Thank you for reading our post, please rate this article at the end.
Reading Time: 8 minutesLast Updated on July 1, 2025 by Paul Clayton
Table of Contents
5 Best Hammock Tents For Summer Camping
Hammocking in the summertime has gained popularity over the last decade. Campers and hikers have added hammocks to their packing lists for good reason.
Key Takeaways:
-
- Hammock Tents: Lightweight and Versatile: Hammock tents offer a lightweight (2-4 lbs) and portable alternative to traditional tents. They are ideal for hikers and campers seeking flexibility in campsite selection and protection from rough terrain, sharp stones, and ground-dwelling creatures.
- Protection from Elements and Pests: They come equipped with essential features like mosquito netting and rainflies to keep campers dry and bug-free, functioning like a “cocoon” for individual protection.
- Best for Warm Weather Camping: Hammock tents are ideally suited for use in warm, dry conditions (late spring and summer), as they struggle to retain heat. For cooler temperatures (below 60°F), an insulated sleeping pad or underquilt is essential, along with warm clothing, to prevent heat loss.
- Consider Comfort and Sleeping Position: While many find hammock tents comfortable and beneficial for back support (keeping you off the ground), they may not be ideal for tall individuals or those who prefer to frequently toss and turn or sleep on their side, as space can be limited. The Haven Tent is an exception, designed for flat sleeping.
- Crucial Accessories and Setup: Always ensure you have wide, sturdy straps for hanging from healthy, strong trees to prevent damage to the tree and ensure safety. Not all hammock tents come with straps, so budgeting for a quality, tree-friendly set ($20-$50) is essential. For safety, the maximum hang height is typically 2 feet (60 cm).
- Weight Capacity and Usage: Most hammock tents are designed for one or two people and have significant weight capacities (e.g., 200-600 lbs). Adhering to the person limit is crucial to avoid damage to the tent, trees, or personal injury.
Suspension camping is a great way to enjoy nature without much gear. That’s why campers are turning to hammock tents, which are protected from the elements with mosquito netting and a rainfly. Hammock tents are also built for a one- or two-person capacity, which can be great for reducing hiking weight.
Where You Can Use Your Hammock Tent:
Hammock tents are ideal for rough terrain, especially when traveling.
Hikers love hammock tents, which allow them more flexible options when finding a campsite. At only 2-4 lbs., hammock tents are lightweight and portable. They also keep you off the ground, which keeps the creepy crawly things away from you!
In rocky terrain, hammock tents offer much-needed protection from those sharp stones. You won’t need to pad your tent floor with multiple blankets in a hammock tent, which keeps your load light. You also don’t need to find flat, open spaces to pitch a tent.
If you aren’t a hiker, you can still enjoy hammock tent camping in more traditional places. Any campsite or backyard with strong enough tree trunks can accommodate your hammock tent.
Always use close-together, solid, and sturdy trees, and ensure your tent straps are wide and strong.
When You Should Use Your Hammock Tent:
You won’t have added room to change clothes or store your stuff as you would with a regular tent, so you’ll have to step out of your hammock tent and onto the ground during the day.
Therefore, it is best to use your hammock tent during warm, dry weather. Ideally, most campers prefer late spring and summer for their hammocking trips.
Though they come with mosquito nets and cover from the rain, hammock tents function more like a cocoon than a tent. They keep you dry and warm for as long as you are in them, but you must be adequately prepared.
Not only will you want to have an insulated sleeping pad or underquilt to keep the heat in, but you will also want to wear warm clothes and a blanket. That means weighing down your tent more than just your body, so you’ll want to ensure it can handle the extra weight.
It is advisable to avoid using your hammock tent in cold weather. If possible, avoid sleeping in temperatures lower than 60 degrees at night in a hammock tent, especially if you don’t have an underquilt. You can get an underquilt like this GEERTOP Ultralight Hammock Underquilt for around $50. Check it out: GEERTOP’s Ultralight Hammock Underquilt!
Underquilts are designed to keep you warm and also serve as a barrier against mosquitoes where your body comes into contact with the material. It is a little-known fact that mosquitoes can bite through some hammock materials, so you’ll want to get one!
This is because hammocks struggle to retain heat, even with padding, so make sure to use your hammock tent only in proper weather conditions.
If you want to add hammocking to your camping plans, we have done all the heavy lifting by researching the best Hammock Tents for the money. Check out these five great hammock tents below:
ENO OneLink Hammock Tent Shelter System
The ENO OneLink hammock tent weighs just over 4 pounds. It only sleeps one person, but its weight capacity is much higher at 400 lbs, making it worth the extra effort to carry it up the mountain.
It comes with a rainfly and mosquito netting made from 70-denier ripstop nylon with a 1000mm polyurethane waterproof coating. This tent is, therefore, perfect for keeping you bug-free and dry.
The rain tarp can be used for yourself in the hammock tent or as a shaded space on your campsite, as this tent includes 4 DAC aluminum stakes.
It also comes with an Atlas suspension system to prevent negative impacts on the trees you use to support yourself. The suspension straps feature reflective stitching, making them more visible in dim lighting.
Finally, through its partnership with Trees for the Future, ENO will plant two trees for every hammock sold, so you can rest assured that your purchase was money well spent!
Check out the latest price for Eno’s hammock tent
Haven Tent
This video has been included to clarify the topic. Credit goes to Haven Tents
Pack a great night’s sleep in the wild. It is the only hammock tent that allows you to sleep comfortably on your back, side, or stomach. The patented design creates a lay-flat sleeping platform that can be used regardless of your sleeping position.
Love the outdoors & camping, but miss your bed? Now you can take it with you.
Each Haven Tent has everything you need to ensure a great night’s sleep. Each kit includes the hammock body, rainfly, bug net, straps, stakes, and guy lines. With our mosquito netting and integrated rainfly, you’ll be comfortable in the coming storms or stars.
Make sure you only hang from healthy trees. Inspect the canopy for any dead branches that could potentially fall. We recommend a maximum hang height of 2 feet (60 cm). Max weight of 285 lbs
The Haven Tent is set up quickly and easily. See the video below for our #1 recommendation.
GRAND TRUNK Air Bivy All-Weather Protection Shelter
Established in 2001, Grand Truck has been dedicated to creating gear that enables hikers and campers to explore the outdoors.
Weighing approximately 2.5 pounds, this Grand Trunk hammock tent is both lightweight and durable. It is made from 20D 400T sil nylon and outfitted with many accessories, such as lightweight aluminum stakes, a Knotless Cordlock suspension system, a stuff sack (for carrying your tent), a Hexfly rain shelter, and Skeeter Beeter XT mosquito netting.
This tent is considered easy to use, set up, take down, and carry, making it an excellent choice for active hikers and even beginner hammock campers.
Finally, Grand Trunk states that it offers a lifetime warranty on all its products.
Check out the latest price for Grand Trunk’s hammock tent!
ENO JungleLink Hammock System
This cozy and comfortable tent is easy to set up, weighing just 3 lbs, making it ideal for one person when you’re on the trail. This ENO JungleLink hammock tent is great for staying dry and keeping the bugs out.
A Helios™ suspension system, a rain tarp from DryFly, a storage bag, and a bug net are included. Made from 40-denier NewWave™ nylon, the JungleLink hammock tent is comfortable and stretchy. That means it is designed to be more suitable for people who toss and turn frequently during sleep.
Six DAC aluminum stakes for your rain tarp are also included, allowing you to create a pleasant, dry environment. The tent’s storage bag is similarly water-resistant.
Easy to set up and take down, the JungleLink hammock tent is ideal for beginners or hikers who prefer to be on the move throughout the day.
Check out the latest price for Eno’s hammock tent!
Outdoors Jungle Explorer Camping Hammock Tent
The Easthills Outdoors hammock tent is slightly lighter than the Sunyear tent, weighing only 4 lbs. to carry, yet it can still support up to 600 lbs. or two people. Made from nylon and 210T Taffeta, this tent has excellent ventilation and allows privacy. It also keeps out the bugs with a mosquito mesh containing 2500 holes per square inch, so they can’t get in.
Do you need to store your phone or keys inside your hammock? The tent features internal hanging loops and pockets to keep your essentials close at hand.
The suspension system is easy and intuitive, perfect for beginner campers who want to pack and unpack their tent as seamlessly as possible.
This tent includes carabiners, tree straps, aluminum stakes, rainfly, bug nets, ropes, and guylines.
Check out the latest price for Easthill’s hammock tent!
Are Hammock Tents Safe and Comfortable
Great hammock tents are very reliable. They can hold quite a bit of weight, with the more robust tents capable of holding up to 400 lbs and the average models having at least 200 lbs.
Remember that you should have only one or two people per hammock tent at a time. Adding multiple people to one tent may cause your tent to break, damage your tree, or injure someone in your hiking group.
You can also count on hammock tents to get you off the ground and away from large animals, bugs, or rainwater. Hammock tents enhance your hiking or camping experience, keeping you safe and dry without the need for pesky tent poles.
Furthermore, some hammock tent campers claim that their posture and back support are much more comfortable in a hammock than on the ground. While you might not be able to stretch out or toss and turn as much, you may find that your back aches less the following day when you get back on the trail.
However, if you are tall and prefer sleeping on your side, hammock tent camping may not be the best option for you.
Don’t Forget Straps For Your Hammock Tent
A key point to note is that not all hammock tents come with straps. You might, therefore, need to buy some.
Luckily, straps and ropes cost between $20 and $50, depending on where you buy them. Starter ropes and straps with certain lower-budget tent brands may damage the tree or fray over time, so it’s a good idea to invest in a proper, comprehensive, and tree-friendly strap set.
Once you’re outfitted with the right tent and straps, you can rest easy knowing that your tent will hold you up high and dry off the ground.
Final Thoughts
Hammock tent camping is a great way to try something new and travel light on long hikes. While they may not be as warm and spacious as a tent, they are portable, fun, and keep you off the cold, hard ground.
Pack properly and equip yourself with the best insulating sleeping pads, underquilts, and hammock straps to ensure a safe and warm night in the trees.
