Hi - And need help with hammock

Hey everyone. Been lurking here for a while. Some of you probably know me already from Whiteblaze - but I promise I'll behave better here - well, for a little while anyway.

I'm just getting into trying this hammocking thing out. I've been a ground dweller for all my life so this is a big step. I'm in the testing stages. Here's the situation: My hammock is set up on a big 600 lb rated hammock stand in my basement (moved inside for the winter) - how's that for wimp factor. I'm going to first hang in the basement tomorrow night as expected temps are 0 with 10 mph winds and snow showers, and I want to see how comfortable the sucker is and not deal with insulation / cold / snow issues the first time I try it. Fri and Sat lows are only in the 20's so if all goes well I may give it a whirl outside.

It hangs kinda low once I'm in it as the stand eyes aren't as high as I've seen in instruction videos using the treehuggers - but I don't bottom out. It's about as tight as I can get it, and I'd say it sags about a foot when I get in. Is that about right?

The hammock is a Hennessy Hyperlight with the stock issued fly and Supershelter foam under pad set up. I've got a few lightweight down sleeping bags that i'm thinking could work at least temporarily as quilts, so I'm also thinking of putting one in between the under cover and the hammock as a bottom quilt and using the other as a top quilt. As long as the bottom bag doesn't squash, I'm thinking it will be warmer than the pretty thin foam pad Hennessy supplies. I've also got a space blanket, which seems to be recommended by many as the first layer beneath the hammock itself. Also have a few pads lying about - a ridgerest, a blue Wallyworld pad, an old 3/4 thermarest, and a Neoair that could be used. Comments on all this? Tips / opinions on underquilts and/or pad? So many differing opinions on hammocks out there - it's almost as bad as a gear thread on WB.

I'm a little confused still as to the tarp and guy out lines. The tarp corners right now kind of coincide with the asymmetric tie outs on the hammock - I'm assuming this is right? The lines on both the hammock and fly are all elastic. Is this right? How tight should I stretch them? I've heard some replace the elastic with triptease or such and then just use a shorter loop of elastic at the stake points to provide some give. Any advice?

Thanks all. Please add anything else that you think might help.

you might want to try slacking up the hammock, cranking it tight means it's going to squeeze your shoulders.

Sleeping indoors is a challenge in this respect, trying to find a good height to hang from.

You're right about not wanting the bottom bag to squash, losing it's insulative power.

Happy Hanging!