I think comparing a hammocking kit to a tent is unfair. The proper comparison is the hammocking kit to a ground-dwelling tarp kit. I believe the latter will typically be lighter and of less volume.
I think comparing a hammocking kit to a tent is unfair. The proper comparison is the hammocking kit to a ground-dwelling tarp kit. I believe the latter will typically be lighter and of less volume.
In my case there is definitely more internal space used by hammock gear than by my old tent set up. First I was using a Eureka Solitaire tent, a cheap Slumber Jack ultralight mummy bag, and a cheap Walmart self inflating pad. The pad and tent poles went on the out side of the pack and the tent and bag both fit easily into the bag section at the bottom of my pack with room too spare. My hammock set up is a ENO Double Nest, a Speer Winter Tarp, and two JRB quilts. The quilts alone take up twice as much room as my old set up. On the other hand while it may be bulkier my hammock set up is lighter than the tent was (That Ozark Trail's pad must have come in at half a ton). Mind you none of this is a complaint. I love my hammock and would gladly give up twice as much room in my pack. Who needs food any way!
Murphy was an optimist! - O'toole's commentary on Murphy's law
The perversity of the Universe tends towards a maximum. - O'Toole's Corollary
I think this O'Toole guys onto something. - Rock_Rat's commentary on O'Toole
It sounds counterintuitive, but stuffing your quilts in your pack without stuff sacks will actually save space. You create a rounded ball and you leave gaps when you use stuff sacks, try that.
If I put my gear on the floor in two piles, hammock pile and tarp/tent pile. The hammock pile looks bigger. But when I free stuff my uq & tq around my hammock inside my backpack, it packs way smaller. My trap/tent pile weighs more but that's because I have to carry an Exped DAM just to be able to walk the next day (and those things are not light)!!!
TinaLouise
When I switched to hammocks,which wasn't that long ago, I weighed both my tent and hammock setups. I was surprised to find that both weighed almost exactly the same! I never actually did a "comparison pack" but, the two setups looked similar, piled on the floor.
My tent is a Tarptent Rainbow with a P.O.E. Max Thermo 3/4 length insulated air mattress and appropriated down sleeping bag. My hammock is a Warbonnet Blackbird 1.1 double with down under & top quilts and a MacCat Ultra Spinn tarp.
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