Pre Purchase Newbie

[Alxal]

Greetings from Virginia Beach,

I am in pre purchase discovery mode, preparing for a NOBO 2013 AT thru hike, starting around April 1.

95% committed to a WBBB 1.1 double
60% committed to a WB Superfly
50% committed to a WB Yeti
will go with stock straps vice whoopie unless convinced otherwise

Undecided on TQ - but debating between
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 30 degree (6', wide version)
or
Hammock Gear Burrow 20 degree (Long, wide)

Thinking here is that I can use this TQ/UQ setup for the entire AT and ditch pads and sleeping bags I have for tent camping. Another HF post convinced me that insulation is required, even in warm summer months.

Thanks for any critique. If there are any hammock campers in Southeast Virginia that would be willing to show me their rigs I would really appreciate it.

cheers
alex
(72.5 inches tall, 225#)

[raiffnuke]

Welcome to HF from Mass. Your gear selection looks very versatile and very similar to what I use. I think you will be happy with that setup.

[DJames]

Welcome from Tennessee.

Since you are looking for a TQ that is Long/Wide, I would suggest you look for a 3/4 length UQ like the Phoenix from HG instead of the Yeti 1/2 length. Provides similar coverage top and bottom; 52" length vs 46" length. Definitely going about this the right way... Going to get a lot of good input from the experts ( of which I am not one ).

[dakotaross]

+1 what djames says. I'd also say you'd probably prefer the weight savings of having a BMJ over a SF. BMJ is gracious plenty of coverage and shouldn't need to close the ends like you might in the winter. Might consider carrying a light air pad to have in the smokies and for times when its too warm for the UQ in the summer - which is not so often, but often enough to justify having something else, especially if there is another use for it.

[dragon360]

Nice looking setup! Hello and Welcome from Canada! Good luck on the trek!

[YukonCornelious]

Well,

this is my setup, I have gotten by is almost all the weather with this setup except deep winter. One of my biggest concerns was weight when I decided on this setup. So you can take this list as is or debate over dollars to weight ratio. This is the setup I plan to thru-hike with in 2014

I'm 6'2 and 240 lbs and find the WBBB 1.1oz double a bit small for me. I bought one and it is now my wifes hammock and she loves it...


I have weighted all these items myself with my home ounce scale

shelter ounces AT trip List - 3 season
sleeping bag 14ounces hammock gear top quilt burrow 50 degree
hammock 27ounces hennessy Explorer light with webbing
under quilt 19ounces Underground quilt zeppelin full 40 degree
tarp 8ounces HMG cuben tarp
straps 2ounces aluminum buckles webbing
stakes x 6 2ounces ti stakes 2 for the hammock 4 for the tarp


hope this helps

[MAD777]

First of all, welcome!
Do you really need a 6' wide TQ? Quilts dedicated to hammocks can be quite narrow; mine are only 40" wide but many prefer a few inches wider than that. If you are going to use it for ground camping also, then it needs to be wider but, 6' is still very wide. More appropriate for a two person quilt. My two person ground quilt is about 78"-80" wide at the head.

[Alxal]

First of all, welcome!
Do you really need a 6' wide TQ? Quilts dedicated to hammocks can be quite narrow; mine are only 40" wide but many prefer a few inches wider than that. If you are going to use it for ground camping also, then it needs to be wider but, 6' is still very wide. More appropriate for a two person quilt. My two person ground quilt is about 78"-80" wide at the head.

Sorry, should be a comma in there.

6', wide.

Rationale: Provides 4 inches extra width (56 over 52) for 1 oz penalty, same price. Seemed like a good idea to a big guy, toss/turn, side sleeper.

[Alxal]

Well,

this is my setup, I have gotten by is almost all the weather with this setup except deep winter. One of my biggest concerns was weight when I decided on this setup. So you can take this list as is or debate over dollars to weight ratio. This is the setup I plan to thru-hike with in 2014

I'm 6'2 and 240 lbs and find the WBBB 1.1oz double a bit small for me. I bought one and it is now my wifes hammock and she loves it...

thanks for this. I am slightly smaller than you. Many other reviewers that are bigger than both of us seem to like it. Without a local hang/owner to let me experiement, I will have to base it on the average.

Your temperature tolerance seems higher than average. My rationale for the 3/4 Yeti and 30 degree TQ was a simliar compromise between weight, cost, and the desire to use/carry a single system from April - Sept. Assumption is that I can push aside TQ and UQ if too warm.

again thanks

[TheCoyote]

Welcome, you got a good kit being build there my friend. You will love the Blackird and Superfly You may want to look into full lenth and 3/4 length UQ's as well before you pull the trigger. Undergroundquilts.com is a site I would recomend checking out.

Happy hangin

Jeremy