Girl who likes to backpack looking for light weight, no bugs options

**KrazyCaddyGirl** · 07-09-2015, 18:51

First off, I love this forum! So many cool ideas and stuff.

I love to backpack but hate sleeping on the ground. I'll avoid it at all costs and traveling to Havasupai 3 years ago and getting caught in a flash flood taught me a few things. One of them being, that objects tied to trees have a much higher survival rate in a flash flood. So as you can imagine, I lost everything but the clothes on my back, a small day pack and whatever was attached to or in my hammock. Yay hammock!!!

Since then, and because of the grueling hike out, I've looked into lighter weight sleeping options. I've got an underquilt. Not expensive, but gets the job done.

Tried the ENO bug net, but don't like that because I can't remove it as easily when talking to friends and it's HUGE.

Been using the Hennessy hyperlite asym zip off and on for the past year but, I'm not loving it. Part of me gets super annoyed trying to stake down the sides in this Arizona dirt and if any of you are from here, you know the ground can be rock solid. Plus, I'm usually with a group of friends in tight quarters and they eventually trip all over cords. I just like the attached netting because bugs absolutely LOVE me. So I like to have it handy but still be able to take it off or roll it back to chat with friends if I don't need it right then.

Soooo, any suggestions on a hammock with an attached mosquito net that I can easily roll back/unzip (if wanted) that I don't have to stake out and light weight?

The Woodsman X looks like a cool option but has anyone on this forum used it?

For suspension, I have whoopies I can use or the anti gravity mule tape suspension. I'm pretty comfortable with slip knots/marlin spike. So I've ditched the carabiners.

I'm 5'6" and weigh an athletic 142 lbs. :-)

**Poseidon** · 07-09-2015, 18:59

I think Dream Hammock is probably your best bet: http://www.dream-hammock.com/

I personally own the Dream Hammock Thunderbird-- which might be overkill for what you're looking for, but I love the ability to customize literally every aspect of the hammock to my desire. I really recommend you check the options out and take a hammock to the cart to see how you can customize it (you don't have to check out or anything). It's a 9 week wait for a reason; Randy's products are fantastic.

For reference, I'm a guy but I'm 5'7" and an athletic 150lbs, so I think the 10ft Roaming Gnome or Darien are perfect for you.

Some questions to help:

What would you want from a hammock if you could design/customize anything?

What price are you willing to pay for a hammock? What about a bugnet?

Where are you mostly going to hang? Tropical environments? Cold ones? Both?

**Trail Runner** · 07-09-2015, 19:00

Dream Hammock offers the Thunderbird which has a removable bug net and is easily zipped off or partially off and also comes with a winter top cover should you camp in the cold. Warbonnet Outdoors offers the Blackbird XLC with similar features and offers a winter top cover as an add-on option.

I've used both and my personal preference is the Thunderbird but you can't go wrong with either. The downside to both is that they are a bit spendy.

**dkurfiss** · 07-09-2015, 19:04

I paid 2QZQ to do the number 4 zipper mod to both of my bottom entry Hennessy Hammocks. I don't know if they can mod a HH that is not bottom entry but it would not hurt to ask. Also, many times I don't use the side stake outs

http://www.2qzqhammockhanger.com/page17.html

**michigandave** · 07-09-2015, 19:07

Have you looked at the Trail Lair made by Jared at Simply Light Designs? Great prices and very fast turnaround on orders. When I ordered mine from him last year, I had it in less than a week. His website is www.simplylightdesigns.com

**oldpappy** · 07-09-2015, 19:12

Here's a free to try idea - I stopped staking out the sides of my HH (Backpacker UL). I use a small camp pillow and that also keeps the bugnet from touching my face.

I assume in AZ you don't use a tarp a lot - I don't use my tarp 95% of the time, but when I do I just use a simple pole mod that attached to the hammock tie outs - the poles run under the tarp to the hammock tie outs on each side. Let me know if this interests you and I'll take some pictures of the pole mod.

**KrazyCaddyGirl** · 07-09-2015, 19:12

I haven't checked out Simply Light Designs yet. Going there now...

**KrazyCaddyGirl** · 07-09-2015, 19:13

I haven't looked at dream hammock yet. Having two reply back-to-back really makes me want to take a closer look. I've been checking out the Warbonnet but for some reason, am not sold on it yet.

**Poseidon** · 07-09-2015, 19:17

Originally Posted by KrazyCaddyGirl

I haven't looked at dream hammock yet. Having two reply back-to-back really makes me want to take a closer look. I've been checking out the Warbonnet but for some reason, am not sold on it yet.

I don't know anyone in Arizona but I'm sure you could find someone. If you're ever in San Diego, I'll let you try the Thunderbird and the Trail Lair, as I own both. I know it's hard to spend money on something you aren't sure about but both of them resell pretty easily if you don't like them.