Slept out in my hammock last night, learning temperature limits & how well a newly purchased rain tarp sheds rain. Yes, it rained throughout the night & early this morning. Even with the downpour, everything under the tarp, (including me) stayed dry.

I had a very comfortable nights sleep, despite using an underquilt rated to only 40 degrees. By wearing a sweatshirt, socks & sweatpants, plus a toboggan cap, I was exceptionally comfortable all night long. Only where the Mummy bag, used as a top quilt, wasn’t fully around my sides did I notice cold. I pulled the Mummy bag’s hood over my face & head too.
But it was right when the temperature bottomed out early in the morning (36.5 F), did I wake up feeling cold on my backside & shoulders (a.k.a.CBS… cold butt syndrome) I had reached the limit of comfort the underquilt could offer. I got to admit though, I’m totally impressed.
Getting in & out of a hammock may seem tricky, but once settled in I found this to be the most comfortable sleep I’ve ever had camping outside in the elements.

This is what got me started, there was a promotion for them and I took the plunge. I was surprised how well made it is. 10’5 x 6’5 400lb capacity double parachute that comes with padded tree straps. All at a price half of what’s out there that compares.


Next… The Rain Tarp

Gold Armour 12’ XL TARP Hammock Waterproof RAIN Fly Tent TARP 185″ Centerline – Lightweight Ripstop Fabric – Stakes Included 

The most versatile piece of gear to get, and on a cold rainy night, the most  needed. A good tarp has to do only one thing… keep you & your gear dry. This one by Golden Armor is plenty big enough & plenty rugged enough to get the job done. What I liked most about it is the price. It offers the most bang for your buck!

Then a Bug Net…

ENO – Eagles Nest Outfitters 

Guardian Bug Net, Hammock Bug Netting

Not always needed but ALWAYS necessary when it is, understand? Unless you like getting chewed on in the night you NEED a bugnet. There are cheaper ones out there, but this ENO has kept me bug free here in a South Carolina SWAMP!

For creature comforts! Top & Bottom Quilts or Sleeping Bags…

It goes without saying, how a sleeping bag is necessary. I wish I could afford Goosedown, but synthetic fills offer as much insulation at far less cost. Here’s a good sleeping that fills the bill for all but extreme cold.
NOTE: The Mummy Bag I’m using isn’t available on Amazon. It’s an Adventureridge brand purchased  from a Aldi’s Supermarket of all places. It was a good deal. So I picked this particular sleeping bag from Honest Outfitters because it approximates the same temperature rating as mine, and is similar in price. Personally, if I had to pick between the two, I’d pick this one since it’s a normal style Sleeping Bag. The Mummy style I have is a bit clunky to use in a hammock. It does fine used as a quilt, but this style would be better.


Here’s my choice of Underquilt…

It’s important to understand what “CBS” (Cold Butt Syndrome) is, & how this relates to Hammocks, and most importantly, how this Underquilt came to be my choice.

Since you’re butt is literally “Hanging” in a hammock, air is passing around it, & cooling it in the night. To keep from freezing your butt off, it’s necessary to insulate it from below, hence the need for a “Under Quilt”, which hangs under a hammock, keeping you warm. This one… the “Roost” by Outdoor Vitals is a fantastically affordable one that meets the need for me, & I bet for you too!

There are other bits & pieces you can add to this list that make hammock camping enjoyable, but for the basics, these all fill the bill nicely & affordably. There is a wide variety of styles of every one of these items, but these are what’s getting the job done for me. Every one is making me able to “Hang Out” in a moments notice.