Good starter setup?

[gfstanley]

Have you thought about DIYing everything except the pack. Think about these options from Kyle at RBTR:
1. hammock: 4 yds. of 1.9 ripstop at $4/yd (plus Kyle's been sending a free spool of thread lately) = $16
2. suspension: (2) 25 ft hanks of amsteel at $6/hank to make continuous loops and whoopie slings = $12
3. hammock ridgeline: use left over amsteel from suspension to make a UCR style adjustable ridgline = $0
4. tree straps: 25 ft of 1" poly webbing at $8 = $8
5. tarp: Hex 12 tarp kit starting at $53 = $53

This will give you up to an 11 ft hammock, suspension, and tarp for about $100

5. fronkey style bugnet: (2) 84" black sheer curtain panels from Walmart for $5 each = $10

6. UQ & TQ: If you have a costco in your area, then you can make each of these using 3 to maybe 4 down throws at $20 each = $80

This will give you a total monetary investment of about $200 (after taxes & shipping) for everything except your pack. With this DIY approach, you are looking at significant time investment, but each of these projects are not as complicated as you may think. I had never sewn before and was able to accomplish these projects with more than adequate success. There are countless threads on the forum that will offer suggestions and build write ups as well as youtube to help you through the DIY process.

Just an idea to consider.

[Chrisja77]

I've never sewn before so I steered myself away from he whole diy for now but if I can save that kind of money I might look into it...the diy topquilt just posted looks amazing and might have inspired me! Lol

[Chrisja77]

So I just gathered together the combined weight of the setup I'm looking at ordering. With hammock, TQ, UQ, bugnet, foot pad, pillow, tarp, and suspension I am looking at 5 pounds 4 oz. that's not bad considering the sleeping bag I had planned to use as a top quilt was 5 pounds all by itself! Lol

I'm started my to rethink the ULA circuit and wondering if I'm going to be able to keep the weight down enough for the ohm. I'm not planning on being a gram weenie by any means but I am a bit out of shape unless you consider round a shape and have a knee that bothers me sometimes due to an old surgery so the lighter I can get away with reasonably the better off I'll be.

[Chrisja77]

Got my order placed finally....went with AHE's apprentice kit that has hammock and quilts, a tadpole tarp from WL with 144" ridgeline and 2 extra tieouts, and a CRL and some zingit for tieouts from Dutch. I really wanted the Dutch hammock and fronkey bugnet but I couldn't turn down the deal from AHE...and that will give me reason to upgrade at some point and pass down this to my son and get him off the ground! Lol

Thank you everyone for answering my rambling questions for the last couple months and helped me to settle on this setup to start with. Time to start saving up for that ULA pack now.

[CrankyOldGuy]

I have a couple of Granite Gear packs, what they now call the Virga 2 (54l) and the Virga 26 (26l). Great quality, light weight and much less pricey than other packs of that ilk.

[Chrisja77]

Got everything delivered except the hammock suspension...small goof in packaging I think but AHE has made it right so kudos to their customer service! Everything from AHE, Dutch, and WL is above expectations and I couldn't be happier! Now to sit here and impatiently wait on the suspension so I can try it all out! Haha


I'll look into the packs, thanks!