For you AT thru hiker/hanger types..

[Crawldaddy]

After reading alot of thruhiker stories from the AT, Im wondering if I should bring an inflated pad for the anticipated shelter, hostel, ground eventualities instead using my hammock with my underquilt?

I hate the idea of having to sleep somewhere other than in my hammock, but is it more of a reality that I will find myself sleeping otherwise very often through out my hike?

[2Tall]

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=47180


Kind of hits a few points that may help

[kayak karl]

the only hostel i saw with no mats was Chet's in Lincoln NH, but he let me use the pads in the hiker box. Smokies i hung in shelters. Whites have camps and places for hammocks. they called them overflow areas.
if you need to be part of the crowd all the time, you may feel the need to sleep in shelter or stay at a hut. you may need to break away from a group to hammock. tenters can't just stop on the side of a mountain in a rain storm and camp we can. above tree line they can, we can't.

[nothermark]

This couple hiked the AT last year with hammocks. Nice trail journal that is probably well worth the read:

http://postholer.com/journal/viewJou...entry_id=27885

[Cannibal]

Only a couple of times was it inconvenient. It did mean walking on once (Damascus), but that was probably a good thing anyway.

[trailryder42]

I have both an inflatable and the Z-Lite foam pad. I plan on using the Z-lite to go to ground with. The Z-lite is lighter to carry than an inflatable and I'll also use it as a sit pad.

[deerfu]

Is it just the NPS that requires the stay in shelters?

[kayak karl]

Is it just the NPS that requires the stay in shelters?

i think just the Smokies and Baxter. i may be wrong