Going to ground

[cougarmeat]

Remember back when you were tarp/tent camping. Just consider you are doing that and it’s the hammock that’s extra. If I know I’ll need to go to ground, I’ll bring a pad instead of a UQ or both if I feel I’m extra strong. I can use the pad in the hammock when trees are available. If I have to go to ground, plastic sheet goes on the ground, then short therm-a-rest pad, then hammock w/bugnet lies on that. Hiking poles hold up the tarp and the hammock’s bugnet attaches also attaches to the poles to lift it off your face.

An issue to keep in mind if you consider the Tensa pole route - I believe they rely on real sturdy anchors. If I’m somewhere where the trees are getting sparse, often the soil is pretty thin too.

[MutterMumble]

Adding a pad is a smaller weight penalty than taking even the lightest tensa option. If you’re willing to swap it out for an underquilt especially. If weight is your tightest constraint I wouldn’t even try a tensa option especially if you don’t know the ground conditions and whether it’ll even hold you…you’ll end up needing a pad as a backup for your backup plan!

[deadeye]

But I don’t think that I can keep total weight at what I would like…under 21 lbs.

I dont' know if you're looking for an all included 21 pounds, or a base weight under 21 pounds. If the latter, I used this list to get my base well under 15, with either hammock or tent:
https://www.backpacking.net/18-pound.html#pack

[hutzelbein]

If you can find one tree, you would only need one other anchor point. It doesn't need to be a Tensa Solo, though. I would suggest a single Tensa Trekking Treez, but they're out of stock. Another solution would be one side of a Yobo Freedom Stand. If you're using trekking poles, and the pole length is not an issue on the journey, consider a single piece, wooden pole. I have been on a group hang, where somebody hung off a ~1" wooden pole (I suspect it was a broomstick) with no problems. If you take enough AmSteel, you might not even need to take ground anchors.

[cmoulder]

Thankyou all for the advice. I’m 64 and had two heart attacks this year. So I am looking to go light. But I don’t think that I can keep total weight at what I would like…under 21 lbs. with the hammock setup etc. probably could with my duplex but I hate trying to sleep on the ground even with my Nemo Tensor. I’ll have to keep going over my pack to see what I can drop.
Thanks again.

If the rest of your kit is sufficiently dialed it shouldn't be too hard to add an air mat and keep the weight within your budget. In my experience most people bring too much clothing and too much food. If you want to discuss total pack weight (TPW) and how you might otherwise lighten your load, maybe start a thread in the Ultra Lite Gear sub-forum where we can geek out on this as much as we like.

As for sleep kit, here is what I used for a trip to Baxter state park (ME) a few years ago when there was one shelter where tents/hammocks were absolutely forbidden... I didn't really GtG per se, since sleeping in the shelter was required, but could have easily rigged the tarp in that case:

Sleeping gear

• Hammock, DH Darien #6235with 2x 12' Kevlar straps, 1x Evo loop, 1x 3' dog bone, stuff sack1
  517.8g
• Hospital pillowFlex Air, with 1.2mm shock cord1
  28.8g
• Summer quiltEE Rev 50°F1
  320g
• TR Neoair old-styleCut down, 47" x 25"1
  295g
• UQ spring/summerEE Revolt 40°F1
  302.5g
• 3.23lb
  Shelter
  
  • Polycryo groundsheet0.7 mil approx 40" x 80"1
    48.5g
  • Tarp, HG Cuben Hex11-foot hex for hammocking, incl guy lines and stuff sack1
    194.2g
  • 0.54lb

[cmoulder]

but with a Klymit Inertia X-Lite pad as a very minimalist backup. It packs small and weighs only 6 oz, so it's an acceptable trade-off. Would it work? Good question; I have never actually had to sleep on the darn thing. My guess is it would not be great, but better than nothing.

That is an accurate assessment. I used it on a 3- or 4-night trip some years back and it was better than nothing, but just barely.

And this was when I was a regular ground sleeper. Nowadays, after sleeping in hammocks a few years, I probably couldn't handle it at all.