Tents vs. Hammocks

The Best for Motocamping | Tents or Hammocks?

             With the next Run to the Ridge less than a month away, many seasoned campers may already have their bags packed, but for some this might be their first motorcycle camping trip. While there are many questions to ask, one of the most important ones is what to do about sleeping. Getting a good night's sleep can make or break a camping trip, making it a pretty important topic. The two most popular sleep system options today are tents and hammocks. Here, we’ll dive into the pros and cons of each system to better help you decide which option is the best for you. 

            Tents | The most classic option and there’s a reason for that. These mobile structures are most useful when traveling with others or when storage space is a limiting factor. Tents offer more privacy when sleeping or changing clothes. A tent with a good rainfly will be able to keep most showers and cold winds off of you. Plus, they’ll allow you room to move around in. If the rains stick around longer than you’d like, depending on the size of the tent, you can ride out the storm with your friends. They pack small for groups. If you don’t mind sharing space with one or two more people, you can greatly reduce the gear required. If three people decide to share a tent, that saves room at the campsite and on the bikes. While there are a lot of advantages, they do fall short in some areas. Tents can be a little hotter, especially with bunkmates. Some tents lack good ventilation and on a still, summer night, they might have you flipping your pillow all night to find the cool side. To work best, they need a wide, flat, and smooth area to keep you from rolling to one side during the night. Plus, a campsite with limited space may have the tent campers fighting for the best spots. Heavy rains with some minor flooding might have you seeking higher ground in the middle of the night.

            Hammocks | Now for the more trendy option, hammocks. Hammocks are ideal for people either traveling alone or that prefer to sleep in their own space. While some companies do advertise two-person hammocks, you have to really like that person, and even then, things might get a little warm. Most people will find that hammocks are more comfortable. You don’t have to worry about the hard ground or pesky rocks finding their way into your back. You don’t have to have good ground for a hammock, all you need are two trees, making them fantastic for the mountains where the flat ground can sometimes be scarce. They can also perform better in severe storm events than tents. Since you’re already in the trees, they’ll take a good bit of the wind and rain off of you but the real trick is being completely separated from all the elements. While a good rain fly takes the rain and wind off you, the hammock remains undisturbed, plus, you’ll be completely off the ground so minor flooding or running water won’t be an issue. Hammocks also give you the option to bring only what you need. If you’re running the ENO hammock system, you can save space by just bringing the hammock and straps, or go all out and bring the rain fly plus the bug net. Now for the downside. Hammock camping can be a little more expensive, especially if you opt for the extra accessories. You have to have two trees the right distance apart. This is usually pretty easy, but if you find yourself in a place without any good trees or they don’t allow hammocks altogether, this can put you in a bind looking for a new way to sleep. If you’re just starting out, you might find hammocks a little difficult to get in and out of. In colder temperatures, being fully suspended won’t let you stay as warm.

            Verdict | As much as we love hammocks, tent camping is really hard to beat. A simple three-man tent is cheap, easy to set up, and gives you your own little room. If you’re planning to stay at the same place for multiple nights, you can leave all your gear protected in the tent while you’re out riding. Tents pack easier and have all of their components (bug net, rain fly, etc) all right there together. And if you want the perfect tent to match your bike, Harley-Davidson even offers a branded black and orange tent perfect for any campsite. Tents are excellent structures to ride out the night in and considerably easier to escape when nature calls at 2 am. So far as flat land is concerned, if you can get your bike there, then chances are you can find a 7’x7’ area to set up. As there is no universal right answer, if you can, try both systems, and see what works best for you. The biggest thing is that you find a way to stay dry, protected, and get a good night’s sleep.

            Author's Opinion | While tents are what I’d recommend, I figure it only best to give a glimpse into the sleep system that has worked best for me. Most of my camping experience has come from backpacking, but I’ve found the biggest difference between backpacking and motocamping is that you don’t have to carry all your gear on your back. When it comes to gear, especially if it’s my first time there, I’ll typically bring an Eno Doublenest Hammock, two straps (plus my handy ratchet strap for tying down luggage that can be a backup hammock strap in a pinch), Eno Guardian Bug Net, Eno ProFly rain cover, inflatable sleeping pad, inflatable pillow, sleeping bag liner, and a blanket. I typically opt for the hammock because it's comfortable and I like being high off the ground. The blanket and sleeping bag liner packs up smaller than a sleeping bag and is usually more than enough for warmth. The sleeping pad is used more as a barrier from the cold nylon than for padding. The beautiful part about this setup is its ability to be implemented anywhere. While it shines as a hammock system, if somehow I can’t find anywhere to set up, I can still make a good shelter out of the rainfly and I’ll have the sleeping pad as a good ground sheet. If I’m feeling bold and know the cold, bugs, and rain won’t be a problem then I can go ultra-light and just party with the hammock and straps. This has been my go-to system for years and has yet to let me down. Thankfully, cause that would be a hard fall from 5 feet up! So far it's a good system that has proven itself through spring's storms, summer's heat, and winter's cold. If you want to see more about this dream sleep system, check out our Youtube video on How to Pack a Bike. Remember to take recommendations from lots of people but stay true to what works best for you!

Photo by David Shevack