Hammocks aren’t just for relaxing on the beach or in the backyard. Hammocks can be a useful piece of gear for camping or survival. But they aren’t without their shortcomings, here is a short list of some of the benefits and drawbacks of hammocks for camping and survival.
Benefits
- You don’t need to have level ground to get a good night’s sleep. Hammocks are a great way camping on steep slopes.
- You don’t have any poles to break or bend like tent. When a hammock is packed away it is virtually indestructible unless your pack that it is in gets destroyed.
- With a tarp stretched over it on a ridge line, a hammock will keep you completely dry even in the wettest of conditions.
- Leaving the ground will offer you an added level of protection from things like scorpions, snakes, and some bugs. Some hammocks have a tube of bug netting that covers them which will keep out the rest.
Drawbacks
- While you don’t need flat ground, you will need trees or other strong upright points to anchor your hammock to. They aren’t very practical for the desert or above the tree line.
- Most camping hammocks are only made to hold one person, and even those that are designed for two people aren’t very comfortable because of the tendency for both people to roll to the center.
- Hammocks can be cold, especially in windy conditions.
- Sometimes, especially in bad weather, it’s just nice to sit for a while. This can be difficult in a hammock compared to a tent.
If you have never camped with a hammock, I would recommend trying it, but I wouldn’t get rid of your tent just yet.
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