How To Hang A Camping Hammock?

Thomas Smith April 20, 2021 99 0

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Learning how to hang a camping hammock won’t go to waste, as you can hang hammocks during camping or hang out in the woods. Knowing how to hang a camping hammock looks cool among your circle as well.

Hanging Hammock is relatively easy as most of them come with basic setup instructions. You can set up the hammock by applying a few general guidelines along with picking a place to hang.

Hammocks are a minimum impact shelter that requires no ground clearing or staking. It uses a tree-friendly suspension system to provide eco-friendly ways to relax outside.

People who know how to hang a hammock follow three steps:

Pick the right place to set up your hammock:

You need to set your hammock away from the water resources and choose an established site with no vegetation that can’t be damaged. Also, check the surrounding of the hammock for any object that might injure you.

Pick a strong tree and use wide straps:

You need to choose a healthy tree with a thick trunk and no dead branches having a harboring creature to disturb you.

Place your hammock at right angle and height:

The ground and the hammock distance should have a 30-degree angle. And it should not be more than 18 inches off the ground.

About Hammock Camping

Hammock camping is a form of outdoor activity where campers sleep in a sling that is tied around the trees. It requires no pole and has less material than a tent making it light.

Due to reduced weight, it takes up less space in your backpack as well. During bad weather conditions, you can suspend a tarp above the hammock and keep the rain off.

The hammock is often used by campers looking for protection for the ground insects and lightweight materials. Sleeping in a hammock is way cozier than on a sleeping pad on the ground.

Hammock attaches to the tree via removable tree huggers without damaging the bark. The hikers and camper follow the Leave No Trace camping principle, a set of outdoor ethics that promotes outdoor conservation.

How to hang a camping hammock?

There is nothing as the only or the best way to hang a camping hammock. So, we have mentioned some pointers on how to hang a camping hammock. But it is not the only option on how to hang a camping hammock.

Step 1: Choose Your Anchors

Firstly you choose two healthy trees that are about 12 to 15 feet apart from each other.

Step 2: Secure the straps to the hang points

You will use Tree saver straps also known as webbing because it helps reduce stress and strains on trees. They are more eco-friendly than thin cord or zip ties. The hang points should be about 6 feet up the tree, but you can set them according to your anchor.

Step 3: Attach the hammock rope and webbing.

Now you attach the rope end from your hammock to the webbing using hardware similar to a carabiner or knot for the third step.

Step 4: Fine-Tune your hang

Ideally, you should aim for a 30-degree angle hang for your hammock, which is about the height of a chair when you sit in it. The sitting height should be about 1.5 feet off the ground, so you need to adjust the size.

Step 5: Bring in the Tarp

After setting the hammock, you now need to add protection from the outside elements. Thus, tarps are a great way of keeping out rain, cold, and wind. You run a line over the top of the hammock; it is where you clip the center of the tarp.

You need to stake the fly’s side on the ground or secure it by tieing to other trees. Most of the traps need three connection points, but how you set them solely depends on the fly style.

Step 6: Insulate underneath

Hammocks are great for hot and humid weather. But when the temperature drops below 70-degree Fahrenheit, the heat loss starts to kick in, leading to CBS (cold butt syndrome).

During this time, you need a self-inflating sleeping pad or closed-cell foam under the quilts. You can use one or more to keep you warm, depending on your preference.

Step 7: Add Drip Lines

Just imagine, after all the hard work you have done to set up the gears, only for the water to run down the ropes. Thus, adding drip lines are essential while hanging a camping hammock.

So, to prevent water from entering your hammock, you need to tie a short piece of rope around your lines. It stops the rain from trickling into your hammock.

Where can you hang the camping hammock?

The principles of good rural area stewardship apply whether it is a day or overnight hammocking. Some of the good rules you should follow are:

Consult with local land managers whether the area allows hammocks or not:

You should check with the land managers just to be sure the place permits hammocks. It‘s so because many businesses do not allow people to hang hammocks. So, if more people use camping hammocks responsibly, it will encourage the parks to prohibit them.

Set your hammock at least 200 feet away from the water source:

Posting a photo of the hammock hanging near the stream or beautiful lake looks tempting, but the riparian habitat and shoreline are fragile. It gets damaged too often, making it not the right place to set your camp during the night. Thus, it is nice to find a suitable spot not too close to the water.

Examine your tree before hanging a camping hammock:

You should examine the tree you have chosen for hanging the hammock. Like is the tree surrounded by any sensitive plants. Or is the area covered by any hazardous, poisonous plants or insect nests. So, you should select established sites that have little to no vegetation without trampling anything.

Don’t set your hammock on the pathway:

You should never set a hammock in the middle of the trails that people or animals still use. There are high chances of possible risks for both. So, always examine your surroundings whether the path leads to water sources or not, even if you can’t see a well-worn path. Also, it is a good practice to take down your hammock if you are going away for the day to ensure the safety of wandering animals and small children.

Pick the right tree and straps to support the hammock.

The required distance between the trees to hang a hammock depend on its length and design. You will learn about the necessary space and some additional consideration after a few setups.

Don’t hang the hammock on an unhealthy tree or dead branches:

Hanging camping hammocks on dead branches or unhealthy trees can injure you. It can also damage the ecosystem if the tree or its limb were to fall. So, always look for robust rees that are at least six inches in diameter.

Use tree saver straps:

Never use a hammer, screw, zip cord, or wire to hang a hammock on the tree. You should also not use rope or cord to hang hammocks as they can dig in and damage the vital layers necessary for the tree’s survival. Instead, you can use the 0.75” or broader polyester/nylon webbing strap as they guard the bark against abrasion.

Two trees, one hammock

When traveling in large groups, spread out multiple hammocks per person and always use different trees to reduce strain. Also, scatter the group to reduce the chances of impact. We know the hammock’s stacked photos look intriguing, but this setup puts pressure on the trees, causing a fall risk for the upper person.

Best angle and height to hang your hammock

You don’t need to pack a protractor and measure tape when we say best angle and height. The tips given below should work for almost any hammock. But it can differ from the hammock setup instruction, so you can choose anything that feels comfortable and works fine.

A 30-degree angle distance between the strap and the ground:

Pulling the hammock as taut as possible is tempting as it creates a flatter sleeping platform. But this can create tension on the sides, making the sleeping place a little constricting.

No more than 18” off the ground:

You shouldn’t hang the hammock more than 18” off the ground as it can be hard for you to crawl in and out of there. Less than or equal to 18” is easy and comfortable, leading to no severe injury.

Sleep at a slight angle:

Sleeping at a slight angle solves the problem of an uncomfortable back bow. You should angle your body 10 to 15 degrees away from the centerline after crawling in. Your body should lie in a more horizontal state.

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Final say

It is not very hard to figure out how to hang a camping hammock. If you follow the above advice given in this article, you will be hanging hammocks in no time. We can’t possibly cover every aspect, but we have mentioned the necessary points for you.