Discover the world of hammock camping. Ditch your tent and enjoy nights out on the trail at maximum comfort. You'll master everything from strapping your hammock in - to weathering the fiercest of storms.

1. The Ultimate Beginner’s
Guide to Hammock Camping
By Jeff Zhang from Serac Hammocks

2. Table of Contents
Hammocks Vs. Tents 7
How To Get a Flat Lay 10
Staying Warm 14
Bug Nets 19
Bad Weather 23
Straps or Cords? 26
Safety 28
In Case of Emergencies 30
The Wrong Type of Hammock 4
Introduction 1

3. Introduction
The first thing I do when setting camp up is dig out my
hammock. This is always followed by stares while
everyone else is setting up their tents. Sleeping under the
stars in a hammock might seem a little crazy for those
used to sleeping in a tent. The confusion usually leads to
questions. “What about the bears and bugs? Aren’t you
going to be cold? Won’t that hurt your back?
For me, sleeping in a hammock not only feels great for
my back, but the benefits outweigh the being in a tent.
Hammocks have been used as traditional bedding for
thousands of years. But just now, they’re starting to gain
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4. ground in modern sleep science. The indigenous people
of Latin America have long embraced the use of
hammocks. Even to this day, some people grow up
sleeping in a hammock every night. The Navy also
replaced their cots with hammocks shortly after
Europeans discovered them in South America. Sailors
spent months at a time aboard sea vessels where each man
was assigned a hammock.
If all throughout history people have relied on hammocks,
why is it that campers and hikers are hesitant to camp in
one?
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5. The negative ideas you have about long-term
hammocking might stem from a few bad experiences
with the typical backyard hammock. We’ll explore the
myths about hammocking and how to get you started
camping in a hammock.
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6. The Wrong Type of
Hammock
When most people think of hammocks, they immediately
picture a Pawley’s Island rope hammock. Or maybe they
imagine of a heavy canvas hammock set up in the
backyard. The hammocks are widespread but so different
than the traditional Latin American hammocks. This
popular hammock is actually quite uncomfortable for
sleeping longer than a minute in. Besides the
uncomfortable fabric, rope hammocks have a incorrectly
implemented spreader bar.
But why are spreader bars bad? It might seems like a good
idea to spread open the hammock and create a flatter
appearance. By spreading open the hammock, it appears
to be a more inviting surface. But these spreaders created
many unnecessary problems. For one, the spreader bars
disrupt the natural center of gravity on the hammock.
Spreaders cause the weight to distribute unevenly. You
may have experienced the unbalanced shaking while
getting into these hammocks. Or have even been a victim
to sudden flips when you make the wrong move. Many
people new to hammock camping recall experiences with
these poorly designed hammocks. They end up
associating all the negative experiences of rope hammocks
with all hammocks.
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7. Not only do spreader bars cause hammocks to flip over,
the poor implementation of them makes them
uncomfortable. The wooden bars at both ends prevents
your weight from collecting at a lowest point. Pressure
points develop from the unnatural weight distribution.
The uneven tension on the ropes can also make your back
sag in strange ways, leading to back pain.
That’s not to say that all spreader bars are bad. Some
companies have designed camping hammocks with well
positioned spreader bars. They’re known as bridge
hammocks. They differ from the rope hammocks in a few
important details. Your typical backyard hammock
spreads the entire hammock fabric. While bridge
hammocks only spread a part of the material open. The
picture on the next page shows a Warbonnet
Rope hammock about to flip over. Photo courtesy of youtube.com
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8. Rope hammock about to flip over. Photo courtesy of youtube.com
Ridgerunner hammock with spreader bars. Notice how it
keeps a natural sag (we’ll get deeper into this later). This
reduces the awkward center of gravity from a backyard
spreader bar hammocks.
Rope hammocks are just one of many styles of hammocks.
But there are many options out there that provide a
superior night’s sleep. Besides the bridge hammock, there
are gathered end, and bed hammocks. Gathered end
hammocks have each end tied together to a point. The
camper lies along the horizontal plane of the hammock.
Bed hammocks are designed so that you lie perpendicular
to the plane of the hammock instead. We’ll be walking
through the more popular gathered end hammock. Let’s
first weigh the pros and cons of hammocks.
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9. Hammocks Vs. Tents
If you’ve gone camping before, you’ve probably spent
some time in a tent. While tents are great, they do have a
few drawbacks. Some people find it uncomfortable to
sleep on the ground without a large inflatable mattress
which isn’t very practical to bring if you are camping as
you hike. Other people don’t like looking for the perfect
campsite that has a flat area for the tent while also being
away from potential rain runoff. Modern tents are very
intuitive to set up, but many people still don’t enjoy
fumbling with poles and keeping track of where to stake
the tent down. Tents are also a bit heavy and bulky, unless
you are willing to spend a lot of money on a premium
backpacking version. Additionally, while tents provide
great protection from the elements, they also confine you
within its walls instead of letting you experience the full
majesty of the outdoors.
Hammocks have numerous advantages over tents when it
comes to camping:
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10. • Since they are suspended in the air, they are much
more comfortable to lie in than most sleeping pads on the
ground.
• With accessories, a hammock can provide as much
protection from the elements as a tent.
• Hammocks are lightweight and portable. There’s no
tents or stakes involved in the set up. Even a full set up
(mosquito net, rainfly, hammock and suspension system)
will weigh less than most tents.
• For a tent of comparable lightness and portability, a
hammock setup is much cheaper.
• It’s much quicker to setup and easier to find two
trees than to find a suitable spot for a tent.
• Fall asleep in the open air instead of being confined
to a stuffy tent. There’s nothing like counting stars until
you fall asleep.
But that’s not to say that hammocks don’t have disadvantages
compared to ground shelters:
• Hammocks are most comfortable when used by a
single person. Double hammocks exist, but they’re not
usually meant for 2 people.
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11. • If you hike with your dog, Fido will have nowhere
to sleep except on the ground.
• There’s not as much privacy if you’re camping in a
busy campground. It can be tricky changing your clothes
from inside your hammock
• It’s harder to find a place for your gear and back.
Especially when it rains. It can go under your hammock,
but the ground might still get wet.
• You’re completely reliant on trees. No trees means
no hammocking. Stick to a tent if you’re heading into the
alpine zone.
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12. How to Get a Flat Lay
Now that you’ve sorted through the myths and
misconceptions, you’re eager to try hammock
camping. But you still have a few doubts. How can
sleeping in such a curvy cradle be comfortable? That
looks painful for my back…
Soon, you’ll see that, in fact, you can comfortably
sleep in a hanging bed the shape of a banana.
When setting up the hammock, the first mistake
many people make is to hang it up too tight. The
logic is simple to understand: if I hang the hammock
tighter, it’ll be flatter and more bed-like. But, that
logic doesn’t work in practice! What’ll actually
happen when you get into a tight hammock is:
• Your body weight pulls the hammock in even
tighter and the sides will cocoon around you.
• The two sides will rise above your head and
become huge claustrophobic walls.
• The walls will pull on both sides of you and
force you stay still while the hammock squeezes
your shoulders.
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13. Photo originally posted by Derek Hansen of theultimatehang.com
• The extra tension on the hammock increases
the chances of damage to both the hammock and
the trees.
Instead, resist the urge to keep the hammock taut, and
loosen it all up. Give your hammock a good amount of
slack to work with. Take advantage of the loose material
to stretch out and use the full width of the hammock. By
lying at an angle, you can get a flat lay even when your
hammock looks like a loose curvy sling.
Get your hammock set up with plenty of slack. It’s
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14. Illustration by Derek Hansen of theultimatehang.com
important to lie at an angle to get comfortable. All you
are doing is shifting your body from the midline of the
hammock 30 degrees so that you are lying at a diagonal.
What you’ll notice is that the center of the hammock is
the tightest, while the sides remain loose. By adjusting the
angle of your body, you’ll be cutting across the curve of
the hammock. The hammock will flatten out underneath
you and give you a flat lay without pressure points. Your
neck and feet will maintain a slight elevation and the
hammock will conform to your back.
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15. When lying at an angle, you’re not restricted to only
sleeping on your back. You can move around into all
sorts of positions. Just find one that you are most
comfortable with. I prefer to sleep on my side and I can
comfortably sleep in that position when I angle my body.
Since it’s almost impossible to flip in a well designed
hammock, feel free to toss and turn as much as you want.
Now that you know how to lie down in the hammock,
the next step is to make sure you can stay warm! Most
people associate tropical beaches and warm sunshine with
hammocks. Unfortunately for the backpacker, chilly
nights and an icy butt are much more common.
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16. Staying Warm

17. Unless you’re camping out in the hot tropical rainforests,
you’ll need a way to stay warm. The traditional sleeping
bag and sleeping pad combo works just as well suspended
in the air. But why do I need a sleeping pad? Since I’m
not on the ground, shouldn’t my sleeping bag be enough?
That is not the case! The breathable fabric of a camping
hammock that is so comfortable in the summer heat, also
allows for the cold night air to pass through just as easily.
A sleeping bag will cover your top insulation, but it is less
effective underneath . A cheap foam pad can go a long
way oftentimes. An inflatable pad can also work well in a
hammock.
The best kind are styles that are designed to fit inside the
sleeping bag such as the Kylmit Inertia X Frame. One of
the biggest annoyances when trying to use a sleeping pad
with a hammock is staying on top of the pad. It’s easy to
shift your weight and move the sleeping pad from out
underneath you. Some hammocks feature two layers to
hold sleeping pads in place. Other hammockers like to
stuff their pad inside their sleeping bag as long as it fits.
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Hammock with foam sleeping pad and sleeping bag. Photo uploaded to
instructables.com by user larslovespeace

18. A problem that may arise from using a sleeping pad in a
hammock is that the pad may be too narrow for your
shoulders. Depending on the slack of your setup, the
sides of the hammock may give your shoulders a slight
squeeze. Even if it’s slight, it can compress your sleeping
bag in that area. This will reduce the amount of insulation
around your shoulders. Luckily there are a couple easy
solutions for this. You can stuff your extra clothes along
your sides to give you some extra protection. You can
also buy specially designed sleeping pads for hammocks
that feature “wings” on both sides. The “wings’ add
insulation for your shoulders and arms when in a
hammock. You can also modify your foam pad to make
your own “wings”. Just cut two pieces off a cheap foam
pad and attach it to your main pad with some duct tape.
One thing to keep in mind though is that sleep pads are
vapor barriers. Vapor barriers can cause condensation on
your hammock or sleeping bag throughout the night.
Any moisture that passes through the sleeping bag will
become trapped by the pad. The moisture condensates,
reducing the loft and insulation of your sleeping bag by
morning. This is why some people wake up feeling cold
even though they felt toasty in the middle of the night.
For the seasoned hammock camper, the ultimate form of
insulation comes from an under quilt-top quilt combo.
Under quilts provide an insulating layer beneath your
hammock that you hang on the outer layer. Since the
under quilt is on the outside, it can expand and provide a
ton of insulating surface area. And it won’t compress
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19. when you lay in your hammock. The camper then uses
the top quilt as a blanket while the under quilt keeps his
bottom warm. When used together, a top quilt and under
quilt function like a sleeping bag around the whole
hammock. The only downside is the high price tag
attached to purchasing a top quilt and an under quilt.
Though down quilts are superior in many respects, there
are also synthetic versions available. Like sleeping bags,
these share the same advantages and disadvantages.
Synthetic loft quilts are cheaper than their down
counterparts. Unfortunately they are also heavier and do
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20. not compress as well. One advantage is that synthetic
materials are resistant to the delofting effects of moisture.
They keep their insulating properties even when wet.
This is not true for down which ends up being
completely useless if it absorbs too much water. A
synthetic under quilt will cost more than a foam pad, but
it can be cheap enough for budget campers. Keep in mind
that quilts can only be used with a hammock. If for
whatever reason, you end up sleeping on the ground,
only a pad will provide your insulation!
Quilts are ideal for the hammock camper, but new
hammockers might not want to break the bank.
Fortunately, are a couple tricks to get great insulation
without buying a new quilt.
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21. Bug Nets

22. Another common complaint from tent campers is the
insect problem that comes with any open air camping. A
tent protects you from biting buggers as long as you’re
not leaving the door open. But most hammocks will leave
you completely exposed to mosquitoes. Fear not! Many
options exist for you to protect yourself from biting
insects. Many bug nets are designed specifically for a
hammock. They’ll give you complete 360 degree
protection.
There are different options for bug nets when
hammocking. Nets designed for hammocks are set up by
stringing the hammock through the two open ends. The
open ends are tightened once the hammock is inside. The
net is then attached to a ridgeline with loops located at the
top of the net. These mosquito nets have a zipper or
velcro opening to allow you to get in and out. You can
also use an all purpose mosquito net and drape it over a
ridgeline above your hammock. Then just let the sides fall
to the ground or tie them together once you’re in your
hammock.
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Full hammock set ups complete with tarp and mosquito net for full
protection. Photo by talesofthetrails.co

23. Sometimes the best defense is to avoid camping near hubs
of mosquito activity. Stay away from camping near large
pools of stagnant water where mosquitoes breed. The
shore of that crystal clear lake might seem like a great
campsite, but it’s also mosquito heaven. Just moving a
few hundred feet away from the edge of the lake can
reduce the amount of mosquito activity.
Many hammocks come with built in mosquito nets for
people that camp in heavy mosquito areas. While these
hammocks can prevent insects from getting in, persistent
buggers will bite you through the fabric. That’s where the
dual layered hammock comes in handy again! You’ll have
extra protection from bug bites.
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Hammocks with a built-in mosquito net covering the top half. Photo by
Melissa Nickerson

24. Permethrin is a common pesticide used to treat mosquito
nets to act as an extra level of protection. Most mosquito
nets will let you know ahead of time if they’ve been
treated. If you are unsure if you’re hammock has been
treated, don’t be shy about giving yourself a liberal dose
of regular insect repellent before you head to sleep.
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25. Bad Weather
Just because a hammock is best enjoyed in sunny weather,
it doesn’t mean that you can’t use them in all weather
conditions. Bring a rain fly and you can beat the weather.
Relax in your hammock while you enjoy the pitter patter
of raindrops on your lightweight roof.
Rainflys come in many different shapes and materials.
Almost any kind of tarp can turn into a sturdy shelter to
protect your hammock from the elements. But there are
several rainflys out there that are specifically designed for
hammocking. These have some hammock specific
features to differentiate them from a standard ultralight
tarp. These rainflys are made with silnylon, a strong
waterproof material. Silnylon is much lighter than the
standard blue plastic tarp but just as effective of a shelter.
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26. These rainflys can be set up by creating a ridgeline above
your hammock to suspend the tarp. The tarp is draped
over the ridgeline. It is then tied in place with either some
cord or a hook to keep the fly taught on both ends.
Guylines pull the sides of the fly down and keep them in
place. Just like a tent. Depending on the weather
conditions, you can adjust the tarp accordingly. Keep it
more open when there’s a light drizzle or pull the sides in
if you’re facing a massive squall.
While silnylon is superior, any kind of tarp will work to
create an effective shelter from the rain. The plastic blue
tarps can make a variety of effective shelters for your
hammock. They are also durable and cost only a fraction
of a silnylon fly. The downside of these tarps is the bulk
and weight, making them less than ideal for ultralight
packs.
So you’ve decided to stick with your hammock even
through the thickest of storms. Don’t fret, there are
shelters designed to encase your hammock on all sides –
complete with zippable doors. These extreme shelter
systems will convert your hammock into a floating
fortress. You’re now protected from anything the clouds
are going to throw at you (just as long you’re not
hammocking on the tallest tree in a lightning storm).
Essentially, your shelter becomes a suspended tent. You’ll
have the comfort of sleeping in your hammock with the
complete protection of a tent. But these fully enclosed
shelters are restricted to a single hammock. If you are
trekking with a group, each person will need their own
24

27. fortress. In lighter rain, a single rainfly can provide
enough coverage to protect 2 or even 3 hammocks. With
a large tarp, you and your friends can hang together while
waiting for the bad weather to pass.
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Floating fortress hammock. Photo by Dolly Sod

28. Straps or Cords?

29. Another common source of confusion is attaching the
hammock to the trees. Many hammocks come with a set
of paracord or some other type of rope as their
“suspension system”. Using a bare rope on the tree will
dig into the bark of the tree. This damages the bark and
causes stress on the tree. To avoid this, always use some
form of webbing or tree straps when setting up the
hammock. The width of the tree straps spreads the weight
across a larger surface area. Remember that you’re using a
living tree to get that perfect hang. Do it a favor and don’t
cause unnecessary damage with cords and rope!
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30. Safety
Like any activity outdoors, be aware of your own safety
when hammocking. Before you set up your hammock,
check your gear. Make sure there are no defects or signs
of significant wear on the hammock or the suspension.
When you choose a hammock spot, make sure you pick
sturdy trees that can bear your weight. Avoid saplings as
they will bend and stay away from dead trees because they
can snap under the load. The ideal tree should be at least
thick enough that you aren’t able to completely wrap
your hands around the trunk.
Another thing to look for are widowmakers. Named for
their potential to seriously injure the unaware. Make sure
you’re not hammocking underneath sections of dead
branches. This is especially important if you are camping
in the winter where ice and snow can accumulate on
branches above. The increased weight can be just enough
to send the heavy branch falling on top of you.
When you think you’ve found a good spot, keep an eye
out for any hazards that may be on the ground in case of a
fall. While falls are unlikely, it’s not always a great idea to
make a habit out of hanging above sharp rocks. It might
look cool to hang your hammock high off the ground,
but it doesn’t make a lot of practical sense. Hanging a foot
off the ground is just as comfortable as hanging five feet
off the ground. A good rule to follow is to always hang as
high as you’re willing to fall.
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31. A prime example of hanging higher than you’re willing to fall. Photo by
Sebastian Wahlhuetter
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32. In Case of Emergencies
Having a hammock is not just great for relaxing and
getting a great night’s sleep. The bright colors and large
fabric makes the hammock a perfect item to have in the
worst case scenario. If you ever find yourself lost, the eye-
catching colors of a hammock can be an excellent flag to
signal rescue crews. The large surface area allows the
hammock to catch the wind and let’s you fly a bright,
visible flag.
If you damage your sleeping bag, or end up lost without
one, create an emergency sleeping bag with your
hammock. Fill your hammock with grass, moss, pine
needles. The hammock will keep these in place while you
wrap yourself inside.
Your hammock can also collect rainwater for you if you
don’t have a water source. Set up the hammock and place
a rock in the center. When it rains, the water will flow to
the lowest point of the hammock – where your rock is.
Place a water bottle under the hammock and catch the
rainwater.
When you’re lost, you might find yourself stranded in a
place where there are no trees for your hammock. In this
case, your hammock can be your impromptu bivvy and
provide some protection from the elements. Crawl into
the hammock on the ground and wrap the sides around
you. This might not be the most comfortable, but it’s
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33. better than no protection.
You can also tie your hammock into a makeshift
backpack to carry any survival items you come across.
Your tree straps are also useful to have. Use them to fasten
branches together into an emergency raft. The large
hammock can form a makeshift sail to increase how far
your raft can take you. Get creative, there’s unlimited
ways to put your hammock to use.
And that’s all there is to it! With this, we’ve busted
through some of the common myths about hammock
camping. If you think you’ve got the hang of it – here’s 4
hammocking hacks you won’t want to miss.
If there’s someone you’d like to get hanging, share our
blog post!
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34. Additional Resources
Sign up for our email list for tons of other great content to inspire and
learn more about backpacking.
Check out www.tothewoods.com for more info on hammocking.
Visit Shug on youtube for everything hammocks.
Join the excellent hammocking community at
www.hammockforums.com