The Challenge

[pgibson]

ground cloths

We need a high 5 smiley.

[dejoha]

HAMMOCK
I promise I'm not on the Grand Trunk payroll, but I really like the Grand Trunk Ultralight Hammock, especially for newcomers who want to try out the hobby without spending a lot or worrying about DIY (actually, if you don't sew, you can still whip a DIY hammock pretty easily, but getting the right fabric can be tricky or cost as much as the GT Ultralight when all said and done).

Campmor sells the Ultralight for $20, but you can find it cheaper elsewhere.

Of course, you'll need to upgrade the suspension (Whoopie slings recommended) and the straps. I highly recommend Opie for both.

BUG NET
Here's where DIY might come in handy. A stand-alone bug net can be costly: Hammock Bliss ($45); Warbonnet Travel Net ($65); ENO Guardian Bug Net ($55); or the Exped Scout Hammock Mosquito Net ($68).

When I tried a simple hammock, like the bug-net-free Grand Trunk Ultralight, I NEEDED bug protection living in Virginia. My inexpensive solution? I found the Mombassa Outback Travel Net at REI ($14), took it apart, and sewed it back up as a simple cinch-style around my hammock. It still works great!



Another option I've been playing with this season is a simple pyramid bug net--the Equinox Mantis Sleep Net from AntiGravityGear.com ($35). I clip the net from my hammock or tarp ridgeline. Works on the ground too

An even less-expensive option is the 'ol lightweight head net. Put on a ball cap, throw over the head net, and wish for the best Actually, you _can_ avoid some biting bugs with good timing: mosquitos are mostly active during twilight hours: dawn and dusk. If these pesks will be a minimal hazard where you are going, you might be fine without bug netting, since your sleeping bag will provide most of the coverage.

TARP
Anything goes here! You can find inexpensive (and heavy) tarps from your local Wal*Mart or other retailers. I've also successfully used a GoLite Poncho Tarp ($80, 8 oz) over my hammock It hangs like the Hennessy A-sym tarps and doubles as wearable rain gear.



I also have, like many on this forum, the Gear Guide 12x12 tarp ($20). It's a great deal, isn't that heavy, and when rolled, packs pretty small. My only complaint? It lacks tie-offs where you need them, so you'll have to sew a little if you want to hang the tarp square.



Good luck!

[dejoha]

In writing such a long response, I missed your follow-up questions. I agree with others, that if you are looking for an all-in-one, no-fuss hammock, the REI Hennessy deal is hard to beat! The HH was my first hammock and it's great.

[BillyBob58]

Guess I should have said some more!

Rockies--> in Colorado.
I appreciate the offer Cannibal, but I think they might want to keep them lol.
Also... not really interested in DIY. Kinda just want a take-it-out-of-the-box-all-in-one kit kinda deal. These guys don't do this kind of stuff very often, and I'm not particularly interested in making a bunch of gear... It would probably also be good if the hammock had integrated mosquito netting. Those are plenty of good hammocks for sub $100, but is a non-diy setup out there with EASY TO USE hammock, netting AND tarp? The tarp has to be included in the price. Let's say sub $200 hammock, netting and tarp. I was wondering about Hennessy... but I've heard the tarps are NOT ideal.

Get a double layer hammock to make pad management easy. Because money seems to be the bottom line, get either a:
Claytor No Net $40 shipped
Warbonnet (WB) Traveler $75 plus shipping
Edit: I'm sure there are other good choices for under $100, but those to come to mind and I have found both Claytor and WB to be quite comfy.

You will need some sort of net. I think the WB is about $60-70, can't remember. Or, forget the net and spray your hammock and some clothing with Permethrin, take along some 15-20% Picariden for exposed skin, and a head net.

The only thing with the pad is having it wide enough for your shoulders. So you will either need a wide (CCF) pad OR maybe some small sections of cut up Walmart pad to insert at various cold spots, like your shoulder if laying diagonal.

One other option if it is still available: Speer SPE. read about it here:
http://www.speerhammocks.com/Products/SPE.htm
But this might be the more expensive way to go, even though you would not need a double layer hammock. I see they cost $55 now.

Have fun, good luck!

[Optimus]

So not to hi-jack, but I've been looking for a guide gear 12x12 for a while now and I can't find one in stock. I actually had one, in my cart, went to find something else cheap to buy so i could use my discount code . . . and when I went to check out, it said "sorry, out of stock". This was on my birthday none the less, so needless to say I felt personally attacked and deeply saddened. Anyways . . . I've been wanting to upgrade my tarp for a while now, and thought this would be a perfect "get me by". So if anyone knows where I could find one, or wants to part with theirs, PLEASE lemme know!

Thanks,
Slopes

[BillyBob58]

While I am not a huge fan of HH's, REI is running a sale on several of them on their site for $99 with free shipping to a REI store. And yes while the HH tarps a on the smaller side many can and have gotten them to work in even poor conditions. And then with the other 100 in your $200 budget you could get some accessories, longer tree straps, whoopie slings and so forth. Just saying

That would be, IMHO, an excellent choice considering price. But I'm guessing they are not double layer so pad management might be an issue.

I did not see your desire, in the earlier post I responded to, for a system with tarp and built in netting for under $200. Claytor Jungle Hammock for $150 shipped. It will definitely get the job done, and has the double layer.
http://www.mosquitohammock.com/junglehammock.html

[Powerbird]

Now that's what I'm looking for!

Going back to the weather, I think we're going to get up to 13,000 ft, but I doubt we're spending much time that high.

So it looks like it's between the on-sale $100 hennessy WITH ZIP!!! or the skeeter beeter pro and a ginormous gear guide tarp. About a $20 difference each way, so price isn't the issue. Both look good to me. I like the giant tarp option myself... Which option do you think a total noob should get? (Simplicity of use is very important.)

[BillyBob58]

.....................................
Price is important. The cheaper the better, but it HAS TO WORK. If this trip is a bad experience, then I will be the opposite of cool, and several people will never hang again. We need full weather and bug protection. Light is a good thing, but not a priority. We can get the hammock from somewhere and the tarp from another company, but an all in one would be nice.

Once again, price is important but flexible. Sub $100 would be good, but I want it to be quality stuff (for people who don't hike/camp/or hang much, so "quality" doesn't have to be THE very best).

What do the gurus say?

Powerbird, no need to fret about a loss of cool. Y'all just need to have your heads right before you go, and realize there is a learning curve with hammock camping.

But let's say one of your friends decides, like one of mine did one trip to the Rockies, that hammocks suck. If you have your heads right ( IOW, a little preparation and practice) it should be no big deal. Your friend just goes to ground, which he would have been doing ANYWAY if he had not decided to try a hammock. You are going to use your ground set up bags and pads anyway, right? Well, you just put that pad on the ground, and you are back where you started. Except instead of being trapped with your snoring buddies in a cramped tent, you set up your tarp to keep the rain and wind off you while you sleep on the ground. Either using trees to attach the tarp to, or using your hiking poles ( I have done it more than once). And, you can also set the hammock up, ON THE GROUND, as a bivy for bugs. You might want to get a ~$3, 2 oz space blanket to use as a ground cloth.

It seems to me that as long as you understand the possibility of having to do that, you are- in the worst case scenario, no worse off than if you started out planning on sleeping in a tent. And with a good tarp, you can certainly stay dry on the ground as long as you pick a site that is not a swamp. I slept under a tarp in the Rockies once for 30 days straight, even in a blowing June snowstorm. I managed to stay dry.

[Powerbird]

somehow missed reading the second page...

Anyways, is double layer really necessary? I don't have too much trouble with pads in my clark, but I haven't tried anything else.
A warbonnet blackbird double layer with gear guide tarp would be about $200 right? Is the warbird so awesome that it's worth nearly doubling the prices of the other two? (skeeter beeter + gear guide OR hennessy asym)

[Riverpirate]

Wait a minute....

You let them lay in your Clark NA and now you are looking for something less expensive? Ahh the old bait and switch deal! They will never be happy and will be after yours the whole trip. They might as well bite the bullet.