Backpack capacity for hammocking

[Cannibal]

I use a ULA Catalyst (4,600 ci) and it holds my hammock, DIY KAQ, tarp, top quilt, and everything else I need for at least a week. I think I could carry a little more if I had to, but stuff would start getting straped to the outside of the pack which I'm really trying to avoid. Pad and kitchen stuff on the bottom, food on top of that, hammock and UQ on top of pack (plus all the misc crap shoved somewhere in between). My tarp has never seen the inside of my pack; it lives in the mesh outer pocket for rapid deployment. My favorite thing about this pack is the number of external storage areas. Most of my small frequent use items are in locations that never require me to crack the pack.

I'm actually worried I'll be carrying too much pack once it warms up and I can drop or reduce much of my winter weight/bulk. I'm horribly impressed by this ULA pack and giving some serious thought to a Circut or Conduit pack for the summer months.

[GREEN THERAPY]

Since we are on the subject of packs and this is a BYO site, I have now made two g4 packs with a capacity of 4400 + per pack... total empty weight 12 oz. Following the directions that are online they are relatively easy to make and each pack holds all my gear. sleeping bag inside on the bottom, clothes in stuff sack on top of that, hammock on top of that, a rolled up reflective foam pad and a close fitting flycover for hammock inside, with room left over. Cooking gear and food in one side pocket so its handy. Tarp in other side pocket so its handy with raincoat, tyvek tarp and a pair of disposable tyvek coverals in the front mesh pocket. Wal Mart CCF pad in external pad holder pockets that double as an external frame of sorts.Total cost for pack was 6 dollars from Wal Mart bargin bin.

[headchange4u]

I also have a ULA Catalyst. I have found that for the most part my hammock setup (hammock, tarp, and bottom insulation) take up about the same amount of space, maybe a little less, than my tent did.

IMHO, I wouldn't really count my sleeping bag/top quilt when figuring how much space my hammock setup takes up in the pack because that is an item that I would be using regardless of sleeping in a hammock or a tent.

Things stored in snake skins seem to take up a lot more space than they should, but that may be all in my head. That's one reason I use a BB sack for my hammock and a stuff sack for the tarp. Gives to 2 nice compact bundles.

My hammock bottom insulation normally goes in the bottom of the pack, then clothing and other stuff, with my hammock and tarp near the top, and my food bag and kitchen bag at the very top. Pad is on the outside of the pack.

[GrizzlyAdams]

...

Things stored in snake skins seem to take up a lot more space than they should, but that may be all in my head.

I also believe that to be the case. It has to do with compression. If I fold a hammock or tarp by hand into a rectangle, compression out air along the way, it will fit into a smallish bag, which will then "retain" the compressed form. You could get more compressed footprint using snakeskins but that would take another bag.

Grizz

[hangnout]

I second (or third) the ULA packs. I have the conduit which works great for my setup. I have a gearskin for those really bulky winter trips with my kid.

[NCPatrick]

I've got the ULA Circuit, but I am still working out some details for packing everything, plus I keep making new stuff to add to my winter setup. So far, so good.

[slowhike]

[QUOTE=headchange4u;34301].
Things stored in snake skins seem to take up a lot more space than they should, but that may be all in my head. That's one reason I use a BB sack for my hammock and a stuff sack for the tarp. Gives to 2 nice compact bundles.
[/ my QUOTE]


it seems to me that the snake skins only seem more bulky if they are of minimal size for what you're trying to put in them.
when a set of small snake skins pull tight around a tarp or hammock, they form a stiff, sausage like package that you are trying to bend, fold, & stuff.

but if the skins are slightly over sized, they & their contents can be flattened out, releasing the excess air w/ no problem, just like a stuff sack except you slide instead of stuff.
and the extra fabric to over size them is a minimal weight & bulk.