Sell it to me...

[ame]

In case you are wondering about weight, I have a spreadsheet with the weight of each of my hammock components. The stock weight of the Claytor Jungle Hammock and Fly is about 1.6kg (about 3.5lb). I have replaced the stock straps and guy lines with the ring buckle system, and added tent pegs and my collapsible spreader bars, and the weight is still the same. On top of that I have a MontBell UL SS #2 sleeping bag, 824g, and I am planning to get the new MontBell Air Pad 150 at 455g. That's everything you need to rig and use the hammock (hammock, tarp, lines, pad, bag/quilt), and it weighs under 3kg (about 6.5lbs). Maybe you could weigh your tent and required paraphernalia and do a like-for-like comparison? Things like lighting, cookware and other stuff are going to be common for both setups, but you might find that some of the things you use with a tent are not needed with a hammock (and conversely, you might need different gear for hammock camping).

My first night in my hammock was comfortable, but cold. But I am not put off because I know exactly why (and I thought I could get away with it! What an idiot!). I am also pleased at how light and packable the gear is, and especially pleased that I don't have awkward tent poles to figure out what to do with!

A

[Narwhalin]

Mike, I am posting this here, even though I wrote it on another thread, as it became a sales pitch. Here ya go:

I think you will appriciate the versatility that hammocking offers you with regards to campsite selection. I had a friend who ran into some folks who were tarping and having bad experiences with rivers coming through under their tarp when it was raining and they were really demoralized. Clearly, they were not choosing very good sites to sleep. Finding a good site when you are sleeping on the ground puts quite a bit into the equation: level, no sharp objects (this can take awhile!), won't flood in a rain, etc.

Compare that with hammocking, and the whole situation changes. The river now runs under you! (You will still need to keep the gear dry, but it is much easier to reposition your gear vs. yourself who should be sleeping soundly. ) It is best if under the hammock and tarp it is relatively flat so you can best utilize the space, but it doesn't have to be. The ability to stop in many more situations is a huge asset in a situation like a thru where you can suddenly need to hunker down or just generally need flexability.

Hope you're sold!

[schrochem]

Sherpa's the person who sent me here from the MTBR endurance racing forums .
Not the race- although I am a "racer." This is intentionally more of a tour, with lots of opportunity to enjoy space and time.

I thought it was too much of a coincidence.
I gave Travis a hammock so he could get see if hammocking was for him.
Perhaps you should PM him and see if he will pay it forward and let you try it out.

[sherpaxc]

Hey Mike!
I'm glad you found your way over here. This really is the best place to be. These guy's will help you out to no end!
Also, strongly consider getting your hammock set up to use carabiners or with rings. It is so easy and quick and you don't ever have to tie any knots. Makes setting up after a long day in the saddle a breeze.
Scott, I still owe you a six pack. I haven't forgotten. I might actually be up that way next Thursday. If I am, I'll bring it to you.

[sherpaxc]

I thought it was too much of a coincidence.
I gave Travis a hammock so he could get see if hammocking was for him.
Perhaps you should PM him and see if he will pay it forward and let you try it out.

I've already let 3 people use that thing for overnighters and another one is using it next weekend. All of them have since bought or made hammocks!

[Youngblood]

Hammocks tend to squeeze your shoulders so I would be real concerned about that. I hurt my shoulder a few years back just from overuse when I was seeding and throwing straw in my backyard and couldn't get comfortable in my hammock until my shoulder got better. We have a campout at Hot Springs, NC in early June and you are welcome to stop by an try out a hammock to see if it might work. If you let me know in advance, I have two different down air mats (DAM) that I can bring for you to take a look at. One is about 3 inches thick and the other is about 4.5 inches thick and they both weigh about 2 pounds with inflation sack. There are others with synthetic insulation that you can orally inflate if you are not going to be below freezing for extended times.

My guess is you will be more comfortable on the ground with an air mat, either and insulated one or an uninsulated one depending on the temperatures you will be in. You might be surprised how much more comfortable a 3 to 4 inch air mat is versus a 1.5 inch thermarest. The weight of these varies from around 1.5 to 3 lbs, depending on which ones you get.