Hammock Camping Basics

Way back in March of 2009, I drew up an illustration to help people understand the basics of hanging a hammock for camping. It turns out, that simple illustration would kickstart a slew of hammock camping-related illustrations, primarily for the folks at HammockForums.net. I had been a lurker on the forums for a while before dipping my toe in the water because I didn’t know if I had anything to add to the conversation. It turns out there were a lot of folks just like me who liked to visualize hammock camping instead of just reading about it. I love clear, informative illustrations, and that’s what I strive for in my own work.

I didn’t expect this first illustration to be groundbreaking — it was a very crude, simple drawing, but it worked. Since posting that first illustration, I’ve updated and created hundreds of illustrations that I published in The Ultimate Hang: An Illustrated Guide To Hammock Camping.

For additional information (and illustrations!) check out my post on Tips on Hammock Camping.

Hammock Camping Basics 101
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25 responses to “Hammock Camping Basics”

  1. […] you already know the fundamentals of setting up and sleeping in a hammock, use these tips as a guide when you look at buying your […]

  2. Bill Avatar
    Bill

    I love your book.It’s going next to Dan Beards Field and Forest handy book,Lofty’s SAS survival and several outdoor cookbooks.These are my go to books for ideas to keep our camping trips fresh and fun for my younger nephews.

    1. Derek Avatar
      Derek

      Thanks Bill! It’s rewarding to know the book has been so helpful. All the best!

  3. […] trees where I have mine tied up high at the ends and drooping in the middle. Check out this link Hammock Camping 101 | The Ultimate Hang -Joe 07 G650X 09 WR165 02 CR125 03 […]

  4. […] The most exciting new addition to my repertoire was a new Teton Sports Canyon 2100 pack with a dry bag.  That pack worked perfectly for this 3 day journey.  I also had my ComfortLite Sleeping Pad and Pillow in tow from Teton that I used in Kilimanjaro.  As always they performed excellent, were lightweight, comfortable and rugged. To get my hammock set up correctly I utilized a fantastic resource in the website The Ultimate Hang. […]

  5. […] you are more interested in hammock hanging beyond these infographics, feel free to sign up to the Ultimatehang.com for more tips on Hammock camping basics, illustrations as well as […]

  6. Lance Pierson Avatar
    Lance Pierson

    Would a regular bug net such as the Expedition X Mosquito Net 84″ X 39″ X 66″ work for an eno hammock? Im a little short on money and cI am looking for something a little bit more within my price range.

    1. Derek Avatar
      Derek

      By itself, no, it isn’t big enough. You need to use the hung length of the hammock, which is about 100 inches. That said, you can convert that bug net into a hammock net with some sewing. Check out these instructions I posted I hammock forums.

      1. Lance Pierson Avatar
        Lance Pierson

        It will not let me view the illustration can you post it on here please.

        1. Derek Avatar
          Derek

          Yes. I’ll write a new blog post.

        2. Derek Avatar
          Derek

          Okay, I updated my illustration and set a new blog post to publish tomorrow. Be on the lookout for it!

  7. ian Park Avatar

    Dear Derek,

    Is it okay to translate the information on the illustration on post on my blog for Korean hammock campers? It’s very hard to find any hammock information in Korean and your illustration covers a lot in very easy way. I think it will help Korean people understand more about the hammock.
    My blog address is blog.naver.com/talkingcat .

    Thank you

    Best regards
    Ian Park.

    1. Derek Avatar
      Derek

      Is be happy if you wanted to translate the document into Korean. Please send me an email and we can coordinate.

  8. […] need to adjust it a bit, but the right hammock position is about 30 degrees to the horizontal. See https://theultimatehang.com/2012/07/hammock-camping-101/ . As a rough guide you can just make a right angle with your thumb and index and sight it against […]

  9. […] I dove into the world of hammocking, I finally found a way to get a good night’s sleep in the outdoors.  Not only did I have more […]

  10. Shal Avatar
    Shal

    Thank you very much for your illustration and other very useful info. One aspect of camping I have not seen addressed about hammock camping is where to put one’s pack and other gear, clothes, food, etc, especially when it is raining and the ground below the hammock is wet. Please advise.

    1. Derek Avatar
      Derek

      There are several options. I most often just clip my backpack to the end of my hammock. It stays dry under the tarp and is above the ground. It also keeps it accessible when I’m standing. Some folks use mini gear hammocks and sling them next to the main hammock. Some hammocks have voluminous storage inside the hammock, like Warbonnet and Clark Jungle Hammock.

  11. […] diagram also helpfully goes through the basics. First and foremost you want to select the two trees […]

  12. […] is an excellent visual guide to help you successfully hang up your first […]