Accessory costs vs. Primary investment

[zukiguy]

I really don't know which one's the "primary investment" and which is an accessory anymore. While tarps are expensive they're also a stand-alone shelter for our ground dwelling brothers. The UQ is just the bottom half of what's basically a sleeping bag (if you're using a quilt). Behind the hammock I'd say my pack might be my most important piece of gear yet it wasn't the most expensive.

All the various bits and pieces are just part of the gear puzzle. Some end up not fitting quite right and once you figure that out you'll likely swap those for something else.

If money was no object I don't know what gear I'd have (I think there's an open thread on that subject right now). It wouldn't be much different than what I have now though. It's taken me about 5 years of research and purchases to get to this point. Just be patient, read a lot of posts, and ask lots of questions. Good luck.....

[oldgringo]

For an under quilt on the cheap, check this out:
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...highlight=PLUQ

That, a decent sleeping bag, and possibly a ccf pad will get you by most of the time in OK.

Tarps needn't be expensive. You can fashion one out of Tyvek, or buy an off the shelf polyurethane coated model for under 50 bucks.

Just like knives, you can spend as much or as little as you want to.

[digrat]

Think of it like buying a tent: You don't just buy the tent and you're done. You buy the tent as a shelter to sleep in, and a pad to sleep on, and a bag to sleep in. And depending on the tent you get, you might need a ground tarp or a separate rain fly. It's all one sleeping system made from different parts.

Stoves, lanterns/flashlights, water bottles, etc. are the accessories.

[Shug]

Fun comes at a price.......!!!!
Shug o Fun

[WilliamCarl]

Uh uh! Otherwise this would be called Underquilt Forums! lol. Got to get up perty early to fool an Okie! (might of worked on a texan though). lol.

Hey, wait a minute, I resemble that remark. Or is it resent?

[oldgringo]

Some of my best friends are Texans.

[jtbradyl]

You should try getting the appropriate material for a tarp and then finishing it off. As for an under quilt, I have a HH super shelter and instead of using the pad that came with it I insert a long sleeping bag (which opens completely flat), clipping it to the sides so it stays snug.

[Captn]

Some of my best friends are Texans.

Texans are EVERYONES best friend!

[G.L.P.]

Sticker shock is something we all had the first time we saw the price of quilts
but trust me when i say this...the price they charge is Very Good for the work put into them ...down is not cheap and it takes time and skill to make a Good quilt ... once you factor in there time there not making much off one quilt
i really didn't learn this till after i started to make my won gear...then you see what really goes into making it and how long it takes and then try to picture making 20 in a week span to keep up with orders ... some of the vendors put in 16-18 hour days

[Dain Bramage]

Well I can see that I have approached this all wrong. I should have looked at the system as a whole instead of thinking a hammock would get me started. The hammock is just another piece of the system.
I sure do appreciate you guys pointing me in the right direction. I was just so anxious to try the hammock phenomenon, that I failed to see the whole picture. The underquilt is not that big an issue with me, as I seldom camp below 30 degrees (almost never) and a good sleeping bag with a thermorest pad between the layers will handle these mild temps. Though I WILL probably pick one up eventually, just so I am fully equipped. You guys know what I'm talking about. Gotta have all your options covered. Right? And I'm thinking that Blackbird will be a real honey with a shiney new black underquilt. I am getting a Gargoyle black diamond tarp this weekend. And I'm thinking on some of those blaze orange shockcords for tie outs (just to make all that black pop).
As far as my Texas friends go...I'm sure they will tell you that Texans and Okies routinely pick on eachother. Ussually over football. Our governors even have steak dinners bet of the outcomes. The Sooners and the Longhorns are long time rivals. And we looooove to give eachother crap. Now just recently, I had set out a box of Kleenex for those poor Longhorns after the thorough thrashing they received at the hands of the Sooners offense and defense. And we were going back and forth in the lobby, really ribbing eachother. A fellow from Indiana stepped into the fray, and added his two cents, poking fun at Texas. At this point, we stopped and I added, "Now Oklahoma and Texas are sister states, and we fight and tussle all the time. But you Indiana boys need to step on off before that cowboy puts the hurt on ya." Hahahahaa!
So, long story short, Okies and Texans are just fine with eachother. We even like our Arkansas and Lousianna brothers too. And we all love to make fun of yankees and those silly snowbirds that come south every winter. lol.
Once again, I sure do appreciate the fine advise. I am quite a You Tuber (not as popular as Shug is though) and love to get my camping adventures on tape. So I promise to share my virgin hang with my Hammock Forum pals.
Thanks again! ~Wolf