Boston newbie looking to hang

**ejl10** · 04-15-2011, 13:03

Hi everyone,

I'm a lightweight backpacker in New England and interested in trying out life in a hammock. The White Mountains here are really rocky, and while I love my tarptent contrail setup (Marmot Hydrogen and Neoair short) it's often a pain to find a decent place to set up (especially after dark). With lots of trees in the area, hammocks hold a certain appeal...

I've been trying to do research into what kind of rig would work for my summers in this region, but there are lots of options and I'm simply unfamiliar with them. A key will be keeping weight to an absolute minimum while not making the experience harsh and discouraging. Here's what I'm considering:
WBBB 1.0 DL w/ line/strap susp. (22.5oz)
WB Yeti underquilt (12.5oz)
WB Asym-Diamond sil tarp (7.5oz)

Does this setup sound reasonable for a 6' 180lb male with fairly broad shoulders? Are there other options that I should consider? Am I missing any key pieces that I'd need in order to make the transition? I'd love to test a couple of systems, but probably best to know what's likely to work well before I start begging and borrowing!

Thanks in advance!
Emmett

**ShadowAlpha** · 04-15-2011, 13:13

hey Emmitt - welcome!
I used to live in Danvers & camped all around Maine & NH

you cant go wrong with WB stuff.
I have a WBBB but at 115 lbs I can fit 2 of me

maybe others will chime in to help with that

Enjoy!

**ejl10** · 04-15-2011, 13:43

Relieved that I'm not totally off base, at least! Consider this a shout out from your old stomping grounds. :-)

**squidbilly** · 04-15-2011, 14:13

Welcome, from north Alabama. Like ShadowAlpha said, you really can't go wrong with WB. I love my Blackbird. As you are probably realizing, you are going to like how many new camping options the hammock will offer you. Now you can camp wherever you can hang it! No more rocks in your back. No more wet or windy camp sites. And if you need to,you can go with an even lighter set-up.

**oldsoldier** · 04-15-2011, 14:23

Emmett, we are doing a group hang in May in western MA-feel free to join us! Thread can be found here:http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=28019

**ejl10** · 04-15-2011, 14:38

Originally Posted by squidbilly

Welcome, from north Alabama. Like ShadowAlpha said, you really can't go wrong with WB. I love my Blackbird. As you are probably realizing, you are going to like how many new camping options the hammock will offer you. Now you can camp wherever you can hang it! No more rocks in your back. No more wet or windy camp sites. And if you need to,you can go with an even lighter set-up.

Awesome - love the moral support for this "change in philosophy"! You've piqued my interest with the mention of a lighter setup... what are some good options to look at?

**ejl10** · 04-15-2011, 14:40

Originally Posted by oldsoldier

Emmett, we are doing a group hang in May in western MA-feel free to join us! Thread can be found here:http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=28019

Hmmm... that sounds like a good time to see a bunch of rigs in action!

**squidbilly** · 04-15-2011, 15:26

Originally Posted by ejl10

Awesome - love the moral support for this "change in philosophy"! You've piqued my interest with the mention of a lighter setup... what are some good options to look at?

Before I got the WBBB I had an ENO singlenest hung with whoopie slings/ tree huggers paired with an OES SpinnUl deluxe tarp. No bug net, but less than 2 lbs. for the hammock and tarp. The grand Trunk Nano 7 weighs only 7 ozs. Cuben fiber tarps are even lighter than SpinnUl, but expensive.

**ejl10** · 04-15-2011, 15:43

Originally Posted by squidbilly

Before I got the WBBB I had an ENO singlenest hung with whoopie slings/ tree huggers paired with an OES SpinnUl deluxe tarp. No bug net, but less than 2 lbs. for the hammock and tarp. The grand Trunk Nano 7 weighs only 7 ozs. Cuben fiber tarps are even lighter than SpinnUl, but expensive.

Wow.. 7oz is pretty enticing! I took it as a given that I needed a built-in bug net and an asymmetric lay, especially as a first-time hanger coming up from the ground. Am I over-estimating the value of these features?

**squidbilly** · 04-15-2011, 17:10

No, you're not over-estimating those features. They equate to greater comfort. I can get a good comfortable diagonal lay in my Singlenest, and others have said the same for the Nano 7. It's just not quite as comfortable as my WBBB. Sometimes you don't need the net. It just depends on your needs. As a backpacker you know that balance between hiking and camp comfort you have to find.

I forgot to mention-I added an adjustable structural ridgeline to the Singlenest to get that diagonal lay.