First off, big thanks to those who make the HF site what it is. I love how much knowledge there is on forums, and this one is one of the best.

I've been a lazy hanger for years. Got an ENO Doublenest with my REI dividend in 2009 after coveting the one my buddy had in his yard. On advice from folks on here, I switched to Whoopie slings early on and have loved them. Still, I mostly keep the hammock in the back of my car for impromptu hangs. It's my luxury item on backpacking trips and longer hikes, but I've only used it for sleeping once — with mixed results.

Generally I'm a ground-dweller, but I'm looking to make the switch. My girlfriend just went ultralight (more or less) with a bivy and a silnylon flat tarp. She couldn't be more excited, but I have very little interest in a bivy unless I'm in the desert or something. I'd been sharing a decades-old tent with her, but that's finally fallen apart. So it's time to upgrade my camping setup.

I'm stuck between a couple options. I could mod the ENO so it'll work better for camping — add a structural ridgeline, buy a bug net, get a tarp — or I could buy a whole separate camping hammock and keep the ENO for lounging. I'm leaning toward the latter route and getting a WB Blackbird. The bug net and ridgeline are included, it'll hold my pad without trouble, the asymmetrical shape should be easier on my back (which is surprisingly bad for a dude in his late-20s), and everyone who has one seems to love it. Still, that plus a tarp comes in around $300.

On the other hand, it's not like modding my ENO would be free. A bug net isn't super cheap, a ridgeline costs several bucks, and I'd still need to get a tarp. And at the end of the day, I'd still have a hammock that doesn't quite fit the backpacking bill.

Any suggestions? I'm tempted to bite the bullet and go with the Blackbird, but I just quit my job to go live with my girlfriend's mom, who's sick, so dollars are pretty scarce. I've got savings that would cover the purchase, but my income is virtually nonexistent. On top of that, my girlfriend's itching to go camping once her gear arrives — so I've got to figure something out pretty quick.

Thanks for reading all this and weighing in!