curious about total real weight

[Bear Cables]

I am considering trying hammocks in an effort to continue to go lighter. They seem by appearance to be comfortable and rain protected and convienient. But....I keep reading about the need of extra gear, under pads, quilts, two pads etc. What is the real total wt. involved in switching to a hammock. Can I do it in the summer on the AT using my Zrest pad and a 30 degree down Northface 3/4 zipper?

[SteveJ]

I am considering trying hammocks in an effort to continue to go lighter. They seem by appearance to be comfortable and rain protected and convienient. But....I keep reading about the need of extra gear, under pads, quilts, two pads etc. What is the real total wt. involved in switching to a hammock. Can I do it in the summer on the AT using my Zrest pad and a 30 degree down Northface 3/4 zipper?

Yes. I hammock almost exclusively. Hammocks are ideal for summer. If I expect the temps to remain above 60 degrees, I don't even bring a pad. I don't have an underquilt - I hear they're great - but your z-rest will be more than adequate padding for the AT in the summer.....and your 30 deg bag will also be more than adequate.....

[take-a-knee]

Phonda, take a look at this:

http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockGroundWeights.html

Also look around the rest of that site, it is a treasure trove of hammock info.

Also check out www.hammockforums.net (http://www.hammockforums.net)

[Bulldawg]

I hammock exclusively. I total (food, water, etc.) weight for spring is 34 pounds with two full days food. In the winter, add 3.5 pounds to that for the underquilt. You could get lighter with a more modern down bag, my old 30*F down bag weighs a tick over 3 pounds. I also always carry lots more food than I end up eating. It is a bad habit I can't seem to break.

[Bulldawg]

But let me say this about hammocking, I forgot it in the last post...............

I sleep like a baby. I mean if it is not below about 40*F, I sleep darned near as good as I do at home. Ask anyone here at WB that has camped near me, I bet they can tell you how good I sleep!!:eek::D;)

[SteveJ]

But let me say this about hammocking, I forgot it in the last post...............

I sleep like a baby. I mean if it is not below about 40*F, I sleep darned near as good as I do at home. Ask anyone here at WB that has camped near me, I bet they can tell you how good I sleep!!:eek::D;)

chuckle...my son and I had an Order of the Arrow campout this weekend at a Boy Scout Camp (he had his ordeal, for those of you who are interested :D). I set up my hammock behind a group of tents... The next morning, one of the other adults walked by and asked me about my setup (total weight, brand, etc.)... when I mentioned how well I sleep in it, he chuckled and said, "yeah, when I got up to go to the bathroom at 3:30 this morning - and again at 6:30 - I could tell somebody was sleeping good!"

[Bear Cables]

chuckle...my son and I had an Order of the Arrow campout this weekend at a Boy Scout Camp (he had his ordeal, for those of you who are interested :D). I set up my hammock behind a group of tents... The next morning, one of the other adults walked by and asked me about my setup (total weight, brand, etc.)... when I mentioned how well I sleep in it, he chuckled and said, "yeah, when I got up to go to the bathroom at 3:30 this morning - and again at 6:30 - I could tell somebody was sleeping good!"

My older son is OA and remembers getting drenched during his Ordeal .Said he was glad he had a good synthetic bag that kept him warm. I have two sons now 23 and 26, both Eagles.

[Bulldawg]

chuckle...my son and I had an Order of the Arrow campout this weekend at a Boy Scout Camp (he had his ordeal, for those of you who are interested :D). I set up my hammock behind a group of tents... The next morning, one of the other adults walked by and asked me about my setup (total weight, brand, etc.)... when I mentioned how well I sleep in it, he chuckled and said, "yeah, when I got up to go to the bathroom at 3:30 this morning - and again at 6:30 - I could tell somebody was sleeping good!"

You guys up at Camp Rainey or do Atlanta Troops use a different camp?

[SteveJ]

My older son is OA and remembers getting drenched during his Ordeal .Said he was glad he had a good synthetic bag that kept him warm. I have two sons now 23 and 26, both Eagles.

that's great....while my oldest son didn't Eagle, he was teasing the younger brother before the weekend about the "quest for the bear" that our lodge talks about during the OA ceremonies... 18 y.o., who did Eagle, just grinned and watched.... son is pretty proud of getting through the "ordeal."


You guys up at Camp Rainey or do Atlanta Troops use a different camp?

I'm actually in Gwinnett County - Northeast Georgia Council - so we were indeed at Rainey Mtn! Son dug a ditch for a waterline as part of his ordeal. I helped a crew put new covers on about 75 torn up cots to get ready for summer camp....enjoyed seeing the ordeal ceremony again. The Scout who played Kitchkinet is my oldest son's age, and was in the troop with him (Scoutmaster at the time's son) - just home from college, and participating in his last OA ceremony since he turns 21 in September....

....and back to topic, my 12 year old's total pack weight last month on our 50 mile hike, with his hammock and ridgerest pad, all of his food, and 1L of water, was about 18 lbs....

[River Runner]

I love hammocking. The pad configuration is dependent on how cold it is going to get, but one thing to consider is that you may want a wider pad than the Z-Rest due to the way the hammock wraps around the shoulders. There are a number of ways to do this. I happen to like the wide Gossamer Gear thin-light (http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/thinlight.html), but some use something like the Speer Hammocks pad extender (http://www.speerhammocks.com/Products/SPE.htm), while some make their own contraptions, like our own Sgt. Rock's wing pad (http://hikinghq.net/hammock/wing_pad.html).

[bigcranky]

My hammock setup is slightly heavier than my ground setup in summer.

6x10 tarp, homemade bivy, Prolite 4 pad: 3 pounds

Hammock, same 6x10 tarp, 3/4 Z-rest: 3.5 pounds

I find I need a 3/4 pad in the hammock even in summer, as I tend to get cold overnight when the temps drop below 65 or 70. Especially if it's breezy. I could possibly lighten up the hammock a bit, but I like the 9-foot Hennessey (Explorer Ultralight), and I've added webbing and carabiners for a very simple and quick hang.

The extra half pound in summer is no big deal, and I like the comfort and flexibility of the hammock.

[Tinker]

Leave the pad at home:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/237103382ByZIeG

Unless it is very warm, you don't need a Hennessy Hammock.

This way you aren't carrying extra fabric weight in the form of an oversized hammock with bug netting, and the sleeping bag (if it fits snugly) provides insulation underneath you. That, adding to the fact that, if it rains, only the tarp above you collects additional water weight, makes it much lighter when wet than a tent with a wet floor and fly or even a bivy with a wet floor. It's nice to lay in your hammock and watch streams of water run underneath while you smugly remain warm and dry. If you need bug netting you can always buy a hammock net from one of several vendors, my favorite lightweight design manufactured by Mountain Laurel Designs (www.mountainlaureldesigns.com (http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com)).

[take-a-knee]

Leave the pad at home:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/237103382ByZIeG

Unless it is very warm, you don't need a Hennessy Hammock.

This way you aren't carrying extra fabric weight in the form of an oversized hammock with bug netting, and the sleeping bag (if it fits snugly) provides insulation underneath you. That, adding to the fact that, if it rains, only the tarp above you collects additional water weight, makes it much lighter when wet than a tent with a wet floor and fly or even a bivy with a wet floor. It's nice to lay in your hammock and watch streams of water run underneath while you smugly remain warm and dry. If you need bug netting you can always buy a hammock net from one of several vendors, my favorite lightweight design manufactured by Mountain Laurel Designs (www.mountainlaureldesigns.com (http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com)).

I disagree, if it is warm, you will need the bugnet for sure. The hennessy net adds 4oz, the MLD weighs 8oz. Every hammock should try and find if they can sleep on a pad without undue back sweating issues. At a minimum I'd carry a torso length pad and use it from my lower back and under my legs, where sweating isn't such an issue, a piece of evazote that sized will weigh 4 oz and double as a sit pad, and provide backup if you have to go to ground.

If you can sleep directly on top of a pad, then get a 30 in wide piece of evazote and trim it coffin shaped. Speer hammock, Gossamer Gear, and Oware sell them. Pads are lighter than underquilts, if you can use them. If you decide hammocking is for you, then you can investigate underquilts.

[Bulldawg]

I'm actually in Gwinnett County - Northeast Georgia Council - so we were indeed at Rainey Mtn! Son dug a ditch for a waterline as part of his ordeal. I helped a crew put new covers on about 75 torn up cots to get ready for summer camp....enjoyed seeing the ordeal ceremony again. The Scout who played Kitchkinet is my oldest son's age, and was in the troop with him (Scoutmaster at the time's son) - just home from college, and participating in his last OA ceremony since he turns 21 in September....

I dropped out of Boy Scouts about 6 months in. The troop was not very outdoors oriented so I was not really "into" it. I regret not finding myself another local troop, but they were not as many around this area 20 years ago as there are now. I hope my son will start cub scouts next year. I am not going to force him, but I will be "STONGLY" encouraging it.


....and back to topic, my 12 year old's total pack weight last month on our 50 mile hike, with his hammock and ridgerest pad, all of his food, and 1L of water, was about 18 lbs....

Wow, that's light. Did you or someone else carry his bag? Because if he was 18 lbs with water, bag, pack, food, hammock, and pad; that is really light!!

[SteveJ]

I dropped out of Boy Scouts about 6 months in. The troop was not very outdoors oriented so I was not really "into" it. I regret not finding myself another local troop, but they were not as many around this area 20 years ago as there are now. I hope my son will start cub scouts next year. I am not going to force him, but I will be "STONGLY" encouraging it.

great! all 3 of my boys started as Tigers in first grade....just remember that the boys' Cub Scout den is only as good as the den leaders leading it - and the purpose of "round-up" (when they sign up for Cub Scouts) - is to recruit leaders for his den (not to recruit the boys! they're already committed!). Cub Scouts is a lot about family involvement and family activities, with some family camping weekends.... It can be really craft-oriented if you have a leader that's so inclined....


Wow, that's light. Did you or someone else carry his bag? Because if he was 18 lbs with water, bag, pack, food, hammock, and pad; that is really light!!

oh, yeah, he carried everything! This is a pic of his pack on the 30 mile trip we did last summer, when he was 11:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=17778&catid=member&imageuser=6309

I just did a spreadsheet "guess-timate" of his pack weight on the trip last month:

item / weight (oz)
Mountainsmith Seraph pack 32
TNF Youth 20 deg synth bag 37
ridgerest 3/4 9
HH hammock 37
1L water 32
fuel 8
pocket rocket 3
clothes 48
Food 64
Misc (knife, 1st aid, rope, etc.)16
286 oz
17.9 lb

We did re-supply mid-way through the trip, so were carrying about 3 days worth of food.... His food weight looks high, but does include snacks, etc. that he constantly eats on the trail....

[CajunHiker]

Sorry to highjack, but since we're talking about scouts...

SteveJ,
My son and I are going to Woodruff this summer. Have you been there, if so, any words of wisdom?

Bear Cables,
Are you also involved with scouts? We're with T611.

[littlelaurel59]

I am considering trying hammocks in an effort to continue to go lighter. They seem by appearance to be comfortable and rain protected and convienient. But....I keep reading about the need of extra gear, under pads, quilts, two pads etc. What is the real total wt. involved in switching to a hammock. Can I do it in the summer on the AT using my Zrest pad and a 30 degree down Northface 3/4 zipper?

Most of us who hammock do so for comfort, not for weight. There are some who find hammocks uncomfortable, and they make disparaging comments about us.

In the summer, a hammock, tarp, thin pad (if you expect cool nights), and a summer bag are all you need. My Hennessy Ultralight with tarp weighs about 2 pounds. I can use a thinner (hence lighter) pad in my hammock than when I am on the ground. In the cool months, you need to add a little more insulation underneath.

You can get a bit lighter on the ground if you follow the ultralight philosophy (silnylon tarp, tyvek groundsheet, ccf pad), but you will be heavier if you use most "traditional" equipment (double-walled tent, groundsheet, Thermarest pad, etc.). But either way, I sleep MUCH better in the hammock.

[gold bond]

chuckle...my son and I had an Order of the Arrow campout this weekend at a Boy Scout Camp (he had his ordeal, for those of you who are interested :D). I set up my hammock behind a group of tents... The next morning, one of the other adults walked by and asked me about my setup (total weight, brand, etc.)... when I mentioned how well I sleep in it, he chuckled and said, "yeah, when I got up to go to the bathroom at 3:30 this morning - and again at 6:30 - I could tell somebody was sleeping good!"

My son is a Eagle and a Vigil member and I am Brotherhood member as well. Congrates to your son!

[gold bond]

I love hammocking. The pad configuration is dependent on how cold it is going to get, but one thing to consider is that you may want a wider pad than the Z-Rest due to the way the hammock wraps around the shoulders. There are a number of ways to do this. I happen to like the wide Gossamer Gear thin-light (http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/thinlight.html), but some use something like the Speer Hammocks pad extender (http://www.speerhammocks.com/Products/SPE.htm), while some make their own contraptions, like our own Sgt. Rock's wing pad (http://hikinghq.net/hammock/wing_pad.html).

My pad slid around like it was on ice! I have purchased some of the old bathtub flower looking things to stick on the bottom to hopefully remedy this.

[sofaking]

My pad slid around like it was on ice! I have purchased some of the old bathtub flower looking things to stick on the bottom to hopefully remedy this.
check the home made forums about this...

[Dingus Khan]

hey cables;

i have an ems 20* mountain light (2lbs, with 3oz 800+ down over-stuffed in upper baffles)
36"x 48" x 1/4" GG pad ( ? 6oz after trimming)
HH explorer ultralight using the ring-buckle system and tree huggers from www.strapworks.com - 12 ft each side for range and adaptability (2.25lbs)

10x12' hex tarp that i believe was originally supplied as a replacement tarp with the HH from Tom (16oz)

you can def. go lighter, but this setup has worked for me comfortably (NOT shivering and calling it warm...) down into the mid 20's. below that i have to add clothing, mainly just to keep my feet warm since they tend to be slightly elevated and a weenie-bit colder. i find eating a midnight snack really prevents the 4:00 freeze, keeps the furnace going... :)
i wear cheap walmart duofold long underwear, a fleece beaner and thick socks.
the nice thing i like about the pad is that folded over on itself it's 1/2"x19"x48 and works well for sheltering if you have to.

i have a spe but eventually became frustrated with the setup and adjustment required. the gg pad is tacky enough that you can roll in your bag and have it stay put.

hope this helps!

[Dingus Khan]

my math sucks... sorry the pad folded over is 18" wide...:rolleyes:

[6 feet over]

To me, the advantages of my hammock (quick & easy set up, ground type a non-factor, more comfortable sleep, etc) MORE than make up for any weight penalty.

That said, sorry: I don’t have the weight of my system.

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