Cost to go UL

[DrBrown54]

I've been a lurker here for a good long while trying to read and search the forum. I recently gave up on ground dwelling for a future AT thru hike because my neck injury just won't allow me to sleep on the ground. I've gone to the dark side (the correct side - ie. hammock)

REI had a sale on the full ENO Doublenest kit with bug net, atlas straps and tarp. It's comfortable but holy pop tarts is it heavy!! I've scoured the usual sites like HG, dutch, dream hammock to see what's out there. The price of a UL setup with a fly, bug net and underquilt for 3-seasons seems like a mortgage payment, or two. I could try to save and make a fly or bug net myself but I've never sewn anything so I don't trust my skills to make something that will last 2000 miles! Are there any budget conscious ways to save weight on a bug net and fly without buying dynema? That's out of my price range at the moment.

p.s. I know the answer is second hand gear but every time there's a deal in the FS forum I miss it by an hour.

[jeff-oh]

I've been a lurker here for a good long while trying to read and search the forum. I recently gave up on ground dwelling for a future AT thru hike because my neck injury just won't allow me to sleep on the ground. I've gone to the dark side (the correct side - ie. hammock)

REI had a sale on the full ENO Doublenest kit with bug net, atlas straps and tarp. It's comfortable but holy pop tarts is it heavy!! I've scoured the usual sites like HG, dutch, dream hammock to see what's out there. The price of a UL setup with a fly, bug net and underquilt for 3-seasons seems like a mortgage payment, or two. I could try to save and make a fly or bug net myself but I've never sewn anything so I don't trust my skills to make something that will last 2000 miles! Are there any budget conscious ways to save weight on a bug net and fly without buying dynema? That's out of my price range at the moment.

p.s. I know the answer is second hand gear but every time there's a deal in the FS forum I miss it by an hour.

UL is very pricey. The question is what is the best weight loss for the $$. What is you weight goal. Where in your pack are there other places to save? i.e. the 25g BRS300T stove @$15 vs. 3-8 oz. stoves. Getting rid of an extra pot. Clothing choices. etc.

For a light weight inexpensive hammock it is very hard to beat Dutch's sale on 1.7 hexon at $30. Then use a separate bug net.

Create a spread sheet with the equipment you have and what it weighs. Then list what you want to replace it with and its cost and weight. Take that cost and divide by the difference in weight and that should help make a priority list.

i.e.
Have
Costco Down Quilt. 28 oz. want Fancy TQ 18oz cost $130 = $13.0/oz.
Ripstop Nylon Tarp 32 oz Want Dynema tarp 7 oz cost $260 = $10.4/oz.

This quantifies, in this example, that prioritizing your money to the tarp would be the best bang for the $. You can also play with I have $x.xx dollars how many things can I do? Many small things could out perform one or two large items.

[cmoulder]

EE Paladin tarp (8.5oz $180), Lawson glowire for tarp RL and guys (~2oz $13.50) Dutch Half-wit hammock 1.6 Hexon (~14 oz with CLs, $98), 2x 12' Kevlar straps (~2.4 oz $30) (Use J-bend, Becket or Lapp Hitch)

Total weight 28.9oz, cost $321.50

[cmc4free]

For an UL option for hammock and bugnet, you might consider the Half-Wit hammock from Dutchware. Check it out at the link below. It saves cost, weight, and bulk by combining the hammock with a half bugnet, that only covers your upper half. It relies on you using a topquilt to cover your lower half for bug protection.

https://dutchwaregear.com/product/half-wit-hammock/

If you don't mind a mild stretch and if you're within the weight rating (200lbs), the Hexon 1.0 model is only 10 oz. for hammock + bugnet. {As I was typing, cmoulder provided the specs for the Hexon 1.6 model, above}

For a lightweight tarp that doesn't break the bank, check out the UGQ Penny Pincher Hanger 11, for as low as $85 (weight 13.5 oz). This is a great price for a quality tarp, handmade in the USA.

https://ugqoutdoor.com/tarps/penny-pincher-tarps/

For suspension, there are myriad choices. Always use straps, of course, but there are many options for strap materials of different weights, and even more ways to connect them to the hammock with and without hardware.

[cmoulder]

p.s. I know the answer is second hand gear but every time there's a deal in the FS forum I miss it by an hour.

If you go to lwhiker.com you can set up some WTB posts or set up alerts for what you're looking for and it'll ping you automatically by email. It automatically searches several different outdoor forums.

[chapinb]

I'll add hammockgear econ series quilts to the list for cheap-ish/light gear.

[rweb82]

To go really ultralight- with Cuben fiber tarp and all, is very expensive. But there are ways to save a lot of weight and still be mostly "ultralight" while not spending a fortune.

You can get a Dream Hammock Darien w/full bug protection for 13-16oz- depending on the fabric used for $110-$125.

For a tarp, the UGQ Penny Pincher Hanger 11' is only 13.5oz, and sells for $85.

For hammock suspension, You can get dyneema straps from many sources for around $20. Those are typically around 2.2-2.4g/ft. I recommend Myerstech Hammock Lab for the quality and price.

Speaking of suspension, you can save weight by using an all-in-one approach to hanging your hammock & tarp. Here's a previous thread I made regarding this approach. Works great when using a silpoly/silnylon tarp. Not quite as well with cuben fiber/DCF- as it has no stretch. https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...arp-Suspension

I recommend Zing-It for guy line cord.

All in all (before insulation), you can be pretty ultralight for a little over $200. And there are many lightweight budget options for insulation as well. A little research here will reveal all of those options.

[DrBrown54]

In just a few replies you've given way more options to consider that I didn't know about. Awesome!

Jeff-oh, I'm not UL but not crazy heavy either. I built a spreadsheet and my base weight is at 14.5 lbs with the hammock because that includes a full 20* down sleeping bag and prolite sleep pad since I don't have an UQ or TQ. The sleeping pad is heavy but if I ever needed to stay in a shelter it would be a bonus. Your point of basing dollars spent on weight savings ratio makes total sense though.

cmc4free, I'm only 160 lbs so the 1.0 hexon may just work. My ENO DN (19 oz) and bug net (22 oz) are heavier than I realized and the hexon kit would drop about 2.5# for $135. That's great savings per lb!

Also appreciate the other links and helpful advice. Back to the spreadsheet to nerd out on weight!

[cmc4free]

In just a few replies you've given way more options to consider that I didn't know about. Awesome!

Jeff-oh, I'm not UL but not crazy heavy either. I built a spreadsheet and my base weight is at 14.5 lbs with the hammock because that includes a full 20* down sleeping bag and prolite sleep pad since I don't have an UQ or TQ. The sleeping pad is heavy but if I ever needed to stay in a shelter it would be a bonus. Your point of basing dollars spent on weight savings ratio makes total sense though.

cmc4free, I'm only 160 lbs so the 1.0 hexon may just work. My ENO DN (19 oz) and bug net (22 oz) are heavier than I realized and the hexon kit would drop about 2.5# for $135. That's great savings per lb!

Also appreciate the other links and helpful advice. Back to the spreadsheet to nerd out on weight!

I'm about 165 lbs, and I have hammocks in Hexon 1.0 and Hexon 1.6 (among others). I like both. The Hexon 1.0 does stretch a bit more even at my weight, but I don't see that as a big negative (though some people do). I've had many comfortable nights in each material.

My Hexon 1.0 hammock is a netless, but with its continuous loops and stuff sack, it's compact enough that I could shove it in a jeans pocket if I wanted to.

For an AT thru hike, the 1.0 vs 1.6 would have some trade offs. The 1.0 model would of course be lighter to carry, but the 1.6 could offer a little more peace of mind for durability over those 2,000+ miles.

[DrBrown54]

Great point on the 1.0 vs 1.6. If I actually did get a snag or something, that 1.0 would start to look a little skimpy and patches only go so far! Thanks for that.