Had to pick between a hammock and a tent for a solo trip up in Maine

I was heading out to Baxter State Park last month and my car was already packed tight. I stood in my garage staring at my old tent and my new hammock for a good 10 minutes. Went with the hammock because I figured it'd save space. First night was great until a squirrel started dropping pine cones on me around 3 AM. Second night it got down to 45 degrees and I learned the hard way I need an underquilt. Has anyone else switched to hammock camping and regretted it on a cold night?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_wendy1mo ago

Jumped into hammock camping last year and honestly it's a love hate thing. The cold nights are brutal if you don't have the right gear, but the real reason I stick with it is because it forces you to actually think about where you're setting up. Most people just plop a tent down anywhere and call it a day, but with a hammock you gotta scout trees, check the wind, and figure out your angle. It's like that thing in life where you think you're picking the easier option but it actually makes you work harder in different ways. Like swapping a desk job for a standing desk - you think it's a simple swap but suddenly your back hurts and you're rearranging your whole routine. Underquilt is non negotiable though, learn from my mistake and just get one before your next trip.

paulc931mo ago

The standing desk comparison is actually pretty spot on. But here's what I gotta ask - how many trips did it take you before you actually dialed in that whole tree scouting and wind check routine? Because I'm three trips deep and still feel like I'm just guessing half the time. Tried setting up between two massive pines last weekend and the wind tunnel effect was brutal. Kept waking up thinking the trees were gonna snap. You got a specific system for reading the terrain or you just go by feel at this point?