Practical Prepper
Hammocks Are More Than A Summer Swing
When I was a bit younger, I spent an entire summer sleeping in a hammock, and I don’t think I have ever slept better.
Now while hammocks are often seen as a summer staple, to the survivalist a hammock is one of the ultimate quick set shelters for any season.
Hammocks have been in use for hundreds of years, if not more, and for good reason!
In Central and South America, where the hammock is said to have originated, they gained in popularity because of their ability to provide safety from disease transmission, insect stings, or animal bites. By suspending their beds above ground, inhabitants were better protected from snakes, biting ants, and other harmful creatures.
Hammocks were introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus,when he brought several of them back to Spain from islands in the present day Bahamas.
While keeping your butt off the ground and away from all of the creepy crawlies that come out at night is a major benefit to the hammock, it’s not the only one.
When people go camping they tend to pull out their big tent, and spend hours cursing while trying to put them together…( I’ve had first hand experience with this) In fact, the smallest tent that I’ve been able to find is a “scout type tent” that still weighs in at around 3 lbs, and is still quite bulky.
That tent won’t fit inside my pack at all, but I’ve got a nylon hammock that only weighs a couple of ounces and fits in my pocket.
When your on the trail or bugging out, weight is a huge issue, and in my opinion the hammock takes the cake when it comes to shelter..
I’m not the only one that thinks this either.
My buddy Craig Caudill shot a video with his Hennessy Hammock that I think you should check out right now:
Even if you already have a hammock, Craig shows a few tips that can help make your night in the open that much more comfortable.
If you don’t have a hammock, I really think you should grab one.
After watching this video and talking to Craig, I’m planning on replacing my pocket sized hammock with one of these from Hennessy, they are a little more expensive but much more durable.
Check it out, they are offering $23.00 off the normal price and including free shipping
Click here to get yours today.
What do you think, is a hammock the way to go?
The Basics of Hammock Camping
Camping Hammocks | Hammock Tent Review by Dave Canterbury
Backpacking Camping Hammocks Hammock Tent Review
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Marilyn
September 9, 2013 at 12:46 PM
What is the nylon hammock you currently have that fits in your pocket??
emclean
September 11, 2013 at 6:26 PM
I have a Ticket To The Moon hammock that would fit into a cargo pocket, with the straps.
another nice feature is it has a bag attached to it to stuff it into.
Wes McWethy
September 9, 2013 at 1:16 PM
I always used a hammock at Fort Hood after a tarantula spider walked across my hand while I was sleeping on the ground. Not a pleasant thing to wake up to.
In Vietnam, the hammock was a “must” for the jungle on 3 day missions. The lighter hammock are O.K. for a woman or child, but I recommend a heavy duty one (min. 300 lbs. capacity) for men. The weight difference of the heavier duty hammock is not noticable. Add a space blanket for warmth, if needed.
Derek
September 10, 2013 at 9:26 PM
A couple of things about hammocks as shelters, one I recommend getting a mosquito type net to complement it. Two, besides a space blanket or sleeping bag, grab a tarp. Blue works for camping but id look into a camo color, for a BOB, the only issue with those is they reflect light. So a camo net to top is even better.
Now myself, I have a very old, very lightweight tent I carry, its a 2 person model, but the key is the color, its OLD which means its faded, but even better its a dirt brown color. A tent in earthtones is hard to come by. It weights about 3.4lbs, and I carry a simple mummy style sleeping bag, again lightweight, but rated for -20°.
Elise
September 13, 2013 at 6:03 PM
It’s true, hammocks are excellent survival tools that are very often overlooked. Great article.