new to this - would you be willing to assess what i've assembled?

[sebastian]

6'2" 250 fella interested in exploring hammock camping, largely from the perspective of kayak camping - my conventional tent does fit into the 'yak, but it get's awful crowded pretty quick - so i'm looking for smaller options. I don't care about weight of the gear, and i'll never use it in the winter. What i *think* i know from what i've read is that generally speaking, 11' (ish) seems to be the sweet spot length wise for most folks (largely to enable finding a comfy non-banana sleep POS), and an insulation system of some sort is super helpful to enjoying one's hang. Given that i've no idea if i like this or not, i'm hesitant to buy a ton of high end gear at first - so my approach is to try to identify the min 'must have' list to get me into the game and if i like it - great - i can upgrade, but if i don't, them i've managed my risk.

So, that said, here's what I've come up with - i think this ticks quite a few of the boxes of things to look for - but again, i've never done this, so it may be a case of i don't know what i don't know. How does this look to your more experienced eyes?

Hammock - the Ridge outdoor 360 pinnacle - $65

https://www.ridgeoutdoorgear.com/product/lay-flat-hammock-blue/ Rainfly - (i actually just bought this because an amazon flash sale popped up today) - free solider waterproof tarp 11x12' - $33 (i'll need more guy lines/ridge line, i know) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Underquilt - i'm looking at the one tigris lines - i *think* the shield product is more suitable due to it having more width? shield - $74 - https://www.amazon.com/OneTigris-Underquilt-Lightweight-Underblanket-Insulation/dp/B07D3RM7HG?ref_=ast_sto_dp Trekker - $60 - https://www.onetigris.com/sleepsystems/twilight-trekker-under-quilt-04.html Would this be a reasonable - lets call it entry level setup? I'm not looking for the absolute cheapest setup out there, but am looking to be spend conscious while still ensuring i've done my due diligence in trying to gear up for success. Thanks so much for the consideration. SJ

[FLTurtle]

The hammock is pretty solid. I have a buddy that picked up one (the 180, with only one zipper) and I got to see it up close and try it out. Miles ahead of most of the Amazon and ENO hammocks.

Never heard of that tarp brand. If you can, set it up at home when you got rain in the forecast and see if it leaks.

Same goes for the UQ you listed...dunno much about them. They kind of look similar to the Snugpak stuff I've seen posts on here about. Seems that it does the job, just a bit heavy and bulky.

I get you're trying to be cost conscious but honestly for about twice the price ($140) you can get the 40F HG Econ Incubator, not incl shipping. Or, if you think 40F is about is low you'll go...the 3/4 length 40F HG Phoenix might work ($110). Since you're kayaking, I'd probably just go with the Incubator over the Phoenix. Or look at the SLD Trail Winder for a synthetic option (there are more vendors that use synthetics). And the kicker is, if you find hammocking doesn't work for you...you'll be able to flip the quilts here (get your post count up though) and get most of your money back.

Keep in mind, HG has an 8 week lead time, so if you got plans for the near future you might have to watch the FS forums and be quick about jumping on a sale.

[SilvrSurfr]

Just keep in mind that none of the stuff you're looking at has much resale value, if you find that hammock camping is not for you.

[cmc4free]

Relatively early in my hammock days I bought the OneTigris underblanket from Amazon. I used it once or twice and decided to return it. So ultimately that particular experiment cost me nothing, but I quickly found out it wasn't going to be the solution I was looking for. As insulation, I think it's a fair balance of weight and price, but attaching it was not intuitive and using it was not as comfortable as any of the other UQs I now have. It's an odd taco shape compared to the underquilts you'll find are popular with members of the forum here, most of which are rectangular and have more functional shock cord suspensions. I think the shape of the OneTigris is more suited to hammocks in the 9' range and a "banana" lay rather than a flatter diagonal lay.

You could likely try it and return it as I did, but I wouldn't be surprised if you came to a similar conclusion.

I'd second the recommendation to buy a quality down or synthetic UQ right off the bat. You'll be far more likely to enjoy the experience without as many trials and tribulations. A good underquilt is perhaps the most important element to having a comfortable, hassle free overnight experience in a gathered end hammock. And as also mentioned, it would be much easier to resell than something like the OneTigris if hammocking turns out not to work for you.

[cmc4free]

I'll also add that before I tried the OneTigris, I used a pad in the hammock. That's not as nice as a good underquilt, but it is effective for staying warm, and it's possibly something you already own. A lot of people start out using this method. If nothing else, it would allow you to get started on your hammock learning curve while waiting for a cottage vendor's lead time on a handmade quilt - which is what most on this site will recommend you get.

[LowTech]

For kayaking and hanging in wet areas, as well as an UQ that couldn't be simpler, I'm all for SLD Trail Winder. Ship out time is crazy fast as well.

[sebastian]

Thank you all for s haring your thoughts and experiences - i appreciate it!!

[jakev383]

I bought a pair of those tarps on a sale at Amazon last fall for my kids. We've got about 8 trips on them and they seem to be holding up well so far. They're not the lightest, but they have not leaked and no tears or thin spots yet. And my kids can be rough on stuff - for that matter, so can I
I've not used the OneTigris gear, but I looked at it quite heavily. Seemed like a decent low-cost way to get into it. There's a bunch of Youtube videos out there about them.
We ended up making our own Gemini underquilts (made with Costco down blankets) though and have been very happy with those down into the low 40's. Upper 30's required some additional insulation. It was a bit of work for me to make, so there is that. They come in a 2-pack for around $40-$50 so we use them as top-quilts as well for the same temp ratings.

[brianmuska]

Hi Sebastian;
I have the one Tigris Winter version underquilt and I have to agree with cmc4free. I think it is a good quilt if you're only going to camp in warmer months. I don't plan to return mine but will use it as a little extra something when it gets a bit too chilly for my Mt Washington 3. I would bypass that quilt and just get a good down UQ. In regards to tarps I also purchased a One Tigris tarp and that works very nicely I don't have any issues with that. I understand that you want to use this primarily for kayak camping but I think you will find yourself wanting to try it out in colder weather conditions as well. Either way you decide to go enjoy this part of it. I am just starting out with it as well and have been having a blast.

[sebastian]

Thanks for the tips folks - i've gone ahead and ordered the ridge pinnacle 180 (i actually wanted the 360, but out of stock). Looking forward to finding out more about this - thanks!