greywolf1974
12-05-2012, 18:17
I used a hobo2 from dicks sporting goods 19.95$ , and a 5$ blue tarp. Both together were under a pound. I started may 4th so cold was not a factor. I left strings on the corner pieces of the tarp to tie around trees and hung it about a foot above in a triangle shape. It worked even in sideways rain. The only night I had a problem was in the shenny's during the derichio (the storm that wiped out power for days in DC). Luckily i was at a shelter and took refuge there. As a challenge me an another hiker sent our hammocks home right before the whites and finished cowboy camping and sheltering it - we finished oct 6th. I did however use my heavy sleeping bag for the finish. A hiking friend early on found an abandoned tent, which he took the zipper from and sewed it to his bag so whne it was chilly he could zip inside. I plan on using the same setup for my next trip which is the florida trail but with a rig job. Bugs were actually never a problem on my thru. There were a few times the gnats were out of hand and would circle your head like crazy, but when i got under the tarp for some reason they left me alone (dont know why). They were bugging me during setup and take down , (crazy). For the Florida bugs I plan on sewing on bug netting to one side- the other side to a zipper. Then sewing 2 tabs on the top about midway at each end with strings to tie to the trees, so the bug netting is 8-12 inches above me. Ill tell you guys how this worked out when im finished with my project. Anyway , for the budget minded hiker you really dont need a bunch of expensive gear to hike the trail.