How to use a gear sling with your camping hammock
A gear sling is a small piece of kit that quietly changes how a hammock camp works. Strung beneath the ridgeline, it lifts your pack, shoes, water bottle and headlamp off the ground and keeps them within arm's reach. For anyone who has fumbled for a headlamp in a damp pack at 2am, that single shift from ground to canopy is reason enough to use one.
Hammocking in Australia has grown well beyond the niche crowd at places like Royal National Park. With warm evenings from Brisbane down to Hobart, more campers are swapping tents for suspended sleep systems. A gear sling slots neatly into that lighter approach, especially on overnight bushwalking trips where pack weight matters as much as comfort.
What a gear sling actually does
A gear sling is webbing or mesh hung below the hammock ridgeline, forming a shallow cradle that sits roughly at knee height. Items inside can be grabbed without sitting up or leaning out of the sleeping setup.
The biggest practical win is keeping kit dry and out of the leaf litter. Lifting gear off the ground reduces moisture wicking and discourages ants, spiders and possums common at Australian campsites. Because the load spreads across two anchor points, the sling stays stable even when you roll over above it.
Choosing the right sling
Most slings come as flat webbing strips with sewn loops, or stretch mesh baskets. Webbing is lighter and packs smaller, suiting bushwalkers tackling the Overland Track or a section of the Six Foot Track. Mesh breathes better, drains after rain and holds awkward shapes like a camp shoe or rolled rain jacket.
Look for reinforced stitching at the connection points and a breaking strength that comfortably exceeds anything you plan to hang. A sling rated for at least twice the expected load is a sensible baseline. Clip-on slings with small carabiners speed up setup, which helps when you arrive at camp tired and hungry.
Setting up along the ridgeline
Centre the sling under the hammock, low enough to grab but high enough that the lowest item does not brush the ground. A 20 to 30 centimetre drop from the ridgeline is a comfortable starting point. Attach each end with whoopie slings, soft shackles or fixed loops, depending on what your ridgeline offers.
Before you sit down for the night, give the loaded sling a firm pull at each end. A sudden storm rolling off the Blue Mountains can drop the ridgeline noticeably, and a loose sling will sag with it. Tension once, then again once the hammock has taken your weight, to avoid overnight sag.
Loading and organising kit
Think of the sling as a shallow shelf. Items you want at arm's reach during the night sit near the head end: headlamp, phone in a dry bag, glasses. Mid-section space suits bulkier pieces like a puffy jacket. Foot-end items can be morning-only things such as a water bottle or sandals.
A small zip pouch inside the sling keeps crumbs contained and reduces the smell trail that draws ants. When planning trip food, it helps to think ahead about non-refrigerated camping meals so the food pouch stays tidy. Avoid draping loose cords over the side; they tangle with the hammock fabric when you swing out.
Useful items to keep in the sling:
- Headlamp, phone and power bank in a dry bag
- Folded rain shell or insulating layer for cool nights
- Camp sandals, dry socks and a pair of camp trousers
- Reading material or small journal in a zip pouch
- Toilet kit in a small dry sack, kept off the leaf litter
Adapting to Australian conditions
Summer humidity from Cairns to Sydney can leave fabric damp by midnight, so electronics belong in a sealed dry bag inside the sling. In alpine spots like Kosciuszko, overnight temperatures drop sharply and a damp item cools you faster than the open air.
Wildlife also shapes how you pack. Where snakes, spiders and possums are part of camp life, sealed food bags attract less attention than loose snacks. On declared total fire ban days, never store fuel canisters or gas cartridges in the sling; regulations in NSW and Victoria restrict certain gear within defined camp zones. Always check park alerts before leaving home.
Common mistakes to avoid
Overloading is the most common error. A sling sagging onto the ground defeats the purpose, and the extra strain can pull the ridgeline out of alignment. Aim to keep the loaded weight below about five kilograms for a comfortable night.
Another mistake is forgetting that the sling moves with you. Open bottles will swing, so clip or pouch-secure them. Finally, do not hang cooking pots directly from the ridgeline beside the sling; the heat and weight has caused burnt tarps in Australian camps. Use a separate loop or a ground-based setup for anything warm.
Pairing with other camp essentials
A gear sling works best when the rest of the kit is set up with the same logic. An under-quilt stops cold creeping up through the hammock, while a tarp overhead keeps both you and the sling dry through a coastal shower. If you sometimes travel with a friend who prefers a tent, it is worth reading about seasonal tent trade-offs so both setups work together.
Small extras that round out a hammock camp:
- Small carabiners for clipping accessories to the ridgeline
- Clip-on lantern that frees both hands
- Repair kit with spare cord, needle and a cuben patch
- Builder's tape wrapped around a trekking pole as a low-light flag
- Small bivvy bag for stowing the whole hammock system on pack-up
A well-loaded gear sling turns a hammock into a tidy campsite. Once you have spent a night with everything in reach, it is hard to go back to a ground pile. Browse the Fribas collection of slings, ridgeline accessories and hammock-friendly essentials and plan your next Australian bush camp with a tidier, drier setup.