I'm not an experienced camper or hiker, but the few experiences I've had have been so gratifying that I've decided to take up backpack camping and invest in some quality gear. I'm still debating whether to go the ground-sleeping route or a hammock set-up. I really want to do the hammock thing, but two things hold me back:

1 - Tarps. Not being an experienced camper, I really know nothing about rigging lines or tying knots, and I'm worried that the learning curve will have me getting rained on. A tent with a rain fly just seems easier and more secure - if not as comfortable.

2 - This is the biggie: warmth vs weight. I'm a 130lb woman and I sleep cold (even for a woman). I live in Ontario, Canada and if I want to camp into the shoulder seasons (I do) this means I'd need to be comfortable into temps just below freezing. But I'm also a solo camper/hiker - I need my pack to be lightweight because I'm just not that strong (yet). It seems that a set-up that would keep me warm wouldn't be that light.

Even with these worries, I'm still leaning towards a hammock set-ups because I just love laying in hammocks! I'm considering a WBBB or perhaps a DH Darien, but I would need a lot of help picking out the configuration.

Can anyone suggest a quilt or lightweight sleeping bag that would work in both a hammock and on the ground? What Comfort Rating should I be looking for? I keep thinking i need one that is at least Comfort -9C for me to be ok in -1C, or am I exaggerating? I'll probably use thermal baselayers to sleep.

Thanks so much and I love reading about this community!