The Challenge

[Powerbird]

Hi everybody! I converted some ground dwellers into hangers today, and I need to outfit them. Here's the story...

I'm going on a week long backpacking trip this summer in the rockies. 7 other students (we're in high school) and 3 adults are going. Today we had a gear check to see what we had. A man we shall call Mr. T gave us 4 (rather athletically built) guys a tent and told us it was a "5" man tent... It was a 2 man tent. Dead serious; we looked it up on the internet. While were were pondering our situation, I went to my car and got out a little green package I had brought with me... Enter the CLARK JUNGLE HAMMOCK!!! Yeah. I set it up (NA, standard tarp) on a soccer goal and let some people try it out. Sure enough, everybody wants one! Now what to do?

I'm all set with my clark, but I need to get 3 other guys a good setup. That's where all you beautiful people come in!!!

Here's what each of them will have:
A sleeping bag (20 degree)
An inflatable pad

I'm not looking for any kind of quilt or underquilt or topquilt or hyperquilt advice... we each have a sleeping bag and a pad and that's what we're going to use. I need to know what kind of hammock and tarp they should get.

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?

[Cannibal]

Trek Light, ENO, Warbonnet Traveller, Grand Trunk; there are lots of them that are both quality and below $100!
What part of the Rockies? If it's in Colorado, I might be able lend a hand with the outfitting. I've got one, maybe two, extra hammocks around the house.

[Kukri]

I'll start off with the obligatory Blackbird suggestion. Even though it is a little above your price range, if they use the BB, they'll probably enjoy themselves. If they don't (this happens?), they can easily resell it for almost what they paid for it.

[Mustardman]

Find someone who can sew and buy a boatload of whatever ripstop nylon you can find cheap, and make your own. Buy some bug netting and make simple tube style bugnets, like the ones made by Trek Light. You could make all three hammocks for under your hundred dollar number. For tarps, again DIY is an option, with seconds quality silnylon from Noah Lamport (you'll have to call, they never have it listed on the website). Or something like the Guide Gear tarps are cheap.

I'll echo Cannibal's question - where in the Rockies?

[Ramblinrev]

Find someone who can sew and buy a boatload of whatever ripstop nylon you can find cheap, and make your own. Buy some bug netting and make simple tube style bugnets, like the ones made by Trek Light. You could make all three hammocks for under your hundred dollar number. For tarps, again DIY is an option, with seconds quality silnylon from Noah Lamport (you'll have to call, they never have it listed on the website). Or something like the Guide Gear tarps are cheap

Actually for the hammock itself it is not required that you sew. There are several designs where the ends are tied in a knot that holds the suspension link.

[Powerbird]

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.

[pgibson]

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

[Cannibal]

I was wondering about Hennessy... but I've heard the tarps are NOT ideal.

Grand Trunk's Skeeter Beeter Pro (w/netting) is $80. Pick up a Gear Guide 12x12 tarp for another $40 or so and you're all set.
Hennessy tarps are not 'ideal' for every hiker or situation. However, unless you're looking at getting up in altitude out here, our summers are pretty mild in terms of storms. Afternoon thunderstorms almost daily, but they rarely last more than an hour or so. A HH tarp during the summer out here is adequate for most trips.

[Mustardman]

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

This is a really good point - the REI sale makes the HH a heck of an attractive option right now. And they sell the zip version, which is far superior to the bottom entry for most people.

You can get larger tarps for under $50 each. Give the HH tarps away or save them as ground cloths

[Ramblinrev]

+1 on the skeeter beeter. It's a reasonable quality, reasonable comfortable hammock. Frankly I would suggest that plus the gear guide tarp. Even though I am a staunch HH supporter. (mostly because it addresses my mobility impairment so well.)