Last minute second thoughts

[hutzelbein]

And you pay a lot more for Swiss-Army knife hammocks, loaded with features that I don't want or need: peak bags, ridgeline organizers, gear shelves, overcovers, hammock tie-outs and zippers.

Funny, the only knife I carry on hikes is a Swiss Army knife. When I bought it, I made sure that it had exactly those tools that I know I (frequently) use. Same goes for my Blackbird. The features might be lost on some people, but I have tried all kinds of hammocks, including several no-net plus bug sock versions, BIAS being one of them, and I keep coming back to my BB. I use all the features and don't consider them unnecessary. I need a bug net - an integrated one saves me weight, and since I would never go without one, the stand-alone feature that a sock provides would be lost on me. I want/need access to quite a bit of stuff at night; some I could store outside my hammock, like my water bottle - but things like my e-reader or my layer-up clothes or my meds I wouldn't want lying on the ground to prevent them from getting dirty/wet/carried away by animals or humans and have them available to me without being fully awake. The shelf is the best solution for me.

So I simply don't agree with the opinion that "Swiss Army" style is generally a bad idea or inferior to more modular solutions. It depends on what you need and what you want. What you consider an advantage with your set-up, I consider a disadvantage. So know yourself and pick your set-up accordingly. And it never hurts to try a couple of hammocks and own more than one

And with regards to cost: an integrated hammock costs about the same as a comparable no-net hammock plus bug sock. Depending on the manufacturer one or the other might come out a bit cheaper, but the difference is not that great.

Swiss-Army-knife hammocks also define the way you lay, and if you don't wanna lay that way, then it's time to buy a new hammock.

Some people only need/want to lay in one direction - so the "feature" to be able to lay both ways is useless for them. I tried lying head left, feet right, and it feels weird. Like writing with the wrong hand. It's just another feature - either you need/want it, or you don't. Pick what suits your needs best.

I've also experienced calf ridge in every hammock I've tried with an integrated bugnet, but have never experienced it in a simple, gathered-end.

I have had calf ridges in all types of gathered end hammocks - integrated and no-nets. I always found the BB's foot box helpful for avoiding the dreaded ridge.