Warbonnet makes the Minifly...the first one on your list.
I can vouch for it. I've got one and it has kept me dry in a nasty storm. You will not be sorry if you get that one.
Warbonnet makes the Minifly...the first one on your list.
I can vouch for it. I've got one and it has kept me dry in a nasty storm. You will not be sorry if you get that one.
Tough choice and you've listed nearly everything. The Xenon Quest is what I chose from a similar list, mostly because I caught it on sale which tipped the scales in its favor. I find it has plenty of coverage and have used it in several small rain showers and one monster t-storm. I'll attach a couple backyard photos of it set up over my bridge hammock.
sideview.jpg endview.jpg
"...the height of hammock snobbery!"
Jared makes great stuff and is very open to customization. If I were in the market I'd have him make me a tarp similar to KitsapCowboy's K.I.S.S. Glasgow 2.0. You may want to add additional length or have your storm flaps larger. Up to you, but price wise and quality wise you can't go wrong with Simply Light Designs.
Jared will custom something for you, too, if there's things you see with other tarps that you like, but not one of them that has it all. I've got his cheap and very light asym tarp which I can tell you is extremely easy to use and will keep you dry, though I'd recommend an UQP or summer sock to be employed with it. While adding those may seem to defeat the purpose of having the extra light tarp, many use them anyway, so its more of a waste to have the bigger hex tarps, especially one with doors, if you're still using the UQP or sock. I presume your 1.6 hexon hammock is netless, that's why I include the summer sock as an option.
Personally, I go between the small asym and my larger Toxaway with doors.
There can be more parts to the hammock setup, and that can start to add up to more. However, I do want to draw the distinction that a hammock setup should be slightly lighter than a normal tent setup. Depends on the choices of equipment, of course, but it should at least be close. These are the direct comparisons and weight differences...
netted hammock (including suspension) = mesh inner tent (hammock should be lighter, but can be close to even)
tarp/tieouts/stakes = rainfly & stakes (on average, should be about the same - obviously a larger tarp can be heavier, but you have much more "space" under the tarp than you do in a tent)
underquilt = pad (avg inflatable is about same as avg UQ)
topquilt = sleeping bag (obviously, a TQ should be much lighter than a bag)
The stuff you might add to the hammock setup should still be pretty light and shouldn't throw you so much over the same weight as the tent setup as to affect your knees so much more adversely. There are some clear weight savings by having a no net hammock (I haven't needed a net, but that's based upon my typical camping in the Ga/NC mountains), using smaller tarps (unless you're adding back other stuff as suggested), and using a TQ instead of your bag (you can, of course, use your sleeping bag and pad in a hammock).
Happy to hear what you think makes it more heavy than a tent setup and we can figure out what I'm missing from that comparison.
"I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
- Kate Chopin
I'd choose silpoly over silnylon, 11' over 12' and some form of door/beak over none. Can't comment on DCF as i haven't fallen down that hole yet.
Yep, some additional clear weight savings by going Dyneema Cuben Fiber - a lot of you will be lighter as a result. Been peering down that hole a while and have yet to fall in.
"I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
- Kate Chopin
Another option, EE Paladin.
Approaching DCF weight for significantly less $$$, but other than that I can't say zilch about it. Never owned, used or even seen one.
Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton
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