Is it worth it?

[rais'n hammock]

It is very worth it for me.
I find it is much easier to not only stay comfortable in a hammock but with proper insulation I stay much warmer too. I remember cold nights on the ground. I have yet to have a cold night hanging. A nice soft quilt under my hammock is better than any foam pad on the ground for me. It is easier to insulate and pack/carry the insulation that will keep me warmer. Weight and bulk are also reasons I switched from tent gear to hammocks.
I don't ever see going back to the ground. For me getting out of a tent and off the ground was mentally an easy decision. Getting off the ground physically was and is difficult. In a hammock you just swing your legs out and you are up. Warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

[KBr00ks]

One more reason -- because it's fun to list them! -- for those of us in the Eastern woods, it can be difficult to find a level spot for a tent, especially if you get a chance to wild-camp outside of the typical gravel parking spots. With a hammock it's very easy to find a comfy and beautiful spot.

Also, as a weight (and space) weenie, I can get WAY more comfy than with an equivalent tent or bivy setup.

On my first bikepacking trip with my hammock, first night, I was gently rocking, listening to the patter of rain on my tarp, drifting off to sleep...when I heard my companions cursing about their ziplock bags (aka bivy sacks) getting flooded. They had unknowingly set up in a low spot. I was sold!

[SamyK]

Its worth to me.
1. I personally sleep better in a hammock.
2. I can hang a hammock almost anywhere (with trees). Here in the White Mountains thats huge. Tenting not so much. Not even close.
Hammock Camping does have a fiddle factor. It may take some time dialing in a system that works well for you. Hammocks can be cheap or expensive. Same with tenting. They have cheap tents and expensive tents. Down or synthetic.

[Caminante]

Hanging people: IS IT WORTH IT??

Well, you're asking in a hammock forum and you pre-loaded the question with (IMO) false assumptions, so I think you already know the answer.

[slugbait]

Let's see- I've been hammock camping now for 14 years- yes, it's worth it!

[TallPaul]

I never looked forward to sleeping in a tent. As in - this is going to be a great trip as I get to sleep in my tent.

I always look forward to sleeping in my hammock. As in - I get to be in the woods and sleep in my hammock - whoo buddy this is going to be fun.

Plus sleeping on the ground is uncomfortable. Maybe not if you are 23.

[TrailSlug]

I never looked forward to sleeping in a tent. As in - this is going to be a great trip as I get to sleep in my tent.

I always look forward to sleeping in my hammock. As in - I get to be in the woods and sleep in my hammock - whoo buddy this is going to be fun.

Plus sleeping on the ground is uncomfortable. Maybe not if you are 23.

Well said.

[bowl-maker]

Ground sleep always left me aching and sore the next morning, and I would toss and turn all night either fighting gravity or the one acorn or rock or root I missed in my sweep for my tent site. I am a hard-core stomach sleeper and toss around at least twice a night, except in a hammock. In my hammock, I fall immediately asleep on my back and wake hours later still on my back. When I arise, I feel springy and there is no soreness. The only time I wake while in my hammock is when I get cold enough to put on my quilt. I'm off the ground, off the rocks, off the roots, and away from the creepy-crawlies. It's amazing how much better I feel.

[subcanis]

Besides all of the excellent reasons previously stated so eloquently by my forum friends, let's not forget the plain utility and versatility of the hammock. It gives you options. I can hang a hammock almost anywhere, outdoors or in.

I live on the side of a mountain at the edge of a forest....Rocks, rocks, rocks. EVERYWHERE, and a steep grade. If I wanted to pitch a tent for the night, I might find 2 or 3 suitable locations in 4 square miles. I can hang my hammock wherever I decide to stop. That's hard to beat. and I have yet to wake up in the soggy puddle that seems to come as standard equipment in any tent I have ever owned.

[Dutch]

When you talk to people on here, many of us have been into it for years and we make it more complex than it has to be. I thru'd the AT in a Hennessy with a z-rest and a regular sleeping bag. It can be as simple as you want it to be. Very few people get into it and purchase doodad out there. But you will see that for many it has become an obsession and a hobby we love so that leads to lots of toys. Make it fun for you.