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A4 checklist with all illustrated steps. Tick the boxes on paper as you go.

FeatherSticks · Shelter

Tent, Tarp or Hammock? How to Choose Your Camping Shelter

Tent, tarp or hammock? Let the terrain decide, not the hype.

Quick facts

Time
10–20 min to read, one night to test
Difficulty
Tent easy, tarp medium, hammock medium
Best for
Choosing a first or next shelter system
You need
Your usual terrain, season and budget in mind

What you need

  • Tent, tarp or hammock with matching stakes and guylines
  • Pad (R-value for the night low) or underquilt
  • Bivvy bag for tarp sleepers (optional)
  • Wide tree straps if you hang a hammock
  • Ground sheet for tarp and tent
  • Cord for ridgelines and guylines
  • Repair tape and a needle with strong thread

Step by step

  1. Know the three systems

    1 Know the three systems

    A tent is a closed shell, a tarp is a roof you pitch with cord, a hammock lifts you off the ground under its own tarp. Each has a different job.

  2. Read the terrain

    2 Read the terrain

    Flat ground suits tent and tarp, two sturdy trees 4–5 m apart suit a hammock, and bare alpine ground rules the hammock out.

  3. Check weather and season

    3 Check weather and season

    Midges and storms favour a closed tent or a bug net. In warm, dry weather any of the three works.

  4. Match the bottom insulation

    4 Match the bottom insulation

    On the ground you need a pad with the right R-value. In a hammock you need an underquilt or a pad inside.

  5. Check the site rules

    5 Check the site rules

    Some areas allow tents only on campsites or platforms. Use wide tree straps and always check local rules.

  6. Start with what you can learn

    6 Start with what you can learn

    A tent for the first night, a tarp when you want less weight, a hammock once you know trees and insulation.

Common mistakes

  • Choosing a system for how it looks, not for your terrain: a hammock without suitable trees, or a tent with no flat spot.
  • Buying the lightest option before learning the basics, and then freezing or getting soaked on the first wet night.
  • Ignoring the ground: a pad that is too thin or an underquilt that is missing makes any system cold.
  • Pitching a tarp with a high windward edge so wind-driven rain reaches the sleeping bag.
  • Hanging a hammock tight like a washing line instead of at about 30° with a deep sag.
  • Tying thin cord around living trees instead of using wide straps.
  • Cooking or sitting by a fire right next to a tent wall: fabric melts and burns.
  • Not checking site rules, so the shelter is the wrong kind for the area.