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hammock camping in the rain

DBrianDay_

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Joined
Dec 11, 2025
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I'm in Oregon and planning to go hammock camping this weekend. Looking at the weather now, it's probably gonna rain
I have my tarp, underquilt, waterproof jacket and boots. any pro tips for hammock camping in the rain?
 
Is that rain like, just fall straight down rain, or the wind blows and rain comes at an angle type of rain? I don't know the type of rain that you would usually get.
Also, what kind of tarp are you using? Hex, rectangle, one designed w/ doors, . . . ?
 
hi bryan. don't forget dry bags, it's a must because you need to keep all your stuff dry in waterproof bags or the dry internal part of your pack
also make sure the tarp is longer than your hammock and has good coverage
 
I agree, pack everything in dry bags inside your pack, even clothes. Do you plan to cook under your tarp or set up a separate shelter for meals?
 
On the Food issue. It depends on your position in the local food chain. My friends and I never cook/eat where we sleep. I'm not saying we move 100 yards away; maybe at least 20 to 30 feet. And we hang our food or keep it in critter-proof barrels much further away from camp. We do this because it builds a habit. Just like I always tie up my kayak, even on a lake (no tide, but a powerboat might create a wake that floats the kayak off the shore). Sure, it looks silly, a kayak tied to a tree 40 feet from the lake shore. I don't care.

The rain is where a Hammock might shine over a tent. You can put up the tarp first, and stay mostly dry as you set up the hammock under it. The same with packing up. Put everything away and take the tarp down last. I'm a fan of large tarps, not those little "just covers the hammock" asymmetrical (diamond shape) tarps. They give a dry area outside the hammock. And you are not crawling on the wet ground to get in/out of your shelter.

BUT - there is a definite security being inside the walls of a good tent. You are sheltered by the fury of the wind and rain and can just "hang out." With a hammock, I am definitely cozy and warm when I am inside the hammock, and I'm dry under the tarp. But I am also more in the elements when I'm not in the hammock - that's not a bad thing.

Each has their situation. I live in high desert country. This week aside, I mostly only read about rain. And I'm mostly a kayak camper. So I don't have the weight/bulk issues a hiker might have (I carry a "Plan-B" tent along with a hammock). And because I'm on the water, I pay more attention to weather predictions and, unless movement is critical, I stay on shore (a "weather day") if the wind is more than 20 knots. That said, I've climbed mountains in white-outs. I've been out in "bad weather". I'm fine with it. I just avoid it if I can - especially if I'm adventuring with someone else who doesn't share my ... enthusiasm for wind and rain and fury.
 

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