one word - "insects"

 

[Tim Hall]

one word - "insects"

Insects aren't necessarily a problem. My hammock has a built in mozzy net. Finding somewhere to pitch it might be, although I take the OP's point about trees in Canada. Here's my set up:

And from the outside:

 

[jhawk]

Insects aren't necessarily a problem. My hammock has a built in mozzy net. Finding somewhere to pitch it might be, although I take the OP's point about trees in Canada. Here's my set up:

And from the outside:

I envision my set-up being something similar. Do you use a Hennessey, or an ENO? Or another tent?

I guess I'll have to try out both - both the tent and the hammock and see which one I prefer.

 

[Dayvo]

Hammocks sound fun and simple, but, as someone said, if it rains continuously, or you're sick and need to lie low for a few days, then you will struggle.

Sleep/rest is such a major factor on a long bike trip and, IMO, shouldn't be compromised by the desire/need to travel light or cheap.