As winter is approaching, I've been contemplating my first foray into truly cold weather hammocking. I've been camping out in mid-winter in New England regularly forever, but in a mountaineering tent.

So, I've been scoping out some of the winter tarps with doors, which seem to me that they actually are giant tents that the hammock is hung within. This sounds like a lot of material that adds up to significant weight & pack volume.

Well, here is the very uninformed question: Would it not be better to enclose the hammock in an IX peapod type of thing. It seems that this would require less material overall.

I think that would accomplish blocking wind, trapping a bit of heat and, the IX would provide some additional insulation. Since the IX weighs about the same as 1.1 nylon, there wouldn't be any weight penalty for the extra insulation.

Since we are talking about well below freezing temperatures, liquid precipitation wouldn't be an issue but, a small very small tarp or a silnylon cover on the top area of the peapod would still be needed.

I'm hoping this will start a lively discussion that I and other newcomers can learn a great deal from.