Fat Boy Dumping His Hammock--What Now?

[RisingEagle]

I'm 6'1", 230lbs, and have also been struggling a bit finding gear light + comfortable + cheap (you really only get to pick two of the three)...

I have an Osprey Atmos 65 AG pack. right about 4lb, but the suspension (for me) makes up for it. after 28 years in the military, carrying military rucks - this thing is a dream. Gram weenies scream at me for having such a heavy ruck - but I really like the features of the back air channel, the adjustability to my size, and it's the most comfortable pack I've put on to date. I did also try an Osprey Aether, there was no comparison for me, this was 4lb well-spent. Oh and I don't use the lid - it has a nice flap that works as a rain-lid when you choose to not carry the lid.

I also have a WBBB-XLC, DL. with woopie sling and tree hugger suspension, that bag comes to 34oz (so just over 2lb). Again, I'm balancing the three choices, with a bias toward comfort. I admitted to myself that I would never be a 10lb ultralight guy - but I can easily hit 25lb packs. At my size, I don't really notice a 25lb pack. For me - the WBBB-XLC is way more comfort than my dutch 11' argon hammock, or the ENO doublenest i used to use. the dutch hammock is great, don't get me wrong - and the price can't be beat - but for comfort, a WBBB with the integrated bug-net, and the foot box, and the shelf, and just the overall comfort of that hammock - well, it's like comparing a luxurious recliner to an office chair. It is an expensive choice to make, but weight-wise it's not so bad. I went DL because I slide a pad inbetween the layers (which is awesome) but I just ordered a UQ. Still - 34oz for a double-layer hammock that's as comfortable as the WBBB-XLC - for me, 2lb is worth it.

so with those two items I get to 6lb, when if I went with lighter options (and less comfortable) I would be at 3lb. Is the 3lb difference worth it? In my opinion, absolutely. You can't beat a good night's sleep, and you carry the ruck almost the entire time you're awake - those two pieces of gear have got to be the most comfortable (and capable) in your entire kit.

FWIW - my entire load-out for a "AT thru-hike" (which I haven't done yet, although I've done multiple gear shake downs and 3-5 day sections) is about 21lb without consumables (food, water, fuel - no hidden hanky-panky). If I add in 9lb for 4 days of food/water/fuel (a bit high of an estimate) I'm still only at 30lb. That's carrying a WB SuperFly tarp(23oz with rigging), a 12oz hygiene kit, and 5lb of sleeping bag / pad. A bit heavier than many, but it allows me to sleep in peace and comfort in 35-40 degrees, with the torrential rains pouring down. AND it gives me a nice, comfortable pack to put my stuff in that feels like it conforms to my body.

anyway, thought I'd share my personal experiences since we're pretty similar size-wise. I would recommend against getting caught up in the "lighter is always better" syndrome (I know, that's blasphemy over on WhiteBlaze) and instead say to go by REI or someplace, and try on some packs. You may be amazed at what a 3-4lb pack feels like, especially with some weight in it, compared to a 1-2lb pack that has thinner straps, etc. And don't write off comfortable hammocks just because of weight - it's an option, but really it takes a self-eval of what kind of hiker are you. For me - 21lb is pretty nice for all of the comfort I get to have - I can occasionally "camp" when I want to instead of just always "hiking".

good luck!

[-c0de-]

If you can diy you can save some cash. I did a complete setup for my son for $250. That's hammock, uq, tq, tarp and suspension. All good to about 30*.

Where did you get your insulation for the TQ and UQ, what was the cost, and what amount did you end up having to buy?

[chrislrob]

RisingEagle, you and I do have a lot in common on this. My eventual setup was to be WBBB xlc with superfly. I have already ordered an REI Flash 45. Weighs 2.5 pounds. And your post makes me feel better resisting an even lighter pack that was only 35 Liters for the same price.

I mean, let's not go crazy! LOL!

But tell me this: money is a concern for me in the short-term--how well did your pad really work in the WBBB xlc? I have a large Thermarest Prolite already . If I buy a DL xlc, will it be sliding around in the pocket like crazy? I would love to just go ahead and buy the BB if I'm going to end up there anyway. It's a $200 hammock vs. $150 full-length quilt. Especially since these bugnet prices are considerably higher than I thought. As it stands, I was going to buy the UQ and test it in my GT Ultralight, but I already know that I'm not going to be comfortable in it overnight. But I am really looking forward to solving my sliding pad problem, although that was happening in my slippery bridge hammock versus an equally slippery sleeping bag.

But if I could buy the WBBB and just hold out a bit on the underquilt.... And you really give me hope on my ability to go lighter, if not ultralight. And you're right, guys our size don't necessarily need to go sub-10 to get relief.

Thanks for your comment. This thread has been great! Thanks, everyone!

[Dux]

...have also been struggling a bit finding gear light + comfortable + cheap (you really only get to pick two of the three)

...lb difference worth it? In my opinion, absolutely. You can't beat a good night's sleep, and you carry the ruck almost the entire time you're awake - those two pieces of gear have got to be the most comfortable (and capable) in your entire kit.

Words of wisdom right there.

[genixia]

For 3 season use on a budget I'd look to save both money and weight in the hammock first - you should easily be able to get a hex tarp, hammock and associated suspensions under 3lbs on a reasonable budget. Consider synthetic quilts, for 3 season use the weight penalty (vs down) is not a major issue, but the cost savings are significant. You'll need to allow a bit more room in your pack, but that shouldn't significantly change your pack weight or costs.

[daneaustin3]

Where did you get your insulation for the TQ and UQ, what was the cost, and what amount did you end up having to buy?

I purchased 5.0 climashield from ripstopbytheroll. 5 yards covered both the tq and uq.

[chrislrob]

Ginixia, you make very good points. If I can buy a good hammock, especially one with a pad insert, I can use my old pad for the summer. And I probably will stick to synthetic quilts first. daneaustin3, I have made a DIY plastic tarp--and I have accepted that it is the limit of my abilities or will. I am not going to make an UQ. My denial about that is why I haven't bough one in the last 2 years.

[joshcrsn]

6'1" x 235. I've tried several hammocks by the cottage vendors on here but wasn't able to find one wide enough. I purchased a "Pares" from Sierra Madre and i LOVE it. It's 78" wide a allows me to REALLY get flat. No shoulder squeeze, no calf pressure. I own top and underquilts from HG and the Jacks and have had no issues keeping them under me in the ultra wide hammock. I also purchased a Yukon hammock during the "woot" sale a couple weeks ago ($19.99) and its pretty wide as well. Total lbs with the superfly, suspension, hammock and quilts = 5.25 lbs and I'm good to about 15º

[RisingEagle]

But tell me this: money is a concern for me in the short-term--how well did your pad really work in the WBBB xlc?

But if I could buy the WBBB and just hold out a bit on the underquilt.... And you really give me hope on my ability to go lighter, if not ultralight. And you're right, guys our size don't necessarily need to go sub-10 to get relief.

my pack works really well for me, but it's probably about 10L too much space for summer; I started getting 'serious' about gear in feb, when it was cold, and I was carrying a lot of extra stuff to boot. Since then I've scaled back on some things, eliminated some gear entirely, and replaced heavy stuff with (more expensive) lighter stuff. BUT - I would bet my current, 21lb loadout (which is still 3-season, has gear to take me to the 30s) would fit in a 50ish-L pack. I'm betting you may have to hang a thing or two off the Flash45 outside, but overall I think it will work well for you. I usually have thru-hike on the mind tho, but really the only huge difference in a 3-5 day hike and a thru-hike is resupplying so...

as for the WBBB-XLC - if I had to do it all over again, I would do the exact same purchase. Even when I did my VA-in-mar hike, and used the sleeping pad and sleeping bag (in an ENO hammock of all things) I had followed a lot of advice on here and only partially inflated the sleeping pad. Probably about 2/3 inflated - squishy, but still enough to push me up. To be honest, it didn't move under me at all, in an open, single-layer hammock.
once I got the WBBB-XLC, and have the double layers - that mat stays in place exactly where I put it. it is a square mat, so probably a bit different than the ProLite, but I would bet as long as you inflate it 2/3 of the way, and align the pad so it's in the footbox and headbox, that pad won't move at all. I've had my hammock on a home-built stand in the garage the past two weeks, and have slept in it probably 5 days (I open the garage door some to let cold air in, testing different insulation configs) but that pad hasn't moved with all of the hopping in and out, sleeping, reclining, etc.

I would highly recommend - purchase the WBBB if that's anywhere in your future plans. Keep using a pad and sleeping bag if you need to for cost until you save more up. I was actually contemplating carrying a pad and using it instead of a UQ in case I had to go-to-ground or sleep in a shelter occasionally, but I decided to give a UQ a shot (incubator-20) so I just ordered one monday. But the pad has been great, has not shifted around in the pocket, and does insulate very well.

another (very cheap) option to try is a piece of reflectix in the pocket. a 16"x6' weighs 8oz, so a 32"x6' would be about 1lb. I am not comfortable with what reflectix will be comfortable at (not enough cold nights to test it) but I do know a 32" wide pad doesn't move at all in that pocket either.

my purchase order has been tarp (WB SuperFly), pack (Atmos65), hammock (WBBB-XLC with top cover), and now UQ. This was driven by my not wanting to spend a ton at once, and using stuff I had (and didn't have) - I had a military ruck (marpat ILBE - heavy sucker at 9lb just for the ruck but it worked), a borrowed ENO doublenest, a sleeping pad, and sleeping bag. I didn't have anything for a tarp and could have gotten a cheapo blue-light-special, but I learned years ago to buy-once cry-once, otherwise I wind up spending 3x the amount of what the final purchased item would cost. So I got the tarp first because I didn't have one, and then the pack because cutting 9lb to 4lb was huge. The UQ to be honest was a luxury-purchase, because the pad has worked just fine, but I recently retired from the military so figured what the heck, treat myself. I am still struggling with my next item - either a down sleeping bag or a TQ - but I'll probably wind up getting a TQ (burrow-20) to save some weight, and fully commit to hammock life - like I haven't already

Another side-note, as I was weighing items, I'm actually down to 19.8lb - so just hit under 20lb. When it warms up a bit more and I can drop long-john bottoms, sleep-shorts and shirt - I'd be around 18lb. The difference from 18lb to 12lb isn't worth the comfort I'd have to give up to get there

hope this helps, if you have any questions feel free to hit me up. I agree - great thread.

[chrislrob]

6'1" x 235. I've tried several hammocks by the cottage vendors on here but wasn't able to find one wide enough. I purchased a "Pares" from Sierra Madre and i LOVE it. It's 78" wide a allows me to REALLY get flat. No shoulder squeeze, no calf pressure. I own top and underquilts from HG and the Jacks and have had no issues keeping them under me in the ultra wide hammock. I also purchased a Yukon hammock during the "woot" sale a couple weeks ago ($19.99) and its pretty wide as well. Total lbs with the superfly, suspension, hammock and quilts = 5.25 lbs and I'm good to about 15º

I'm coming from a bridge hammock, so yes, shoulder squeeze is a fear of mine. Most of what I've read suggests it shouldn't be a problem in the WBBB xlc, at least. I'm not some freakish 6'1" 260 pound guy in the shoulders--just a regular one. And a couple of 300 pounders have said they've been fine in them. Not sure that I need a "flat lay" because I've never not had one! We'll see...