Hammock Tents vs Regular Tents: Which Keeps Bugs Out Better?

Haven Tents · October 21, 2026 · 3 min read

Which keeps bugs out better, a hammock tent or a regular tent? Both work well when they're zipped shut. A ground tent seals you in with a floor and mesh walls; a hammock tent with a built-in bug net, like a Haven, does the same while also keeping you off the ground, away from ants, spiders and other crawling insects. The weak points differ: a tent lets bugs in through the door and any gap at the floor, while a plain hammock with a separate net lets mosquitoes bite through the fabric under you. A hammock tent with an insulated pad between you and the fabric avoids that. Either way, ticks and mosquitoes are a reason to use repellent and check yourself, not just to trust the shelter.

Camper sitting in a Haven hammock tent by a mountain lake

How each shelter keeps bugs out

Regular ground tents

The inner tent's mesh panels and the sewn-in floor make a closed box. Good tents use fine mesh that stops small biting insects as well as mosquitoes. Bugs get in when the door is open, through a damaged zipper or mesh, or by following you in with your gear. Because you're on the ground, anything crawling around your site will find the tent walls first.

Traditional hammocks

A gathered-end hammock on its own has no protection. Campers add a separate bug net that zips around the hammock or hangs from a ridgeline. The common problem is underneath: mosquitoes can bite through a single layer of hammock fabric, so you need a pad or underquilt there too.

Lay-flat hammock tents

A Haven has a no-see-um bug net built into the hammock body and zipped shut, so there's nothing to rig. You're off the ground, away from crawling insects, and the insulated air mattress sits between you and the hammock fabric, so mosquitoes can't bite through from below.

Bug protection compared

	Ground tent	Hammock + separate net	Lay-flat hammock tent
Flying insects	Mesh walls	Separate net	Built-in no-see-um net
Crawling insects	Floor keeps most out; they can reach the walls	Off the ground	Off the ground
Bites through the fabric under you	Not an issue with a floor and pad	Possible without a pad or underquilt	Pad sits between you and the fabric
Setup to be bug-proof	Pitch and zip	Rig the net correctly	Zip the net
Typical weak point	Open door, gaps at the floor	Gaps where the net meets the hammock	Leaving the net open while you get in

Bug-proofing tips for any shelter

Get in fast and zip immediately. Most bugs inside a shelter came in with you.
Set up away from standing water and dense, damp undergrowth where mosquitoes and ticks gather.
Keep food and scented items out of your shelter, which also matters for bear safety.
Use repellent as directed on the label, and check for ticks every evening, wherever you sleep.
Inspect mesh and zippers before the season and repair small holes early.
In a hammock, remember the straps. Insects can crawl along the suspension; keep the net closed rather than relying on height alone.

Which should you choose?

If you sleep in a group or your sites have no trees, a well-made ground tent keeps bugs out just fine. If you camp in wooded, buggy places and want to stay off the ground, a lay-flat hammock tent gives you net, insulation and rain cover in one kit without a separate net to rig. Each Haven sleeps one person and needs two trees, a stand or a hitch mount; on the ground in bivy mode the net still closes, but you lose the height advantage.

Warm nights are usually the buggiest, so see Do Hammock Tents Keep You Cooler in Hot Weather? too. For other differences, read Hammock Tent vs Ground Tent, Haven vs Ground Tents and our outdoor sleep systems page, or compare models in the hammock tents collection.

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Camper lying flat on the insulated pad inside a blue Haven XL

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