Ten reasons why you should try hammock camping

Derek Hansen, author of “The Ultimate Hang” wrote a fun & informative article for Scouting magazine.

Derek Says…
Hammock camping is taking Scouting by storm. More and more troops are integrating them into regular monthly outings and sightings at high-profile events such as recent world and national jamborees.

But what is hammock camping all about, and should your troop really take it seriously? Are hammocks really that great? Most folks are convinced only after they get a chance to lay in a hammock, but until that opportunity comes, here are my top 10 reasons to consider hammock camping:

10. It’s Affordable. Hammocks are some of the simplest shelters around and have been used for centuries. A basic hammock costs as little as $20, and models with integrated bug nets (e.g., “jungle hammocks”), can be found for $60. Our Scout troop chose to make their own hammocks, complete with zippered bug netting and inexpensive tarps, for $30 a piece. High-end commercial camping hammocks, complete with tarp and bug netting, are still reasonable at $100.

9. It’s lightweight
8. It’s packable
7. It’s refreshing
6. You can still use your regular sleeping bag and pad.
5. It reinforces and supports the Youth Protection guidelines.
4. It’s Leave No Trace friendly
3. It gets you off the rocks, roots, bugs, muck, and slope of the ground.
2. i5t makes camping exciting!
1. It’s incredibly comfortable!

Go to Scouting magazine to read the complete article & have a chance to enter a “Place to Hang” Give-a-way.

Derek Hansen is a lightweight backpacker, Scoutmaster, and “hammock enthusiast” who enjoyed his first hammock hang at age 14 at the BSA Beaver High Adventure base in Utah. He has compiled more than 200 illustrations in his new book, The Ultimate Hang: An Illustrated Guide to Hammock Camping.

Read more about hammock camping (and order Hansen’s book, The Ultimate Hang, $14.95) on his Web site: www.theultimatehang.com. Plus, follow Hansen on Twitter (@TheUltimateHang) for more interesting hammock-camping tips. You can also “like” his Facebook page to follow him on his hammock-camping adventures.