The Long and Short of It

• Hanging a hammock is an art form both simpler and more exacting than putting up a tent. Where you hang it depends on the landscape and the hammock. Know the hammock's length from ring to ring, and find trees or hooks about 2 feet farther apart than the length of the hammock. You want the hammock plus the weight of the user to remain off the ground, so you must have the capability to stretch it when hanging it.
  
  

Know Your Knots

• Never hang a hammock by its rings. Always use additional cable or rope, and circle rope around a tree twice to protect it from wear and prevent slipping. Learn several key knots for tying hammock ropes. A bowline is used to secure a rope to a tree; a taut-line hitch fastens a protective rain fly and a fisherman's knot is useful for lashing ropes together. Get out your old Boy Scout manuals and practice knots.
  
  

How to Lie in a Hammock

• Lie diagonally across the hammock for optimum comfort and balance. Actually, you are lying slant-wise; your legs and feet are angled to one side and your shoulders and head toward the other. The mid-section of your body occupies the center line of the hammock, and your weight stretches the fibers so you are somewhat flat, not too saggy in the middle, and experience a near weightless sensation -- very comfortable.
  
  

Home Away From Home

• For true camping comfort, string a tarp over the hammock to keep rain, snow and morning dew off you. Get a hammock with a zip-off mosquito net, and invest in some hanging bags to keep your gear off the damp ground as well. Place a foam pad in the mattress, and lay on it in a sleeping bag to ward off chilly exposure to air and to sleep warm.
  
  

Site Selection

• Pay attention to site selection. The top of a ridge exposes you to wind. The floor of a valley cools at night as heat rises. A site near a stream or lake will be chillier than one without water. An eastern exposure allows the rising sun to warm the area and burn off dew before you stick your cold toes out of the sleeping bag. The good news about hammocks is that you don't need cleared, level ground as you do when pitching a tent. A garden hammock is most inviting in a patch of shade.
  
  

At-Home Hammocks

• If you love hammocks but camping is not your thing, choose a Mayan or Brazilian hammock. They are made of colorful, densely-woven fabric and should be hung in a sheltered area like a terrace, porch or patio, or indoors. They can fit in a smaller space than a regular hammock because they stretch less, but they are too fragile for camping.