my first backpacking hammock system? how can I lighten it up (on a budget)?

[thelorax]

Hi,
I'm going to be hiking the jmt and I'm considering taking my eno hammock instead of tent. I got it a while ago as a gift and I know it's not ideal for backpacking, I've only tried it on a couple short trips so I'd love any advice. My main concerns are how I can get it lighter (the whole thing is over 4 lbs, eeek) and how well it will hold up in a storm (after my tent caving in and flooding all night in a horrific pouring, howling wind and hail storm last time I was in the sierras!). Here's everything I currently have:
Eno double nest hammock (1 lb 4 oz)
Eno one link system (slap strap pro(10 oz), pro fly rain tarp(1 lb 4 oz), guardian bug net(15 oz))
Thermarest scout pad (14 oz)
Kelty ignite 20 sleeping bag (2 lb 8 oz)
And I still need extra rope for hanging, could use recommendations on what kind to get and how much I might actually need?
I'm open to swapping things out to lighten up, but I am on a really tight budget so I really can't afford anything pricey! Oh and yes I need a bug net, as I'm going in June unfortunately, the buggiest month of the year
Thanks for any help or input guys!

[Nodust]

You could save some weight with a tarp. Not sure how much you want to spend. Cuben would be super light. Or a Wilderness Logics tadpole would be lighter and not as costly.

A 20°F top and bottom down quilt set would be lighter than your bag and pad by about a pound but will cost you $450 or more.

Your hammock and bugnet weigh more than twice as much as my Dream Hammock Darien. I have the 1.7oz ripstop. 22oz with whoopie suspension, tree straps, integrated bugnet. Cost $125. For right at $100 you can get a Dutch hammock, suspension, and Fronkey style bugnet and save about a pound also.

But that is not a terrible weight if you are comfortable and warm with that system and you already own it.

What other gear do you need to purchase?

[Bubba]

It would help to tell us how much you are willing to spend. Are you still using the stock ENO rope and biners that are attached to the ends of the hammock?

[Tim_807]

One cheaper place to cut some weight might be the bug net you could get a lighter one. For example the "Fronkey" style only weights 6.5oz
(savings of 8.5oz for $50)

I currently have the ENO and use a OES MacCat Deluxe tarp at 12.6oz
(a savings of 7.4oz but would cost $120) You might be able to sell your old tarp though....

Together swapping those two would cut almost a pound?

I would image the real place to cut weight is on the insulation, but that always seems to cost a lot.

[SilvrSurfr]

I'm open to swapping things out to lighten up, but I am on a really tight budget so I really can't afford anything pricey! Oh and yes I need a bug net, as I'm going in June unfortunately, the buggiest month of the year
Thanks for any help or input guys!

Kind of late to lighten things up since you've already committed to ENO, one of the heavier hammock systems out there. If you're on a tight budget, that makes it even more difficult.

You could replace the ENO hammock and Slap Strap Pro suspension with a Dutch hammock and whoopie hook suspension. That would set you back about $76, but you'd save six ounces.

A Dutch Fronkey style bug-net would cost $50, and save you approx. 9.5 oz over the Guardian (16 oz.).

There are lighter tarps than the ProFly, but they'll run you $85 to $300.

If you replace the Kelty Bag and Thermarest pad (54 oz.) with an HG 20* UQ/TQ (33.3 oz) you would save 21 oz., but it would cost $463.

As for rope, many of us use 7/64" Amsteel whoopie slings/UCRs for hammock suspension, and Zing-It 1.75 mm for tarp ridgeline and guylines.

[Nodust]

The best way to approach this may be to post a full gear list and goal on how much weight you want to cut. Also a budget would help.

Say you have $150 to spend. There may be places other than sleep system to save more pounds/ounces for the least money.

[sargevining]

You have solved all of the critical problems.

Where will I sleep? Eno double nest hammock, Eno one link system, guardian bug net

How Do I stay dry? ENO Pro Fly

How Do I stay warm? Thermarest scout pad, Kelty ignite 20 sleeping bag

You've done well and are now looking for improvement, which calls for further congratulations.

The most cost effective way of immediately reducing weight would be with the tarp and/or the bug net.

However, considerations for the future should also be taken into account. Right now, you can get away with the insulation you have as you're approaching the warmest time of the year. But if you wish to extend your hiking into the late summer/early fall in the alpine and near alpine environments you've already mentioned, my advice would be to go with the set up you currently have and save money over the summer months to acquire a good insulation system and winter tarp. Then you can spend the winter months saving for the hammock/bugnet/summer tarp suggestions made above.

IOW, you've got what you need to get into the woods (even if it is a bit heavy) so hump the ruck you've got now and work on a lightweight fall/winter setup, then improve the spring/summer setup.

Your fall/winter setup is going to weigh more than a spring/fall setup, so you could call this summer training for winter

[brianb]

Here's a couple of suggestions:

Dutch Argon Hammock $30 10oz
Dutch Whoopie slings $14 1oz
Dutch Tree Straps $7 3oz

This will save you 18.4 oz from your current setup, so about $3 per oz.

Good luck

[thelorax]

I was hoping to spend definitely under a hundred, maybe even just sell stuff to replace it. My hammock does still have all of the original stuff on it. And most of my other gear is all sorted out already, I've been weighing everything and cutting back an ounce at a time. I was orginally planning on carrying 2 lbs of a 2 person tent with someone who bailed, which leaves me with a 3 lb 1 person tent instead. Which is a bummer, but still better than my 4 lb hammock. So I would love to cut off at least 1 pound from my hammock system, since currently, taking my eno hammock system will cost me an entire pound to my load, and 2 lbs more than my original plan. Like I said, I bought the tent for backpacking, not the hammock, I just had it laying around and realized I could use it for backpacking. I wish I'd gotten a lighter one! Oh and I do want to stick with my kelty bag and pad, so that way I can still keep tent camping as an option for future trips too.

I like how cheap the dutch argon and whoopie slings are, I'll definitely look into those, thanks!

[thelorax]

Excuse my ignorance, but how exactly do the whoopie slings and tree straps work? And how much length do you think I'll need for massive redwoods, boulders or other tricky hanging spots?