I think we can all agree that aside from a few hearty paddle board trippers the only way to travel in the BWCA is by canoe. But what about your sleeping setup? The tent/sleeping bag/inflatable mattress is the tried and true method but have you considered hammock camping? And do the pros of a hammock setup (not sleeping on the ground, staying dry) outweigh the cons? (you gotta have trees!)
I decided to try a hammock a few years back when planning for the “Paddle and Straddle” BWCA adjacent bike packing loop a few years ago. First off I’m a fairly big guy at 6’2 and 210lbs, I could be persuaded otherwise but I think I am likely at the upper limits size wise for hammock camping. My current setup is the Eno Jungle Nest which has an integrated full zip bug net, obviously this is a must. Eno makes great day hammocks and the Jungle Nest nest is a fairly inexpensive and well made product. It packs down small and set up is a breeze. For starters you’ll need the hammock, slings and (here’s the tricky part) two trees spaced out at about 18 feet or so (more on that later).
Number one rule of hammock camping is the get the proper “hang”, so distance between trees is crucial. Too slack and you’ll end up like a ball in a sling, too tight and you might flip out of it, so this part takes some experimenting. The other thing about hammock camping is you need a rain fly for above and some kind of layer under your body to keep your backside warm. In a sleeping bag your body compresses the bag leaving little to no insulation under you, so an inflatable mattress is the simplest solution.
So by the time you get your hammock, slings, mattress, sleeping bag, pillow and rain fly packed are there any real space/weight savings over taking a tent? I think so but suppose it would depend on the tent. And will you get a better nights sleep? That’s the million dollar question. I’ve found that in a hammock your mattress and bag always wanna slide down to the low point, a tighter hang will counter this but it can be a struggle. When I get the hang right and get setup properly I do sleep better. There’s less pressure on my shoulders and hips and I feel good in the morning.
Back to those trees… Obviously the BWCA is loaded with trees so unlike Moab or Joshua Tree finding a spot to hang should be no problem. But remember, you’ll need to be IN the trees so you might be a bit back from the lake which might mean less breeze and more bugs. You also may be hanging over some rocks so be sure your setup is secure before take a tumble down and land hard. The fly setup can rig right to your hammock straps and then either tie off to trees or use tent stakes to secure it, making sure to rig so rain can run off and not pool up.
Seems like in the past few years there has been a bit of an explosion in the hammock sleeping world. Companies are offering three and four season hammock setups with integrated down for your backside and snap or zip in comforters for the top, which should go a long way in eliminating that slide down the bottom issue. I have spent a month sleeping in my hammock setup up here at Sawbill (most nights I’ve slept good, some not so much…) and have one of these newfangled versions on order and am looking forward to trying it out. If you are interested dig around online, there is a TON of info and reviews to check out.
Damon
