Hammock Camp Set Up | Appalachian Trail 2023 NOBO

Todays video is sponsored by Tree Dwellers Inc.

In this video I share a breakdown of my hammock camping set up, hammocking Q&A, and camp breakdown time.

Tree straps: ENO Helios
Hammock: ENO Jungle Nest
Tarp: Chill Gorilla
Snakeskin: HammockGear

Let me know in the comments what questions you may have about hammock camping!

Thank you for your continued support!

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[andywebb]

Good luck on your NOBO
A few suggestions (feel free to ignore). Only use your snakeskins on your tarp (putting your hammock in it will eventually lead to a wet sleep). Add some tie out lines to your stakes- you can then raise your tarp ridge line up 17:11 giving you more room. Make sure you have water break(s) uphill on your lines when hanging your pack- otherwise you may wake up to a pack full of water that you accidentally funneled in. Tarp upgrade: Cuben/dynema tarps are super lightweight, but bulky, noisy in rain and see thru. SilPoly are a little heavier, opaque, pack smaller and are 1/3 the price. Like all equipment there are trade offs There are many good cottage tarp vendors. In the end HYOH and have fun- you’ll figure out what works for you as you go 😎

[Claude-]

There is a plus to not storing your tarp and your hammock in the same bag, that is when you get to your campsite, you set the tarp first and you have shelter for everything else you’re doing. Also if you like to stop for lunch and it’s raining you don’t need to drag your tarp and your hammock out to have shelter for a little while.

[adamholt]

Check out mesh snake skins for your tarp and keep it separate from your hammock or else you will have a wet night eventually.

[thecrowownsthesky]

Forgive me if this has already been mentioned, but you can get a gear sling that hangs below your hammock and it's great for keeping your pack, shoes - everything basically - up off the ground. I started using one recently and just love it! I think I paid $15 for it. Eno makes one that is a bit pricier, but I think a sling is a sling. Glad to see other hammock campers out there!

[DJMoore-]

I love my hammock, you can always stow your tarp separate if it rains, which it will. Also run your snake skins under your tarp so they don't get wet. You might want to look up drip knots. I couldn't tell if your drop ties were to far back to stop rain from running down your hang ropes.

[TheHavnmonkey]

I just completed an 80mi hike on the Georgia AT section with my hammock set up. I love my hammock and def prefer it to sleeping in a small tent; I've been hammocking for almost a decade now. However, I did encounter a few issues. It was foggy and damp for about 3 days straight. My silnylon tarp wetted out and stayed wet for those days. There was no way to dry it off due to 40 degree weather and 1000% humidity lol. I keep my hammock and tarp separate so It wasn't a major problem for me. I would be very hesitant to pack my hammock in the same container as my wet tarp. Another problem I had was at Blue Mountain Shelter where the wind was cutting through all the spaces I wanted to hang at. The gusts were pushing 20-30mph and I had to relocate to a less ideal, but more sheltered location. The gusts were only hitting once every 20-30min so the first one caught me off guard and nearly blew my tarp into the sky as I was setting up. I used a Dream Hammock Darien and a Warbonnet Superfly tarp for this trip. I brought a 20deg full under quilt and a 20deg top quilt because of the possibility of below freezing temps in February... however it never got below 39 and I would've been happy in a warmer weather set up.

[Oldsparkey]

I like to see someone camping in a hammock. Easy and quick to put up or take down. I believe it's the ultimate in camping comfort, especially in the porch mode. The great thing is all you need are two supports to tie off to and your camp is ready. In all my years of hammock camping I have hung hammocks in places no tent would even think of going. One thing I found and is great here in ( buggy ) Florida. The double bottom hammocks keep the mosquitoes and rest from feasting on you. I believe the double bottom hammocks are the greatest thing since sliced bread. Unlike when I started hammock camping back in the late 50's with a WW 2 Jungle Hammock. Back then you had to have a wool blanket under you to stop the bugs from making you their buffet line.

[nighthawk]

As a fellow hammock camper, I agree with the comments about keeping tarp and hammock separate...eventually you will go through one of those good soaking rains where your tarp is drenched and having the 2 compressed will force water into your hammock.
1 thing to take into account if considering a dcf tarp--they are very see-through, so you will lose most of your privacy...however, they are very lightweight...

[matthewmadden]

I've been backpacking on an off the Appalachian Trail for many years. As others have said, definitely keep the tarp and hammock separate. Not sure how long the tree straps are, but they looked a little on the short side. Longer straps will wrap around bigger trees and give you more options when trying to find a spot you're happy with. The Smokies used to force people into the shelters until they were at capacity, but if their Covid protocols are still in place than you won't have trouble finding a place to hang until you're in the White Mountains. Also... A "friend" of mine arrived late to a shelter in Maryland many years ago just as it started to rain and expecting to enjoy his dinner from the hammock, set his tarp set up with the trekking poles much like yours was in the video. He got invited to dinner at the shelter by some friends and upon arriving back at his hammock he accidentally fell asleep without removing the guy lines from the trekking poles and pitching it to the ground. As it continued to rain a puddle formed in the middle of the tarp suspended right above his boots. The puddle grew and grew until he was awoken to the sound of one of the trekking poles giving way under the strain as it was sent cartwheeling into the woods followed by a loud splash all over his boots. Just something to think about.

[micah-]

As a fellow hammocker, I can’t wait to check out your adventure. I made a large no seeum mesh, kinda snake skin thing, that I pull over my hammock and insulation and then I just stuff the bag into the compactor bag in my backpack. Then my tarp, in it’s own snakeskin, goes in the back mesh pocket of my backpack. I hope you enjoy your time in God’s wonderful creation!

[lovingmylifeasIage]

I sleep in a hammock every night. I built a wooden hammock stand for my spare bed room. I'm sure you have learned about drip lines by now. I also try to go camping every week since I'm retired. I also do motorcycle camping. I like my DD hammock tarp and enlightened under and over quilts. I don't use snake skins. I just roll the tarp up and the hammock separately.

[StonemanOutdoors]

That all in one snake skin setup is absolutely awesome! Beats rolling everything up 100%

[KevBoneT]

Thank you for using straps to protect the trees. 🌴🛏️🌴 🥾🥾

[robertfrost]

HG has 20% off right now. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day.

[skizzarz]

Sweet, looks like the gathered-end version of my skylite, same colours between the hammock and zipper cord. I love my ENO bridge hammock!

[LesDempseySoloLesta]

That's a pretty sweet setup :)
Learning to hammock camp and finding what works for YOU is a big part of the process. Enjoy.

[LeviBoldt]

Bite the bullet and buy yourself a DCF tarp. I use the Fiber Flat tarp from Hammock Gear. It works for me, though prices have gone up since I bought mine. I like a rectangular tarp with lots of tie out points. The difference in felt weight on trail when I switched was noticeable. If you're thu-hiking the AT, the expense will be worth every penny.

The only way to keep the hammock dry is to separate it from the tarp. It will get wet if you store it with the tarp. If it's wet, then your quilt will be wet. That means unnecessarily cold nights, possibly life threatening.

Hang the tarp on its own ridgeline. If you don't want to bother with knot-tying, buy some Dutch bling. Keep it in the snakeskin by itself, without the hammock. When it's wet, carry it in the stretchy outside pocket of your pack, along the wet tree straps. That way you can keep the hammock inside the pack, nice and dry along with your other bedding.

[michymoo]

I never heard of snake skins, so learned something new today. 🎉

[TheTreeCamper]

Incredible review. Swooning 😂 awesome stuff. Keep it up!

[stevenoyes]

Nice video. Good luck on your trip. Advice wise I would agree the others suggesting tarp separate from the hammock. I store my tree straps in their own ditty bag away from the hammock too. If you wanted to consolidate a little a guess you could put your straps in the skins with the tarp. You'll figure out what works for you in the 1st heavy, day long (or more) rain.

BTW, if you don't know the Shugemery YT channel, check him out. He has probably 100 hammock videos covering anything you might wonder about. Good for inspiration. But everyone finds their own groove. Enjoy the journey.