Ultimate Hammock Camping Checklist (Complete Gear List)

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Going out into the great outdoors is a great way to relax. It can also feel like there are a ton of items you need to bring along.  The ultimate hammock camping checklist will show you everything you need to consider for your next hammock camping trip. 

If this is your first hammock camping trip or you need to hone in your packing for your next camping trip, this list is just for you.  

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Hammock Camping

Whether you’re hammock camping or tent camping, it’s a good idea to use a packing list.  There are so many items to consider for your survival and comfort.

For hammock camping you need to consider bringing the following gear:

• Hammock
• Straps & Carabiners
• Insulation – Sleeping Bag/Quilt
• Comfort – Sleeping Pad
• Weather Protection – Tarp
• Nature Protection – Bug Net
• Storage – Stuff Sack

No matter the type of camping, it is a good idea to always consider every aspect of your camping conditions.  You’ll especially want to know the weather conditions. Whether it’s raining, hot, or cold will determine a lot of the gear that you need to bring.

If this is your first time, you should know that sleeping in a hammock is a lot colder than sleeping in a tent. Hammocks provide little to no insulation by themselves.  You can get cold very quickly, especially being suspended above the ground.  

Luckily, there are ways to stay comfortable in a hammock, but it just means more things to pack.  I’ll go over your options below to help you pack for hammock camping on your next great adventure.

Video

You can also check out our YouTube video talking about the perks & gear needed for hammock camping:

Why Choose Hammock Camping?

There are so many benefits to hammock camping in comparison to tent camping. 

Sleeping in a hammock while camping can be a totally safe and comfortable camping experience as long as you plan ahead accordingly.

You’ll want to make sure you choose a safe location & bring all of the proper gear with you based on your surroundings.

Below are a few of the benefits of hammock camping in comparison to tent camping.

Packing Small

When you’re hammock camping, your items to pack are much smaller than a tent.  Your hammock gear can usually fit into a small bag.  This makes hammock camping a great idea if you are backpacking.

While backpacking, you can hook your hammock to the outside of your pack.  This will save you room in your backpack, while also weighing less than a backpacking tent.

Easy Camping Spots

Another benefit of hammock camping is you don’t have to find a large, flat area like you do with tent camping.  Instead, you just need to find two good trees to hang your hammock from.

If you’re in a forest, then your options are pretty endless.  This makes hammock camping a great option so you can set up camp almost anywhere.

Quick Set Up

For the most part, setting up a hammock is less time consuming than setting up a tent.  

Depending on your hammock and which accessories you need to use for the night, your set up should only take a few minutes.

This makes for a quick set-up opposed to having to get out a tarp and tent and stake it all down together. (If you’re looking for a quick pop-up tent that only takes 3 minutes to set up, check out our review on the Gazelle T4 Hub Tent).

Relaxing

Hammocks can be way more comfortable to sleep in if you know what you’re doing.  Sleeping pads in a tent can be pricey, as well as uncomfortable. 

You can also use your hammock during the day to relax and nap.  In my opinion, it is the best thing about a hammock.  Relaxing in a hammock during the day beats laying in a stuffy tent.

What Do I Need For Hammock Camping?

If you are taking a hammock camping trip, there are several variables to consider.  The weather & climate have a huge impact on what you need to bring along with you.

Here is list of hammock gear that you might need:

• Hammock
• Hammock straps & carabiners
• Top quilt
• Under quilt
• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• Stuff sack or gear sling
• Hammock tarp
• Bug net

You probably won’t need all of these things.  Unless, you’re in a really cold climate with lots of bugs.  Then, you’ll definitely want to consider having the entire list.

Otherwise, you can pick and choose what will work best for you based on your conditions.

Choosing The Best Hammock

Choosing a hammock is a personal choice.  Just like with mattresses, we all have our own comfort preferences.

Our top pick for a hammock is the Sea to Summit Double Hammock.  We both use our own double-sized hammock for extra space.  We find it works the best.

We’ve tried out a few other brands of hammocks, but we feel like the Sea to Summit is good quality.  It also seems like the softest and most flexible to move around in for us.

You might shop for a hammock based on your climate.  Some hammocks have a built-in bug net.  Or you could even choose a bridge hammock for extra space.

Bridge hammocks are hammocks with four corners instead of two.  It gives you more space around your head and feet.

Regardless, choosing the right hammock might take a few tries.  It’s a good idea to buy hammocks that you can return if needed.  This will help you really test out which hammock works best for you.

Choosing Hammock Straps

Hammock straps are the lines that strap your hammock to the tree.  You might also hear them called “tree straps.”

Some hammocks come with their straps permanently attached to the ends of the hammock.  Otherwise, you need to get your own hammock straps and carabiners to hang your hammock securely from the trees.

Strap Length

One thing to consider with your straps is how far apart your trees can be.  You definitely want trees to be at least 10 feet apart so your hammock hangs comfortably.

Sometimes, you might not be in a great place with perfectly spaced trees.  In that case, it is good to have extra long hammock straps to reach across longer spaces.

We personally love using these ENO XL Hammock Straps.  They give you a little extra wiggle room when you’re looking for a spot to camp.

Strap & Carabiner Weight

You also want to make sure you have straps to hold your body weight.  Usually straps will hold enough weight for one person, but if you’re sleeping in a double hammock with your partner, you might have to upgrade your straps.

The ENO XL Hammock Straps hold up to 400 lbs. Always make sure to find straps that will fit your needs.

You also need to make sure you have sturdy carabiners to hold your weight as well.  Here is a carabiner pack that will hold over 1,000 pounds for each carabiner.  It’s a great idea to overestimate your needed weight and upgrade to a sturdier carabiner.

Sleeping Quilts & Bag

The next item to consider is how you’ll keep warm in your hammock.  If you’re camping in a hotter climate, you might just need a simple blanket.  

If you’re sleeping anywhere less than 70 degrees, it will start to feel too cold to sleep in a hammock without any type of insulation. Let’s consider what options you have.

Sleeping Quilts

There insulation options called under quilts & top quilts when it comes to hammock camping.

The under quilt is an insulated liner that hangs underneath your hammock.  The extra insulation provides you warmth from below.  It is like having an extra thick hammock attached underneath your hammock.

The top quilt is more like a special sleeping bag that you sleep inside of on your hammock.  Traditional sleeping bags don’t provide as much warmth when you’re in a hammock, so a top quilt is ideal.

The insulation in a traditional sleeping bag will be compressed and lessen the amount of insulation that you experience.

A top quilt is a sleeping bag for hammocks.  They are designed specifically for hammocks.  The way they are insulated will ensure that your back and feet stay warm.

Depending on the weather conditions that you’re camping in, you may want one or both the under and top quilt on your hammock camping checklist.

Traditional Sleeping Bag

If you’re sleeping in moderate temperatures, you can get away with sleeping in a traditional sleeping bag on your hammock.

You can’t fully trust the temperature rating on the sleeping bag, as the insulation won’t work to the same degree.  But you can definitely plan to just use a sleeping bag if you’re sleeping in moderate temperatures around 60 degrees.

No matter what, you want to make sure you have some kind of warmth added to your hammock camping checklist as being in a hammock can get cool.

Sleeping Pad

Some people like a little extra cushion while sleeping in a hammock.  In that case, you might choose to bring a sleeping pad along with you.

You can always bring it and ditch it last minute, but it might be nice to try out if this is your first time.

Consider that the mattress might help or hurt when it comes to your temperature control, depending on the sleeping mattress pad you use.

There are mattress pads made specifically for hammocks.  You could also see if your regular camping mattress pad will fit in your hammock.

If you need a little extra cushion while you sleep, then adding a sleeping pad to your hammock camping checklist is a must.

Check out this review of our favorite tent sleeping pads:

Hammock Tarp

Nothing is worse than waking up in the middle of the night to rain.  If there is even a small chance that it will rain, you want to make sure you have a hammock tarp.

You can buy a tarp specifically for hammocks, or you can rig up your own tarp with paracord to create your hammock shelter.

Regardless, you want to make sure you have something on your hammock camping checklist to give you coverage on nights that it might rain.

Bug Net

Depending where you’re at and what season you’re in, the bugs could be intense.  Having a bug net around your hammock is a great way to ensure you have a restful night of sleep.

There are bug nets made specifically for hammocks, but again, you could rig up your own net if needed.

We personally like using the ENO Eagles Nest Bug Net for our hammocks.  They are easy to put up, and you can easily unzip it to get in and out.

Make sure to consider the bug situation so you can add a bug net to your hammock camping checklist if necessary.

Stuff Sack or Gear Sling

If you’ve ever wondered what to do with your pack & shoes while camping, then a stuff sack or gear sling is exactly what you need.

You can keep your pack on the ground if it’s dry and you’re not worried about animals getting into it.

Otherwise, you’ll want to consider keeping your gear off the ground in a gear sling.

If you’re in a wetter climate, you might want a stuff sack to keep your smaller gear in.

A stuff sack is just a bag that will hang from your hammock as you sleep.  This will ensure your stuff doesn’t get stolen or wet during the night.

Another option is a gear sling.  This is essentially a smaller hammock that you will hang above or below you to store your gear in.  Gear slings will typically hold larger items than a stuff sack, depending on the size of the sack you have.

Either one works great if you are wanting to keep your gear off the ground at night.  (We’ve even had our small dog sleep in this Sea to Summit Hammock Gear Sling when the weather is nice!)

Whichever option you choose, just make sure to have a paracord and/or carabiners on your hammock camping checklist so you can hang it up.

How To Set Up A Hammock

When you set up camp, hammock campers will tell you that you want to get your hammock set up before dark if possible.  This will help you scope out the area and make sure you’ll have a safe night of sleep.

Then you can unpack everything you have on your hammock camping checklist.

1. Choose Trees

You don’t want your trees to be too close together.  This will make the hammock start to fold inward.  It’ll be near impossible to get comfortable while sleeping.

It is best to find trees that are 10-15 feet apart when hammock camping.  This will allow for your hammock to hang freely and give you space to adjust.

You also want to make sure you’re in a safe area. 

For instance, it wouldn’t be smart to hang your hammock up under a hornets’ nest.  You also wouldn’t want to be under a dead branch that could fall in the middle of the night.

Look at the surroundings and make sure the area is clear of any dangers before you set up.

2. Hang Hammock & Tarp

This part might look different depending on which hammock accessories you need.  Regardless, you want to hang your hammock with the support straps to the two trees.   Make sure your carabiners are securely in place.

If you are using an under quilt or bug net, you’ll need to follow the instructions to get those hung up properly with your hammock.

Next, hang up your hammock tarp if necessary.

3. Sleeping Gear

Next, you’ll want to get your sleeping gear set up.  If you’re using extra insulation like a sleeping pad, sleeping bag, or sleeping quilt, you can get those set up now.

My rule of thumb is to over prepare.  Nothing is worse than fighting through the cold air in the middle of the night to unpack your sleeping bag because you got colder than you expected.

4. Store Gear

At this point, you need to figure out what to do with your gear.  If you have a stuff sack or gear sling, it’s a good idea to hang them up now to test out how they’ll hang while you sleep.

How To Sleep In A Hammock

Sleeping in a hammock can seem uncomfortable at first.  There is a science behind how you lay in the hammock.

To sleep in a hammock, you want the hammock to be fairly evenly hung between the two trees.  You don’t want one end to be way higher than the other.  If anything, make sure your head is on the higher end, if necessary.

Then, when you lay in the hammock, you’ll want to lay diagonally.  This sounds weird, but it is the best way to get the hammock spread out into a flat surface.

It takes some adjusting, but if you can get evenly distributed diagonally across the hammock, you’ll find the most comfort.

Sleeping in a hammock is similar to sleeping in a bed.  We all find different positions work best for us.  After a few tries, you’ll figure out what works best for you.

Vertigo While In A Hammock

If the rocking of the hammock is giving you vertigo, you might try to hang your hammock lower to the ground.  This will make you feel a little less movement.  Plus, you can stick one leg out and touch the ground occasionally if you need to feel stable.

I experienced vertigo the first few times I tried to lay in a hammock.  Over time, you get your “hammock legs” and will no longer feel sick from the movement.

FAQ About Hammock Camping

Additional Gear While Hammock Camping

The rest of the hammock camping checklist will match that of tent camping.  We have a free printable Basic Camping Packing List if you need help packing for your first trip.

An example of some of the items that you’ll find on the list are

• Portable stove
• Camp chairs
• Apparel
• First aid kit
• Food items
• Cooking items
• Personal items

Make sure to download this free basic camping list so you don’t forget any of the necessities.  The last thing you want is to be without other essential items while you’re hammock camping.

Conclusion

If you’re planning your first trip, then consider hammock camping!  Hammocks can be used in so many great ways – backpacking, road trips, day trips, etc. 

When hammocking camping, there are several aspects to consider so you have the best night of sleep.  The hammocking items you want to consider having on your hammock camping trip are:

• Hammock straps & carabiners
• Top quilt
• Under quilt
• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• Stuff sack or gear sling
• Hammock tarp
• Bug net

Make sure to consider this hammock camping list for your next trip so you can have a great night of sleep!

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