My first hammock camping rig consisted of a green and white Byer of Maine parachute hammock with scalloped ends and rope suspension. A brown 9’ x 6’ utility tarp anchored by 1” ratchet straps constituted the shelter. A rectangular inflatable sleeping pad and a very optimistically rated “20-degree” bag supplied insulation. This hodge-podge collection served as a home during my first cross-country motorcycle adventure.

Before raising the kickstand on that trip, I had lightly researched hammock camping.

It was August of 2013, and while hammock camping was certainly a thing, options were limited and seemed expensive. I knew that I would want to change and modify the system as I figured out its shortcomings, so it made sense to start cheap and simple. 

I already had the tarp, straps, sleeping pad, and bag.  Only the hammock remained to be purchased. I’ve heard it said that we become wise through experience, and we gain experience by making mistakes. I can confidently state that I grew much wiser on that trip! 

Lesson learned: While there was merit to my using what was at my disposal to get out of the door and down the road, it would have saved a lot of headache, backache, time, and money had I been able to find an actual hammock camp system readily available that was specifically designed for adventure travel.

On paper, my system was sound. All major components had been considered. To hammock camp, a hammock is needed. Hammock procured- check. Shelter from the elements would be good, too. Tarp- check. Cold butt syndrome is real, so some sort of insulation for my suspended backside would be smart. Sleeping pad- check. Top insulation? Sleeping bag – check. What could go wrong? 

Plenty, as it turned out.

I was very excited about the Byer of Maine hammock. It was my first hammock and super light at under 2lbs, including suspension. It had a special scalloped design that reduced weight and was supposed to improve airflow. The rope suspension was simple and attached directly to the hammock’s gathered ends. I even liked the green and white color combo! 

At first, everything was great. The hammock strung up easily enough and held my weight, which is all I thought it needed to do. However, it wasn’t long before the issues began to present. 

Even though I was careful in setting the sag of the hammock, each time it was a little different, which meant that each night’s lay was a little different. This wasn’t a huge deal, but it was finicky and a bit of an annoyance. 

The parachute taffeta fabric never let me down, but when some of the edges started to fray, my confidence dwindled. I also struggled to get comfortable, and the sleeping pad was like a slick banana peel that would slip out from under me any time I changed position, which was often. 

Lesson Learned: The hammock itself was too small. At about 9 feet in length and narrow in width, it was difficult to get into a good diagonal lay. Setting the sag was an issue because there was not a structural ridgeline present to provide a consistent hang. A quality ripstop nylon has a better feel, provides greater strength, and resists fraying and tearing better than the commonplace taffeta. In addition, the rectangular sleeping pad was intended for being used on the ground and didn’t fit well in the gathered end design of the hammock. 

When I first selected the hammock, I didn’t think that the suspension style was of big concern, so the rope system was as good to me as any. However, as I was taking down camp one morning at a pleasant little spot in Nebraska, I noticed that the ropes left visible dents in the bark. I hadn’t yet learned about the importance of the different outer layers of a tree, but I knew that continuing to use rope in this way was not sustainable. I needed something wider to disperse the load. 

Lesson learned: The tree trunks to which we typically attach our hammock suspension systems have several layers. The two outermost layers can be affected by our hammock suspensions. Starting from the outside, the familiar bark is the tree’s first line of defense against fire, insects, and other harm. It varies in thickness, color, and texture depending on the species. Just below the bark is a generally soft, spongy layer known as phloem. This layer is responsible for the movement of the sugary sap and growth hormones that nourish the tree. If the bark is damaged, it can expose the phloem, which can dry out prematurely and cause issues with the tree’s growth in the affected area. This kind of damage is the primary concern when selecting a suspension system, and why those using 1” webbing are preferred over the rope. 

With this setup, there was no provision for a bug net. I ran this way through several iterations, and it was fine most of the time. Although, after being awoken by the bites of mosquitos on my forehead one evening in North Carolina, I began to see the value in establishing a physical barrier between me and those little biters! I tried the slide-over type and one that had an elastic cord to suspend it away from my face. I even tried one of the hammocks with the flexible metal rings that gave the net shape. In the end, they all had their issues and fell short of having a properly fit bug net that was integrated into the design of the hammock.   

Lesson learned: Bug nets are nice to have. However, not all are created equal. Selecting a hammock that has a structural ridgeline and a bug net integrated into its design is the way to go.   

I had reservations from the outset about the effectiveness of the brown utility tarp I brought for shelter. The weave of the flat polyester fibers varied in translucence which led me to question its waterproofness, and I was also concerned that the grommets might pull out in a heavy storm. Neither of these issues came to be during my trip. After 18 days and over 6000 miles across all kinds of topographies and in all sorts of weather- including a particularly strong storm in Kansas-, the cheap tarp had held up surprisingly well! It did have three attributes, however, that caused it to be replaced. It offered too little coverage, was bulky and heavy when packed, and was quite noisy when rustled. 

I’ll also mention that my choice of guylines- ratchet straps- was ridiculous overkill. At the time, that’s what I had easily available.

Lesson learned: In a pinch or on a tight budget, a utility tarp and straps will do the trick, but there are better options.          

Considering that this was my first setup and that it helped me survive the trip across the country in acceptable comfort, this modest hammock camp wasn’t too terrible.

And, it was worlds better than tent camping! 

It cemented the idea that my ground-dweller days were over. Upon my return from the trip, I started in earnest researching and ordering new materials with which to experiment and improve my hammock camp. Over the next few years, there would be many more trips during which I would spend hundreds and hundreds of hours (and dollars) trying various iterations as I developed the complete, robust, yet simple Journeyman Hammock Camp that I and many others enjoy today.  

Hopefully you will take these lessons learned and consider starting your next trip with a solid, proven kit designed for adventure–the Journeyman Hammock Camp.