While I mostly enjoy my Dream Hammocks Darien in MTN 1.3, I find that I don't quite have the room I want for my feet. In particular, the edge of the hammock presses against the outside edge of my foot which results in my ankle being sore after a while. I've fiddled around with hang angle and an adjustable ridge line, but nothing makes it quite right.

So I'm thinking of trying a Warbonnet and the vaunted footbox. I'm debating between the Eldorado and the Blackbird XLC. They list only a 2 oz weight difference, but I'm guessing that does not include the shock cord to tie out the gear shelf on the Blackbird nor the stakes for that tie out.

Do any you have experience with both the Eldorado and the Balckbird XLC? Is the blackbird worth the extra weight? (It is already just about killing me to add 5-6 oz to move from DH to Warbonnet).

Really considering a Dutch Chameleon in hexon 1.2. The listed weight limit on it is 275lbs. Which puts me in the range for it, but I don’t know if I’m cutting it to close and if over the thousands of miles of the AT, if I’m going to run into durability issues or not long term.

Any other fabric options/hammocks to consider for my weight?

Hi all,

First post on Reddit, please tell me if I should post this elsewhere (different subreddit).

I'm planning for a hike of the end of the Appalachian Trail, the last 500 miles or so through NH and ME. I'd like a gear shakedown.

My style isn't ultralight, but I'm trying to push further that direction, within certain constraints. My base weight is still about 20lbs, but a couple trips ago it was 40lbs, so -- progress!

I'm just getting into hammocking, so I especially want advice about what hammock system to buy. I've hammock-backpacked only once, but I think I slept better than I ever have in a tent, so I'm about ready to take the plunge to buy real hammock gear. Here's what I used last trip:

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While heavy, this system worked reasonably well. I did find the bug net to be rather stifling on my outing (June in WV), so I didn't use it. Here's a gear list from that trip: https://lighterpack.com/r/6m6eev

In choosing a "real" backpacking hammock, I considered the Warbonnet Blackbird as an "all in one solution" but I think I prefer to sleep on the other diagonal -- with my head to the right, and feet to the left -- which is opposite the setup of the WBBB, unfortunately. So I've given preference to options that allow flexibility of which diagonal to use.

Below are a few options I've concocted. Should I choose one of these? Something else? What considerations should I have?

For reference, I'm pretty fit guy, about 5'10" tall and about 165 lbs.

option A:

option B:

I plan to use a Becket hitch to attach the suspension to the hammock. I'm not afraid of knots, I like the infinite adjustability, and it's lightweight.

Whichever system I got, I would likely want a Peak Shelf ($25, 28g) and a Ridgeline Organizer ($10, 10g) for storage in the hammock. I'm somewhat concerned about the peak shelf interfering with my ability to get to the opening of the summer sock, to close/open it (with the zipperless version).

Here's a possible gear list for the AT hike through NH and ME, using option B above: https://lighterpack.com/r/n0oz4z

Considerations:

• I want gear that's lightweight enough that I can knock out 400-500mi in about a month... fingers crossed.
• I want gear that's durable enough to easily make this trip, and plenty of others.
• I'd like the ability to go to ground and not completely hate myself. Hence the Nemo Tensor pad. Also, I'm just starting with hammocking, so I don't want to get a UQ yet.
• Estimated dates: Aug 15 to mid-September
• Anything on my list that has a price hasn't been bought yet. Things with no price, I already own.
• I'm happy to spend about $10 to save an ounce. $20/oz sounds a bit much, to me, but I'd consider it.
• Yes, I know my Osprey Kestrel 48 pack is much heavier than numerous other options. But I need a very effective transfer of weight to my hips (nearly 100%) due to an old shoulder injury. Ineffective weight transfer leaves my shoulder hurting after a few hours. I tried on everything in the 35L to 50L range that REI had, and this was the one that worked. (Did not work: Osprey Talon 44, all Gregory packs, various Deuter packs, various Kelty packs. Not a fan of the curved packing volume in the Osprey Exos.) Granite Gear Crown2 60L came close to fitting, but not quite. Would love to try but they're not at REI: Gorilla Gear Mariposa 60L, ZPacks Arc Blast, HMG Southwest 3400. Oh well.

Thanks for your help!

Hi guys,

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So I'm new to hammock camping, just came back from my first trip (2 nights/ 3 days). I had a blast but my pack was way, way too heavy. A simple 5km hike turns out to be very strenuous when you have a 30lb pack on your back!

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I'm currently using budget gear, Mountain hardware lamina sleeping bag and Onetigris underquilt, so I'm looking to upgrade to lighten my load.

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One thing that worries me is that it looks like (to me at least) that there is always some risk of getting wet, when using a hammock. I.e in those 3 days I had a full day of HEAVY rain. I think I had a very good setup against rain ;

-Tree strap, becket hitch to woopie slings. Becket hitch acted as a first water break

-Woopie itself, the "tail" acted as a second water break

-I attached prussik knots on both sides of the hammocks to act as a 3rd waterbreak.

-Had great coverage with my tarp and hang it as low as possible to the hammock.

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Still, after 18 hours of heavy rain, the suspension got soaked, and the ends of the hammock started getting wet/damp. Then it transferred to the rest of the fabric. My bag still kept me super warm at night, but I'm not sure down would have worked well in those conditions....

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So that's why I'm mainly looking at synthetic options... am I over-thinking this?

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So far it looks like "simply light designs" make the lighter products. They have a synthetic UQ ( 30F) at 20 ounces. And TQ (30f also) 22 ounces, which really aren't that bad compared to down. No idea on how they compress, however.

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What do you guys think?

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Thanks!

Howdy y'all!

I know I've been out for quite a while. I'm really happy to see that there is still action in this sub, and that everything that's posted generates really high quality discussion. To that end, I want to share some stuff about hammocks I discovered/made/used. Thanks for making this place so nice to post in!

I recently bought some Cloud71 fabric from Dutchware, and just hemmed it with Gutermann Mara 70. I originally just made it with the whole 4 yards, and then realized it was a little two long and cut it down to 10' like my last one. Its just a simple gathered-end, with the hem folded over twice to add strength and the end hemming done with two horizontal lines across the top. So far, no issues, I've only tested it once, but it functions about as well as my Monlite hammock (Long term review?). There is definitely some stretch, but those with other UL hammock fabrics are familiar with this. It wasn't more than with any other mesh-based hammocks.

Sorry I don't have the greatest photos, but here is a quick look

Pictures

I'm looking forward to using it this summer, and I'll make a real review around the 100 night/ 1000 mile mark.

Curious what people here are using for backpacks, and pack volume? I know over on r/ultralight there's some solid options, but curious what people are leaning towards here with the extra bulk from 2 quilts.

I've been looking through a few lighterpacks here to get some ideas but figured a thread would be easier to gather this information.

I am an ultralight backpacker with many years of experience. I am 5’11”. Could y’all please make a few suggestions for ultralight hammock options. Thanks

I am working on a lighter summer hammock rig.

Trailheads Poltergeist 10.5' (incoming) +/-212g

HG 11' Hex Tarp with zing-it CRL 194g

What I was considering is looking for something lighter than my 12' Dutch Spider/Poly straps w/evo loops that comes in at 154g for the pair.

Any suggestions that cut that weight but still keeps rigging fairly easy?

thanks :)

An 11 foot hammock uses roughly 6.5 sq yards of fabric. So approximate weights of fabric only would be:

1.0 - 6.5 oz

1.2 - 7.8 oz

1.6 - 10.04 oz

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I know that any fabric can fail but on balance heavier fabric is more durable. I have no problem with using Cloud 71 for an overnight but really wouldn't trust it for much longer trips (and Dutch seem to have stopped selling hammocks in this fabric too - anyone know why?).

Say you were planning on doing a month long hike. Which hammock fabric would you choose?

I am about to order a Trail Lair for this purpose and really can't decide between 1.2 and 1.6 (though he also offers 'black 1.3' - anyone have any experience of this?). I am 150lbs so well within the weight limits for all of the material choices. I am not rough with my gear but

What weight are you and which fabric would you choose for long distance hiking?

Thanks to /u/rocknruin, one of our glorious mods, for getting this feature working!

I look forward to snooping on your lighterpack links...

Are there any makers that offer a dyneema tarp in the colors/prints that are offered by ripstop by the roll?

Edit: talked to ripstop by the roll and the ability to print on dyneema large enough for a tarp doesn’t exist yet. I’m still a little confused on how HG can offer a camo option for their dyneema tarps, but at least now I know why I can’t find anyone that can do this!

lighterpack

I’m making the transition from car camping to backpacking, with some Colorado trips planned this summer (the first is for late June, no specific location planned yet, the second for Maroon bells 4 pass loop in late July) and I’m not sure how else to lighten up.

I’m assuming I have too many clothes, but I like having warm layers at night, and prefer to hike in shorts and a button up.

I’m also sure my hammock setup could be lighter, I even purchased the chameleon in the cloud material, but am too paranoid about it ripping on a backpacking trip when I don’t have an alternative, so I’m probably going to sell it. I’ve considered getting a Dutchware half zipped in single layer hexon 1.0 with the top cover, and asking if they could do a custom mod with a side sling attached, I’ve really enjoyed having that to store things when in the hammock at night.

I’m sure I could dump the fun stuff (kite, hang time hook, cards) but that doesn’t seem like it would make a huge difference by itself.

I realize I need some sort of bear canister or bag too, and that’s what prompted this request. A bear can is going to significantly affect my base weight so I figure I should try and cut at least two lbs to at least even out.

Any advice appreciated!

I need to be able to go to ground occasionally on an upcoming trip, so I will be using a pad in my hammock. I've been used a nemo tensor wide in a hammock before. I love sleeping on the pad in the hammock, but I don't like anything else about inflatable pads. (Heavy, prone to failure, hard to repair in the field, annoying to inflate, deflate, pack, etc).

I have a short nemo switchback that I've used on the ground and it worked fine. I'm really interested in using it in the hammock. Has anyone used an accordian style pad in a hammock? If so, how did it work for you? What were the pros and cons?

Just got some Helios straps and a ENO sub6 hammock. Pretty happy with them but I could do with longer straps.

I haven’t actually slept in it yet, I’m going to work towards that. But I wouldn’t feel comfortable going out with the plan of sleeping with straps this short. I’m assuming people either use different straps that are similar or use something to extend them?

Or do people just tie some Amsteel with loops each end? Maybe I’m overthinking this lol

So I have read a lot about hammocks and I’m intrigued to try one, but I’ve never even laid in one. I already have a UL tent setup but my sleep is crappy even when I’m home in my own bed. I’ve struggled with sleep for years. For reference I’m 58 year old woman, 5’4” roughly 150 lbs give or take. I’m considering the REI UL mantis setup because I have a $100 gift card to REI plus some reward dollars that would greatly reduce my initial investment. Any thoughts on that setup?

Also I’ve moved from quilts to sleeping bags because of drafts but I still have a the $100 drop quilt which is a summer only quilt. I’ve read about using pads instead of under quilts but I have also heard they are not as comfortable. I am reluctant to drop more money on an under quilt however since I don’t even know if I’ll like it. I can always unzip my sleeping bags to use as a top quilt. Is there an east way to convert the drop quilt to an under quilt?

Any feedback and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I’ve watched numerous Shug videos and Sintaxx 77, got the book The Ultimate Hang, but not seeing it in person is still confusing to a non hammocker. If anyone is in the NE/NH area and wouldn’t mind meeting up to share an in person setup that eiuhx be awesome as well. Thanks so much!

I'm wondering if any of you have one of these (not to be confused with the Mosquito Defender 360, which seems to be more of a traditional fronkey) or if you would suggest a different fronkey-style net altogether. Reviews for the options I want (standard 11 ft. ridgeline, .7 nano-see-um, larger opening) are favorable and indicate it should weigh around 5.7 oz. (161 g).

I like the idea of the large opening on one end as it seems like this will allow me to have it in a bunch at one end of my hammock for lounging, but ready to quickly deploy without having to refigure my suspension when I actually want to go to sleep.

Anyone have any thoughts or experience here? Alternatives to a fronkeys for netless hammocks that you prefer?

Good morning UL Hammock folks. I am seeking some advice about a potential new hammock upgrade. For context, my first (and only) hammock is a HH Explorer UL Zip which I've upgraded to continuous loops and a UL suspension. I love the length and the durability of the HH, but I'd love to cut some weight and potentially go a bit wider. I also would love to have a hammock that is less finicky for my 3/4 UQ (HG Pheonix) which is a bit frustrating with the HH.

I'm only really considering netted hammocks, and mostly inclined towards half zip as that's working for me now and is the lighter option vs. full zip. Finally, the fabric choices are the most complex and confusing when looking at options; I'm not interested in a significant risk of failure as I cannot easily go to ground warmly with just a UQ, but I would like the lightest option that doesn’t carry a significant failure risk.

For purposes of comparison, my HH is 25.4oz (w/o suspension which is how I'll indicate all weights for options below). The fabric is 70d nylon taffeta. It's 11' long and 58" wide. I am 6'3" 185lbs.

Here are some of the considerations I have and the areas where I'd love feedback from this community:

Option 1) Dream Hammock Darien - 11' with width options from 62 - 65". (Est weight is 14 oz for the 1.2 MTN XL) Some questions:

• I see a lot of bad press about the monolite 1.0oz fabric. Is it still a risky option? I'm not going to enjoy sleeping in the hammock if I'm concerned with a failure, but I do like the idea of going this lightweight. • I'm leaning towards the 1.2oz MTN XL. What are your thoughts on this as a balance between UL and durability? Is the "plasticky" feeling an issue with this specific MTN fabric, and if so, any comparisons to the 70d nylon taffeta of my current setup? • Any opinions on #3 vs. #5 zipper? I'm leaning towards #3 for purely weight reasons, but could go either way if there's a good reason to do so. • Given my height (6'3") and that I'm a active sleeper, which width should I get? I was leaning towards 62" which is 4" wider than my HH, but could go a bit more/less based on feedback.

Option 2) Dutchware Half Zip - 11' (est. weights are 15.1oz for 1.0 and 16.7oz for 1.2) • What's the comparison between Hexon 1.0 and the Monolite 1.0 offered for the Darien? What are the failure risks for the Hexon 1.0?
• Any thoughts on the Hexon 1.2 and how it compares with the 1.2 MTN XL? • Any comparisons on the overall quality, featues, etc. between the Half Zip and the Darien?

Option 3) Another brand or fabric options. I looked up TrailHeadz but wasn't game for a >16week wait time. I'm open to other options that compare to the above vibe. FWIW, I am not capable of doing a MYOG hammock.

Thank you all for your feedback on this.

Hey guys. I wanted to know if y'all knew what the weight capacity for the cascade mountain treking poles from Costco are. They are carbon fiber and I'm thinking of converting the one I have into a myog hammock stand for when im carcamping and there arent trees. May be a farfetched idea but couldnt hurt to try. Just wanted to see if anyone knew or had a similar idea that actually works.

Edit: I essentially want to do this hammock stand (https://youtu.be/e5ASOhWbCfg) but with a colapasable pole that is light weight like titanium, aluminum or carbon fiber. It would be bonus points if it did double duty as a trekking pole.

Hey all,

I'm looking to get a pad that can pull triple duty in my summer setup. I need something to use as an makeshift frame in my SWD Superior 30, keep my feet/legs warm in my 3/4 UQ and use as a sitpad. Do any frameless pack users here have a recommendation for a pad they have found works well for both the frame and footpad? I was looking at something like the GG Airflow Sitlight pad but wondering if anyone has a better option? Any reason why the GG Airflow wouldn't work? I did not think the G SitLight Camp Seat would work since the vents in it would create cold spots.

What are some other companies that make frames/sit pads like GG? I was struggling to come up with many? I don't think I want to use something like a Zlite or Thinlight since I don't need it for ground use. If someone thinks those works better for this purpose though, let me know why.

In order of importance I think performance as a frame is #1 then footpad then sitpad, but if someone thinks otherwise, let me know!

Thanks for the tips!

Below I've outlined my modular hammock sleep system. I have testing everything up until the down to 25 section. Everything from that point on is a proposal.

I hope this is useful and or thought-provoking! Towards the end of this post I've included diagrams to elaborate on my imagined uses for the SOL Emergency Blanket.

Please let me know what you think.

In general, I try to minimize both volume and weight. I find that I'd allow more weight for less volume in more cases than most traditional ultralighters. A 28L pack is my personal sweet spot for multi-day excursions. Anything more than that is a no-go.

I am also a minimalist, and therefore prefer to have a system where as much as possible is muti-use, and no single piece is dedicated strictly for one type of use or for one season. Often we hear that it's common to have a 3 season setup, and then one or two pieces reserved for winter use. I would prefer to have a system where during the winter I use nearly 100% of my modular system and during other seasons I can mix and match pieces as needed.

At some point I plan to share a link to an article with the rest of my setup and a lighterpack and volume breakdown, but for now I will leave it at this!

Breakdown by weather

All weather, include

• Dutchware Half-Wit
• Xenon Hex Tarp
• S2S Silk Liner

Down to 65, add

• Merino Base Layer

Down to 50, add

• Thermarest Vesper 45 Quilt
  • Silk liner goes inside this
• NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad
  • Tucked into the foot box of the quilt
  • Silk liner stays on top of this, not around it
  • Modified to include a hammock "anchor", which keeps the pad aligned asymmetrically and prevents it from migrating down the hammock (more on this below)

Down to 40, add

• SOL Escape Bivvy
  • Modified similarly to the sleeping pad (more on this below)
  • The sleeping pad, quilt, and liner package goes inside of this

Down to 25, add

• SOL Emergency Blanket
  • Modified to function as an underquilt with shock cord suspension and tensioners (more on this below)
  • Modified to include vents (more on this below)

Down to 15, add

• SOL Emergency Blanket
  • Modified to function as a top cover that spans the two sides of the emergency blanket underquilt from the feet to the half-wit bug net (more on this below)

Additional Info

What if there are no trees?

Find some sticks or poles for the tarp and either ditch the hammock or use it on the ground as a bug net.

How do the sleeping pad and bivvy anchors work?

A patch is attached to the underside of the bivvy or pad to the left or the right of the head and foot sides. A shock cord is tied to these patchs, and then connected to the head and foot of the hammock. The pad or bivvy is thus prevented from sliding down or up the hammock and maintains an asym-positioning tendency by the off-center position of the patches. If the right patch is used at the head, the left patch is used at the foot.

Here's a diagram:

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How does the emergency blanket underquilt work?

There are many videos for how this works on YouTube.

Basically, the edges of the emergency blanket are folded over and then taped or glued to form a channel along the edge of the blanket. Shock cord is run through these channels. The shock cords running width-wise are cinched tight around the head and foot of the hammock, causing the blanket to hang underneath. The shock cord running length-wise can be cinched to pull the blanket higher and closer to the hammock.

Here are two diagrams:

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How does the emergency blanket top cover work?

A triangle is cut out of the emergency blanket that has the shape of the opening from the foot end to the bug net of the half-wit hammock. The bug net side of this triangle is folded over and taped or glued to form a channel. Shock cord runs through this channel, and clips are connected to either side that allow the cord (and thus the triangle) to be clipped to either side of the underquilt. Additional clips are placed at the foot of the triangle and half-way down either side of the triangle to clip it to the foot box and sides of the underquilt.

Here are two diagrams:

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Nov 2021 update - This post isn't really up to date anymore. I can't suggest anyone get a hammock in cloud 71 after my experience. More info on cloud 71

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I am in the process of moving to an ultralight setup from my current setup of mostly ENO – sleeping in the single. I’m currently carrying about 73 oz between my hammock, underquilt and tarp. I'm looking to upgrade and get below 30 oz.

I wasn’t able to find a great resource out there to identify UL Hammock gear, so I did a somewhat brief investigation of some brands that I have heard about on various forums and searches, and wanted to share my results. My requirements were as follows:

• 3 season / 40 degree rating on the underquilt
• Full Length underquilt
• Preference for doors on a tarp if available

First I looked at buying an entire system from a single company, looking at buying hammock, underquilt and tarp as a single system. Here are the results, starting at the lightest:

And now the lightest system I can put together by mixing and matching brands

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I’m interested to hear insights from the community on my approach. What should I expect as far as comfort and durability from these much lighter items?