First you haul pounds and pounds of tents, sleeping bags, padding, and more along steep trails. You stop much sooner than you want to, because you need to find a campsite while you still have plenty of light to see. Then you spend a half an hour or more setting everything up. You crawl inside, and kill all the bugs that got in while you were unrolling your sleeping bag. When it is time to go to sleep, you lie down, only to find that your head is lower than your feet and there is a rock right under your hip. At two in the morning, you wake up when a curious animal tries to come inside your tent. In the morning, you need to wait for the dew to dry lest you get home with a sack full of mildew, and then roll, stuff, and tie everything back into your bag. Finally, you haul all this stuff back down the trail.

Stroll along the trail, unburdened by anything but the makings of a good dinner. Enjoy a little fishing, or some bird watching, or whatever you like doing when you are among nature. As the sun sets, you leisurely cook a delicious meal and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. When you feel like going to bed, you look around until you spot two trees about the right distance apart to hang a hammock. You shake out your camping hammock, that weights only one pound, no more than two, and stretch it out easily. After tossing a blanket and a mosquito net over your new sleeping bed, you settle back in perfect comfort to watch the stars until you drift off to sleep. In the morning, everything goes back into the stuff sack in less time than it takes to brush your teeth. You can break camp so early, and so quickly, that you could even get some hunting in.

Stop, you say? We had you at the "rock in your hip" part?

All right, you are ready to buy your camping hammock. There are a few things to consider. Will the hammock hold one person, or two? Be sure to choose one with the appropriate weight limit, or without much warning you will be back to the bad old days of sleeping on the ground. Are you the kind of camper who rolls around? If so, consider a camping hammock with spreader bars. It will not add much to the weight, but it will add a lot of stability and comfort.

There is just one more thing to consider: the care and maintenance of your camping hammock. Get ready, because this can get complicated. You will need only:

A sponge and Some soapy water

If your hammock becomes dirty, use the sponge and the soapy water to wipe it clean. It is easy and takes no more that 10 minutes.

Enjoy your camping in comfort and have fun!