Hammock System Total Weight?

[mattnin]

Hello hammockers,

I am very new to hammocks, and putting everything together and just doing some weight comparisons. Is it me or is hammocking slightly heavier than ground camping? On the ground, I was using a River Country Products trekker tent at 2.9 lbs, thermarest ridge rest at 1.14 lbs, and a wiggy sleeping bag at 3.55 lbs. For my whole hammock setup, I'm already at 3.106 lbs and that is without a top quilt and underquilt. I'm DIY everything, so I'm hoping to shave off a little bit with the diy top and bottom quilt using climashield from RSBTR so maybe it'll just be a wash. I was hoping my hammocking would be lighter weight but it doesn't seem like it will be. My tarp is a hex12 from ripstopbytheroll, and a MTN 1.7 single layer hammock, and fronkey bug net. Do the separate weight of these hammocking items look okay to you?

Hammock + bug net + ridgeline = 1.558 lbs
Tarp plus all the ropes and stakes = 1.038 lbs
Tree Straps plus whoopies = 0.51 lbs.
Total = 3.106 lbs

I'm making my TQ and UQ this weekend and just praying they will not end up heavy. If the combined weight of my TQ and UQ are less than 4.484 lbs, then I should be good but I'm using climashield and that will be heavier than down.

That being said, all this has been a fun project for me. I've slept in my hammock three nights already and I can say I definitely sleep better in it than on a thin and uncomfortable ridge rest. I was able to do all my sewing using a sailrite. I think when the hammock starts rocking I just can't keep my eyes open!

What are some of your hammock systems total weights?

[Hang Williams]

For me, hammock can be barely lighter than tent when solo, but not even close when I can share weight with another person. I'll do an oversimplified comparison.

Tent setup:
Tent= 2 lbs, 3F UL Lanshan 2 Pro
Pad = 1lb 8 oz, Rapide SL 25"
Quilt = 1 lb 8 Oz, HG Econ Burrow
Total = 5 lbs, but I wake up in pain most of the time and struggle to gracefully get in and out of the tent.

Hammock setup:
Tarp= 1 lb 10 oz, HG Journey (reduce to 1 lb if I take the quest, which I will if I don't expect extreme conditions)
Hammock= 1 lb 13 oz, WB Blackbird XLC (increase to 2 lb 3 oz for the SG elite insulated 30* Hammock)
Suspension= 7 oz, cinch buckle (reduce to 3 oz for whoopie sling)
UQ= 1 lb 2 oz, Wooki XL 20* (not needed if I take the SG insulated)
UQP = 7 oz (not REALLY necessary, but it helps at the lower end of temp range)
TQ= 1 lb 8 oz, HG Econ Burrow
Total= 4 lb 14 oz to 6 lb 15 oz, but I sleep extremely well in the heavier setup and TBD in the lighter (I just got the elite insulated hammock and it is way too hot in GA to go camping right now, if it sleeps near as well as the standard SG hammock that is comparable in weight to the WB then it'll become my go to)

[Phantom Grappler]

I don’t know total weight of my various hammock, quilt, and tarp sets.
My total pack weight including food for two overnights was 22 pounds, this weekend.
I have had lighter total pack weights. Once had 17 pounds for a one nighter.

I have a friend who is serious and businesslike, who can have a total pack weight of 12 pounds.
Ultralight hammock gear can be more costly than heavier gear.

I’m comfortable carrying my pack. And I’m comfortable sleeping high and dry in my hammock.

Backpackers who have a tent or tarp, a foam pad-or an air mattress, and a down sleeping bag can achieve very light total pack weights.
But there is a trade off in comfort. The ground might not be level. There might be a root or rock poking into their back. And in case of torrential rains, they might be sleeping in wet and muddy bedding.

Hammock campers and hammock cottage vendors have reduced weights so much in the past few years that the choice between hammock camping and tent camping is a matter of personal preference.

Good luck and have fun, regardless of your path!

[Countrybois]

Hello hammockers,

I am very new to hammocks, and putting everything together and just doing some weight comparisons. Is it me or is hammocking slightly heavier than ground camping? On the ground, I was using a River Country Products trekker tent at 2.9 lbs, thermarest ridge rest at 1.14 lbs, and a wiggy sleeping bag at 3.55 lbs. For my whole hammock setup, I'm already at 3.106 lbs and that is without a top quilt and underquilt. I'm DIY everything, so I'm hoping to shave off a little bit with the diy top and bottom quilt using climashield from RSBTR so maybe it'll just be a wash. I was hoping my hammocking would be lighter weight but it doesn't seem like it will be. My tarp is a hex12 from ripstopbytheroll, and a MTN 1.7 single layer hammock, and fronkey bug net. Do the separate weight of these hammocking items look okay to you?

Hammock + bug net + ridgeline = 1.558 lbs
Tarp plus all the ropes and stakes = 1.038 lbs
Tree Straps plus whoopies = 0.51 lbs.
Total = 3.106 lbs

I'm making my TQ and UQ this weekend and just praying they will not end up heavy. If the combined weight of my TQ and UQ are less than 4.484 lbs, then I should be good but I'm using climashield and that will be heavier than down.

That being said, all this has been a fun project for me. I've slept in my hammock three nights already and I can say I definitely sleep better in it than on a thin and uncomfortable ridge rest. I was able to do all my sewing using a sailrite. I think when the hammock starts rocking I just can't keep my eyes open!

What are some of your hammock systems total weights?

I'm right at 6lbs. Hammock, tarp, stakes, straps, ground cloth, TQ, UQ, UQP, Pillow.

20°F setup in a bridge hammock

My M.O. is as light as I can get, but I don't make sacrifices if the drop in weight means less functionality or comfort. So... lightweight but not ultralight.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[cougarmeat]

Mattnin, Welcome to the forum. The weight of tent setup vs hammock setup is something to discuss over (and over and over) pizza a beer. From my experience, in general, without extraordinary effort ("effort" = $$$) the tent setup and the hammock setup will weigh about the same but you will be FAR MORE COMFORTABLE in the hammock situation.

When I read various reviews that compare such things, I never see what I'd consider apples-to-apples. I think one famous woman hiker streamer included the weight of her quilts in the hammock setup but didn't include the weight of her sleeping bag in the tent setup. And the issue of tent stakes can be left out.

More importantly, only the complication of setting up the hammock was mentioned but it was assumed the tent would be set up easily on flat ground.

In the photo below, imagine how long it would take to create a spot for a tent.
MyDunhanSite.jpg

A perfect location for a hammock on Denham Island, B.C. For a tent, not so much.

[jtdums]

I have been trying to dial in my hammock set up for a Long Trail thu this September with an AT start in March on the horizon.

Vermont being what it is, I will carry a 20 degree set up.

My hammock system comes in at 2.59lbs. and insulation at 2.84lbs. This it the best I'm able to manage. I don't doubt that I could beat this slightly by staying on the ground, but as others have mentioned there is no trade off in my book.

Right now with an 18lb base weight I'm a far cry from ultralight, but I hope that what I have enables me to stay comfortably on trail. Time will tell.

https://lighterpack.com/r/05ptpx

[mattnin]

but I wake up in pain most of the time and struggle to gracefully get in and out of the tent.

Same! I usually wake up multiple times throughout the night on the ground and I quite often have horrible nights tossing and turning. So far my experiences in the hammock have all been surprisingly good. I'm pretty determined to make this work.

I think I can reduce a little bit of weight with my suspension and cordage, but not much. I have 12 foot straps and 6' whoopies, and I also have some long cordage for the tarp. I want to do this for awhile before I start cutting some of those items though.

[Shug]

Installation aside you can get the weight on par with a ground set-up. It is all in fabric choices, lengths and suspension choices. How light are you willing to go to achieve UL status with risking gear failure.
Insulation always varies with the season .Of course lightest pack weight is high summer. You just need less.
Many of us don't mind a bit of extra weight once we got into hammocks as the comfort, consistency of sleep, restorative powers of the hammock, not having to crawl factor trump previous thought on this versus that.
Enjoy the experience.
Shug

[PopcornFool]

Many of us don't mind a bit of extra weight once we got into hammocks as the comfort, consistency of sleep, restorative powers of the hammock, not having to crawl factor trump previous thought on this versus that.
Enjoy the experience.
Shug

The "not having to crawl" factor was right at the top of the list for me when I made the transition. Comfort is often underappreciated by the super UL crowd.

I'll admit to trying to shave grams like an UL-er, but my focus has been reducing weight so that I could add a backpacking chair big enough to support my fat 1/8-ton a$$ at the end of each day without having to bend my knees to my ears. (It's the 2-3/4 lb REI Flexlite Macro now called the Flexlite Camp Boss for those who are curious). As you might imagine, it was a challenge to cut almost 3 lbs just for a comfortable place to park my rear end.

To that end (end ... get it?? ), I've gotten my complete shelter system down quite a bit.

- 12' x 67" DIY 1.7MTN Hammock with SRL and CLs, Fronkey bugnet (1.29 lbs)
- 12' x 9.5' DIY 15D Hex Tarp with all lines, six stakes, and mesh snakeskin (0.99 lbs)
- Dyneema huggers, whoopies with MSH toggles and soft shackles (0.11 lbs)
- Total weight = 2.39 lbs

That's about two pounds lighter than my shelter when I was backpacking with a BA Copper Spur HV UL 3 (I'm a big guy remember).

Insulation is a wash. I use the same TQs and my UQs are roughly on par with the air pads I used in the tent. Total weight in summer is about 1.7 lbs combined (add about a pound for winter insulation).

As you can see, I haven't exactly gone full UL maniac on my kit. I could get the weight even lower by cutting corners on hammock and tarp lengths and widths, hammock fabric, etc., but that defeats the purpose of making my life more comfortable, which is, as several have mentioned, the primary point of getting off the ground to begin with.

[dakotaross]

For me, hammock can be barely lighter than tent when solo, but not even close when I can share weight with another person. I'll do an oversimplified comparison.

Tent setup:
Tent= 2 lbs, 3F UL Lanshan 2 Pro
Pad = 1lb 8 oz, Rapide SL 25"
Quilt = 1 lb 8 Oz, HG Econ Burrow
Total = 5 lbs, but I wake up in pain most of the time and struggle to gracefully get in and out of the tent.

Hammock setup:
Tarp= 1 lb 10 oz, HG Journey (reduce to 1 lb if I take the quest, which I will if I don't expect extreme conditions)
Hammock= 1 lb 13 oz, WB Blackbird XLC (increase to 2 lb 3 oz for the SG elite insulated 30* Hammock)
Suspension= 7 oz, cinch buckle (reduce to 3 oz for whoopie sling)
UQ= 1 lb 2 oz, Wooki XL 20* (not needed if I take the SG insulated)
UQP = 7 oz (not REALLY necessary, but it helps at the lower end of temp range)
TQ= 1 lb 8 oz, HG Econ Burrow
Total= 4 lb 14 oz to 6 lb 15 oz, but I sleep extremely well in the heavier setup and TBD in the lighter (I just got the elite insulated hammock and it is way too hot in GA to go camping right now, if it sleeps near as well as the standard SG hammock that is comparable in weight to the WB then it'll become my go to)

Yeah, the "not even close" comparison is a little harsh. For any two hikers that aren't lovers, there would be a lot to put up with to make the "shared" weight worth it. And you didn't include a footprint, which I consider to be a little more necessary than an UQP. I otherwise like the comparison for non-dyneema setups. Mine is...

SG 15 elite 10' - 37oz
Mantis suspension - 3oz
Custom wide pentagon tarp incl lines/stakes - 15oz
SG UQP - 7oz
Zpacks Solo TQ - 17oz

total = 4lb 15oz