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

TotalHiker

Your Hiking Guide

  • Apparel
  • Gear
  • Hikes
  • Info
Total Hiker > Camping > Hammocks > How to Hang a Camping Hammock

How to Hang a Camping Hammock

Hanging a hammock looks intimidating, but with the right gear and a little bit of practice you can set up camp in next to no time.

Regardless of whether you’re planning to take a quick break or sleeping over for the night, you must know how to hang a camping hammock. The last thing you want is to go crashing down as you hop into your hammock, or harming the nature around your camp.

So, if you’re keen to perfect the art of hammock hanging, read on!

Where is the best place to hang a camping hammock?

Unlike tents, hammocks can’t be set up just anywhere. The standard answer as far as location is concerned is obviously between two trees. But there’s more to it than just that. While the quality of the trees you’re using is important, there are also a few other places you can hang your hammock.

The “best” way to hang a hammock is between two healthy trees that are large enough to support your weight. Choose two trees that are 12-15 feet apart for standard size hammocks and aim for 13-17 feet if you’ve got an XL hammock.

If there aren’t any trees in the area, you can still hang a camping hammock from rock formations, overhead cables (non-electric obviously) and securely planted signposts.

In this post, we’ll be focusing on how to set up a hammock between two trees because it’s the most common way, not because it’s the only way.

What should I consider when setting up my hammock?

The basics of backcountry stewardship apply to any outdoor adventure. Here are some other basic principles to keep in mind:

Don’t hang your hammock to close to water

It might seem super tempting to take a picture of your hammock overlooking a stunning lake, but the shoreline is fragile. This isn’t the right place to set up camp for the night. Respect this delicate habitat and find a more suitable spot.

Properly examine the trees you intend to use

Are the trees you plan on using to hang your hammock surrounded by any sensitive plant life? Does the area pose any hazards like insect nests or poisonous plants? Your best bet is to use an established site with the least amount of vegetation.

  Common Camping Hammock Mistakes

Never hang your hammock in the middle of a trail

Hanging a hammock across pathways that people or animals use can be a hazard for you and the animals that use the path. Even if it doesn’t look like an obvious path, make sure it’s not a route that leads down to a water source.

A note on trees

It goes without saying that you should never hang your hammock from trees that have dead branches. Once you’ve picked two healthy trees that can support your weight, there are two other things you always need to keep in mind:

Use tree saver straps

Never, ever, hammer or screw anything into a tree, and please don’t use zip cord or wire to hang a hammock.

Rope and cord can dig into trees and damage underlying layers that the trees need for survival. Use nylon or polyester webbing straps (at least 0.75 inches in width) to guard against bark abrasion instead.

Two trees = ONE hammock

If you’re traveling in a larger group, always spread out multiple hammocks with each person using different trees to reduce strain on the trees and disperse the impact of your group. We know that the idea of stacked hammocks looks great on photos, but it’s a setup that not only risks a painful fall for everyone involved but also puts unnecessary strain on the trees.

How do I set up my hammock?

As mentioned before, there’s no such thing as “the best” or “the only” way to hang a camping hammock. We’re going to give you some pointers on hanging a gathered end hammock since it’s the most prevalent, but it’s by no means the only option.

  1. Choose your anchors

    This is where you select two healthy trees that are 12-15 feet apart.

  2. Secure your straps to the hang points

    Since tree saver straps (also known as webbing) help reduce strain and stress on the trees, they’re much more eco-friendly than zip ties or thin cord. Your hang points should be roughly 6 feet up the tree (or whatever anchor you’re using).

  3. Attach the hammock rope to the webbing

    Attach the rope that comes out from the ends of your hammock to the webbing using a knot or hardware like a carabiner.

  4. Fine-tune your hang

    Ideally, you should aim for a 30 degree hang angle with your hammock at about char height when you sit in it. You’ll need to adjust the height, so your sitting height is about 1.5 feet off the ground.

    correct height for hammock

    I generally prefer to have the feet end slightly higher than the head end of the hammock

  5. Bring in the tarp

    Now it is time to add some protection from the elements, and tarps are great for keeping out the worst of the rain, wind, and cold.

    Once you’ve set up your hammock, you’ll run a line over the top of it, which is where the center of the tarp will clip on. The sides of the fly must be staked to the ground or secure to other trees.

    Most tarps require three connection points, but how you set up yours really depends on the style of the fly.

  6. Insulate underneath

    Hammocks are amazing in hot and humid conditions, but as soon as temperatures drop below 70°F, convective heat loss starts to kick in, leading to Cold Butt Syndrome (CBS).

    This is where under quilts, closed-cell foam or self-inflating sleeping pad come into their own. Depending on your preference, equipment and temperature, you can use one or more of these to help keep you warm.

  7. Add Drip Lines

    There is nothing worse than doing all the hard work setting your gear up, only for water to trickle down the ropes and seep into your nice warm and (formerly) dry bedding!)

    To get around this, you simply need to tie some short pieces of rope around your lines and this way the rain will run down them rather than into your hammock.

    drip lines

A note on hang angle and height

We’ve already mentioned that you should aim for a 30 degree hang angle. Tempting as it might be, pulling the hammock tighter for a flatter sleeping platform isn’t ideal since it creates tension in the sides, which can quickly make your sleeping space feel constricting.

You also don’t want your hammock any more than 18 inches off the ground unless you like the idea of battling to get in and out of your hammock.

When you get into your hammock for the night, lie down at a slight angle. Angling your body 10-15 degrees away from the centreline will automatically put you into a more horizontal state, which solves the problem of having your back bow uncomfortably.

Final thoughts

It isn’t that hard to figure out how to hang a camping hammock, and if you follow the advice we dished out in this article, you should be able to practice happy hanging in no time at all. While we can’t possibly cover every aspect of hammock hanging in this article, we hope we did the topic justice and paved the way for many happy camping adventures to come!

Matt

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 Where is the best place to hang a camping hammock?
  • 2 What should I consider when setting up my hammock?
    • 2.1 Don’t hang your hammock to close to water
    • 2.2 Properly examine the trees you intend to use
    • 2.3 Never hang your hammock in the middle of a trail
  • 3 A note on trees
    • 3.1 Use tree saver straps
    • 3.2 Two trees = ONE hammock
  • 4 How do I set up my hammock?
    • 4.1 Choose your anchors
    • 4.2 Secure your straps to the hang points
    • 4.3 Attach the hammock rope to the webbing
    • 4.4 Fine-tune your hang
    • 4.5 Bring in the tarp
    • 4.6 Insulate underneath
    • 4.7 Add Drip Lines
  • 5 A note on hang angle and height
  • 6 Final thoughts

June 15, 2020

Primary Sidebar

Tents vs Hammocks vs Bivvys vs Tarps

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

How to Stay Warm When Hammock Camping

How to Stay Warm When Hammock Camping

How To Hang A Hammock

How to Hang a Camping Hammock

What Is Hammock Camping

What is Hammock Camping? Our Guide On How To Hammock Camp

Common Camping Hammock Mistakes

Common Camping Hammock Mistakes

How to Hammock Responsibly

How to Hammock Responsibly

More on Camping Hammocks >>

Footer

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

Copyright © 2023 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