Need help figuring out my sleeping/shelter for backpacking.

[JG Custom Metal Works]

I'm trying to figure what would be my best option. Here is some of the gear I already have:

X2 tarps
military gore-tex 3 bag sleep system(heavy)
eureka tetragon 4 tent
thermarest matress

I'm thinking about a couple different setups. One would be to take just the sleep system, thermarest, and put one tarp under me and possibly one strung up over top. With this setup I don't have the comfort of an enclosed shelter but also don't really have to set anything up

Another option would be to take the tent, tarps, mattress and one of the bags. I might have to dress a little warmer or just go out when its warm.

Setup three would be to get a lightweight tent like the eureka solitaire and use one bag, tarp, matreess. If you guys have any opinions about super light tents I would love to hear them. I hear the eureka solitaire is a little flimsy.

Finally, I could get a light weight hammock and throw a tarp over top of need be.

So what do you guys think? The goal is to have the least amount of weight and the most amount of comfort. Obviously with hiking/backpacking there's always as compromise with these things and I was hoping you could help me find the right balance of gear. What are you guys using?

 

[b yond]

What kind of weather are you looking at? How many nights? How far will you carry this and how well can you handle extra weight?

 

[treeshaker]

3 one way tripper on AP Trail. ( 3 total legs, 2 up 1 down) 2nd and third time, and, regardless of follow up chat, this is only what i did. I do not speak to any rules or laws, of Man or common sense. I just did it and made it. Both trips up started mid Nov. yes it was bitter cold and isolated, Dec13/14/15 ?? till Jan1 saw 1 person, in shelter at Sawtooth.
If you are walking excess 5 miles in or out, regardless of weather, GORE tex everything, not GORE tex you will be wet, period, period. Waterproof GT Bivey sack, that you can sew into or purchase as one pc hammock. Look at Hammockforum on google, military has tons, someone here may offer. The best waffle roll foam pad you can get for money, simple waffle, no air, no gas type. a min -20 bag, wt. #1 concern. Them purchase min 3 of the $2.99 "silver survival blankets" sold many places.Use these to line you sleeping bag on cold nights, 1 for under pad for the hammock and a extra. Also great, if you start to freeze, dig in ground, place hammock on silver sheet , cover bivey with other silver sheet, lightly recover entire setup and sleep, between praying, regardless how you feel about praying, talking into a sleep bag will create heat.
You are looking at for sleeping only about $600-700, but alone, you can make it, if your mind is right and the body is willing. Avoid shelters,for sleeping. using them for eating, shitting fine, but no sleeping. this only applies on state or federal land, where the shelters look and smell,like a drunk man's puke, covered by the stench of a Johnny Holmes multi blast scene. Not to mention, snakes, rats, mice, fleas, ever critter that eats trash, followed by the even larger predators who either gang rape, or the tamer bear. mt. lion, wolf, badger, that just eats you, not starting at your rear end.

 

[spoolup]

I am a hammock fan as well and if solo you will not find a lighter more confortable setup. If you are carrying for a family, then hammocks with insulation gets heavy when doing it for 3 or so, but solo, they are hard to beat. My winter hammock setup (hammock, tarp, 0* insulation, cord, suspension etc) weighs in under 6lbs. The summer setup with 30* insulation and a smaller non doored tarp is about 3.5lbs. Also laying in a outdoor hammock is so much better than a backyard hammock, really recommend you try on before saying no.

I can use the tarp alone as a hang out spot when it opens up with rain or for shade when having a meal, they only take a few minutes to string up with practice, and you can mix and match pieces for various outings. My newest setup is a Warbonnet XLC in multicam with hammock gear 0* insulation, a warbonnet superfly tarp, whoopie sling suspension. I am going to buy a 20* hammock gear insulation for high wilderness 3 season hiking and hope to get out a bit more than usual now that I am all alone, but Here are a few photos, my work blocks flickr, but I think I have the address correct, if I get home and some are wrong I will update the post.

Hennessy hammock and tarp, jacks r better insulation (summer setup for now)

Winter setup (tarp not installed yet for photos)

Hennessy hammock, hammock gear insulation, warbonnet superfly tarp, from the elk hunt this year.

 

[Foilist]

I like a Hennessy Hammock in mild-ish weather, but I have not tried it in lows below the forties. I use a truck windshield sun reflector for insulation, and I've made an underquilt out of a poncho liner (have not tried that one yet). I'm not sure how low I'd be willing to go in a hammock. It seems that the bulk of all the extra insulating gear would cut into the weight and space savings over using other gear.

 

[spoolup]

You will be surprised how well the down insulation compresses. When I get home I will stuff the 0* quilts and give a size reference for original post as well as anyone else interested, but as with almost all outdoor gear Cost, size, weight, pick 2 the 3rd will be large. IE small size, small weight, high cost. or Small cost, small size, higher weight. This is SO true with your typical 70D tarps vs 30D tarps.

 

[JG Custom Metal Works]

Wow thanks a bunch guys, now I'm gonna have to buy a Hennessy hammock. Those things look awesome! Any advice on what model to get? I'm a big guy(6'1" 250lb). It seems that it might be best to get a model that is as modular as possible and that way you could set it up for multiple seasons/climates. I have a lot of research to do.

As far as the climate I'll be camping in, it will vary. Right now I'm in Kansas and it's around -5* at night and 20* or so during the day. I probably won't do any camping during this weather though. I might go out once or twice just to say I did it. On average temps will probably be between 30*-40* on the low end and 90*-100* on the high end.

Thanks for all the info gents, I appreciate it. If you know of any other gear that can reduce the weight of a backpack please share. Thanks again.

 

[justsomedude]

Hennessy hammocks are absolutely fantastic but mine ended up being a big waste of money when I got married and stopped solo camping. If you have a significant other you might ever duo camp with I suggest looking into a lightweight tent. I just got a Tarptent Double Rainbow and it is superb, roomy even with two and small/light enough to make a palatial one-man set up.

A couple weight saving measures I've taken with my set up recently that I have been very happy with so far:
1: Replace gas stove with emberlit wood stove
2: Replace axe with folding saw (blasphemy here I know, but who the heck needs an axe for two nights in the woods?)
3: 3/4 pads instead of full (I went for Nemo Air as I don't need insulation and this was best bang-for-buck. I love this pad)
4: down blanket instead of bags (only saves because of duo set up)
5: Source hydration system instead of Nalgene bottles (doesn't save much weight but these Source bladders are GREAT, exceeded my expectations in every way and they were high so I wanted to share. It makes my old Camelback Omega look like plastic grocery bag.)

Happy Camping!

 

[panzertroop]

I use a hammock in warmer months when I want the protection of a bug net. Great for keeping critter off of you and you off the ground. When it gets colder I sometimes sleep in the on the ground under a 10x10 tarp. I use a reflective blanket under me as my ground cloth. I have a full size military thermarest pad. Depending on temps I use the green bag from the 3 bag set, I will add the bivy if it gets windy (helps cut the wind). I will use the black bag by itself when it really cold on the ground or switch to my 15 degree Big Agnes bag.

 

[JG Custom Metal Works]

Hennessy hammocks are absolutely fantastic but mine ended up being a big waste of money when I got married and stopped solo camping. If you have a significant other you might ever duo camp with I suggest looking into a lightweight tent. I just got a Tarptent Double Rainbow and it is superb, roomy even with two and small/light enough to make a palatial one-man set up.

A couple weight saving measures I've taken with my set up recently that I have been very happy with so far:
1: Replace gas stove with emberlit wood stove
2: Replace axe with folding saw (blasphemy here I know, but who the heck needs an axe for two nights in the woods?)
3: 3/4 pads instead of full (I went for Nemo Air as I don't need insulation and this was best bang-for-buck. I love this pad)
4: down blanket instead of bags (only saves because of duo set up)
5: Source hydration system instead of Nalgene bottles (doesn't save much weight but these Source bladders are GREAT, exceeded my expectations in every way and they were high so I wanted to share. It makes my old Camelback Omega look like plastic grocery bag.)

Happy Camping!

Great minds think alike lol. I bought a Source WXP 3l two days ago and got a Bayco Laplander folding saw a couple weeks ago. I also snagged a small wood burning stove recently. I was looking at the Emberlit but went with a cheap Chicom one that was only $12 and folds up nice. It's a little bit heavier but so is my wallet from not shelling out for the Ti Emberlit like I wanted. Down the road I will probably spring for it.

As far as duo camping is concerned, I've been getting my lady into it more and more. She's not a big outdoors person but I'm trying to chance that. We have backpacking planned for this spring/summer so we'll see. I will still probably to a lot of solo camping.

So since you aren't using the hammock anymore you should probably sell/trade it to me...

 

[justsomedude]

Haha, I'm not ready to let go of it just yet, it's a great system. If you're going to buy one I recommend doing it in pieces as a few people I've talked to lamented buying more insulation than they ever ended up using.
You can also save a ton of money buying Ikea down comforters and using pieces of paracord to wrap it around the outside of the hammock. This is bulky and heavy but I do not like long hikes in weather cold enough to require it anyways, so it was a good solution for the few times I went winter car camping with it.

The Ultralite Hennessy alone is only 10 oz lighter than the Double Rainbow and about half the packed size. Add an extra tarp and consider the additional insulation required and the weight difference becomes arguably negligible and packed size begins leaning in favor of the Tarptent.

To make the Hennessy a significantly better option in terms of size/weight you'd have to buy very expensive tarps and quilts. For winter camping that is, for warm weather the Henessy wins in all but the versatility of being able to fit two.

If I have the drive when I get home I'll measure and weigh everything and let you know more detail but one conclusion I can safely make is that, for duo backpacking the Tarptent set up I have is significantly less weighty and bulky than if we both had a Henessy.

Two weeks ago I went on a two nighter with some friends while the missus visited her family. I took the Tarptent and lent the Hammock to a buddy. We agreed that we both prefer the tent as it was way more comfortable for everything except sleeping but in that there was a tie. The weight difference did not matter on such a short trip, maybe a through hike of the AT would make the difference but you wouldn't do that in the winter months anyways.

It's also nice to have the hammock for river trips and climbing expeditions as it can be more difficult to find flat ground for a tent in those situations. It's important to note that the Tarptent can be set up freestanding so it is quite versatile as tents go.

Conclusion: Buy in pieces and eventually you'll end up with both

It's funny about the stove because I bought the steel and now I want the Ti already.

As you might have noticed I do a lot more 1-2 night trips than long expeditions so I'm not hardcore ultralight and probably not the best at discerning weight differences on the back.

Also, my pack is the Eberlestock Halftrack and the tarptent fits perfectly in one side pocket while the water bladder goes on the other side. This leaves the main compartment and all of it's awesome orginization features free for my other gear and food. I like the balance and organization of this set up more than the Hammock set up where most of it has to go in the main pocket.

 

[neeman]

My experiance.

Snow camping: a self standing tent with a mat and sleeping bag, for speed and ease of pitching. And for protection from the wind, so it is much warmer

For the rest of the year: a big 9'x9' tarp as it is so flexible and light (carrying walking poles?), and a moskito net for the summer hung on the inside of the tarp

I would love to use hammocks but I go places where they do not have suitablely placed trees

 

[crossada]

Hey Spoolup I just wanted to thank you for the youtube link to ShugEmery that you gave me in another thread. His video's have been a great help to me plus they are just entertaining.

 

[wildmanh]

I use different shelter setups depending on my mood, where I'll be camping and the weather. I'll list some setups below to help you out.

9x11 tarp setup as an A-frame. Put the openings away from the wind and sleep in the middle. It's kept be sheltered in some good rain storms on trips. I've used this setup on backpacking trips and when car camping. Last spring/summer I slept under lean-to style shelters and didn't like them one bit. Once the fire died down and the wind picked up, they were no fun at all. I'll stick with my trusty a frame from now on.

Brush shelter. When I have time and I'm in an area with plenty of dead fall, I'll sometimes build a brush shelter. Sometimes just the frame with my tarp over the top and sometime a completed shelter with bark, pine needles or grass for the covering. Normally if it's not a multi night trip, it ends up being just a frame with the tarp over it.

2 person relatively light weight 3 season backpacking tent. Keeps me warm, dry and away from bugs.

Sleeping on just a tarp, with my poncho as backup in case of unforeseen bad weather. Up the canyon, if the weather is supposed to be nice all weekend during the spring or fall, I'll on a tarp. Clear the ground, lay a tarp down, my bedding then hit the sack. But I always keep my poncho close in case a mountain storm hits during the night. I love sleeping out under the stars in good weather.

My sleep system changes depending on the time of year and if I'm car camping or backpacking. I have a -20 degree bag for early spring, late fall and winter use, a +20 for Spring, summer and Fall and a +35 for tent camping in the summer. . . . As for padding, my bottom layer is normally an air mattress [Light weight for backpacking, thicker and heavier for car camping], and a Therm-A-Rest Ridge rest. I've used this setup in the winter and it's worked, but it's not as warm as using 3 to 4 inches of foam mattress/egg crates on snow caving trips.

This year, I'll probably stick with my A-frame tarp shelter, A Shelter half and Space blanket or my Tent. The shelter half with a Space blanket [The tarp based space blanket] for the other side makes a warm shelter. I think my setup weights around 4 to 4.5 pounds so it mainly gets used for car camping. But now that my pack weight is much less, I may consider it for backpacking also.

Hope this helps.

 

[300Six]

Lots of folks have vivid imaginations about idyllic wilderness trekking until they experience their first night of being tormented by mosquitoes followed by daytime clouds of blackflies, no-seeums, chiggers and biting flies. You want a tent with good screening for sleeping purposes and to escape into. Or you camp in early spring, late summer and even during the fall and winter.

 

[neeman]

..........
their first night of being tormented by mosquitoes followed by daytime clouds of blackflies, no-seeums, chiggers and biting flies.
............................

Yes
But it depends where you are ...

 

[JG Custom Metal Works]

Lots of folks have vivid imaginations about idyllic wilderness trekking until they experience their first night of being tormented by mosquitoes followed by daytime clouds of blackflies, no-seeums, chiggers and biting flies. You want a tent with good screening for sleeping purposes and to escape into. Or you camp in early spring, late summer and even during the fall and winter.

I have a thermacell, bug spray, and a bug net mask. GTG. That being said the barrier provided by a tent is nice.

A ton of good info here, thanks a bunch everyone.

One thing I'm wondering about the hammocks is about the sleep position. Can you only sleep on your back in those things? I can't sleep for shit on my back in a bed and prefer being on my side. I can't really see that working out in a hammock...

I've been looking at lightweight tents lately. I have a Eureka Tetragon 4 which weighs 9lb 4oz. It's kind of heavy but my girl and I can fit in it comfortable and it's super easy to setup. I'm wondering if i should just use what i have or try and figure out a more suitable/lighter setup.

 

[wildmanh]

Lots of folks have vivid imaginations about idyllic wilderness trekking until they experience their first night of being tormented by mosquitoes followed by daytime clouds of blackflies, no-seeums, chiggers and biting flies. You want a tent with good screening for sleeping purposes and to escape into. Or you camp in early spring, late summer and even during the fall and winter.

This is area/region specific. For the most part, here in Central Utah, we don't have those problems. Certain areas of Utah Lake and some local reservoirs have higher pest populations, but those are easily avoided.

I wouldn't frequently camp along the local creeks every year if it was a problem.

 

[desmobob]

I have a nearly identical set-up as Spoolup. I highly recommend the Warbonnet Blackbird XLC, and down filled under- and top-quilts by Jacks R Better or Underground Quilts. Hammocks pack easier, are warmer, more comfortable, and far easier to find a place to set up for (depending on what part of the country you live in). I haven't used a tent in about three years, and don't expect to go back to sleeping on the ground!







Stay sharp,
desmobob

PS -- Hey! That was my 2000th post!

 

[mewolf1]

Congrats on 2K:thumbup:

I have a nearly identical set-up as Spoolup. I highly recommend the Warbonnet Blackbird XLC, and down filled under- and top-quilts by Jacks R Better or Underground Quilts. Hammocks pack easier, are warmer, more comfortable, and far easier to find a place to set up for (depending on what part of the country you live in). I haven't used a tent in about three years, and don't expect to go back to sleeping on the ground!







Stay sharp,
desmobob

PS -- Hey! That was my 2000th post!