Hammocks are mainly used for rest and relaxation and they have been in great demand lately. No wonder - they offer high-quality rest at an affordable price. However, there is one big BUT. You must know how to handle a hammock. And we will try to help you with this.
A hammock has a number of great benefits. It is above all a very affordable product, which guarantees maximum possible rest when used correctly. Really. Hammock offers better rest than a tent. No doubt about it. Storage is also very good. It does not take as much space as sleeping bag and tent. Moreover, hammock is much lighter and you are also closer to the nature.
Simply, the advantages prevail. But there is always something, isn´t it ? In this case, we need to know how to use the hammock. But when you know it, nothing is stopping you to enjoy great outdoor stay. So how to do it ? You will find answer in this article.
Preparing your campsite
Don't go on a hike unless your hammock is properly tried and tested. There is nothing worse than struggling with an untested hammock half an hour before sunset. Before you go, try it first ( fixing between two trees as well as resting itself).
Try also its packing, to make sure it does not take much of a space in your backpack. But what you definitely must not forget are the knots with which you can fasten the hammock between the trees. Knots must be strong and reliable. You never know when you will have to use them, so it won't hurt to learn some.
Organize your campsite
Organize your bivouac carefully so it is packable at any time. Even when it takes a longer preparation time. Let's go back to the knots. Learn knots that you can untie with one stroke. You will see that you save a lot of time.
You can store your luggages directly under the hammock, where they will be protected especially from the rain. Place the backpack with the front side to the ground. If we do it the other way around, the carrying part could stain our clothes. If the ground is wet, we have no choice but to tie the backpack to the nearest tree.
The shoes can be stored in similar way. Simply put them with the inner part on two sticks that are firmly in the ground. This way dirt and small animals do not get inside your shoes and they are also protected from rain.
The use of hammock
If you sleep outside tropical areas, then we always recommend additional thermal insulation. You can use a sleeping pad as insulation (standard mat, inflatable or self-inflating mats). You will then put your sleeping mat inside of your hammock. This method, however, has its disadvantages. If you move while sleeping, chances are you will roll the mat completely.
The best method, that protects you from the cold, wind and rain is the use of special hammock underquilt.
What about clothes ?
A hammock is not a tent where you can store clothes that will be dry the next day. Here we need to improvise a little. The best way how to keep your clothes dry and clean is to keep them inside the hammock. Thanks to the radiated human heat, the folded clothes will not freeze or get wet. And vice versa - your clothes prevents the escape of body heat.
How to get into your hammock with a sleeping bag ?
This was a problem for everyone at first, but with practice it will become routine.
There are three proven methods.
- spread the open sleeping bag with the zipper up in the middle of the hammock and move it slightly towards the head. When you sit in the hammock, immediately choose the position where your hips will be during sleep, then just lie down and zip the sleeping bag.
- the second method (dry conditions only) : stand next to the hammock, climb into the sleeping bag up to the waist (your hands are free), then sit and lie down in the hammock and close the sleeping bag all the way.
- lay down in the hammock and use the sleeping bag as a blanket and cover yourself with it from the top. It is important that its bottom is fixed to the knee height – first put your feet and lower legs in the sleeping bag, then just cover yourself with it. For better insulation, it is worth "rolling" the sides of the sleeping bag under the hips and shoulders.
Sleeping in a hammock requires a certain amount of patience. At least at the beginning. With practice, however, everything becomes routine and you will see that you will never change the hammock for a tent again...
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- Ondřej Krotil
- This explorer and a criminalistic book author was born at the foothills of Giant Mountains. His biggest hobbies include mysteries, history, criminalistics and much more. Ondřej is currently working on such cases as unsolved murders, unexplained suicides, kidnappings or mysterious disappearances. He had been cooperating with Czech and Slovak media as an investigative reporter. Ondřej would like to make good use of his knowledge in the field of literature.
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