Sorry this was so late! UKposts wouldn't process the video for some reason! Here are the time stamps: 00:31 Tents (Pros and Cons) 02:19 What I Look for 04:19 Freestanding 05:22 Semi-Freestanding 06:07 Non-Freestanding 07:05 Double Wall 09:48 Single Wall 11:32 Footprints/Ground Sheet 12:33 Stakes 13:42 Tarps (Pros and Cons) 15:52 Poncho Tarps 16:45 Bivys (Pros and Cons) 18:24 Hammocks (Pros and Cons) 19:47 Components 21:38 Quick Summary

Attention side-sleepers: something I learned in the boy scouts a gazzillion years ago was to scoop out a hollow under where your hip will be. I haven't seen this mentioned on any youtube videos that I have watched, and it's probably less effective with an inflatable pad, but it is something to consider to make your sleep on hard ground a bit more comfortable, maybe.

I'm a ADV motorcyclist and this is some of the most useful camping information channel I have found.

I use a hammock and just wanted to add that I use a slightly modified clear shower curtain as a rainfly/tarp. It keeps me dry but offers the luxury of seeing the stars and nature around me!

If it’s pouring rain💦, with most freestanding double wall tents🏕, you can set up the fly (outer wall) first. It takes a little longer to clip the inner onto the poles from the inside, but at least your inner wall stays completely dry. Love 💕 your videos Dixie, keep them coming. I’m watching from Australia 🇦🇺. 👍🏻

Long time hiker here and one thing about hammocks they are addictive the first time I used one on a boy scout weekend trip when I was 13 I spent the rest of the summer trying to figure out how I was going to set it up in my bed room at home and now at 40 I still use a hammock everytime I go out

I’ve been a backpacker for over 30 yrs. Yes it was a lot of info, but you presented it extremely clearly and thoroughly. I always like to see others takes on stuff, and being a packer from the 80’s I always try to stay up on the lighter materials, especially as I get older. 😁

My friend sold me his very expensive, light weight double wall tent & I used it while travelling around the world for several years, I didn't realise till the end of my travels that you could separate the inside & outside!! Ahahahah Dixie talking about the inside section getting wet while attaching the outer shel & I'm laughing at my stupidity all those years, would have been cooler in India if I had taken off the outer shell, well mine came from my friend set up like that and I always packed it, unpacked & set it up as a single unit!! I loved that tent, single person tent that managed at a stretch to accommodate me, another girl & our 2 backpacks while hitchhiking around New Zealand - Huge Vestabule. It even survived a morning hungry duck attack!

I love spreading out and having the den feeling in my tent! I can definitely be a home body at times, and it was nice to have that settling into my home feeling on trail.

Shug Emery’s UKposts channel is also a good hammock resource. Plus he’s a hoot to watch.

I ride mountain bikes in the desert and "camp" in the car. I stumbled on this video and learned so much that I may get and use a tent. BTW, the video is extremely well done and edited. Thanks for caring enough to do a good video.

Excellent summary of the options - Thank you. Remember, you are NOT limited to tree areas with a hammock. Using rock climbing protection (stoppers/hexes, etc.) you can use cracks in boulders for support anchors. Also, let's say you'll be in trees for 5 days but open fields for 2. On those 2 treeless days, you can put a ground sheet down and your hammock on top of that. Use your hiking poles to support your tarp and you can tie the (built into the hammock) bug net to the hiking poles to keep it off your face. Sure - not as comfortable as in the air. But it allows you to mostly use the hammock as intended and still have shelter for the few days you can't. For privacy, you can stake your tarp low/close to the hammock and change with the hammock between you an any public. Without focusing on "ultra-lite" options, given the weight of components, the hammock is about as heavy as a tent setup but so much more comfortable. A good resource is www.hammockforums.net Remember, you get a flat lie by turning slightly diagonal; not making the hammock tighter. I like the first edition of Ultimate Hang a little better because it is much smaller/lighter so easier to carry in the field if you want printed reminders while learning. The second edition is good for a home reference. Thank you for giving hammocks another chance. Cougarmeat.

I'm a free-standing double-walled tent gal. I like the sturdiness of them, the warmth when it's cold, the stars when it's fine, and how lightweight they've become. As well, nowadays, most double walled tents can be set up with the fly and stakes or a footprint, then the inner tent is put up from the inside so it never gets wet. Or, in the case of my 4-year old Mira Exped ii, and many others, the fly and inner tent can be kept connected on take-down and set up as one, thereby also negating the wet floor issues of setting up in rain.

I love my Hennessy hammock tent we used them in the military and I loved it than and now

Thank you Dixie. That was an absolutely fantastic breakdown of the different shelter types along with the pros and cons of each. I really think this is going to be a great series and I appreciate you doing it.

My experience with tarps and why I went back to a tent. 1. Bugs have unrestricted access to you while under a tarp unless you bring a mosquito net which adds back the weight you saved with the tarp. 2. If it is raining when you get to camp, you will be setting a tarp over wet ground. Most tents will be dry inside even on wet ground. 3. Fear of snakes. While a snake would never crawl under a tarp with you, a tent makes one feel safer from this (unreasonable fear), thereby sleeping better. On hammocks: The issue is no insulation underneath, or having to pack in the insulation which adds weight to your pack. Thank you for this channel and all your videos. You are an inspiration! Paul

My wife and I really enjoy your videos. I had a bad motorcycle accident and so a tent just sucks for my hips. I love the Hammock Bliss Sky Bed. It's an asymmetrical design that has a sleeve for you to slide your sleeping pad into. Doesn't slip and I've kept very warm down to freezing temps without anything else under me. Big shout out to The Ultimate Hang and Shug's videos. Also, ProfessorHammock has great videos for all of the people that just want to totally get deep into the hammock lifestyle. Thanks again! And for sure (guys), designate yourself a pee bottle for when you just don't want to get out of your shelter at night. Best advice I ever received.

Good to see the video, wondered if you were safe. That was terrible yesterday in Beauregard. Hope all your people were all right. We're down here in Montgomery. War Eagle!

Thank you Dixie, being a beginner backpacker, I found this video very helpful.😁😁

Good to see you made it through the nasty weather. I hope your family/friends/loved ones are well. Thanks for the video.

I'm so happy you're doing a series like this. It's also very clear how much effort you're putting into it. Love u!!

One thing I love about tarps is all the room they provide. I have recently started using an oversized tarp in addition to my tent when I'm not as constrained by weight.

Great video, I just want to give a bit of advice on using a tarp, being a long time tarp guy. If you use bungees (connect the ends into the ring/hole/whatever it's called, and just wrap the middle around a tree or something), you can set up the whole thing in a matter a couple of minutes, and it eases the need for a bunch of knots. Although there are some drawbacks (you can't do it on plains, in high winds it will move more than if you use a rope, etc.), I'd say it's a good way to start if you've never used a tarp before. I thought that I'd just give something I learned along the way. Also, it's sinfully easy to pack it up if you want to head out at before dawn, since you don't have to untie anything, just watch out so the bungees don't take out your eye ;).

Most useful run through I've come across! Always used tents but decided on an alternative for this season. Thank you!

This is a good overview. Don't be offended by the hammock people. We are sometimes too enthusiastic. Long distance hikers need to know about all options, because things can change with territory. I have some friends (AT thru-hiker couple) who had to go buy a t**t, because they were going to hike the CDT, where they would often be above treeline. All knowledge is helpful.

Love the way you call the poncho tarp the extreme end... I've been camping with with a poncho for over 20 years and has always been my favorite camping set up. Never realized it was extreme, just though it was normal ;-p

Thanks Dixie, good info. Glad to hear you are ok from the storms.

Tent? Yes. Hammock? Yes. My bed? Yes. Love some sky watching. Thanks for your sharing. Side sleeper her also. Mahalo nui loa. Aloha ke akua. To All.

Thanks for the advice! We’re shopping for tents for our summer trip right now and this has a great run down on general features and terms, and things to consider.

Dixie (J.) I'm praying for you and your community because of the devastation from the storms and I hope that it'll be a quick recovery. That said, thanks for your informative videos, but take your time in getting some out if you need to, I am sure we can understand your situation. Family, friends, and community first!

My favorite backpack tent so far for solo hiking is the Snugpak Ionosphere. It's a mix between a bivi, and a tent. It's great for cowboy camping.

Dixie this is one of the most comprehensive videos I've seen on the subject matter. I've been camping and canoe trekking for 40 years and thought I've seen (and tried it all). I found myself agreeing with you on pretty much all of your points. Canoe trekking is a bit more weight luxurious compared to backpacking, but like yourself I've settled on single wall cuben fiber (now apparently called Dyneema) tent from a custom tent maker. Our first one was a 4 person pyramid style tent that lasted 6 years but was more of a tarp shelter as it was floorless. We just upgraded to one with a floor and mesh front and back doors plus mesh linking floor and sides to alleviate the condensation issue you mentioned. The Ants finally got to us on our last trip up in Wabakimi Park in northwestern Ontario. One night my wife and I both woke up at the same time, both of us slapping our head with our hand and trying to dig out ant from our ear who decided to forage in the wrong place. We both muttered in harmony, NEXT YEAR WE'RE GETTING A FLOOR!. I liked how you showed that you can use rock cairns on non-spike able grounds with non freestanding tents. This was one of our biggest concern when going to a non-free standing tent. The good news is that when there isn't soil around, rocks are usually plentiful. Sometimes we will fill a couple of stuff sacks with smaller rocks for key tension points and use that as an anchor and load larger rocks on top of it when we think the wind conditions are bad. You can also tie directly to stumps and samplings if you don't mind a less tight set up. I hammock camped for two years and enjoyed it. Thought I'd never go back until the inflatable air mattresses came out (and my wife started tagging along on my trips). Those neoair mattresses give so much more comfort compared to the old foam/partial inflatable thermarests, are lighter in weight and have great r-values. When I went back to ground, there was no more looking up. Thanks again for putting out such great content. Newly subscribed! Ken

My old & trusty standard issue GI "woodland" camouflage poncho never fails ... a little more weight but durable and very versatile...including rain cover, tarp, foot print(ground sheet - dating me) including many configurations for a tent ... excellent presentation!

Great overview, Dixie! Personally, I favor a hammock for myself in the backcountry. When I first got into hammocking I got an all-in-one system from Hennessy Hammock. After a while using that, I realized that silnylon wasn't the best shelter/tarp material in wet weather, and I needed a longer hammock to be a bit more comfortable. So, I switched to a Warbonnet Blackbird XLC, and got a few specialty bits and pieces for it such as a cuben fiber tarp from Hammock Gear, "spider web" tree huggers, and a ridgeline and suspension system from Dutchware Gear. I still really enjoy my hammock, and plan to use it on the Benton MacKaye trail in a couple of weeks, as well as on the JMT this year (if I can get a permit!). However, despite the superior comfort, I have noticed 3 major downsides. Despite my best efforts to get the lightest gear money can buy, a complete hammock setup is going to be heavier than a comparable tent or tarp setup. As you mentioned, you also need suitable trees, and while this isn't a problem on the AT, it can be an issue on other trails, meaning you may need a second shelter system for use on other trips. Finally, setting up a hammock properly takes skill and time. Even with practice it can take me 20-40 minutes to get everything setup just right, plus 15-20 minutes to take down and pack, and that may be a lot more time than most people are willing to put into their shelter each day. I still use a 2-person tent with my wife when we go camping together - a Big Agnes HV UL 2 - but tents definitely aren't my favorite when hiking solo. The main issues I have are sleeping on the lumpy ground, the awkwardness of an inflatable pad, competition for great sites, risk of flooding in really wet weather, and how filthy the outside can get. Bottom line: there's no perfect shelter.

Have you heard of a Tentsile tent? It is a hammock style tent that you suspend from trees, but it has ratchet straps to tighten it up so that you are sleeping in a flat suspension hammock type thing. It is very comfortable, and you can sleep off the ground, but you're still sleeping in the relatively flat space. I have one and I highly recommend them.

It's GREAT! to hear your are still open to trying a hammock. Looking forward to hearing your opinion on this topic.

I’m not outdoorsy, never once hiked, or backpacked and I have zero intention of ever doing such a thing. But for some reason I find everything you talk about so interesting and have been following you for years!

Great to hear you are thinking about trying a hammock again! I love being outside camping but I was really tired of waking up in a tent with a sore and stiff back every morning. So when I saw some other scout leaders using hammocks a few years ago I decided to start doing some research. The most common thing I was reading, when I first started researching, was how comfortable people were sleeping. So I took the plunge and bought a Hennessy Jungle Explorer Asym Zip. Wow was it ever an amazing sleep! I went from tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable and waking up tired to sleeping 10-11 hours a night and waking up very rested. I now have three hammocks for myself and family. I have added a Hennessy Cub (for the kids) and most recently a Dutchware Chameleon. Hennessy is a great starting point for hammock noobs because of their all in one hammock kits. They also have a wide range of hammocks for everyone's needs (ultralight to heavier double bottom hammocks). I now love the Chameleon for its modular nature. You can get just what you need to get started or buy everything for it and be set up for all the seasons and possible weather that mother nature can throw at you. Don't for forget to get an underquilt (like the Hammock Gear Incubator) for backside warmth. If you go with the Chameleon you will also need to get a tarp. There are many options for tarps all depending on how much coverage you want and how light you want it. You can even get tarps with doors for bad weather and privacy! Well I hope you enjoy the hammock this time and don't forget to check out Shug's videos for all hammock info.

Don't forget about shugemery for hammock camping know-how He's been a pervasive advocate for the hammock way of life

so excited for this series!! thanks for all your work and dedication to putting this kind of info out there - you’re the best dixie!!

Thank you for making all these videos.I work in a camping and hiking store in Australia and have learnt a lot since I've subscribed to your channel.

Thanks for the overview, quite thoroughly! Especially on the tarp+bivi part. Not a lot of people get that right. They only think of either a tarp, *OR* a bivi. Not about a tarp *AND* a bivi, like you’ve mentioned. Which ultimately works better against mosquitoes, moisture and wind. Also, you’ve got some impressive hair. And for a non-native English speaker that I am, I like that accent!

I use a hammock with a bug net and a rainfly when its warm, and a double-wall tent with an inflatable mattress and sleeping bag when its cold. A cheap blue polytarp makes a great footprint. I tuck the edges under. I don't understand why so much of the camping community can only use one system for all situations. Why not both?

I just took my 3 oldest boys each on his own camping trip. My oldest and I backpacked 2 miles and hammocked there. That was, by far, the most comfortable sleep of the 3 trips! Despite the insane thunderstorm, the hammock trip was cooler and generally more comfortable than the tent trips. This was our FIRST backpacking overnight, but we knew enough to bring tarps, lol

I use the Hyke and Byke Zion 2P Lightish weight, and only cost me around $100 (compared to other tents of this type and quality, THIS IS REALLY GOOD). It's a two person tent that can actually fit two people plus gear. Comes with it's own ground cloth, free. Really good quality. Great company. CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS TENT ENOUGH!!!!

Perk's beard releases heat. science.

Umm...Most of us hammock campers do use a good tarp. DCF tarps and hexon 1.0 make for an exceptionally light setup. Ultimate hang is good, look at Shug's videos, and go look at the gear by Jared at Simply Light Designs. Jared will walk you through whatever you might need (he makes good stuff and gets it to you lightening fast too). Dutch over at Dutchware is a wealth of knowledge and resources too. You can lighten your hammock setup just the same as tent camping by paying a lot of attention to your sleep gear and getting better quality down or by having different summer/winter configurations (you don't always need a 20 degree underquilt). Shug also has a video about how to side-sleep in a hammock. Side-sleepers might consider a bridge hammock or another style that uses a spreader bar. Personally I find that sleeping at a 30 degree angle or a little more in a standard gathered end hammock lets me sleep on my side (so does extremely cold conditions if you consider the fetal position a form of side-sleeping, but I do that in a tent too). Hammock camping takes a little dedication and a willingness to experiment with styles and setups but once you get it dialed in...nothing beats it. Oh, and you can take most hammocks to the ground and use trekking poles for the tarp if you have to...and if you are also using a winter/summer sock or bug net the hammock is just like a bivy under a tarp. Only draw back to taking a tarp to the ground is that most hammock campers seldom bring a sleeping pad, but if you know your going to spend time on the ground you can plan ahead. Also, you don't always have to use trees...2 cars that won't be moving, 2 posts or signs, under a bridge, 2 big rocks (that also will not be moving), a swing set all work... NOT cacti though (you can, but if you damage them, depending on the type, you can be in a lot of trouble)...so yeah, after a while you'll be surprised at the solutions you can come up with for hanging a hammock.

This was sooooo informative. Ive been camping for years but the explanation in this was so helpful. Thanks for taking the time to film this 🙏🙏🙏

I used a Big Agnes Tiger wall 2 ul on the AT this year (Vermont and NH). The tent with dual entry and vestibules provided lots of room and amazing water protection. One night it rained hard and I had set up the tent in a bit of a hollow area. In the middle of the night, something felt strange. The entire tent floor had water under it. Not a DROP came through. The color-coded single pole system is easy to set up. With foot print weight is about 3 lbs. Big thumbs up on this tent.

Hammock suggestion: Warbonnet Blackbird. Has everything you could ask for in a hammock. I’ve taken it on a couple trips and love it. The “shelf” on the side is indispensable for a backpacking hammock in my opinion.

I love my hammock. Last time I went out backpacking it started to rain and once I got my rain fly up first I set everything else up under the fly and out of the rain. It was also nice in the morning having my cup of coffee and breakfast while staying warm in my hammock.

As always, a wonderful video Dixie. Informed, experienced people are always interesting and informative to listen to. Thanks

Glad you are still truggin. Havnt watched in a while. But your the best out of informative dialogue. You dont steal air🤪 hope you and your mom be able to trek some more. Keep on truggin!

Check out Dream Hammock, Hammock Gear, and Dutchware Gear, three of my favorite cottage vendors. Great video!

I am a hammock kind of guy, and something i would suggest is to ALWAYS have an under quilt. That is the most important bit. And know the weather before you go and make shure that if there is rain bring a tarp. One thing that i like is a bug net for my hammock.

Congratulations on an amazing channel! Starting to learn about trekking and absolutely loving it, very informative and well presented!

Nice video. You bring so much credibility to whatever you post. I can see the appeal of tents in areas in some areas that lack tons of trees, but I do think that if you had a non-starter hammock (Warbonnet, Dutchware, Dream Hammock, etc...) you might change your mind. Your ZPacks stuff is so light I can understand the appeal for sure. And being a girl is another factor. Privacy is important! I bring my 19 year old daughter hammock camping and with the Warbonnet Superfly (I have two of them) we can quickly setup, have door ends closed for privacy, allow us to cook inside if weather is poor, plus cover our Warbonnet Ridgerunner bridge hammocks very well. Sooo comfortable! I really like being able to put the tarp in a mode that you can see all around or be able to look up at the stars. With the AT only 12 miles away, there are tons of trees and it's much more appealing than sleeping on ground that may not be level. If I was to travel in the West and to places where trees were scarce, I'd certainly consider your ZPacks tent options. In Andrew Skurka's book he definitely mentions wanting to hammock camp more on the AT and really liking bridge hammocks due to their comfor (the Warbonnet Ridgerunner, in particular). See what you think and best of luck!

You got some hard core southern twang when you say nice.

Thank you so much for your time posting these videos. They’re all so informative!! 🙏👍🤓

Thanks for your video Jess! I love them. Extremely informative! Especially one's like this. Happy trails!

IF YOU ARE SLEEPING IN A HAMMOCK READ THIS!!!! Before you take any chances, buy some good, long hammock straps, don’t use rope, if it rains when you are sleeping in your hammock the water will run down the tree, follow your ropes, and soak you. This happened to me in the summer last year in boundary waters, rainy, cooler night, I woke up at three a.m. cold wet and miserable, I was lucky that one of my friends who was with me let me in his two person tent, otherwise it could have been a lot worse.

Check out Dutchware hammocks, tarps, and connecting gear. Make it easy to set up.

About a third of the way through my '18AT hike I switched to a hammock system, got tired of looking for a place to set up a non-free standing single walled tent. I was told that as a side sleeper I wouldn't like it, this is wrong, I had zero problems sleeping. I also liked that the tarp would keep a lot of rain out as I could adjust the height of it. I could also keep my gear under the hammock and it would be dry and handy. The only draw backs I found was 1, not always finding trees that were the best to work with, you have to be really aware of dead trees and branches. 2, was on the rare occasion I slept in a shelter or a hostel I did not have a sleeping pad to use. My small closed cell foam sit pad/door mat provided little padding for my hips on hard plywood. In the end after now having experience with hammocks, free standing and non-free standing tents I use both free standing and hammocks depending on the area I'm backpacking. Most important part of using a hammock is the tree straps, don't go cheap they are the backbone for the system for ease of setting up. Happy Trails

You're description was so helpful I wish other youtubers were this professional about their content.

Love your accent. Reminds me of watching the Dukes of Hazzard!

Like you, I tried one of the cheap hammock setups (last year). It seemed good at first. But after a few hours I was very uncomfortable. This year I got a Warbonnet Ridgerunner hammock. It is light years better than the cheap setup.

I own the Warbonnet Outdoors Ridgerunner and Blackbird. If done right, a hammock is sooo much more comfortable than sleeping on the ground. I’ll even use them to take naps in my backyard. However, an underquilt is a must; I can’t stress this enough. Hammocks get chilly underneath, even on warm nights. This setup is a bit pricey but well worth the investment.

I'm a new hiker and I am leaning toward hammock camping. I've been watching Shugemery and also picked up "The Ultimate Hang v2" and am reading it now. So many options on gear it's mind blowing!

Dream Hammock is the best, very customizable and hand made n Ohio. I have 4 of there hammocks and love them.

The hammocks I would suggest Warbonnet Blackbird XLC or the Hennessy Deep Jungle zip. The Warbonnet has a shelf to the side of that is so convenient. The Warbonnet can ether used with feet left or right. Some people like small light tarps. I like bigger tarps fro DD hammocks 4m by 4m. If You have poles or sticks you can set up your hammock on the ground. Your going want something to protect the hammock from damage.

Hiked the Marble Mountains/Trinity Alps and norther Yosemite back in the '60's with homemade denim hammocks with a tarp slung over them. Heavy but comfy. Currently using Zpack Triplex which I love! Wow your videos are outstanding Dixie. Thorough, entertaining, and spot on!

Thanks for all your videos! I've been backpacking a few times around Missouri and use a hammock. I'm exploring ground options and really appreciate all of your comparisons!

Honestly, I like and use all 3 options. Just depends on the length of the hike, weather, etc.

I am one of those old, decrepit hikers who gave up ground dwelling when it became too uncomfortable. As for good information, you may want to join the community over at www.hammockforums.net. You can literally spend days finding answers to your questions. FWIW, my hammock rig is 1.4 pounds heavier than my ground kit. PS Love your channel! You are one of those who give hope to some of us that we may one day do a triple crown!!

Tarps are soo light and once you get the hang of it you can set them up super fast, which is great if the weather turns bad suddenly. Also, you can get an additional component to add door vestibules to make it private and to block out wind.

In “the old days” I used a tarp, then a bivy bag I actually made (it wasn’t pretty, but it worked lol). In middle age I love my tent. I don’t go as far and I’m much slower than I was twenty years ago, but I like my comforts with my tent, sleeping pad, and my little pack chair...and my knee brace and medication lol.

I love my hammock. I love the feeling of the air moving around me. Tents feel too "stuffy" to me now. Hammocks definitely take some getting accustomed to, though. My first set up was around four pounds. This season, I used the Kammok Mantis UL: the whole rig is two pounds. The trade-off for an UL hammock is that they're more likely to fail. Mine did after a half-dozen uses. Kammok sent me a replacement (they stand behind their lifetime warranty so long as you haven't abused the gear), but had I been out on the trail I'd have been sleeping on the ground. I'm a side sleeper, and my most recent trip was the first time I was able to lie diagonally on my side & sleep. Even when I've had to sleep on my back, I've slept better than I would have on the ground. (I used to be able to sleep on the ground on a Zrest pad. No longer -- I very little sleep & I can barely move the next morning.) I just did the Washington Section J of the PCT. It rained almost every night. I use down underquilt & a Zenbivy. I was warm & dry the entire time. An advantage of tarps is one can set the tarp up immediately once in camp & work/eat/relax under it. I lie a sheet of Tyvek on the ground & keep all my gear (except for food) underneath my hammock. You should hang your hammock so you're relatively close to the ground; if it's hung properly, it's easy to reach all of your gear. I had a couple of short days in that were kind of miserable. I found I can sit up in my hammock (although this requires fairly good core strength). It was really far more a comfortable shelter than most people think. Privacy is less of an issue than one might think. First, I've frequently set up my hammock a ways off the trail, in the trees, where I'm not visible from the trail or practically invisible unless I draw attention to myself. Second, one can set up their tarp for maximum privacy. If there aren't two trees of appropriate size & distance apart, I can set the whole rig up as a bivy. This is the kind of thing one should practice at home ahead of time, and ideally plan for what you'd do on a slab of rock.

Hope you and your family are doing alright with all the tornadoes down your way!

Excited to hear about you reconsidering hammocks😀

this was a question I had so I am glad you did a video on this topic, tent vs tarp. tarps are so light that I needed to know if I could make this work.

Hi Dixie! You might wish to check out Dutchware Gear. Their Chameleon hammock is quite nice, and they have other good hammocks as well. Thanks for sharing! :-)

Just ordered my Duplex and can't wait for it to arrive. Lightweight tents are the way to go imo.

Thanks Dixie for all that insight. I think for my first time I will go with the tried and true free standing tent.

I’ve been hammock camping for years, and it’s the best sleep that I’ve had in the woods. I use a Skeeter Beeter Pro and a sil nylon tarp. Works great for me.

Hammocks! Like Shug would say WhooooBuddy))))

You need to see an Australian swag

Thanks for all of Your detailed informative Videos!! They are are really appreciated especially for a Female that hikes alone often & is always on the look out for tips. You Rock!! ❤️

Your videos are always so informative! Thank you for the great advice.

There is a great channel about Hammac camping. Called, shugemery, here on youtube. Very informative and intertaining!

Long time hammock hanger here. While no system is perfect, I will stick with my hammock setup. You need to find and attend a group hammock hang before you go out and buy anything, You can find group hangs in your area at Hammockforums.net under outings.

I was considering using my hammock and getting a tarp, but going through storage in our place I found an almost new 2 person MEC backpacking tent. As someone who has never done backpacking or thru hiking but really wants to, it was like a sign from the universe to get out there. Just waiting for it to warm up. Love your channel. You’re an inspiration.

I like the dual use of th ecompactor bag at 18:13. Thanks again Dixie!!! 🙂

When tarping, dig a shallow trench all the way around. This keeps most moderate rain from running back in and prevents a lot of back splash.

I've always wanted to try a hammock but being a stomach/side sleeper with a bad lower back, I just don't think it's in the cards haha.

Why aren't all UKposts videos like this? It was informative, direct and to-the-point, easy to follow, had a timeline guide for different sections of the video, etc. And, obviously, the presenter was not only very knowledgable and experienced, but was also not hard on the eyes to look at (with all do respect).

I've recently gotten into backpacking and bought a rather cheap hammock. It's a small, but all included pack. Including a tarp, hammock and attached mosquitonet. Bought a rather thick foam mat for in the hammock and could comfortably sleep with tempratures of 5°C (about 40F). Just an overhang tarp ( not a wintertarp setup) and without underquilt. Just a light weight sleeping bag (only coldspots where my knees compressing the sleepingbag filling) was enough to keep me from freezing. Quick setup, 30 minutes on first try and easy take down, about the same. No traces where left behind which is the most beautiful of it all.

Poncho tarp just sounds like cutting it very very close. I wouldn't want to wear my shelter gear as I'm hiking around..its very likely you could damage it while hiking, esp if its brushy or rocky. When you use multipurpose gear you have to make sure you don't need both functions at once, too....how can you set up a tarp if you are wearing it as raingear?

I swear my lightweight, reasonably durable tarp from Harbor Freight $3.50 is doing just fine for me, I don't want your $600.00 Z Duplex. That said I'm not a long distance Thru hiker, I could see maybe a 2 week section hike. I just bought some Atwood Rope Mfg " Micro Cord " for ultralight ridges and guy lines, for longer trips I think I would stick with paracord .

I got interested in hammocks from watching Shug Emery also. Just got my first one at Christmas - a sparrow from dream hammock. Love it. Under and top quilts from Ugq. First nights sleep was 30 degrees and I was toasty warm and sooo comfortable.... you should definitely give it another try....All clear in sector 7 !!!!

Love your shelter analytics. Thanks for sharing. I like my space in my tent :-)