How to Pack a Hammock and Tarp for Backpacking Trips
By ENO Hammocks & Outdoor Gear | Published: 2026-10-16
Category: How-to Guides
Learn how to pack a hammock, rain tarp, and straps for backpacking so your shelter stays dry, compact, and quick to deploy at camp.
Quick answer
Pack your hammock, rain tarp, and straps as three separate items: hammock in its own stuff sack, tarp in its own stuff sack, and straps wrapped around the outside of your pack or in an outer pocket. This keeps your shelter dry, makes camp setup faster, and lets you balance weight instead of creating one heavy lump.
Why separate stuff sacks beat one big bundle
A single bundle forces you to unpack everything just to reach your tarp when rain starts. Separate sacks let you grab only what you need, when you need it.
If a sack goes missing or wears out, an ENO replacement keeps the system intact. Hammock System Stuff Sacks come in two options, SubLink and Generic Shelter System, so you can match the sack to the specific ENO hammock or shelter it belongs to.
Where each piece goes in your pack
Hammock and tarp are light but bulky, so treat them as part of your pack's structure rather than afterthoughts.
Straps are dense and flat, which makes them ideal for the outer pockets or lid where they won't crush the rest of your load.
- Hammock stuff sack: center or top of the main compartment, close to your back, so the soft bulk fills gaps.
- Rain tarp: top of the main compartment or under the lid, so you can reach it first if weather turns.
- Straps: outside the pack in a pocket or wrapped around the top, never buried under your sleeping bag.
- Stakes and guylines: with the tarp, so tarp setup is one grab.
Packing a rain tarp without trapping moisture
A tarp packed wet stays wet. If you must pack a damp tarp, keep it in an outer pocket or mesh area so it can breathe, then dry it fully at the next stop.
The ProFly XL Rain Tarp has a longer and wider footprint than the original ProFly, which means more fabric to fold. Fold it along its ridgeline first, then roll or stuff it so the next deployment is predictable.
How to pack hammock straps so they stay usable
Straps tangle when they're loose. Wrap each strap around your hand into a figure-eight, then secure the bundle with its own tail or a small strap.
Apollo Hammock Straps use an infinite adjustment system and are built to be weather-proof and tree-friendly, so they can live in an outer pocket without risking the rest of your gear.
Packing steps for a hammock backpacking setup
- Start with a dry hammock: Lay the hammock flat, check for debris or damp spots, then stuff it into its own sack. Stuffing rather than folding helps the fabric conform to your pack. Checkpoint: if the hammock feels damp, air it out before it goes in the pack.
- Sack the tarp separately: Fold the tarp along its ridgeline, then roll or stuff it into a second sack. Keep stakes and guylines with it so tarp setup is one grab. Common mistake: packing a wet tarp against dry gear. If it's wet, use an outer pocket instead.
- Wrap your straps into a bundle: Figure-eight each strap around your hand and secure the bundle. Apollo Hammock Straps can go in an outer pocket because they're built to be weather-proof. Checkpoint: give the bundle a shake. If it unravels, rewrap before it goes in the pack.
- Load the pack in shelter-first order: Place the hammock sack low and centered, the tarp sack at the top or under the lid, and the strap bundle in an outer pocket. Keep the tarp reachable without unpacking. Common mistake: burying the tarp under the sleeping bag, which forces a full unpack in the rain.
- Do a final weather check: Confirm nothing wet is touching dry gear, and that the tarp and straps are accessible from outside the pack. Adjust the load so the pack sits balanced. Next step: at camp, hang the hammock first, then deploy the tarp from the top of your pack.
Gear that makes packing simpler
- Hammock System Stuff Sacks: Replace a missing or worn stuff sack with an authentic ENO replacement, available in SubLink and Generic Shelter System options. A correct-fit sack keeps your hammock or shelter compressed and protected, and it prevents the loose-bundle problem that slows camp setup.
- Apollo™ Hammock Straps: Apollo Hammock Straps use an all-new infinite adjustment system and are designed to be weather-proof and tree-friendly. Weather-proof straps can be stored outside your pack without soaking your shelter, and infinite adjustment means less fiddling when you hang.
- ProFly™ XL Rain Tarp: The ProFly XL Rain Tarp has a longer and wider footprint than the original ProFly. More coverage means more fabric to manage, so plan a fold-and-roll routine that fits your pack's top compartment.
