• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

TotalHiker

Your Hiking Guide

  • Apparel
  • Gear
  • Hikes
  • Info
Total Hiker > Wilderness Backpacking > Hammocks > Benefits of Using a Camping Hammock Over a Tent

Benefits of Using a Camping Hammock Over a Tent

A hiking hammock is incredibly lightweight, compact, comes with a mosquito or rain fly net, and a great alternative to the more traditional tent.

Plus, the possible sites to set up the versatile hammock are far greater.

Here are eight benefits of using the camping and hiking hammock:

Bad weather

I am sure you have woken up to find your tent is sodden from overnight rain – it is not a pleasant experience!

Because hammocks are above ground, the water falls off them and does not pool under your tent.

Hammocks with a rainfly are great at avoiding pools of water that soon appear after a short spell of torrential rain and you will not generally find a big pool of water right outside the door either!

Better Sleep

Getting a great night’s sleep while out in the wilderness is certain to mean you are in a better position to continue hiking in the morning.

Hammocks are designed to give the proper sleeping position: laying flat on the back and head slightly elevated.

This has the benefit of providing unobstructed breathing and the most efficient blood circulation to the brain. Plus, the hiking hammock is a practical choice for those with pre-existing joint or back pain.

Rest

As well as sleeping, the hiking hammock can double up as both a lounge chair and sleeping solution. So, for those stopping on the trails to cook a meal, rest up, or similar, the hammock is able to provide a perfect place to lounge around.

Plus, hammocks provide a relaxing rhythm to make it more comfortable to rest and sleep.

  How to Hammock Responsibly

Loss of heat

You will be surprised how cold it feels at night, even in jungles, as your body cools when you sleep.

So regardless of whether you sleep in a tent or a hammock, you will find you need some kind of mat to insulate yourself from the ground or the air.

Now theoretically the earth is a better insulator than the air, so a tent should be warmer. However, when you go to sleep on a mat in a tent, I tend to find I roll off it all too easily or it slides out.

This can be a problem with some hammocks, but many are equipped with a second skin that holds the pad in place ensuring it is effective all night.

If you find you are still cold, these second skins allow you to put any spare items of clothing under the pad to further insulate, which you cannot do in a tent.

It is for this reason that if I am going anywhere even close to cold, I make sure I have a double-skinned hammock!

Easy to Pitch/Suspend

A significant benefit of sleeping in a hammock as opposed to a tent is the increased flexibility of where to stop.

Hammocks do not need flat ground or pegs to set them up. As long as you can find somewhere to suspend them, they provide better flexibility in relation to where it can be pitched for the night.

Plus, the hammock is more effective at being low-impact and will not compress the forest floor unlike laying down a tarp or pitching a tent.

No pressure points

Sleeping on the solid floor means the body’s weight goes through a relatively small number of contact points which can mean a lot of discomforts. Plus, the quality of sleep is less with constant tossing and turning.

  Pros and Cons of Tents vs Hammocks vs Bivvys vs Tarps for Hiking

Even though the latest hiking and camping mattresses will alleviate most of the discomfort, the hammock is the only guarantee to provide no pressure points for a great night’s sleep.

Weight

Weight and volume of hiking gear are a serious issue when it comes to packing the day-pack or backpack.

For those on a multi-day hike, the weight of a hammock is significantly less than a tent with no mattress or poles to be concerned with.

A dedicated hiking hammock can weigh 500-600 grams and collapses to a size similar to a bag of sugar.

Wildlife

Use a hiking hammock to get extra protection from the crawling insects on the ground.

A hammock, mosquito net, and tarp combination give plenty of protection for all sorts of insects and animals common in the wilderness.

Plus, being up off the ground means extra safety from dangerous spiders or snakes. It is worth noting that every state except Alaska has at least one venomous snake!

Summary

Modern camping hammocks are lightweight, easy to hang, weatherproof, and leave a much smaller footprint than tents. They do take a slight adjustment if you are used to tents, but I find them much more comfortable and easy to use for hiking.

Matt Green

Matt Green, is an avid hiker and lover of the great outdoors. He is always planning his next big trip or hitting the trails for a solo hike.

He’s traveled extensively to many remote regions and has plenty of experience exploring various terrains, and stories to tell.

Contents

  • 1 Bad weather
  • 2 Better Sleep
  • 3 Rest
  • 4 Loss of heat
  • 5 Easy to Pitch/Suspend
  • 6 No pressure points
  • 7 Weight
  • 8 Wildlife
  • 9 Summary
  What is the Best Camping Hammock Tent for Hiking and Backpacking?

May 22, 2021

Primary Sidebar

Footer

  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • About Total Hiker
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • Sitemap

Copyright © 2025 Total Hiker

Affiliate Disclosure

We believe in being as transparent as possible when it comes to this site. With this in mind, please be aware that we may receive remuneration for some of the products we review on this site.

Total Hiker is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com (and other Amazon programs).

We will also list ads from time to time. You should be able to see these as text links or blocks of ads which have a small notation indicating “Ads by Google” or “AdChoices”.

Our mission is to help our visitors, but this is also very clearly a for-profit site and you should realize as much. We include only those products that we believe could benefit you, some of which we may get a commission if you purchase them. However, we also provide links on the site to information resources for which we receive no compensation.

If you have any questions whatsoever, please contact us using the "contact" option on the site menu and we will be happy to answer any questions.

Being Social

FaceBook

Twitter

Trademark Dislosure

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.

In addition, any other trademarks and logos we mention on this site are also the property of their respective owners.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
SAVE & ACCEPT