Clark Hammock and a pad? How low can you go comfortably?

[barbmill540]

Have you looked into the Dutchware Banyan bridge hammock? I believe that it weighs less than the Clark.

[litetrek]

Have you looked into the Dutchware Banyan bridge hammock? I believe that it weighs less than the Clark.

I already have the Clark TX-250. I like it and it is very versatile. But its not exactly perfect for a thru hike because it is relatively heavy. The point of the post was to get real user experience from others who use a pad so I could get an idea how much my gear might weight IF I chose to take the clark. The clark probably isn't practical because I'll have to find about 2 lbs of gear to lighten up on elsewhere. I've been backpacking for 50 years (not all at once) and losing 2 lbs from your kit when you've already lightened up it is going to be tough but it might be doable. I have several hammocks ranging in weight from just under 16 oz to the clark at 3.5 lbs. My lighter hammocks aren't up to the task of a thru hike because they are old and worn out. I don't think a bridge hammock will work for me. If I have to buy something new it has to be in light and bridge hammocks tend to be heavy. Also, I backpack with a cpap and sleeping on my back with sleep apnea doesn't work. Side sleeping in a trough like a bridge hammock will pull the cpap mask off my face, causing leaks and draining the battery in one night.

[cmc4free]

Litetrek - if you were to take a pad for your thru hike, do you anticipate using that one pad as the only bottom insulation you'll carry for the entire duration? If so, you may need one with a decent R value (above 4.0) for the coldest conditions, depending on the time of year, NOBO/SOBO, etc.

The pad with the best warmth to weight ratio is probably still the NeoAir Xlite. The newest version has R4.5 and if you can use a regular/short, it's about 11oz. It's small, light, and warm (and no longer super noisy), but it's for sure not the most comfortable on the market. You mentioned earlier that wasn't a big priority. A little more comfortable and with R4.2 is the Nemo Tensor, but it's a few ounces heavier.

With warmth, weight, and packed size being the top priorities, I think those are the best options. The Big Agnes Rapide SL and the REI Helix may be better all-around, if comfort is factored in along with warmth and weight, but they are both a bit heavier still than the Xlite or Tensor.

I do have real world experience with all of these and more, just not in a Clark.

One more worth a look, but I don't have any personal experience with it, is the Exped Ultra 5R. R4.8 and right at a pound for the smallest mummy version. The longitudinal baffle arrangement is also more conducive to matching the contours of a person lying in a hammock than the horizontal baffles in a pad like the Xlite.

[litetrek]

Litetrek - if you were to take a pad for your thru hike, do you anticipate using that one pad as the only bottom insulation you'll carry for the entire duration? If so, you may need one with a decent R value (above 4.0) for the coldest conditions, depending on the time of year, NOBO/SOBO, etc.

Thank for the info. I'm just considering options and don't have a definite plan. I think the most practical way to make it work is a hybrid approach. I would potentially use a 3/4 length down under quilt and a cut down ccf pad for the foot area. That way there is only about a 6 oz penalty for the pad (9 oz if not cut down). Having a pad along gives you an option to go to ground or sleep in a shelter; basically the ability to camp anywhere. I'm not an ultralighter but I've transitioned from routinely carrying 35 to 40 lbs down to 25-30-ish. The Clark along with a DCF tarp would be at the extreme upper end of a AT shelter weight budget in my opinion.

The AT is very windy and the Clark is exceptional at providing a nice environment out of the wind (and its mosquito bite proof). That is why I'm considering it. The hammock I take currently when I need something light is a Dream Hammock Raven. I'm not sure what it weighs but its probably around 2 lbs. If I have to buy a new hammock it will probably be a DH Darien. That said, I'm a little concerned about relying on a lightweight zipper for the bug net on the Darien. The Clark has very robust zippers and most lighter hammocks have much lighter more delicate zippers.