If money were no object...

[DavidNH]

sorry.. when I read if money were no object.. I mistakenly assumed this was for the humor forum :-)

[Dogwood]

BTW, regardless of money I'm still getting that hammock set up! I'll work it out regardless. It's gear not a $400K Ferrari, $300K Aston Martin, or $1 mill home. $5K can trick you out with a killer TC thru-hiking kit. In the BIG scheme of things relative to the costs of MANY other things it's not expensive to thru-hike nor is hiking gear OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive even for lots of top end hiking gear. I know we all have to work(unless you've invested wisely, worked your butt off and saved, you're a trust fund baby or your two Hottie topless twins also pay your way) but think the costs associated with driving your own motor vehicle(car, truck, etc) annually.

[Meriadoc]

I don't think it's been said yet in this thread: on a thru hike gear does matter. But it doesn't matter as much as the contents of one's head, both in terms of knowledge and attitude. A so-so setup will still work. A heavier setup will still work. An ultralight setup that means I have to shiver through a night will still work.

Basically, if money is not an issue for you, try something. It doesn't matter that much if it turns out to be wrong for you. Pick out something that looks right for what you want to do and try it. The options are indeed bewildering for someone new and can cause choice paralysis. Cut down your options ruthlessly. Be arbitrary. Much of the larger hammock stuff (tarps, hammocks, quilts) will sell back for close to full value on hammockforums.net anyhow. So get your feet wet.

To find out dream setups for a thru hike you do have to specify what type of thru hike.
NOBO or SOBO?
Starting when?
Finishing when?
Will you be hiking 25+ mile days?
20 mile days?
10 mile days?
Do you like creature comforts?
Can you carry a heavy pack?
Are you hiking solo?
Do you have a dog?

Finally, in case you're stuck, here's what I would do:
Buy a Grand Trunk Ultralight Hammock. ($19.99)
Buy the Whoopie Sling kit http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/h...uspension.html ($22.50)
Spring for a MacCat Deluxe in silnylon. If it doesn't work for you, sell it on hammock forums when you upgrade (such as to Cuben fiber something). ($121.50 with seam sealing)
Buy some mason line or use whatever line you have for guy lines.
Buy four stakes.

The GTUL is a serviceable hammock. It will let you experiment. It's not my go-to hammock but I still put it in my pack for day hikes and climbing expeditions.
Money isn't an issue, so you can do this. And you're not throwing your money away either: every piece of gear is serviceable. You could thru hike with this setup but you will most likely find things that you want to change. If it's wrong, just sell it on hammock forums.

Hope that helps

[Cadenza]

You've had one bit of good advice. Get a Clarks Jungle Hammock.
I've tried most of them,....and I keep going back to the Clarks.
It is the most full featured hammock on the market. I also have several models of Clarks and recommending a specific model depends on when you will use it. For a Spring/Summer AT thru,....I'd go with the Ulralight 2/Tropical.

Replace the nylon ropes with Whoopi slings and tree straps.

For insulation,.....again depends on seasons/temps.
I have both an Underground Quilts full length 0 degree Zeppelin underquilt and a Hammock Gear 3/4 length 20 degree Phoenix. The 20* is enough for Spring/Summer. It's lighter, packs smaller. The 0* is obviously better in cooler weather.

For Spring/Summer I use a Hammockgear 20 degree Burrow top quilt.
In Autumn I go to Feathered Friends 25* Winter Wren specialty bag and sometimes supplement it with the Burrow top quilt.
In extreme winter (hunkered down in blizzard) I switch to Tent, Exped down mat, Western Mountaineering overkill bag. Snow is the only time I prefer a tent over a hammock.

As a basic rule of thumb, figure out the lowest temp you think you might encounter in any given season,....and then be prepared for 20 degrees below that.

edited to add:

All Clarks hammocks now use a detached tarp system so you can use any tarp you like.
The older Clarks used a 3D sculpted rain fly that attached to the hammock in a specific way.
The newer system is more versatile.

If I'm expecting cold weather and lots of rain I'll use the Underground Quilts "Winter Dream" tarp for full coverage.
It has attached doors. It's big enough to sit under, cook, etc.
For normal Spring/Summer backpacking I prefer the Hammockgear cuben fiber tarp. (The medium sized one on their website.)

[aclawrence]

If I were using this gear during a through hike I would get some good cordage like zing-it or lash-it (same thing). I think untangling mason line every night would get old in a hurry. Did you say what trail you're hiking? Is a tarp with doors important to you? Lots of people always want doors and others don't want to mess with the doors. I don't have a cuben tarp but I think if I remember correctly cuben fiber is easier to repair especially in the field. They use a special tape for the cuben material. You could take some of it in your pack in case of any tears. Lots of people take a 3/4 UQ and supplement with some type of sit pad. I switched to a hammock a little over a year ago and I have really enjoyed it. I'm still tweaking my gear and it is a lot of fun. Good luck on your quest for the ultimate hang.

[scooterdogma]

Everything is personnal choice, but this is what I have come up with for my taste and why I made that decision:

Warbonnet Blackbird single layer1.7 - The clarks are the most comfortable hammock I have ever owned, but at around 3 lbs, they are way to heavy for a thru hike. The BB weighs in at 23 ounces, is almost as comfortable and has a bugnet and a very handy "shelf" for storing your stuff by your shoulder, also makes a great chair. I use the stock tree straps with buckle, simple and fast to set up. I tried whoopie slings, but they slipped on me more times than I was comfortable with at night. I did add a Dutch clip to the strap, makes wrapping the tree strap around the trees super fast and easy. There are lighter hammocks on the market, but I like the no fuss, no problems of the BB.

As for tarps, I have "evolved" to a Hammock Gear Standard Cuben Fiber tarp w/doors. AT 6.5 ounces it is insane coverage The doors give me privacy and help with wind and rain. I use Zing-it for the tie outs and the tarp ridgeline. (Use the left over zing it for your bear bag rope) My stakes are MSR Groundhogs, they have never failed in high winds (think Mr. Toads Wild Ride in one storm), I will carry them always

My underquilt is a Baby Orca 3/4 IX Underquilt and a pro-lite pad, I've used this system down to 26 degrees and was toasty warm. Why the pad? Because I like the option of sleeping comfortably in a shelter sometimes. Some people report problems with the pad sliding about, but I have never had this problem.

I have quilts, but for a thru, I'm taking my Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bag. Again, I like the option of sleeping in a shelter.

Save yourself some time and money and buy the cuben tarp, if you get out of hammocking you can sell it on Hammockforums.net in an instant. Go to Hammockforums and click on "Hangouts, Campouts and Trip Planning", look for a "hang" near you and go! Everyone is very friendly and helpful, and most people will let you get in their hammocks and try them out. The hangs are lots of fun and hangers really enjoy answering questions about their rigs

[moytoy]

If money were no object I would quit my job and go hiking.

[kayak karl]

there is so much of my hammock gear that is DIY. not a money thing just a personal choice. i might go with Enlightenment Quilts. already got other cuben stuff.
im waiting for "If TIME was no object" thread.

[WalksInDark]

Let me chime in on the whole topic of upper and/or lower quilts.

First a couple of disclaimers: I have never used any quilts. Also, I haven't tried hammock camping in weather below 25 degrees.

What I do instead is I use a zero degree rated down sleeping bag (a super stretchy spiral mummy bag from MontBell); a Down Filled Air Mattress (EXPED 9DL DAM); and a large tarp with doors (Superfly). With this combo, I am warm and comfortable sleeping in only an undershirt and underpants even when the temps get down to 25. (Yep, I am comfortable even though I am a person who is very sensitive to the cold)

The two things I plan on trying in the future: using a double layer hammock (whereby the air mattress goes below the hammock and does not take up space inside the hammock); and sleeping in a hammock which has a built in overcover (Dangerbird: http://www.dream-hammock.com/DangerBird.html)

IMHO almost everything from Dutchware makes hammock camping much easier!

[Shonryu]

Mine would be a HH hyper light, Cuban fiber fly, zing it guidelines, whoopie slings with dutch clips, JRB Nest UQ, and JRB Sierra sniveler TQ. Oh wait I'm using those already :P. Only changes I'd make would be a JRB Greylock UQ for warmer weather. Can't think of anything else my set-up is perfect for me. My set-up weights less than most tarp tent setups unless someone isn't using a foot print and a pad. GT also makes a nano 7 @ 7 ounces. Plan on trying it out when the bugs go back into hiding. Seems like a great UL hammock for the winter.

[Butterfly58]

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies and the non-thoughtful ones, lol. I've continued to do a lot of reading, mostly on Hammock Forums, no offense. So I bit the bullet and found a barely used Warbonnet Blackbird double layer. I've already gotten it and fallen in love! I've taken it to the park and messed around with it. I can't believe how comfortable it is. I have already ordered the Superfly knowing that if I decide it's too much (it is heavy) that I can sell it. I like the idea of how it can provide so much protection. The weather for this year's thru-hiker's was severely intense and cold!!! I have MS and my body doesn't adjust to temperatures the way it's supposed to, so I'm mostly afraid of being cold. I already own a WM 20* bag that I will use as a top quilt and I have ordered a Phoenix 20* bag as an UQ. I did order several pieces of Dutch ware. My hammock already has whoopie slings on it but I just can't imagine adjusting them with wet or frozen fingers. But I'm going to keep playing with it. I already own a GG Vapor Trail pack. It's many years old. I hope all this stuff fits!!!

[Shonryu]

You can make it fit just have to be creative. Several recommendations. One if you use a compactor bag take your sleeping bag out of its stuff sack and lay it in the bottom. Makes it easier to pack things around it. Also I use snakeskins for my fly and attach it to the outside of my pack with a micro biner attached to it just to make sure I don't lose it. My snakeskins are DIY and is made out of a mesh. If my fly gets wet it allows it to dry faster. If I get caught up in a bad down poor it gives me a quick way to grab it and set up shelter to get out of the rain so I don't have to go digging through my pack risking getting anything inside it wet. Great thing about smaller packs is that they keep you from putting a lot of things you don't need in your pack.

[kidchill]

I'll just post what I used for my sobo in terms of pack and sleep system. Warbonnet double layer (can't remember if it's 1.1 or 1.7) hammock, weighs 27oz with the carabiner quick clips (sets up fast), TQ/UQ were both phoenix 40deg hammockgear with extra fill in the UQ (I think it's like 13oz/15oz on the weight), warbonnet superfly tarp (the one with doors, weighs 19oz--looking to trade this out with the winter palace cuben fiber-weighs 8.5oz), and gossamer gear Mariposa pack (26oz). I did supplement my insulation with a CCF pad for winter time...was comfortable down to 10deg. My only real complaint was with the mariposa pack. The seams started busting out within the 100mile wilderness and the strap completely broke when I hit Mass. I ghetto-rigged it and continued to use it the rest of the way. You will definitely need more insulation if you're sleeping in sub-freezing temps. I was comfy down to about 25-30deg with just this setup, but had to supplement in anything colder then that (which is fine because it's pretty accurately rated at 40 deg...I think the extra fill allowed me to take it down lower then that).

[Grits]

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

A great idea and there is a group hang at Hidden Pond coming up so you could go by and check the different setups out and ask a lot of questions.
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ad.php?t=74126

[lilricky]

Yep, come on out, and sweat with the rest of us I'll have my Warbonnet Ridgerunner bridge hammock, along with a Warbonnet Blackbird. They'll be a few other types of hammocks as well. Although you being in Texas, it might be a bit of a drive to get all the way over here to Central Florida, but hey, make it a family vacation with Mickey Rat!

[Dogwood]

im waiting for "If TIME was no object" thread.

LOL. I've learned to appreciate those entertaining parting comments from you KK.

[Butterfly58]

Kidchill, thanks for the info on the Phoenix. I've ordered the 20* but I can add a pad if needed. Depends on the spring temps in the south Appalachians next year. But I'll have one available if needed. I'd love to get a cuben tarp but just way out of my budget, so the Superfly will have to suffice for now unless I win the lottery.

Shonryu, I do use a compactor bag in my pack so that's a good tip about just putting my sleeping bag in there without stuffing it. I'll give that a try. And I was going to get some mesh snakeskins for my tarp but making them sounds cheaper. Can you give me some pointers? I'm really not a good seamstress at all. I think hanging a damp/wet tarp on the outside of my pack just makes good sense.

Thanks for all the great ideas y'all!

[Shonryu]

Here's a link for a DIY. I just used a bug net instead of what this guy used.

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

[kidchill]

Yah, the cuben is a bit pricey, but the weight savings is awesome. I'm only buying it 'cause I'm setting up a sub-10lb pack for weekend over-nighters with longer miles. The superfly is an awesome tarp! It may actually be overkill with the doors and size, but it can be used year-round and holds up well in poor weather. The only issue I had with rain water coming in was due to the hammock straps. The water would run and/or diffuse up the strap. I never got wet in my hammock, but it was enough to get my gear and food bag wet (I would hang my pack from the head strap and food bag from the foot strap). If you just tie a bandana around each end it'll keep your stuff dry.

[gravitino]

If money were no object, my hammock system for muti-day hiking, considering my weight and height, would probably look like this:

Hammock
- Warbonet Traveler 1.7 single-layer (http://warbonnetoutdoors.com/travelers.php), or
- BIAS Weight Weenie Micro in 60 or 64" width (http://buttinasling.com/wewemi.html)

Quilts
- Top Quilt: Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20-degree (http://www.enlightenedequipment.com/...revelation-20/)
- Under Quilt: Enlightened Equipment Revolt 20-degree (http://www.enlightenedequipment.com/product/revolt-uq/)

Tarp
Hammock Gear Standard Cuben Fiber Tarp with doors and 12' ridgeline (http://www.hammockgear.com/standard-...rp-with-doors/)

Bugnet
BIAS Buginator (http://buttinasling.com/buginator.html)

Suspension and Hardware
Dutch Gear (http://dutchwaregear.com/)