How do you save weight on your hammock setup?

[hangnout]

Do you have any close-ups of your tarp's tie-outs and ridgeline? Did you sew or use tape?

I sewed it. I thought about the tape but thought the sewing would be stronger. I don't have any close ups but I will take some when I get a chance. The link below is when I first posted about the tarp and tells how I sewed the tie outs. I have changed the tarp to a diamond shape now by adding to the sides. I like only having to use 2 stakes and with my setup rarely have to tie out because the tarp tensioners will reach the stakes.



http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...?t=1423&page=3

[bear bag hanger]

I pretty much stopped carrying tent stakes. I carry some titanium wire stakes (8 of them weigh less than half an oz) but only use them when I can't find any suitable sticks on the ground.

[TeeDee]

Saving weight:

1. Use Bridge Hammocks - they use less than half the fabric of Speer or Hennessy type hammocks - hiking poles as spreader bars so no added weight
2. Reduce the use of webbing as much as possible - converted to my version of the SLS using very light and strong dyneema cord - webbing only for tree huggers
3. reduce the use of hardware in the suspension as much as possible - Converted to my version of the SLS - only minimal and very light hardware - hardware reduced to 0.4 oz - use wood toggles picked up from ground for attaching SLS to tree huggers - zero carry wight
4. Use pads as much as possible instead of much heavier under quilts - pads under hammocks - I don't have any problem with them there, either moving or sweating - pads also have other advantages over down besides weight
5. Use over cover to trap air inside and conserve heat and reduce needed loft/weight of top quilt
6. Use merino wool base layer while sleeping- reduces needed loft/weight of top quilt - merino wool also has other advantages over down
7. eliminate zippers and Velcro - very small diameter shock cord much lighter and less maintenance
8. eliminate hardware on guy lines except for needed stakes - use toggled bights to attach to tarp - sticks picked up from ground used as toggles - easy to tie and easy to un-tie even with wet and frozen fingers
9. built-in pillow in Bridge Hammocks - about 0.4 oz - use blow up pillows between knees when needed, way less than 1 oz.

That's all off the top of my head - probably more I have adopted over time and forgotten I use.

[warbonnetguy]

Jeff and Dutch, good ideas in the quest to save weight. And, Angrysparrow, the sock idea works great too under certain weather conditions. Here are a few additional things I've done to lighten my hammock set.

Warm weather:
Make a hammock from thin-guage nylon. My 10-foot long, 5-foot wide hammock weighs 4.75 ounces. It holds my 175 lb. weight just fine.
The mosquito net is made of the same thin material, also 4.75 ounces.
Secure the mosquito net at each end and in the center of the ridge line with simple knots, saving the weight on any clip-type hardware.
The mosquito net is simply draped over a ridge line; the net seals out the mosquitos all on its own, since it clings over the sides of the hammock.
A lightweight poncho doubles as a tarp over the hammock. In rainy conditions, this setup is leakproof.
However, the poncho on its own is a bit too short for windy rain.
My next move will be to shorten the hammock, so the poncho

Cool weather:
Insert the hammock through a sleeping bag, so you are lying in the hammock, surrounded by the bag.
This negates the need for an underquilt and the gadgetry to hold it in place.
Use a thin piece of foam between the bottom of the hammock and the bottom of the sleeping bag. The foam I use is less than 1/4 inch thick.
Using this foam, I keep warm at +40F in a 40 degree bag, and I've used it comfortably at +23F in a 25-degree bag.
The foam is 20x70 inches and weighs a mere 4 ounces. I guess I could cut it down to save a couple of ounces.

For a suspension system I use 1-inch by 10-foot webbing with double rings at each end. I can always look into some of the weight-savings possible with the suspension system, such as aluminum instead of steel rings, and maybe some thin cord instead of only webbing.

Now, aside from taking less food and keeping a good supply of that dehydrated water on hand, one other biggie as far as saving weight is to lose a few pounds and take less body weight. But somehow, that seems to be the toughest goal to achieve.

so you use nylon mosquito netting as a hammock? from your dimensions, the fabric you've been using weighs about 0.85oz/yd.

the hammock you are inserting through the sleeping bag is the 10'x5' as well? what kind of bag?(mummy,rectangular?)

[cavediver2]

I would really like to find someone who is real informed on the art of backpacking lightly and how they get say 7 days of food an extra set of clothing
and such to get it down to those gram counting packs. my pack on an average weights somewhere around 35 to 45 lbs most of the time if it is winter hiking I am doing it's seem to be a bit more most of the time.

Now having said that I know there are allot lighter equipment/clothing out there but those are more costly too. Just your everyday kinda backpackers packs are going to run somewhere between 20-60 lbs i would think but then I am just guessing.

maybe one day I will get to go to a good outfitter and let them shake me down and see how low they can get me with out having to spend a ton of money.

[Mule]

It would be interesting to see a list of every single thing you pack into your pack. I don't mind a more substantial pack weighing a little more, or a tarp or hammock settup being a little more robust than the very lightest, but all those little things that we pack are what really add up. If you have a lightweight bag/quilt, underquilt/pad, there is no reason why you should be over 30 pounds with food and water for three days. If you post an exhaustive list, I think we can pick it apart and have fun doing it. Mule

[slowhike]

I would really like to find someone who is real informed on the art of backpacking lightly and how they get say 7 days of food an extra set of clothing
and such to get it down to those gram counting packs.

It has taken me years to "let go" of stuff I really didn't need. Finialy my pack weight is down to about 30lbs or less in the winter. I could get it down even more but I'm more about camping than hiking<G>.

You mentioned "an extra set of clothes". One thing that has helped me is seeing my clothing for any given trip as "one set" of clothing.
It's a thoughtfully chosen set that can be used in many different combonations, & if it were all worn at the same time, with the rain gear on top, it should be plenty to keep me warm in the coldest weather I could expect on that trip.

It is also part of my sleep system, but that can sometimes be a little tricky on long, rainy days, but most of the time I can still make it work.

Maybe some of those that have spent a lot more time on the trail can say more about having extra clothing for sleeping.

[GrizzlyAdams]

I would really like to find someone who is real informed on the art of backpacking lightly and how they get say 7 days of food an extra set of clothing
and such to get it down to those gram counting packs. my pack on an average weights somewhere around 35 to 45 lbs most of the time if it is winter hiking I am doing it's seem to be a bit more most of the time.

I don't claim expertise on backpacking lightly. Like many I'm on a learning curve, trying to find the sweet spot (for me) balancing weight, functionality, and comfort.

One thing I've learned in that tradeoff experiment is that I have in the past tended to carry a lot more food than needed, even for a safety margin, and that the stuff I carried too much of is HEAVY. Powerbars, Snickers, trailmix with lots of nuts. I still carry that kind of stuff, but a lot less of it. Not all calories are created equal when it comes to carry weight either. But there you get into that tradeoff thing again...how many nights in a row do you really want to have Ramen?

The other place I've learned to examine closely is clothing. "Extra clothes"? What's that?---an extra pair of liner socks. After 3 days on the trail I'm gonna stink whether I have 1 set of clothing or 3. For shoulder seasons I pack polypro long top and bottom to have next to my skin sleeping, and wear insulating tops and bottoms that I'll always have on in camp, maybe on the trail depending. Let's me use a lighter weight bag or quilt, and gets dual use from the insulating jacket and pants.

Finally, the stove. I love my JetBoil, but that's not for long trips. I have a 6 oz wood-stove I like---pick up fuel as you go, or feather-weight alcohol stove. That's best for weekends because you don't need to bring much fuel.

A few ounces here, a few ounces there, and the pounds disappear. The trick is to go after the highest impact weight reducing things first.

Grizz the light-headed

[Iafte]

Sadly on my last trip my pack weight went up because I was carrying some of my sons gear. I need to get them bigger packs so I can have my own personal sherpas.

[Just Jeff]

One thing I noticed as I started reducing weight is that there wasn't ALWAYS a benefit to carrying fewer things. One of the first things I reduced was extra clothing. Then I realized that I use them for pillows in my hammock! So then I wasn't as comfortable b/c I didn't have the pillows...another tradeoff.

So now I pack my essentials...hammock, tarp, etc...and if I have room/weight left in my pack, sometimes I'll throw in an extra shirt, pair of socks and underwear just to have a pillow. I put it in a gallon ziplock to keep it dry, then in my normal stuff sack. If I change into the clean stuff, I can put the dirty clothes back in the ziplock and still use it as a pillow w/o worrying about the stench.

On dry nights I put my tarp in a stuff sack and use it as a pillow as well.

These let me keep the comfort of a pillow w/o carrying one as a single-use item. Ed Speer was handing out those blow-up pillow at Trail Days...haven't actually used it yet but I might start carrying it instead of extra clothes in summer. That would be lighter and less volume.