Hey there!

I'm new to backpacking and potentially hammock packing as well, and I have a couple of questions, specifically about the BRB Hammock.

I don't mind tent camping all that much, but I also feel like there could be a better way. I currently own a 1 person Kelty tent which weighs just over 3 pounds for the whole getup (tent, fly, footprint, stakes), and keeping in that same weight range is what I'm looking to do.

What has dissuaded me from considering hammock camping is the potential for banana back; just about every picture on the net shows one. I didn't want to have to rely on sleeping in just the right spot, at just the right angle in order to maybe get a "semi-flat" sleep. It just wouldn't work for me.

Hence my curiosity being invigorated by the BRB Hammock. It's a suspension design with a truly flat sleep. I would make one using the very detailed DIY articles, but my laziness abounds.

But since I am new to even the idea of hammock camping, I don't know what I would need in order to have a fully operational hammock, complete with weather protection, the first time I try a hang. In short, the last thing I would want is to unpack my new gear, get it outside, just to find out that I need "x" in order to properly test it.

It's obvious that I would need the hammock. The bug net is also key, especially during the spring/summer. The suspension system and straps. I believe that all of the preceding is included with the BRB, including the strap setup to allow for knotless hanging.

A Tarp.

But that is all I can come up with, because I don't know the nuances of the BRB system in order to know what else I might need.

I would buy the BRB and the JRB 11x10 tarp, but I'm sure that lines (for the tarp), etc are also necessary, but I'm not sure. What else might I need? I'm not looking for anything other than a base system to get me going. I'll add those frills later.

I have read that keeping warm can be a problem for hammock camping, and have noticed that there are various quilts available. That said, I plan on doing most of my camping here in Kentucky, and possibly in surrounding states, and plan to do most of that camping when the weather is firmly in the "warm - hot" section of any given weather scale. When does using a quilt become "necessary" in order to avoid unpleasant hangs due to being cold? I'm sure that this is a very relative question, but a range is all I'm looking for.

Any help would be appreciated.