Thanks!Originally Posted by outdoorsguy
Thanks!
I might do that...even when I'll be going with a tent for now
Tents are welcome at hangs!!!
I collect vintage camp stoves.
I roast coffee at home.
Super lame..
I love tenting...and hanging...both have their merits. Does anyone really get SO into hanging that they completely deny that tenting is OK too? I only ask because I was like this initially, gulped that cool-aid down like no other. Now a year has passed and a few trips hanging, and a few tenting. It's 50/50 for me. Totally depends on where I am going, weather, climate, etc. Not only that, but maybe what I did last time. I hung for so long I started forgetting why I hated the ground so much. Now I have spent the last few trips on the ground, and am finding that I am not so incised as I was. What gives? FWIW my 'UL' winter ground kit is about the same bulk and weight as my winter hang kit. I don't have anything crazy in either category - started realizing that at while at least half of the joy of planning these trips is obsessive gear research and purchasing, the rest of it is just getting out there and enjoying it, with enough gear to make that easy enough. That is different for every person. So best thing you can do is get out there with what you got, and make it work. Maybe it DOESN'T work fully, and you gotta bail. Whatever! Good story by the next weekend.
TL;DR - go out with what you got, see where the shortcomings are (too cold? not enough coverage? etc.) and fix it. Enjoy it out there.
hang well
I think a great deal depends on your point of view as well. I'm a backpacker first, hanger second. I much prefer sleeping off the ground but if a trip calls for a different situation that is not ideal for hanging, I'm still going to go and have a good time. Others are more campers first, activities second, so they're going to go out of their way to have a camp they enjoy, selection, hammock stands etc. Then hiking, paddling, eating, hanging and other activities are going to be more on a day to day basis. The camping is the main focus / drive so for them tenting is definitely not ok, again, they've gone out of their way to make sure they can have a hammock camp. Then again, it's Friday, have at work burn out and could quite possibly be talking out of my arse because I wanted to type something other than if else if.
Once you're lost in twilight's blue, you don't find your way, the way finds you.
For me it's more like I've forgotten what tenting is like. And there's no reason for me to tent. I don't 'hate' it, per se, it is just unnecessary for me. I go out to enjoy the outdoors. For me, that means trees and often mountains. I'm not trying to bust 30 miles day or get a base weight under 7-8 lbs or anything like that. And I'm not into desert climates. So once you take away "ultralight" and "treeless" out of the equation, tents have no advantages over hammocks for me.
I also had/have lower back pain from an injury several years ago. I had an operation on it earlier this year. Swinging from my bed in the sky with a fantastic view is just much, much preferable to sleeping on the ground. I don't deny that other people can enjoy tenting or that tents provide them some kind of advantage, but hammocks are just much more enjoyable for me.
The only time I tent camp now is when my lady goes with me.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks