Anyone hammock camp during winter?

[Road Bull]

I know I am looking for a pretty limited cross section of people who even camp during winter, but here is what I am thinking. I want to explore the feasibility of using a hammock based system as my main go-to for camping.

I love camping and have experimented a bit with various tents, hammocks, and vehicle camping. I live in the PNW and have always had weather in mind when selecting gear. The temperature and type of weather can vary quite a bit here.

My first trail camping experience was with an REI 4-person dome tent. It was okay, but could get pretty hot in summer, and SUPER cold in the winter. After a miserable night in the twenties.. (don't know what I was thinking), I decided to get a actual 4 season tent.

I picked up a Kodiak Canvas Flex Bow 10x10 tent. It is SUPER high quality and VERY spacious.

The pros are that it is Spacious. I can stand up and have plenty of room for gear. True 4 season. This thing is what I would want in extreme weather.

The cons are that it is a bit too big sometimes. It's not ideal for single night camping. The design of the flex bow style requires a lot of stakes staking it down. This can be a major PITA here in the PNW with all the rocks and roots.

This motivated me to do two things. I wanted a smaller version Kodiak, and I wanted to try hammock camping. The smaller Kodiak 8.5 x 6 ft. Flex-Bow VX Tent is perfect except that you still need to find somewhere to stake it down. I also picked up a ENO hammock system. (hammock, bug net, rain fly/tarp, and added underquilt.

I gotta say, I really liked the speed of the hammock set up. But even with the underquilt I had, it was pretty cold. To be fair, it decided to snow during the night. IN JUNE!! Hahaha.. But I see the advantage of being off the ground and not having to peg shit down. It was a comfortable sleep, besides the chill. If needed, you can string

So, do any of you do much in the way of winter hammock camping? What all are you using?

 

[ElectroBoy]

I know I am looking for a pretty limited cross section of people who even camp during winter, but here is what I am thinking. I want to explore the feasibility of using a hammock based system as my main go-to for camping.

I love camping and have experimented a bit with various tents, hammocks, and vehicle camping. I live in the PNW and have always had weather in mind when selecting gear. The temperature and type of weather can vary quite a bit here.

My first trail camping experience was with an REI 4-person dome tent. It was okay, but could get pretty hot in summer, and SUPER cold in the winter. After a miserable night in the twenties.. (don't know what I was thinking), I decided to get a actual 4 season tent.

I picked up a Kodiak Canvas Flex Bow 10x10 tent. It is SUPER high quality and VERY spacious.

The pros are that it is Spacious. I can stand up and have plenty of room for gear. True 4 season. This thing is what I would want in extreme weather.

The cons are that it is a bit too big sometimes. It's not ideal for single night camping. The design of the flex bow style requires a lot of stakes staking it down. This can be a major PITA here in the PNW with all the rocks and roots.

This motivated me to do two things. I wanted a smaller version Kodiak, and I wanted to try hammock camping. The smaller Kodiak 8.5 x 6 ft. Flex-Bow VX Tent is perfect except that you still need to find somewhere to stake it down. I also picked up a ENO hammock system. (hammock, bug net, rain fly/tarp, and added underquilt.

I gotta say, I really liked the speed of the hammock set up. But even with the underquilt I had, it was pretty cold. To be fair, it decided to snow during the night. IN JUNE!! Hahaha.. But I see the advantage of being off the ground and not having to peg shit down. It was a comfortable sleep, besides the chill. If needed, you can string

So, do any of you do much in the way of winter hammock camping? What all are you using?

Have you ever heard of or experienced black ice, when a highway overpass bridge freezes before the road surface leading up to it? That happens because air circulating under the bridge cools off the road surface faster than the surrounding ground. Well, that bridge is you in a hammock. You have little if any insulation R value under your body. But you already know that.

What you need is a two layer pad system. Closed cell foam on the bottom and an air pad for comfort on top. With good R values. Combined with a good mummy style bag, down or fiber, and wearing synthetic or silk long johns, as well as a hat, you will be toasty. Maybe you could try squeezing that into the hammock.
Try the REI site for ideas. Be aware that good gear costs big $ but you’ll get many years of service from it. I use an Exped mat over a closed cell rollup mat.
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/sleeping-pads.html

You have to stay dry. Plastic ground cloth under a tent. Don’t sweat, ventilate if you’re getting hot.

I’ve winter camped in snow caves, igloos, snow trench, tents. The coldest is the tent. If you go that route you want the smallest tent you find spacious enough so it gets warmer faster, with less air space. Be aware that in freezing weather you usually will get frost on the inside surface of the roof (ceiling) from your breath condensing and freezing. BTW, a 4 season tent is usually a heavier beefier tent that can withstand high winds and a snow load on top, not warmer. It’s overkill for most people.

If it’s just for one night, try sleeping in the back of your 4R.
Good luck.

 

[Road Bull]

This is one of the videos that sold me on the Kodiak tent. The only thing that makes it a little challenging, is that I am always fighting to find somewhere to stake it down and running into rocks. But it is what I would prefer to be in as long as I can stake it down. The 2 person Kodiak is my current favorite for all the reasons you mentioned. There is plenty of room, but it is small enough to warm up pretty quickly with a little buddy heater.

For the hammock, I think I just need to see if it is tweakable. Like you said, you need to address the underside with either a good underquilt and or a sleeping pad to block the wind that will rob your body of heat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-rMcBmhCfk

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[Deuxdiesel]

I like the hammock idea, but even with it properly tensioned (or over tensioned) they still have some sag to them and I wake up with a sore back. I know that they look ridiculous, but have you ever tried a Selk bag? One of those with a nice sleeping pad and maybe a fleece blanket in a 3-season tent works really well in very cold temps. The real bonus is being able to get up and strike camp and not have to get out of your sleeping bag.

 

[Road Bull]

I like the hammock idea, but even with it properly tensioned (or over tensioned) they still have some sag to them and I wake up with a sore back. I know that they look ridiculous, but have you ever tried a Selk bag? One of those with a nice sleeping pad and maybe a fleece blanket in a 3-season tent works really well in very cold temps. The real bonus is being able to get up and strike camp and not have to get out of your sleeping bag.

Were you laying end-to-end? If you lay slightly off-axis, with feet left of center and head right of center, or vice-versa. You can actually lay pretty flat that way. It takes getting some used to, but for the handful of times I have camped with the hammock, it has been very comfortable. I wouldn't have know any better had I not watched a few videos before I picked one up. Sleeping like a banana would not be comfortable at all. Someone would probably have to get me out of my death banana in the morning. LOL.

The Selk bag isn't all that bad of an idea, but wouldn't be a total solution for hammock warmth. The main problem with keeping warm in the hammock is that anything that requires "loft" to keep you warm, (clothes, sleeping bags, and even the something like a Selk bag), would be compressed underneath you. It looks super comfy though. I am not above wearing one of those. Hahaha.

 

[ElectroBoy]

Yes, with the compression of insulation underneath your body, you will lose a lot of the insulation value and radiate heat out. I’ve heard of, but never researched, the use of an “overquilt” system for hammocks. It sounds like a sleeping bag that zips around the hammock. I suppose this would work, you’d be ultra wrapped up like a burrito!
Hammocks make my back hurt, plus I’m a side sleeper, so I use a 3 season backpacking tent for mild weather or sleep in the truck in heavier weather. I’ve never been a user of a P-bottle, but I imagine it would be mandatory for use in a hammock in cold weather. It seems like more of an ordeal to get into a winter equipped hammock with an overquilt system.
Winter camping is never perfectly comfortable, but that’s part of the adventure.

 

[mscot]

I am far too soft for this. That's why I built a storage system that allows me to sleep. I would mostly only use it for powder days anyway!

 

[pDubs]

Done several nights in the 20s with my Eno singlenest, nothing ever below 23 or so. I use the Atlas straps, and the Eno rain fly over top no matter what temp it is. If it's warm and there's bugs I also have the guardian net.

When it's cold I use an underquilt, a MUST if you are doing hammock in cold weather. I also blow up a backpacking sleeping air pad (not a big self inflatable one) to put under my sleeping bag in the hammock. The sleeping bag depends on how cold it is. I have a 0 degree down bag (I use when its 15-45 degrees at night) and a 32 degree down bag (I use from 45-60 degrees).

If it's cold enough, I boil some water and put in nalgene or platypus to keep in the hammock with me. The nights in the 20s I have been just fine with just midweight base layer, a beanie and socks on.

In fact, one time it was about 25 out, I did all the above but slept with base layers and then a pair of sweatpants and a patagonia fleece zip up and I jammed a Patagonia nano puff down by my feet in the bottom of the bag and woke up sweating a bit, which then got the down bag a little wet and I ended up getting cold. Luckily it wasn't bad, shed off some layers down to just the base layers and was fine.

 

[Girtfer]

I use a Kammok Mantis, it comes with everything including straps, a rainfly, and an attached bug net. You can also buy the "winter barrier" which puts a solid top the hammock creating a cocoon. Youll definitely need a underquilt, which it sounds like you have already. I put another blanket in the bottom of the hammock(I use a Rumpl puffy blanket), then a pretty thin sleeping pad if I feel like bringing it and I always use a sleeping bag thats rated to lower then the lowest expect temp.


I aslo dont sleep in a lot of clothes, usually just some wool base layers. Sweat is the enemy in the cold once you start sweating your screwed it better to be a little cold at first youll warm up as your body heat gets trapped in your bag. I also use synthetic bags for a similar reason, down takes forever to dry if it gets wet.

 

[jacinda]

This is one of the videos that sold me on the Kodiak tent. The only thing that makes it a little challenging, is that I am always fighting to find somewhere to stake it down and running into rocks. But it is what I would prefer to be in as long as I can stake it down. The 2 person Kodiak is my current favorite for all the reasons you mentioned. There is plenty of room, but it is small enough to warm up pretty quickly with a little buddy heater.

For the hammock, I think I just need to see if it is tweakable. Like you said, you need to address the underside with either a good underquilt and or a sleeping pad to block the wind that will rob your body of heat.

YouTube

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nice share

 

[Jetboy]

My experience spending many nights camping on snow - a good 4 season tent is still the best option outside of sleeping in a vehicle or RV. I personally like a 4 season dome tent with a heavy duty rubberized floor that's waterproof.

I don't like sleeping in hammocks during any season though. I'd rather sleep on the ground in a bivy winter or summer.

 

[Road Bull]

My experience spending many nights camping on snow - a good 4 season tent is still the best option outside of sleeping in a vehicle or RV. I personally like a 4 season dome tent with a heavy duty rubberized floor that's waterproof.

I don't like sleeping in hammocks during any season though. I'd rather sleep on the ground in a bivy winter or summer.

I agree. I love both my Kodiak tents. They have a fantastic thick PVC floor. They are all types of weatherproof and have huge screen windows to open up in summertime to let it breathe. My "only" issue, is trying to get anything staked down out here in Washington state can be a royal PITA. They come with super robust stakes. But robust or not, rocks don't care. LOL.

I think if I can make the hammock more comfortable for lower temps, it would be perfect. Maybe I just do the Kodiak if I know there will be snow. I can always bring the hammock as it doesn't take up much room. Then, if it works, it works.

 

[Road Bull]

Done several nights in the 20s with my Eno singlenest, nothing ever below 23 or so. I use the Atlas straps, and the Eno rain fly over top no matter what temp it is. If it's warm and there's bugs I also have the guardian net.

When it's cold I use an underquilt, a MUST if you are doing hammock in cold weather. I also blow up a backpacking sleeping air pad (not a big self inflatable one) to put under my sleeping bag in the hammock. The sleeping bag depends on how cold it is. I have a 0 degree down bag (I use when its 15-45 degrees at night) and a 32 degree down bag (I use from 45-60 degrees).

If it's cold enough, I boil some water and put in nalgene or platypus to keep in the hammock with me. The nights in the 20s I have been just fine with just midweight base layer, a beanie and socks on.

In fact, one time it was about 25 out, I did all the above but slept with base layers and then a pair of sweatpants and a patagonia fleece zip up and I jammed a Patagonia nano puff down by my feet in the bottom of the bag and woke up sweating a bit, which then got the down bag a little wet and I ended up getting cold. Luckily it wasn't bad, shed off some layers down to just the base layers and was fine.

I think my problem trying to be comfortable during my winter camping was that I didn't have a warm enough underquilt. It didn't do a lot to help keep the cold at bay. I'd be willing to give it another shot. Maybe I will pick up a better underquilt, something rated down to 0 or below. That should do it. Hahah. I could also figure out some sort of sleep pad that I can use to keep my backside warm. All I had was my huge REI sleep pad that didn't want to stay in place. I might look into a two layer style hammock that would accommodate that type of action.

I have to say, that besides the cold, I was comfortable laying there. And pack up was far quicker than a tent.

I use a Kammok Mantis, it comes with everything including straps, a rainfly, and an attached bug net. You can also buy the "winter barrier" which puts a solid top the hammock creating a cocoon. Youll definitely need a underquilt, which it sounds like you have already. I put another blanket in the bottom of the hammock(I use a Rumpl puffy blanket), then a pretty thin sleeping pad if I feel like bringing it and I always use a sleeping bag thats rated to lower then the lowest expect temp.


I aslo dont sleep in a lot of clothes, usually just some wool base layers. Sweat is the enemy in the cold once you start sweating your screwed it better to be a little cold at first youll warm up as your body heat gets trapped in your bag. I also use synthetic bags for a similar reason, down takes forever to dry if it gets wet.

That Kammok Mantis looks similar to what I had with my ENO system. I might make some tweaks (better underquilt, sleeping pad) and give it another try. It would be nice to cut down on the amount of things I need to take camping compared to a tent. But one of the biggest advantages out where I camp would be the added flexibility of camp sights. As long as I have two vehicles, I could manage to sleep just about anywhere.

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

[pDubs]

I always recommend to people, because it's not always known, to sleep diagonal in the hammock. Makes a huge difference in getting comfortable, and behind able to wedge a sleeping pad in.

 

[Road Bull]

Good point. I felt very comfortable laying diagonal. My problem was the size of my sleep pad, and the fact that I fully blew it up like I would sleeping on the ground in a tent. This made it really awkward to get it to want to stay put. I like the idea of being able to have a double layer so that I can stuff a sleep pad in there securely. There are a lot of great videos on youtube about various products and strategies.

Shugemary has a lot of good info on hammock camping.

YouTube

 

[Thebeastlives]

I used an artic oven tent YouTube in the winter when snowboarding. We always have a group and the weather is cold and snowy but the inside is warm and toasty. Add alcohol n bodies and we have easily stayed warm when huge snow storms hit over night. Most sleep in raised beds or air mattress. Warm weather camping we simply use no tents or our lite cheap tents from Walmart or Amazon.

 

[Ogre75]

I used an artic oven tent YouTube in the winter when snowboarding. We always have a group and the weather is cold and snowy but the inside is warm and toasty. Add alcohol n bodies and we have easily stayed warm when huge snow storms hit over night. Most sleep in raised beds or air mattress. Warm weather camping we simply use no tents or our lite cheap tents from Walmart or Amazon.

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That tent is pretty badass. As far as hammok camping. I used to want try it, but then I realized I always sleep on my sides, so thats a no go.

 

[750ml]

Yes, and I find that it can be hard to stay warm below 20 degrees. That's with zero degree gear form hammock gear. I do my hammock camping on the Appalachian Trail.
Shugemery is on YouTube, and he specializes in hammock camping in the winter. He lives in Minnesota and he has a lot of good information. He's also a circus clown, and keeps you entertained. He's a good one to check out.

 

[Traveler74]

I have always used a North Face 4 season mtn tent. That plus a 3 " thick foam pad keeps me toasty warm even below freezing. Dead air space is the key. I took a heavy plastic tarp, folded in half, and had it sewn closed on the bottom and the side with the top open. I then put my sleeping bag in the sewn tarp.

Have a big dog ? I used to have a Malamute and he slept in the tent with me. He was like a heater running all night. At 5 F , I woke up sweating.

 

[Road Bull]

Yes, and I find that it can be hard to stay warm below 20 degrees. That's with zero degree gear form hammock gear. I do my hammock camping on the Appalachian Trail.
Shugemery is on YouTube, and he specializes in hammock camping in the winter. He lives in Minnesota and he has a lot of good information. He's also a circus clown, and keeps you entertained. He's a good one to check out.

Shuge is the best! Even if you are not interested in hammocks, he is fun, relaxing, and informative to watch. All's quiet in sector seven.