A Backpacker’s Guide to Hammocking

In my opinion modern man is lazy and I think that technology is to blame, you see in the past people had to walk long distances to their jobs or school, and in their free time they had things to do. Today things are very different, take entertainment for instance, in the past you went out to watch a movie, today you can download or stream movies at the comfort of your home. It is also possible to work from home.

The bad thing with being lazy is it makes us weak, one option to stay fit is to go to the gym but as we all know most people give up after a day or two. Therefore, the best way to stay healthy today is to find an activity that is fun and healthy in equal measures.

 In my opinion, Backpacking combined with hammocking is perfect solution to laziness in today’s world. I know you may be thinking of tents but you should know that hammocks are better; the awesome thing about hammocks is they are very comfortable making them the perfect way to relax.

Back packing is an activity that requires you to carry all your belongings on your backpack, this makes it very healthy. Look at it this way, instead of sitting on your couch all weekend you will be walking around shedding those extra pounds, and it is also good for your heart.

It requires exercise

Your chosen destination will determine the amount of strain your body will have to endure, for instance, if you pick a hard route you will need your strength. This means that you will have to exercise before you go; the awesome thing about this is you have a goal to work towards i.e. something that motivates you.

Note that, the more you exercise the easier the trip will be, if you go backpacking when you are out of shape you will have problems especially if you have to keep up with people who have been doing it for some time. If you're interested about hammocks, here's a useful reference.

Now you don’t have to join the gym or anything just start by walking around neighborhood daily, or instead of driving to your destinations walk.

Find a buddy and know your limits

If you are new to backpacking it is recommended that you find an experienced person to show you the ropes, also for safety reasons you should never go into the wilderness alone. Remember there is safety in numbers and the more you learn the better.

The truth is keeping up with experienced backpackers can be difficult if you are new to it, therefore when you go out make sure that you know your limits, if it becomes too much don’t shy off from expressing yourself. Simply put if you can’t keep up tell them to slow it down.

Get the right gear

To reduce the amount of weight you have to carry you should only carry high quality lightweight camping hammocks, you will also need rain gear, insulators and the right back pack. The best option here is to find an experienced back packer to help you find what you need. 

Hammock camping: how to lighten your load

Unlike donkeys or horses, the human body was not designed to carry heavy loads. That’s why each time you carry a heavy backpack you feel like the earth is ending. Now if you are going hammock camping deep in the woods you will have to carry a lot of weight, the problem is carrying can cause spinal injuries, muscle injuries, cardiovascular problems, fatigue and most importantly it sucks not being able to stand up straight.

This means that it is in your best interest to reduce or lighten your load when you are out camping, if you are going hammock camping it means that you must carry a hammock. The best thing to do here is to find a light weight hammock that you can carry easily without hurting your back; I guess it’s safe to assume that you know that Brazilian hammocks and other similarly heavy hammocks are a no-no. Click this site to know more about hammocks.

When you buy a camping hammock make sure that you buy the ultra light varieties, you should also make sure that everything that comes with the hammock is ultralight.

Remember when you are out camping you will have to sleep in the hammock, therefore make sure that you buy a strong comfortable hammock.

The cold

The cold is your enemy this means that you will need insulation; you should note that it is not a must that you carry the warmest bulkiest insulating materials in the market. You simply need light weight under quilts (to help you avoid the cold butt syndrome), self inflating pads/ mats or any other light weight materials.

A good option to beat the cold and reduce your load is to go camping during the warmer months, look at it this way, the colder the weather the more insulating materials you will have to carry.

Your wardrobe

You are going into the woods not a fashion contest; therefore a good way to reduce your load is to limit your wardrobe. It is not a must that you carry an entire extra change of clothes; just carry the essentials, besides the critters in the woods won’t worry about how bad you smell. If you have to wash your clothes you can cover your shame with your rain coat and chill as they dry.

This also applies to things that you don’t need, for example, there is no need to carry books, your laptop, tablets or three pairs of shoes. A good option here is to create of must have list, once you have all that you need, you can decide whether or not to carry those other things that are non essential.

Food

Humans run on food, this means that you will have to carry food. If you are going into the woods for a long time e.g. a week you will have to carry lots of food, what you can do to lighten your load is repackage your food into re-sealable bags. This will reduce the weight you have to carry and give you more space to pack more things.

Creative ways to hang a hammock

Most people assume that hammocks can only be hung from two trees, but there is a problem, trees take a very long time to grow. This means that if you bought a hammock today and plant two trees to hang your hammock, it will take you at least five years to use the hammock, or let’s assume that you reside in an urban area like Vancouver BC, Canada. If that’s the case you may not have enough space to plant trees, therefore if you are a proud owner of a hammock you will be in a conundrum.

 

You will have to decide whether to move to the woods to use your hammock, or to find creative ways to hang it in and around your home. Moving to the woods is obviously not a good option because there are cougars and bears out there that may or may not eat you. If I were you I’d go with the second option.

Option 1: the bunk bed

Now this is a good option if you want to add extra space in your bedroom and save cash, the idea is to hang your hammock from the walls on top of your bed. But, make sure that the hammock you use is made of a sturdy material or the person sleeping below you will have an eyeful of butt each time he or she tries to get some shut eye.

To hang your hammock from the wall you will have to drill hooks into your wall or ceiling and use a rope to link the hooks to the hammock, make sure that the hooks are of good quality because you don’t want someone falling on you in the middle of the night.

A single tree

If you have a tree in your compound that has strong branches you can hang your hammock on it, how you ask? Take note this is not as straight forward as it sounds, you will have to find a tree that stretches wide enough. The idea is to hang your hammock on the branches of the tree.

I think it’s safe to assume that you know that you should never hang your hammock on a dead branch, here’s why, if you hang your hammock on a dead branch there is a high chance that the branch will crack and you will land on your butt. No one wants that, oh except for YouTube and viral videos.

Extra sitting space 

It is possible to bring your hammock into your living room, all you have to do is find the perfect spot preferably the corner section of the living room and hang it. This will bring an outdoorsy feel to your home, you can also buy a kitty hammock and hang it under let’s say a table for your feline companion.

If you are into knitting or have a collection of stuffed animals you can use hammocks to store them, this will reduce clutter in your home. Another great option is to buy a hammock chair , believe me hammock chairs are way more comfortable than normal chairs.

Hammocking with your Dog

I wonder who came up with the saying ‘men are like dogs’? Because the way I see it that saying should be a compliment. Why you ask? The reason is simple, dogs protect you from cookie peddling girl scouts, strangers and creepy people who come to your doorstep, on top of all that dogs are man’s best friend. Ask yourself this, what’s better than an animal that never holds anything against you?

Let’s do a little comparison between man and dog, if you piss off or annoy a guy/ girl most will hold it against you for a very long time. Some might even become your mortal enemy, but if you annoy a dog. The dog will forget it and you will get back to being best friends in a very short period of time. Follow us on Pinterest.

There are many awesome things about dogs for one even though they have a heightened sense of sight, smell and hearing they are the most loyal creatures on the planet, spending time with your dog relieves stress and improves your physical well-being.

There are a lot of ways to spend time with your furry buddy, but nothing beats hammocking with your dog. However the problem with dogs is they are very curious and protective creatures. For instance let’s say a coyote wonders to your camp, your dog will try to protect you by going after the threat which can lead to a miserable night.

Therefore my suggestion is if you are going hammocking with your dog, it’s safer to keep it close to home.

The cold

It is important to understand that even dogs have a tolerance limit when it comes to cold; this means that if you know that you are going out to a very cold area you will need to keep your dog warm. Remember just like humans, dogs are susceptible to hypothermia and frostbite, therefore if temperatures are too low its best to just stay at home.

A good way to keep warm is to share your hammock with your dog, but if your dog is let’s say 80lbs or more its best to put a CCF pad under your hammock for the dog. Visit our website www.harmonyhammocks.com/

Hot weather

When out hiking or camping in hot weather it is important to stay hydrated, dogs also need to stay hydrated. They also need rest, some signs that will tell you that something is not right with your dog on a hot day are:

1.     Refusing to move/laying down

2.     Weakness

3.     Excessive panting

4.     Red tongue and gums

5.     Thick sticky saliva

The best thing to do is to take it slow, take breaks and make sure that the dog drinks water regularly. Click here.

Train your dog

The good thing about dogs is they learn fast, meaning that you can train your dog to get in and out of a hammock. You can also train them to use a blanket; this will allow the dog to stay warm in cold places.  When it comes to matters leash the choice is up to you, you know your dog so only you can make that decision. 

Check us out on Dailymotion.com

How to Sleep on a Hammock

Ever wonder why sometimes your neck or your back hurts after a long day of napping? Ever think that maybe it’s because you don’t know how to sleep? I know you are thinking “if I need sleep all I have to do is, lie on a flat surface such as my office desk, bed or hammock which is not flat and catch some Zs”.   But what most people don’t understand is that the way you sleep will affect your health.

For example, if you sleep on your stomach you have a high chance of getting back pains, but we are talking about hammocks here and sleeping belly down in a hammock is next to impossible.

If you are tired of sleeping on your plain old boring bed, don’t worry I’m going to teach you how to sleep on a hammock. And trust me if you get it right you may never go back to normal beds and no I won’t turn you into a hippie.

The first you have to do is make sure that the hammock is hung properly, this means that it shouldn’t be too tight or to lose. When you sleep on the hammock it should not put you in a U shaped position, where your head and legs are up and your stomach is down. The idea is to set it in a position that keeps you almost flat. If you fold up like a banana you will have back pains. This means that you must get the hung right and the hammock itself must be of the right quality i.e. don’t go for poorly designed hammocks.

Accessories

If you are planning to spend the night in a hammock, it is wise to accessorize. Here you will need things such as a blanket and a pillow; you can also decide to use a sleeping bag if you are camping. If you have a hammock chair like we sell on our website.

Let it rock but not too much

Ever wonder why babies like rocking beds? Simple, the motion rocking beds create helps them fall asleep faster and sleep better. This is also true when it comes to hammocks, for some it may feel weird at first but after sometime you will be sleeping like a baby. A simple rope hammock is all that is needed and can be purchased online from our store.

It doesn’t have to be a one man or woman thing

Some people will like this and some people won’t, if you are into cuddling and being smooshed together with a loved one. Then you will enjoy this, but if you like your space better not to try this even if you are using a two person hammock.

Relax

There is no right way to sleep on a hammock, therefore when you get in one try out different positions until you get one that offers you maximum comfort. If you are sleeping outside or on a string hammock, it is recommended that you wrap up; this will protect your delicate human skin from abrasions and keep mosquitoes from biting.

Generally sleeping on a hammock has been proven to have benefits such as, relieves sore backs, provides a good place to study or relax, can help cure insomnia and is generally an awesome way to sleep. Harmony carries a wide variety of hammocks in different sizes and colours.