Is bug netting really neccesary?

T

thatotherguy

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Oct 9, 2011
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I ask because I'm trying to pare down my backpacking weight as much as possible and am thinking about using a hammock instead of a tent. The problem is- I'm quite used to a tent with netting to keep mosquitos, horseflies etc out, and the hammock I'm looking at has no netting. I don't know if that's a problem, and thought that I may as well ask on the forums to see what the general thought on this subject is. I plan on early/late summer, fall and spring trips.
Thanks for looking!
 
I think it really depends on where you are going and what the conditions are when you go. When we are in a drought condition, we may not have but a few flying bugs. When we have some rain, the skeeters could carry you away on some nights. Netting is so lightweight and trail sleep is difficult sometimes.... I wouldn't take the chance. I would take it.

Robert
 
The problem is that when you need it, you really need it. I can't think of anything more important besides food and water.
 
If your hammock doesn't have a built in netting then you can buy some mosquito netting and drape it over the hammock. Its what a lot of the natives do here....cheap and effective. I'm all for packing light but the netting takes up so little room and weighs so little I think its worth it.
 
This really depends on where you are. Some areas of the world, you can get malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, West Nile Virus, encephalitis, etc. These will mess you up and eventually can kill you.

If the climate is really hot & humid, or has lots of crawling nasties, sleeping on a hammock is much better than on the ground. You can get hammocks with mosquito netting, which I think you know. Good news is that you can get a decent one for around $ 40-45, or about 1/5 the price of a decent tent. Weight 1 pound.

pEMS1-6236328venh.jpg
 
Thanks for the input guys. How would I go about stringing up netting? Maybe I'm just being ignorant but the ways that I can think of all have a seam that would allow 'skeeters in pretty easily.
I have an old net made for hanging around a cot, maybe I could modify that to work.
BTW, I'm in Kentucky, and the farthest I plan to go is maybe Georgia :)
 
You could do it super cheap... but you'll still have to deal with the skeeters buzzing your ears at night. I can't sleep if I hear that noise.

Coglan-Mosquito-Head-Net-8941.jpg
 
Take a look at the Hennessy hammocks. Light weight and they come with netting built in. They also come with a rain fly. The biggest problem with hammocks is the cold coming in from underneath, the Hennessy has an under cover that can keep you warmer than most other hammocks.
 
I have looked at the Hennessy hammocks- nice hammocks but a bit rich for my blood.
At that price I can get a decent two or three person tent or a quite nice single, don't think that it's worth it for the type of camping I do.
 
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