Hammocks
Hammocks and tarps
A gathered-end hammock is a bed only after the underquilt, tarp, and trees are sorted.
The hammock itself is the cheap part of the system. Cold comes from underneath. A pad inside the hammock slides, and an underquilt is the piece that makes a 40°F night feel like a bed instead of a banana-shaped refrigerator.
You need two trees at the right spacing, straps that do not cut bark, a structural ridgeline, and a tarp that covers you when the wind drives rain sideways. Where trees are banned or sparse, take a tent.
How to choose
- Buy the underquilt in the same decision as the hammock.
- Practice the tarp pitch in the yard, including a door you can close.
- Check local rules. Some parks prohibit hammocks or require wide straps.
Roundups
Gear in this category
