It is possible a tent could be easier especially if it is difficult for one to find a place to hang a hammock. And, hammocks are not for everyone. I was hesitant to buy a hammock because I was not sure it would be comfortable for a night's rest.


There are, however, some benefits to hammocks:

1. Most experienced hammock users can have their hammock and tarp installed and ready to use in 3 to 4 minutes. I usually take about 4 to 6 minutes because I am slow. Here is one example in which hammock and tarp are up in 2 minutes and 6 seconds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtPgq...eature=related

I have a Kelty Gunnison 2 tent and I can have my hammock + tarp up and ready to use faster than my tent. Tent has more guy lines, hooks, poles, and whatnot to work through.

2. If one uses lines for hammock suspension rather than adjustable straps, such as with Hennessy hammocks, one can attach the rain tarp to the hammock suspension lines. This is a nice feature when raining because the tarp drapes over the hammock during installation (especially true if one has a larger tarp than the stock Hennessy tarp). My hammock, for example, has never gotten wet from rain during installation. I think this is a particularly nice feature.

3. With a hammock, one is not on the ground -- when raining, one is not on the ground; when sleeping, one is not on the ground.

4. Hammocks can also be used as chairs.

5. Hammocks may weigh less than tents, but this depends upon hammock and tarp combination. My current large hammock with large tarp weighs 4.5 lbs. I just purchased a new hammock and lighter weight large tarp that should be a total of about 3.1 lbs when all components added together. Some ultralight backpackers have hammock-tarp combinations that are less than 20 oz.

6. When the ground is rocky, filled with roots, and generally uneven, tenting sites can be difficult to find, but hammock can be hung most anywhere there are trees.


There are also some drawbacks to hammocks:

1. Generally hammocks are limited to one person.

2. If claustrophobic, hammocks may seem confining.

3. If no place to hang, one must resort to ground with tarp.

4. Hammocks can be cold and require under insulation. Some use under-quilts to keep warm, but I have found that closed-cell foam pads work well. Last month I camped in 18 degree F weather and my underside was warm in my hammock using two pads (one 20x72x.5" pad that went inside my sleeping bag, and another 40x50x.125" that I lie on to protect my torso). The weakness was my sleeping bag rated at 30F. These two pads combined weight is 20 oz, so not much difference there compared with tent users.

5. If camping with another, tent weight can be distributed between both parties to cut carry weight, but with hammocks one must carry all weight (assuming only 1 per hammock).

6. Mosquitoes can bite through underside of many hammocks, so best to use double-layered hammock or add some type of barrier (which can be warm in hot, humid weather).


If looking for a hammock, I recommend those on which one lies diagonally because this provides a flat or near flat lie. Also, integrated bug netting is nice.

Anyway, just some thoughts on tent vs hammock comparisons.

I've been happy with my Eureka Backcountry. Even as a one-person tent, it still seems to have enough room for storing gear inside if necessary.
https://www.eurekatent.com/p-44-backcountry-1-tent.aspx

I use an MSR Hubba. It's free standing (but you pretty-much need to stake or tie-out the fly). The vestibule is large enough to store panniers. It would be nice if it were a bit wider.

The total weight is about 3.5 lbs. The Hubba Hubba is a smaller two-person tent for 1.5-2 lbs more.

recommend an aluminum pole tent. I have solo toured and solo hitchhike-oddysseyed using the Eureka Solitaire. I'm glad the fiberglass poles went on me close to home rather than mid-tour!

I'm looking at the go-lite shangri-la tents now.

I've had great success with campmor.com. They're a brick and mortar store (from back before the internet days) in North Jersey with a wonderful old school drawings-only newsprint catalog and a useful website.

I think their mail-order business has always been bigger than what goes through their store. Anyway, they are easy to recommend! (I live near the store.)

Look at the Big Agnes "Fly Creek". It comes in one and two man versions. It's almost as light as a "tarp style" tent. If you factor in a single pole for the tarp style tent...it would be close. The Fly Creeks are free standing.

https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Det...nt/FlyCreekUL1

I've done a lot of camping (no full-on backpacking, though, but lots of 5-6 days at a time) but just did my first loaded bike camping mini-tour last year. I just used the tent I already had, which is REI's 3-person Quarter Dome Ultralight (a few-years'-old version thereof; the new ones are a bit different.)

The trip went well, and I'm looking forward to more tours. I started thinking, well, I *have* to get a smaller tent! At least a 2-person instead of a 3-person! But then I started researching, and very quickly realized that in most cases, the weight difference between 2- and 3-person tents of the same manufacturer is very minimal. (I wouldn't consider a single-person tent; the general rule of thumb of *all* tents is that the true human capacity of a given tent is "what the manufacturer says - 1." ) If I were backpacking, I'd probably consider the weight differential more crucial; on the bike, though, I don't think I'd even notice it.

Volume, though, is an issue on the bike. Even there, the difference would not have been significant unless I went from a 3-person to a single. But then I lit upon what I hope will be the solution:

https://www.rei.com/product/766675

I just got two of these the other day: one for the tent, one for the rainfly. They compress each down to something that's about bigger than a softball, but smaller than a child's basketball. (For my tour, I had a larger-size, more expensive version that not only compresses, but is a dry bag -- cool! -- for my sleeping bag, which had to ride outside of my waterproof panniers.)

Now, if you're willing to go all hard-core with just a teeny bivy sack or some mosquito netting over your face, that's a whole 'nother level, and I don't have any experience or opinions on that!

I have a couple solo touring shelter options. When in the northwest, Oregon and Washington, spring and fall along the coast can get high winds and heavy rain. For those types of conditions I use a Coleman Peak1 Cobra. Advertised as two person, but that would be very tight. It has entrance on either side and the rain fly provides two vestibules, one over each entrance. I have had this tent about five years now. It's a bit over three pounds, single aluminum pole and perhaps the only criticism is that it is not a free standing tent, but I haven't found that to be an issue. For severe storms this tent has proved to be virtually bomb proof. I upgraded the tent pegs to MSR ground hogs and it takes me approximately ten minutes to set up in good conditions. When the weather is challenging it's good to have a sturdy, somewhat roomy shelter. Here in the desert I leave the rain fly off and the entire tent is a wonderful no see-um mesh, a real treat for dozing off while star gazing. : ) Like many of the folks in the online reviews of the Peak1 Cobra, I've been more than satisfied, especially considering the bargain price. One of those rare occasions where I have definitely received more than I paid for this tent.

I also have a Mountain Hardware Front Porch, pack wt. of a bit over 2 lbs. and also not free standing. It is described as a "tensile tarp structure" that is designed as an add on to a front entrance dome tent and provides a large vestibule entrance. It can also be used as a stand alone shelter. I received this as a gift from a friend and have only set it up a couple times. I prefer the peak 1.

I used a hammock last year on the Pacific coast route from BC to California. I never had any problems with it and also found it easy to set up on the ground. It's lightweight, small, off the ground in the rain, peaceful to sleep in, comfortable as hell., safe and quick to put up. I thoroughly recommend the clark's jungle hammocks, they cost about 3-400 bucks, but I'm a big guy(6' 1" 280lbs) and I never felt in any danger of it breaking. Almost all the campers I met on the way were jealous of the hammock, especially on rainy nights.

Downside:- insulation. Because you are suspended above the round, there is a pocket of air underneath which i cold can really get to you. This is easily soved with a blanket underneath or pad or thermarest, which you would have to carry anyway if you had a tent.

There are storage pouches underneath, which I put my valuables in and as for the panniers they lay on the ground underneath the hammock just fine or were attached to the hanging ropes. Also, there is no problem turning over, turning around or sleeping on your side. It is stable as all hell.

When I went across, I didn't spend much time in my tent. I got in to go to sleep and when I woke up—I was out of the tent. It's point-less to bring panniers in it, particularly if you're in bear country or even raccoon country—which is everywhere. A one person tent will do you just fine if you're not looking to set-up house. Light-weight, ease of set-up and keeping dry at night in the rain were my priorities. I went with the Big Agnes SL1. A wonderful tent in a nice sage green color. I'm now considering the BA Copper Spur UL2 or Emerald Mountain SL2 as my gal wants to go touring and I want two openings so as not to have to crawl over her (or her, me) in the middle of the night. BA tents are a bit pricey, but worth it IMO.