Night Fears: Worse with Hammocks than Tents?

[Glenn MacGrady]

For me things get real creepy and lonely once it gets dark.

When solo and darkness is falling you really get that feeling of vulnerability.

Night fears largely went away over time, though it is my least favorite part of soloing.

Your biggest friend for night time anxiety is a good set of ear plugs.

Without a fire I quickly start to feel a bit bored, lonely and depressed and sounds in the forest start to make themselves known.

You have to make really good friends with yourself. It can be a long process.

The quotes above are from @Blukanu's thread, Solo—fears and boredom.

Never being a hammocker or one who's slept shelter-less on the ground, a thought popped into my head in re-reading that thread: If I were in a hammock, where I could look all around into the deep, dark woods, would I psychologically feel more hyper-alert, uneasy, vulnerable and fearful than I do within the "protective walls" of my tent.

Ever since childhood, I have been used to going to bed alone. At home, it's just me and usually a book and the walls of my room. Hundreds of times in my van, it's just me and a book and the walls of my van. When canoe camping, it's just me and a book and the walls of the tent. I don't really ever think or worry about what's outside my little "world of walls" unless, perhaps, there is some really unusual noise.

But what if I were in a hammock? And every time and everywhere I looked around I could see creepy darkness, shifting shadows, changing light patters, and . . . maybe . . . some MOVEMENT OVER THERE! Would I feel more uneasy, vulnerable and fearful than I do in my psychologically safe tent wall world.

Hammockers, what say ye?

 

[Boreal Birch]

Read the Patrick F. McManus story about sleeping in an Army Surplus Hammock that he bought from Groggan’s as a kid. I can’t remember which book it was in, so read all his books. I am waiting for the long Arctic nights to re-read them, to exercise my laugh muscles. Sometimes I get to laughing so hard reading his stories, that my tear ducts start leaking.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

My hammock is a Hennessy and I have always used the fly because..... Idaho mountain weather. Haven't used it anywhere else yet. So I can't see very far out of it. One of these days I'll try going without the fly and see what that's like.

But so far, my main fear is widowmakers. I try to make sure there's no tree within reach that looks like it might fall, but again - it's been Idaho. And most of our forests are Conifers of Questionable Integrity, so when the wind comes up I get nervous.

It's hard enough sometimes to find two properly spaced trees without being obviously in the danger zone, and often, I don't even know if there will be any suitable trees at all. Yeah, that's another fear....of arriving at the end of the day with no available trees. And that's why I still usually go with the tent, even though I get my best sleep in the hammock (sans wind).

On poling trips though, all I need is one good tree.

 

[Tryin']

Never being a hammocker or one who's slept shelter-less on the ground, a thought popped into my head in re-reading that thread: If I were in a hammock, where I could look all around into the deep, dark woods, would I psychologically feel more hyper-alert, [snip]

Hammockers, what say ye?

I am more comfortable in my hammock. The walls of a tent preclude the ability to visually check a noise and also diminish my ability to aurally triangulate the source. Plus you have the attenuation effect from a couple layers of fabric.

If a chipmunk runs into the side of the tent when I'm half asleep, I find myself taking a good while straining to hear additional confirming information before I convince myself that it was nothing important. In my hammock, I can peer out, not see impending death, and go right back to sleep.

Not being on the ground seems to have some effect as well. I attribute this to the subconscious knowledge that I can move in multiple directions. In my line of work, defending yourself from a position on the ground is generally considered bad juju.

Anyway, this guy feels more comfortable in a hammock, but tents in bear country are still better than some places I've lived...

 

[Blukanu]

The answer is yes. I definitely feel more vulnerable in a hammock.

For the reasons you mentioned but also because you are kind of restrained. You don’t have that freedom of movement a tent allows. An animal can literally bite you in the a$$ at anytime and all you could do is squirm around and shriek.

I don’t mind being able to see out because 99% of the time you see nothing concerning. In that regard in a tent with only your imagination to fill in the blanks can be worse.

Would advise to always use a tarp/fly. Learned that lesson when I woke up to discover a bird (or multiple birds) sat all morning above my hammock evacuating their bowels. The insect mesh caught most of it but my face and sleeping bag got peppered with what filtered through.

I sleep much better in my hammock so it’s my preference despite any negatives.

 

[Alan Gage]

I've never noticed a difference one way or the other. The tarp often obscures the view out of a hammock, as does the dark.

Like Glenn, sleeping alone is normal for me. Quiet and introspection is what I'm used to. A solo canoe trip doesn't change much in my daily life. I usually enjoy it more because all the other distractions are gone.

I'm fortunate to not have an imagination that runs away on me.

Alan

 

[themadindian]

I don't think either provides you with more physical safety, I think the flexibility of the hammock is the real key. I also have an irrational fear of being trampled in a tent so I'm in a hammock 99% of the time, even with a dog quite often.

 

[Blukanu]

Think in some other thread a member mentioned that they actually had an animal walk under their hammock and bump them. Can you imagine a porcupine?

Few weeks ago I had a deer trip on my tarps guyline. Shook the tarp violently and jolted me awake. But that can happen in a tent too.

Unpleasant thought I have is if I wake up, open my eyes and be face-to-face with an animal. Hanging in a hammock you’d likely be right at eye level with a wolf or black bear. Probably not a concern anymore now that I snore like a chainsaw (or so I’m told).

 

[Alan Gage]

Think in some other thread a member mentioned that they actually had an animal walk under their hammock and bump them. Can you imagine a porcupine?

A porcupine brushing you as it walked under your hammock would be fine, as long as it didn't back up. The quills lay flat, like hair, and are raised when it's defensive. I'm pretty sure you could pet a tame one like a dog as long as you didn't try petting it backwards.

Unpleasant thought I have is if I wake up, open my eyes and be face-to-face with an animal. Hanging in a hammock you’d likely be right at eye level with a wolf or black bear.

You can drive yourself crazy with mind games like that. Tens of thousands of people sleep outside in the course of a season in North America. How many are attacked in their sleep? Why do you think a wolf or bear would want anything to do with you? The odds are on your side. Relax and go to sleep.

If you want to worry about something worry about all the bad things that can happen to you on the drive to the put-in and back. Those odds seem a lot more likely.

Alan

 

[themadindian]

Think in some other thread a member mentioned that they actually had an animal walk under their hammock and bump them. Can you imagine a porcupine?

Few weeks ago I had a deer trip on my tarps guyline. Shook the tarp violently and jolted me awake. But that can happen in a tent too.

Unpleasant thought I have is if I wake up, open my eyes and be face-to-face with an animal. Hanging in a hammock you’d likely be right at eye level with a wolf or black bear. Probably not a concern anymore now that I snore like a chainsaw (or so I’m told).

I've been bumped a few times, no worse than being sniffed while cowboy camping ;-)

 

[Steve in Idaho]

My current most used tent is almost entirely mesh without the fly. Just as easy to see out of as my hammock, which also has a mesh cover. I don't like getting eaten by bugs in my sleep any more than I like waking up to that unscheduled wet thunderstorm. My only issue is fly or no fly?

 

[TXRiverRunner]

Yall been watching Deliverance again? LOL I grew up in the back woods of deep east Texas. We did not have AC in our house until my dad bought a window unit when I was in high school. I slept with my window open most of the year listening to the sounds of the forest. I love it. Whether hammock or tent the sounds sing me to sleep. In high school my buddies and I would fall asleep on the ground next to a fire with no shelter at all. Though, I admit, I have never been on a solo trip. I always have at least one of my kids with me.

 

[recped]

The only time I recall a real "night fear" was not in a hammock, On the last night of a trip I decided to just use my bivy instead of putting up the tent. The only real purpose of the bivy was because I was camped very close to a significant rapid and thus the area as a lot of moisture in the air.

I had just settled in when I heard a sound of a small animal, I thought it was just a mouse as there had been a few hanging around by the fire/dinner area earlier. I didn't give it much thought until it came closer, that's when I realized it was far too big to be a mouse, maybe a squirrel or a chipmunk? Then I saw a critter much larger than any of those waddling past me within a foot, all black with that telltale white stripe. I froze while it passed within inches of my head and continued on into the bushes, it took quite a while for my heart to stop pounding!

So maybe a hammock is worse than a tent but a bivy sack on bare ground is worse than both!

 

[TXRiverRunner]

Would advise to always use a tarp/fly. Learned that lesson when I woke up to discover a bird (or multiple birds) sat all morning above my hammock evacuating their bowels. The insect mesh caught most of it but my face and sleeping bag got peppered with what filtered through.

Thats just nasty right there. Where was this?

 

[MichaelMerry]

Every chance I get, I cowboy camp. I actually feel more comfortable when I can see the sky. I love waking up to roll over and seeing stars or the dark woods. And, for me, it removes the mystery of the nighttime forest.

Most cowboy camping weather seems to occur for me in the winter or the edge of shoulder season.

Once, while backpacking in the sierras with a group of 5, we cowboy camped on a beautiful night near thousand islands lake. My buddy was awakened by a black bear sniffing his face. I think my buddy and the bear had accidents! We still laugh about that event, but it hasn’t changed our fondness for sleeping under the stars.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Most cowboy camping weather seems to occur for me in the winter or the edge of shoulder season.

I'd never heard the term "cowboy camping" until this thread, but I did say I've never done it. The American West, where it sometimes doesn't rain for months during May to October, would have much more amenable weather for this activity than the East. Maybe that's why there never were any cowboys in the East: no reliable sleeping weather.

Start threads and learn.

 

[ppine]

It depends somewhat on the country you are in. There is front country, back country and truly wild country.
Many people won't ever be able to figure out the difference.
I like to just roll out without a tent, but would not do that solo in grizz country or places with a lot of black bears either. I would at least want a tarp.

 

[Alien Legs]

I cannot see out of my warbonnet blackbird especially when I have my tarp pitched low which is most of the time if I dont know the weather forecast. I feel slightly more vulnerable in a hammock but I only tent with other people so its hard to compare. The hammock helps me sleep much better than on the ground with a pad.

 

[MichaelMerry]

I'd never heard the term "cowboy camping" until this thread, but I did say I've never done it. The American West, where it sometimes doesn't rain for months during May to October, would have much more amenable weather for this activity than the East. Maybe that's why there never were any cowboys in the East: no reliable sleeping weather.

Start threads and learn.

My wife waking up in the morning after a night cowboy camping in quehanna wild area, Pennsylvania

 

[MichaelMerry]

View attachment 143611
My wife waking up in the morning after a night cowboy camping in quehanna wild area, Pennsylvania

Truly spectacular night cowboy camping here.