No gear, need help

[Trueblue]

Just joined this site this weekend. I am new to everything associated with hammock camping, and have absolutely no gear. I am trying to do research, watching videos and reading , but would like to tap into the experience on this site to help speed up the learning curve, and avoid making wrong purchases on gear, and wasting money. It seems the more I try and research, the more overwhelming the choices are on types of gear, different methods of hanging, ect.
So, my question is, KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW NOW, what would be your gear purchases for tarp and hammock setup, and what hanging gear would you use?
I don't plan on camping in temperatures below zero at this time.Most of my use will be March-Oct in temps from 20-90 degrees. Will need to be protected from everything from rain, sleet, freezing rain, wind,bugs, scorching sun, ect.
Any help would be greatly appreciated , thanks.
Jim

[goobie]

Simply Light Designs Streamliner 11' hammock, Lash it RL, suspended with UCR's and, of course, tree straps
Fronkey style bugnet with the opening on one end rather than the bottom
UGQ Winter Dream/Warbonnet Superfly/SLD Winter Haven 11' RL tarp rigged with 3mm Lawson glowire and bar tensioners, Dutch wasps on separate ridgelines. Stored in snakeskins. Your choice of stakes, though I'm partial to either MSR groundhogs or Dream Hammock's stakes

I'd start with a 40° quilt set and add cold weather quilts as experience grows. Pick a cottage vendor, they're all great. Maybe get an AHE Jarbidge and use a sleeping bag for a top quilt, if you already have a bag.

First things first though, get a copy of "The Ultimate Hang" and didn't some time reading and rereading it!!

[Charliev]

Just joined this site this weekend. I am new to everything associated with hammock camping, and have absolutely no gear. I am trying to do research, watching videos and reading , but would like to tap into the experience on this site to help speed up the learning curve, and avoid makinpeg wrong purchases on gear, and wasting money. It seems the more I try and research, the more overwhelming the choices are on types of gear, different methods of hanging, ect.
So, my question is, KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW NOW, what would be your gear purchases for tarp and hammock setup, and what hanging gear would you use?
I don't plan on camping in temperatures below zero at this time.Most of my use will be March-Oct in temps from 20-90 degrees. Will need to be protected from everything from rain, sleet, freezing rain, wind,bugs, scorching sun, ect.
Any help would be greatly appreciated , thanks.
Jim

Personally I would start with inexpensive equipment to see how you like it. There are some pretty good inexpensive hammocks on the market. Amazon. Any ol tarp will do for starters and a cheap sleeping bag with wally world pad for bottom insulation. You can always use sleeping bags if hammocks do not work out for you. The cheap set up will not be the best or most comfortable but if you like it you will learn quickly. I use diy hammocks no mods with diy tarp 8x10. I did splurge for down top and bottom quilts after a few battles with sleeping bag and pads. Just about any suspension will do unless you are a backpacker then you will want to go lighter, smaller with whoopie slings. I sleep in my diy setup everynight and am perfectly happy wih it. I used diy tablecloth hammocks and they sleep very comphy, easy to make and inexpensive. I used to be a photographer and people would ask what kind of camera should I buy, i would always recommend a quality inexpensive one for starters. There are a lot of very expensive cameras collecting dust. Just my humble opinion.

[OutandBack]

What is your budget? How tall and how much do you weigh? Do you already have a sleeping bag?
I see a lot of new folks buy 3 or 4 cheap made in china hammocks only to find thry don't really work out very well and can't be resold easly instead of buying something good the first time that can be sold easly if you find you don't like hammock camping.

[pgibson]

There is of corse the one item and your done route: http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/s...mock_Kits.html We do complete kits that have options from the basics to the full pack load. One item in your cart and in about a week you are off the ground.

[Trueblue]

What is your budget? How tall and how much do you weigh? Do you already have a sleeping bag?
I see a lot of new folks buy 3 or 4 cheap made in china hammocks only to find thry don't really work out very well and can't be resold easly instead of buying something good the first time that can be sold easly if you find you don't like hammock camping.

My budget is based on buy once, cry once, which is the reason for the post. I don't want to buy equipment that won't work, and end up spending more in the long run than if I bought good stuff to begin with. I am 6' , 195#. I do have a sleeping bag, but it is big and square, and heavy, so will be getting a different one.
I want to make my purchases with back packing in mind, and keep my gear light, and efficient.
Thanks for feedback.

[nothermark]

"buy once, cry once" is baloney. Post processing baloney. ;-) Your best bet is to go to a hang or a couple of them before spending the big bucks. My advice would be to look at the Dutch deals for a low cost but decent place to start. That can then be your loaner/beater/loung around hammock if you decide to upgrade later. If you decide you cannot stand hammocking then you have a reasonably marketable product that did not break your bank account. If you are also considering tenting then buy a decent pad and learn to use it in the hammock. You can move to an under quilt later but will need the pad in a tent. Top quilts work with either pads or bottom quilts. With tarps I would be looking at sil poly. It handles sun and wet better than nylon. I would not discount polyurethane over either nylon or polyester but it will be heavier as well as cheaper. Get hanging, go see some other gear then think about what you might want to change to. I hate to say upgrade because most of the other stuff is the same quality with more bells and whistles. You need experience to see what bells and whistles are worth it to you.

[Darby]

"buy once, cry once" is baloney. Post processing baloney. ;-) Your best bet is to go to a hang or a couple of them before spending the big bucks. My advice would be to look at the Dutch deals for a low cost but decent place to start. That can then be your loaner/beater/loung around hammock if you decide to upgrade later. If you decide you cannot stand hammocking then you have a reasonably marketable product that did not break your bank account. If you are also considering tenting then buy a decent pad and learn to use it in the hammock. You can move to an under quilt later but will need the pad in a tent. Top quilts work with either pads or bottom quilts. With tarps I would be looking at sil poly. It handles sun and wet better than nylon. I would not discount polyurethane over either nylon or polyester but it will be heavier as well as cheaper. Get hanging, go see some other gear then think about what you might want to change to. I hate to say upgrade because most of the other stuff is the same quality with more bells and whistles. You need experience to see what bells and whistles are worth it to you.

Well said. This should be a sticky.

[dtp2c111]

There is a sticky thread under General hammock talk that is called "newbie hammock setup" (I think) that has a ton of info for you.

[dchemist]

Well said. This should be a sticky.

I second on the sticky!