How to Choose a Hammock for Camping With Your Dog

Guest Post by: Natalie Hemsworth

Deciding to go hammock camping with your dog is very exciting.

If you haven’t done it yet, there’s a lot of extra prep work that goes into a hammock camping trip with your dog.

There are many nuances that you might miss that can make your trip a lot easier and much more fun.

One of those nuances is deciding on the right hammock to take when camping out with your canine.

For some extra tips, there will also be an infographic included at the end from the blog at ogoutdoors that details 10 things you should do before hammock camping with your dog.

But for now, let’s dive right into how to choose a hammock for camping with your dog.

Why You Might Need a Different Hammock for Camping With Your Dog

If you’re wondering why you might need a different hammock for camping with your dog, I’ve got some helpful information to share.

Some factors I found can warrant a different hammock include the style, size, and durability.

After reading through, you may find you need a new hammock for camping with your dog.

Hammock Style

I’d recommend you use a traditional style hammock, as opposed to a flat-back hammock or hammock tent.

The reason is that I've found dogs like to try to walk in the hammock when it has a flat hang.like with a hammock tent. They’ll try to walk around like it’s a normal tent on the ground, which is easy to see how it could cause issues with balance and comfort.

So, for hammock camping with your dog, go for a conventional style camping hammock.

Hammock Size

One of the most important factors in my experience is the size of your hammock.

If you have a smaller dog that weighs under 20lbs, you can get away with camping in a single hammock.

But if you have a dog larger than 25lbs, you’ll want to consider getting a double hammock. For dogs larger than 40lbs, I’ve found a double hammock to be almost a necessity.

While an extra 40lbs might not seem like much for a hammock rated to hold 300lbs, the difference is how the weight is distributed.

If you weighed 40lbs more, the weight would be evenly distributed throughout your body.

With a dog, you instead have a 40lbs+ wiggle worm that like to crawl around and find their own comfort spot. In my experience, getting a double hammock goes a long way in boosting the comfort when sleeping with 40lbs canines.

Hammock Durability

If you have a trusty hammock you’ve camped in for several seasons, you may have no problem sleeping in it alone.

But throw a dog in the mix, and suddenly that UV scorched fabric may fall apart a little easier than you’d expect.

You can help the situation by trimming your dog’s nails, but that still won’t ensure your old hammock will stand up to the punishment some dogs can dish out.

If you have any doubts about the durability of your well-seasoned hammock, I would recommend picking up a new camping hammock just to be safe.

Recommended Hammocks for Camping With a Dog

Considering the points made above, you may be in need of a hammock for camping with your dog.

Luckily, I’ve got you covered. I’ve made a hand-picked list of hammocks that you and your dog will enjoy regardless whether you’re in a state park or on a beautiful backpacking trail.

Recommended Single Hammocks

These are single hammocks I’d recommend for people with dogs anywhere in the 5lbs - 25lbs range.

You can get away with slightly larger dogs, but any significant amount larger than 25lbs and I’d recommend you look into double hammocks instead.

One of my favorite hammocks for camping with a dog is the Beluga. Made with 210T parachute nylon and built to hold 400lbs, this sturdy hammock offers great comfort and durability.

Another choice of mine is the ember, which like the Beluga, features many of the same specs that make it a great choice for hammocking with your furry friend.

Recommended Double Hammocks

Double hammocks are great for hammockers with larger dogs who need a little extra wiggle room during the night. These hammocks have the extra space you need for optimal comfort when camping with your 40lbs+ dogs.

My first choice for a double hammock that is great for larger dogs would have to be the Azul. It has a good bit larger surface area than the Azul and Ember, making sleeping with even 80lbs+ dogs much more comfortable and manageable. It also supports up to 400lbs and super durable, making it great for tough backpacking trips with your dog.

Another choice of mine for hammocking with larger dogs would be the Apache. Sharing the same size and build quality with the Azul means it’s an excellent choice for those with larger canines. You’ll have no problem keeping comfortable with your furry friend in this double hammocks.

A Note About Madera’s Hammocks

Hi, I’m Natalie. I wrote this post for Adam from MaderaOutdoor because I wanted more people to enjoy hammock camping with their dogs.

After learning about Madera, I found out that for every hammock purchased, Madera will team up with trees.org to plant 2 trees in subhara African regions where impoverished farmer’s lands have been destroyed by aggressive agriculture and climate change.

Plus, they have other products that will plant trees, with some planting up to 10 trees each! You can shop by the number of trees planted here.

Madera has some truly awesome hammocks, and they support a cause that makes a change for good in the world.

So if you’re in need of a hammock for camping with your dog, I’d highly recommend you check out their full selection of hammocks.

Bonus: Things to Consider Before Hammock Camping With Your Dog

As a special bonus for Madera readers, I’d also like to include an infographic detailing 10 things you need to know before hammock camping with your dog.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post, if you want more information about hammock camping with your dog, check out my full guide over on https://ogoutdoors.com/hammock-camping-dog/.

As promised, here’s the infographic!