Hammock Setup Weight Compared to Tent (Ground) Setup Weight

[Reality]

What does your hammock setup (complete hammock, tarp, stakes, guylines, sleeping pads, pillow, any shelter extras...) for general 3-season weigh in comparison to your tent/ground (complete tent, stakes, guyline, sleeping pad, pillow, any shelter extras...) setup weight for use in the exact same conditions?

Please share the best weight setups that you use for each fully-enclosed shelter type.

Reality

[tracyn]

Gee, Reality. Since I quit being a ground dweller I wouldn't know.

--------------------------------------------------------
I've been hammock camping for not quite a year so I'm still tweaking equipment. I’m mostly a weekend hiker. As it stands now here are my 3-season setups. I threw in weight of pack because I have more volume with hammock setup and like a bigger pack.

3-Season Hammock
Hennessy Ultralite Backpacker Asym / no tarp = 23.80
JRB 11 x 10 Cat Tarp = 18.00
Vargo Titanium Ultra Lite stakes 6 inches x 8 = 1.60
Western Mountaineering Summerlite = 19.00
JRB No Sniveller = 20.00
FlexAir Dual Cmpt. UL Pillow 19 x 12.5 in x 2 = 1.96
Modified Mountainsmith Phantom = 35.00 (need bigger pack for more volume of underquilt)
Total = 7 lb 7 oz

3-Season Tent
Big Agnes Seedhouse 1 SL(includes stakes) = 49.40
Western Mountaineering Summerlite = 19.00
Thermarest Prolite 3 – Short = 13.00
FlexAir Dual Cmpt. UL Pillow 19 x 12.5 in = 0.98
ULA Conduit = 20.00
Total = 6 lb 6 oz

My WM Summerlite is rated to 32 degrees. I supplement with extra clothing when needed in both hammock and tent. It has full zip so I use it as the top quilt in hammock and have no desire to replace it with quilt. No Sniverler quilt is used as the underquilt. (I have 2 inflatable pillows in hammock because I like to put one under my knees for comfort.)

Summer weather is where my weight improves for hammock. When it doesn’t drop below 65 – 70 degrees at night. I drop the JRB underquilt, go back to smaller A-sym tarp and can use the Conduit pack. Used this lighter setup into Sept / Oct. weekends last year when it was unseasonably warm and dry. My tent setup pretty much stays the same.

Summer Tent Setup w/ pack = 6 lb 6 oz
Summer Hammock Setup w/ pack = 4 lb 11 oz

[BR360]

Without all the gory details,
I pay a 1.5 to 2 lb* premium for using my hammock vs tent for late spring thru early fall in the Blue Ridge/Smokies of the Southeast USA. [* depends on whether I carry a bug net or not.]

It is well worth it. The comfort compared to ground dwelling is vast. I sleep better, I sit better, and I can do the whole pitch-camp and pack-camp *much* more easily. Just as importantly I can do it *much less* wet-and-messy if it is raining.

The benefits I get from the hammock:
* not worrying about finding a flat (-ish) campsite
* more choices of campsites (though camping on exposed balds is not possible without going to ground)
* not having to clear the ground of rocks, roots etc. for a sleeping spot
* being able to keep all my gear off the ground, off the dirt
* using my hammock as both a chair, a lounger, and as a bed
* using my hammock as a gear-shelf while packing and unpacking
* additional speed getting camp set-up or packed-up (roughly a 10-minute advantage)
* not worrying about camping on already rain-wet ground
* better "air conditioning" in hot & muggy weather

Advantages from tenting (for me):
* better in windy and cold weather (I don't have an underquilt).

That about sums it up!

[Shug]

Originally Posted by Reality

What does your hammock setup (complete hammock, tarp, stakes, guylines, sleeping pads, pillow, any shelter extras...) for general 3-season weigh in comparison to your tent/ground (complete tent, stakes, guyline, sleeping pad, pillow, any shelter extras...) setup weight for use in the exact same conditions?

Please share the best weight setups that you use for each fully-enclosed shelter type.

Reality

I love hammock camping for the comfort and it is just plain fun.... I have not slept on the ground since starting to hammock about a year ago. Really hooked on it.
So my 3 season hammock set up is:
DIY hammock, black bishop bag, 12' polypro webbing 16 oz
Bug Net 4.2 oz
DIY Half Under Quilt w/ suspension 11 oz
WM Sleeping Bag 20º 36 oz
6) titanium stakes 2 oz
DIY Black Cat Tarp with added Flaps and lines 28 oz
Thermarest Ridge Rest Closed Cell Pad 8 oz = 105.2 oz or 6.57 LBS
Add ULA Catalyst Pack 43 oz = 148.2 oz or 9.26 LBS

3 season ground set-up:
HS Contrail 30 oz
WM Bag 36 oz
Thermarest Prolite Pad 23oz
7) stakes 2.50 oz = 91.5 oz or 5.71 LBS
Add ULA Catalyst 43 oz = 134.5 oz or 8.40 LBS

Pretty close actually. Hammocks do require a bit of tweaking but I enjoy that.... what else am I gonna do in the woods?
Shug

[Mike_in_FHAZ]

I use a modified Claytor Mosquito.
MacCat micro tarp
homemade quilt
guyline, tarp tensioners
4 ti stakes
stuff sack
GG thinlight (1/4) CCF pad
weight is 57.1 oz.
in temps below 40 I add an underquilt to make the grand total of 78.5 oz.

this is a slightly unfair assesment, as I no longer have a fully enclosed shelter and sleep under an 8oz tarp most the winter (when temps drop below 30° and I dont have the right [heavy] hammock quilts)
so let's say I use the tent of my dreams... in comparible weather situations...

GG "one" seam sealed
TR Prolite 3
GG polycryo groundsheet
WM Highlite
floatie pillow
some stakes
looks like about 60.5 oz.
in temps below 40 I would use a WM Ultralite for a total weight of 71.5 oz.

[Hobbit]

weights in oz
Hammock
Clark Ultra lite 28.3
Tarp 8X10 Speer with guy lines 13.8
Sleeping Pad - Underquilt for warmth - JRB Stealth - 17
Stakes 4
Total 63.1 @ 3.9 lbs

Ground / Tent
Tarp Tent Rainbow 32
Sleeping Pad - Max Thermo 2.5" inflated pad 22.1
Sleeping Pad - extra to aid warmth of above 1/4" thick 3/4 length foam - 5.3
Stakes 4
Total 63.4 @ 3.96 lbs

For both of the above I use a Montbell SS #2 in an approx range of 20 - 40 degree F. Below 20 deg F I've got to add 5 oz of internal pad to the hammock set up to aid in warmth. The ground / tent set up is ok as is below 20 deg F.

Above 40 degrees I begin to go straight hammock and leave the Montbell ss at home and use the Stealth inside as an over quilt.

[Mike_in_FHAZ]

its getting colder...this setup will go into the high 20's (provided i wear a down vest, light fleece bottoms and light wool socks). the tarp is giant. it will cover 2 hammocks in a pinch. but im not getting wet! and it protects my underside from chilly wind.

DIY bridge hammock
11x10 sil tarp
torso bug net
tensioners, guylines, stakes
stuff sack
36.3
1/2 underquilt, 4" loft
1/2 underpad, reflectix
top quilt, 35°
28.8

total hammock weight: 65oz.
I think this is going to be my 4 season setup, if I need lower than high 20's then I add a 1/4" ccf pad to the setup, for 5 extra ounces. (bulky, however)

my actual ground set-up:
Lunar Solo + accessories 24.1
BA insul. aircore mummy 24.5
GG polycryo groundsheet 1.8
35° quilt 12.8
floatie pillow 1.6
some stakes ~1.5 (4 ea, ti)
looks like about 66.3 oz

it took a few tries with various combinations to settle on the finalized decision, that is a DIY "bridge" style hammock. The set-up is sometimes lighter than a comparible ground system, but it is more comfortable. Im finally satisfied. (for now )
i have decided to use the Lunar Solo only when trips call for a shelter system for camping below 20 degrees. I was planning on purchasing (or sewing my own) a 5-10° sleeping bag/quilt.

[nogods]

My old tent setup was about a pound heavier than my original hammock setup.

But since adding a gear hammock and storm shield (for colder weather and privacy in group camping), along with a seprate small tarp backpack rain cover (which I could leave at home but it is a great convenience in the rain), they now weigh about the same - around 4 lbs total

However, comfort, convenience, and flexibility rather than weight are the reasons I use a hammock.

[Reality]

Here are the total weight specs for my 3-season hammock and ground3-season (fully-enclosed) setups:

Ground (Shelter/Netting, Mat, Line/Stakes): 30 Ounces

Hammock (Hammock/Suspension, Netting, UQ, Tarp, Line/Stakes): 57 Ounces

[Note: These are not the specs for my lightest options/configurations.]

I'm a firm believer that weight is not the only factor in making gear/kit decisions. I do not make choices simply for the sake of cutting weight (i.e. fitting into someone's arbitrarily-concocted weight-class category). Depending upon a variety of circumstances, extra weight can actually make a trip much more enjoyable.

Reality

[PBF Support]