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  1. #1
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    Default If money were no object...

    If money were no object and you were doing an AT thru-hike what would your ideal set up be? I'm a hanger wannabe and really confused about all the options despite spending hours reading here and on the Hammock Hangers site. So let me hear it.

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    I plan on using my Hammock/Trap in the summer months and tent in the winter months.

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Butterfly58 View Post
    If money were no object and you were doing an AT thru-hike what would your ideal set up be? I'm a hanger wannabe and really confused about all the options despite spending hours reading here and on the Hammock Hangers site. So let me hear it.
    I was going to say something like having a personal sushi chef, big arse amps to blast my beats or at least cymbal and sax players, and hiking with Dane Cook and topless twin female HOTTIES that would sprinkle rose petals out before me where I walked. I would hike with a caravan like a sheik and take over an entire AT shelter, have bodyguards, and cook imported Argentinian steaks and Chilean Sea Bassand drink bottled Italian Mineral every night. However, that would be childish except for the women which in case that's the whole pt of bringing them - to get me to feel childish speaking baby gibberish.

    I'm at the pt where I've designed my life that I know I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to in the season I'm supposed to do it. That's enough FOR ME. I wouldn't change a thing! The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence.

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    With unlimited money I wouldn't worry about my gear. I'd take what seemed good and keep replacing it until I was happy. Off hand, I'd probably not replace any of my current gear, as it suits me well.
    "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss

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    Ok, ya'll are funny, lmao. Maybe I should rephrase the question. If money were no object and you were buying a hammock set up for thru-hiking the AT, what would you buy and why? Give me specifics, like I'd buy this specific top quilt because it would be good for the whole range of temps, etc. or I'd buy these 2 top quilts for all ranges of temps. See what I mean? Include hammock, tarps, quilts, accessories, everything, mix and match brands whatever. Let's try again.

  6. #6

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    Oh that's what you mean Dream UL Darien in 11 ft length with .51 cuben Grosgrained glued tie outs rain fly with home made even lighter wt whoopie sings. I would want my Darin custom width to be 58" wide. But don't know all the much about hammocks. Still need more reaerarch but that's the wayb I'm currently leaning - UL wt, decently comfortable lay, compact. Might want one with no bug netting, zips, etc and ONLY add a DIY 1/3 length bug sock when needed. I think I can get it down to about 14 -15 ozs.

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    My big problem is I can't decide which tent/pack/sleeping bag/etc... to buy. So if money were no object, I would buy one of everything on my short list so I could try them all out. I'd probably still stick to the $0.50 cat food can stove however.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Odd Man Out View Post
    My big problem is I can't decide which tent/pack/sleeping bag/etc... to buy. So if money were no object, I would buy one of everything on my short list so I could try them all out. I'd probably still stick to the $0.50 cat food can stove however.
    +1 ... & if there would be no snapping of pics/posting to youtube by fellow hikers I'd trade those two topless hottie sherpas for their male counterparts.

  9. #9

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    Oh, a sherpa! Easy answer.
    Quilteresq
    2013, hopefully.

  10. #10
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    I would definitely go with a cuben fiber tarp which means either Hammock Gear of ZPacks, and you might want to look at a hammock with a bugnet, I think the Darien's have that option or a Warbonnet Black Bird, I would get a set of summer quilts and winter quilts probably from Hammock Gear (even though I didn't have the best experience dealing with them, I think I'm in the minority and would give them another chance) and some light stakes like the msr groundhogs, lash-it guy lines, dutch gear for all the connections on the tarp and hammock suspension. I think wilderness logics hammocks offer bugnets to.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Feral Bill View Post
    With unlimited money I wouldn't worry about my gear. I'd take what seemed good and keep replacing it until I was happy. Off hand, I'd probably not replace any of my current gear, as it suits me well.
    Sound like some that we have been following in 2013 class.
    The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
    Richard Ewell, CSA General


  12. #12
    The trail is childhood reborn. Simple, carefree, and full of Wonders Captn's Avatar
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    A hammock is such a personal choice .... Depending on your height, weight, sleeping style, etc. I would recommend going to a hammock "hang" in your area and try out a few. I use a Hennessy, but I am one of the few that really like the bottom entry

  13. #13
    Registered User DavidNH's Avatar
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    If money were no object.. hmm I'd hire a sherpa to carry my gear. I'd stay at the finest hotels along the trail. I'd have one of those 600 something dollar Bibler tents! heck.. maybe I could even hire a chef who likes hiking to cook for me :-)

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    Hahaha!!! Everybody's a comedian, lol.

  15. #15

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    I have a Hennessy and it's ok. But when I was hiking in April, my friend Spark2Fire let me try out her hammock and it fricken rocks!!!!!!! It's a Clark Jungle hammock and it is soooooooo incredibly comfortable! Here's the website:
    http://www.junglehammock.com/

    Also, you should consider going over to the Hammock Forum site which is WB's sister site (or maybe brother site, not sure and don't want to offend anyone). https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/?
    Trillium

  16. #16
    Registered User q-tip's Avatar
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    There's never enough money......

  17. #17
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    15 replies - one of them worthwhile. Why did I expect more in the hammock forum?
    Pain is a by-product of a good time.

  18. #18
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    I'll give you a serious response .

    (1) Tarp: I want (a) durability, (b) light weight, (c) ability to set up and take down quickly, (d) enough coverage, (e) ability to go to ground easily
    I recommend the MacCat Deluxe in silnylon. It is heavier than the cuben fiber tarps, but even if I had the money I would not upgrade to Cuben. It is tried and true and can put up with heavy use. 2000+ miles is a long way. I tried three different tarps on my thru hike; this was the best for me. I went to a bigger tarp (Superfly) when I picked up a dog but it was too big - too many tie downs to manage and it just became annoying. That is in addition to the heavier weight.

    (2) Hammock: A generic gathered end hammock made of 1.5/1.7 oz breathable nylon. I prefer the slightly heavier fabric so that I can use it as a seat with a friend. The one I used most was from BIAS, I think it was 1.5 oz and I would have preferred a slightly stronger material. I used a separate bug sock (sock, not zippered net) from Dream Hammocks. I would do it that way again because it was nice to have the bug sock completely removable. Check out Dream Hammocks and the hammock forums - I think a number of innovations have been made since I bought my hammock, including modifications to the Dangerbird that make the bug net completely removable.
    Bottom line: Run of the mill gathered end hammock with a bug sock / Dream Hammock that has the completely removable bug net. Fabric weight of 1.7 oz to enable group sitting.

    (3) Whoopie slings - definitely. Sometimes I needed that extra reach.

    (4) Standard tree straps will be just fine. I liked the ones from Arrowhead Equipment.

    (5) Accessories for tarp - definitely. Find out what works for you for speed and ease of use. Dutch Tarp Flyz (I think) and Dutch Hook were what I used. I bought the kit from Jacks R Better for tarp guy lines and it served me well even though the line tensioners added a bit of weight.

    (6) Top quilt - any good quality 20 degree quilt. If there is even a chance you might sleep on the ground, get one that is wider in the shoulders. Or just get the ones that are intended for use on the ground. I would buy from Enlightened Equipment. (I have a Leigh Lo and it's great. I would like it to be a couple inches wider but it's fine the way it is. She may or may not still be making them, she was stopping.) 20 degree LeighLo worked for my whole hike (aside from winter - I imagine you won't be in winter).

    (7) Underquilt - I carried one. I really liked my LeighLo because it had a triangle suspension. (No fabric but cord that did the same thing.) It was easy to manage which is really the key.

    (8) Pad - Depends how often you will go to ground. I ended up carrying a Z-lite. (And ditching the hammock, but that's another story, one about winter.)

    In sum:
    MacCat Deluxe silnylon
    Dream Hammock Thunderbird single layer 1.8 oz, 60" wide, 10' long. It's on the heavier end. That's where I would go.
    Whoopie slings, Dutch flyz, Dutch hook
    Enlightened Equipment 20 degree top quilt
    UQ: (I would not carry an UQ because I end up going to ground a fair bit) 60" 20 degree underquilt
    Z-lite pad (only carry if you go to ground a good bit.

    That's my highly personal view of the matter. I can carry a lot: I bumped my base weight up to 23 lbs from 17 just for fun stuff I added. I carried a Catalyst.
    Merry 2012 AT blog
    "Not all those who wander are lost."

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by fredmugs View Post
    15 replies - one of them worthwhile. Why did I expect more in the hammock forum?
    I didn't. For serious hammock discussion I go to HammockForums.Net.

    To answer the question though, and keep in mind this would differ from my choices for a non-thru-hike, I'd probably end up with a cuben fiber tarp with similar dimensions to the Warbonnet Edge (which would weigh absolutely nothing,) a custom UL hammock of some kind (BIAS Weight Weenie seems like a good starting point,) and a set of custom UL quilts from Hammock Gear or Warbonnet.

    I don't know your first hammock set up should be thru-hike focused though. For non-thru-hiking I'd have something more similar to my current set up... A big tarp like the Superfly (but if I could afford it it'd be a cuben) and a bigger, more comfortable hammock. For a thru-hike I'd be focused on hiking so my hammock gear would be to sleep in only, for the type of backpacking I actually do I like my hammock gear to do a whole lot more.

  20. #20
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    My ways are too firmly set and too far off topic to reply here.
    On the other hand...
    Your hammock lust is only a small percentage of your total list of stuff for a Thru-Hike.
    Did you mention seasons for said Thru-Hike? One piece of insulation for the whole range of temps.? Unrealistic.
    Spare no expense stuff?
    A sub-3 pound custom McHale pack retaining everything I like about my Dana Design Terraplane pack.
    A pair of Limmer custom boots.
    An assortment of Western Mountaineering down goodies to match the season.
    A Hilleberg cuben fiber all weather hammock that would require some ballast to keep it from floating away.
    A pair of carbon fiber poles and Spectra lines to support said Hilleberg hammock in places like Cirque of the Towers.
    Time to use the above whenever and wherever I please.

    Back to reality...

    Wayne
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