What Is a Hammock Tent?
A hammock tent is like the ultimate fort for outdoorsy adults who are still kind of kids at heart. I guess you don’t even need to have grown up yet to camp with them, but the point is, they’re really fun!
Hammock tents are lightweight, fun, comfortable, and practical. Let’s be clear though, a hammock tent is a more advanced system than your standard hammock. We’ll cover everything you need to know to select the right hammock tent setup for camping in this guide.
Defining The Hammock Tent
A hammock tent is a hybrid camping system that combines the best features from a hammock and a tent shelter. It is different from a conventional tent since it is suspended between trees like a hammock off of the ground. It is also different from standard hammock camping because the shelter components shield you from the elements. It’s simply camping with shelter in the air, suspended between trees.
Key Components of Hammock Tent Systems
Most hammock tents are designed to be modular. The core of the system is, of course, the hammock along with the suspension system. Next, the mesh or netting to keep the bugs away. Finally, the tarp or rain-cover to shield you from rain, frost, or direct sunlight. You can even go a step further and add insulation with an underquilt. The sum of the hammock, netting, and cover combine to make the integrated system known as the hammock tent. You can look at the Kammok Mantis as an example.
Before you take the old hammock out of the backyard and find a blue tarp in the garage to make a Frankenstein style hammock tent, let’s look at the concept holistically. When it comes to modular setups like this, you really will want a well integrated system. An integrated system involves simplicity of setup, overall size when packed, connectability between components, and overall weight. Imagine how awkward it would be trying to get the old blue tarp from the garage to fit in your pack at the trailhead.
Another segment of the hammock tent category, sometimes referred to as a tree tent, is flat-bottom hammock tents that are suspended between trees. This type of tree tent isn’t as modular as the previously mentioned style that are hammock centric. The Hybrid is an example of a 1-person hammock tent and the Stingray or Connect from Tentsile are examples of multi-person tree tents that are suspended between 3 trees.
Core Benefits of Hammock Tents
Lightweight
Hammock tents are often lighter than conventional tents since they don’t have the added weight of tent poles or tent stakes. When you have to carry your tent to your campsite, being lightweight makes a big difference. This makes this style of camping popular with outdoor activities like hiking, trekking, or hunting.
Location Flexibility
The search for level ground to pitch your tent is no longer a concern for picking your campsite when you have a hammock tent. You just need to find some trees that are within a reasonable proximity. You also don’t have to worry about muddy ground when you will be sleeping cozy above the wet ground
Pro-tip, you can attach one end to a tree and the other end to the roof rack of your vehicle if you’re parking next to camp.
Comfort
You don’t have to worry about a roque rock or root poking you in the back at night when you camp elevated. Plus, let’s be honest, everybody prefers laying in a hammock over laying on the ground. Just sway yourself to sleep.
Design Features of Hammock Tent Systems
There are a lot of considerations to keep in mind, but we’ll stick to the more significant ones for each component of a hammock tent system.
Length
Not all hammocks are the same size. If you’re taller, then you need to make sure that the hammock has enough length. When a hammock is under load, the tension from your suspended weight will cause the ends to squeeze together near your head and feet. Some enthusiasts consider 8 and 1/2 ft (102 in) to be a benchmark for the minimum length. So, for campers taller than 6 ft, you’ll want to add 2 inches to the length of the hammock for every inch of additional body height.
Width
The width of the hammock is another important consideration. Outdoor athletes take “lightweight” seriously. Lightweight hammock tents have less material to reduce weight. This usually results in a narrower hammock. However, when we look outside of the lightweight category, then spacious comfort is a primary goal which results in a wider design. For example, Kammok’s Wallaby is ultralight and compact, while the Roo is more spacious and uses a cozy LunarWave material.
Suspension
The suspension system is what attaches and secures the hammock between two trees. A lot of brands either include the suspension system with the hammock or have an option that easily integrates with the system sold separately. You want to make sure that the hammock suspension system will support your weight, not damage the tree, and not damage the hammock. My personal preference is the daisy chain style suspension with carabiner attachments for simplicity’s sake. For example, the Python suspension system are long daisy chain straps that are easy to set up, they hold up to 500 pounds, and are wide enough to not damage the tree.
Insulation
If you’re worried about the underside of the hammock being exposed to air flow in lower temperatures, then you just need an underquilt. An underquilt is an insulated component of a hammock camping system that covers the outside of the hammock under you. It is like a quilt that attaches to the hammock to cover your backside. For example, the Bobcat or Firebelly camp blankets from Kammok are designed to have an underquilt mode.
Conclusion, Hammock Tent Camping Is Awesome
There you have it MTN fans, everything you need to know about camping with a hammock tent setup. You can browse our preferred products in our online store to learn more. Shop Now