Lawson Hammock Blue Ridge Camping Hammock and Tent,

I've camped on several continents with this tent.It most certainly isn't for everyone, as it requires a bit of finesse when sleeping in it.However, if you want to pull up and pitch a tent in 5 minutes (realistically), and break it down again in the same timeframe, I don't know of a faster tent to pitch.Carabiners are attached to both ends for quick attachment to tree savers, which are straps with loops that go around trees as slip knots.Pitching is as fast as:1. Finding two trees roughly 15'-20' apart.2. Throwing the straps around tree one and then tree two3. Unrolling the tent and clipping it to tree one4. Hold it off the ground (yes! no dirt!) and clip it to the strap on tree 25. Adjust (if necessary) to level it out and stretch it tighter (if you like it tight)6. Push 2 4ft tent poles into place (takes less than a minute).Done.It reads about as long as it takes.The hardest part is breakdown, when you have to roll the tent back up.If the ground is wet, I do this while standing (granted, I'm a little taller than most, so it may not work for everyone) and straight back into the bag.Also, if you want, you don't have to put the poles in and can use it like an ordinary hammock.The trick to sleeping, is not to lie directly inline with the hammock but to turn diagonal, so that the ends twist.This makes it much flatter and more comfortable for sleeping.I get asked if it flips. The tighter you pull the tent, the more unstable it becomes. So it's a balancing act.Getting into/out of the tent is not for everyone either. This takes some balance.You lean far back onto the tent and then let your weight get carried. Then pivot and slip into the tent.To get out again, assume a similar position from inside the tent, then extend your feet out and rotate down onto them.I clip my shoes/boots to a carabiner on the loop right outside the tent door so that bugs and other stuff doesn't get into them, plus, they are easy to put on while still in the tent.I've slept on cliff faces, with amazing views in Europe, between palm trees directly on the beach, between mangroves over the water and right off the road in more places than I can count, as I could pull off and quickly pitch the tent.If there are no trees, the tent still works on the ground, without an issue.They say it is a 2-man tent, but I haven't tried that and am skeptical it would work...Finally, hammocks are cold at night which is great in hot environments, as it works like built-in air conditioning.The bottom of the tent is always cooled off by passing air.In colder weather, a sleeping pad and/or quilt is an absolute must. You'll get cold fast if you don't take a pad out with you.For me, it is the one-size-fits-all tent that I take everywhere.it isn't light, it isn't small, but it works nearly everywhere for one person.

I used this hammock tent as a hammock once so far. it was 40 degrees. While I love hammocks and this this is very nice. It was a very cold night. To make it worst, I had it infront of a cave entrance. I wish I had a pad under me for extra insulation. My next trip is going to be a cold trip. I will use a pad and also a bag liner too. I also used this once as a ground tent. It was mid august and very hot outside. With chances of rain I put the rainfly on. Going to the ground it left no room for air. Smothering I didn't last but a few minutes inside and pulled the fly half way down and took chances with rain. Luckily it didn't rain. My next trip will be to a rock arch that gets less than 6 people a year visit. It rolls up small and is light enough. I recommend a tree hugger wrap and a tention system called whoopie sling. google that. I read alot of other reviews saying this turns over easy. A I said i love hammocks. I've had backyard hammocks for years. If it turns over with you in it.. You just don't know how to use a hammock. Enpty, This will turn over. The arch poles weigh more than the hammock part. This is why it has tie loops on the 4 corners. To hold it upright. Once your in the weight sags it enough those corner ties are loose. Buy a cheap $16 hiker hammock and practice getting in & out and staying upright. Before you teat up this nice lawson blue ridge. BTW, When I was over the cave. It was a caving festival ( i'm a caver ). There was over 200 campers on the property. I had the tent that was getting photographed by dozens of people. Someone walking by would see it and take a PIC of it. They would tell someone and they'd come down with a camera. attached is my PIC i took. Buy this nad you too can be the hit of the campground.

The media could not be loaded. **UPDATE** I have used it suspended now, as well as staked to the ground, and it worked well both ways. Attached an image.I took this backpacking and was satisfied with it. Plenty of room for me (5'10 169 lbs) plus all of my gear to be inside with me, but I would not recommend trying to cram another person in here unless you are both very thin side sleepers who plan to house gear outside the tent.I've only used it on the ground so far and have yet to suspend it between trees. If you plan to use this on a solid surface where you can't stake it in, then you will still need to bring tree straps to wrap around something at each end because the tent part won't stay up if you don't have tension. There is a thin cord where the spreader bars are located that you hook to the arch poles to keep the tent up, and obviously that won't work without the ends anchored down somehow.It's no 1.5 lb backpacking tent, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper, more versatile and still fit on my 55L pack fine with all other gear inside. I hiked 9 miles, some of it pretty damn rugged, just fine with this thing on my pack. I'm just an average 33 year old mom and not a super athlete, so I think this would work as a decent backpacking tent for most people if you don't want to part with another $200 to save a few pounds of weight.I laid mine on a stone pad under an open shelter and wrapped one strap around a stone pillar and the other around the bottom of a heavy bench made out of logs and it worked fine, but I feel those thin cords that hold the tent up need to be a bit more heavy duty. Set up was quick and easy. Just be sure to buy a couple good tent stakes and tree straps or you'll be screwed for the reason listed above.The spot that you wrap the tree straps or rope through did not have a metal ring as I was expecting (the item description never indicated that was the case; it was just my expectation). The cord leading from the spreader bars is looped and knotted where you attach and suspend it. I'm sure it's safe, but I couldn't fully trust it and wouldn't suspend this thing too high off the ground personally.I was overall happy with the hammock and like the versatility of it which allows me to camp on various terrain. I felt for the price, it would have been nice if it came with tent stakes, tree straps and carabiners, but I am still happy with the product as long as it holds up over time. I'll update the review if I encounter any issues during future trips.