I was just looking to get into hammocking and was glad to see the arrival of the new hammock forum over here. Since I was looking to purchase a setup soon, I was curious to see what the folks over here are using for their hammock, tarp and UQ.

I was looking to get a WBBB 1.1 single with an OES Maccat standard in spinn and a Molly Mac 3/4 IX Uq. Those 3 pieces should put me right around 39oz or so which is equivalent (give or take a few ounces) to my 3 season ground setup (shelter, bivy and pad. For winter I have a JRB Hudson River which I plan on using as an UQ instead of a TQ.

Edited by Slvravn on 08/25/2010 08:13:14 MDT.

Nathan,
Everything I have heard about the WBBB is excellent, I think you will be very happy with it. I have not tried one though. The OES maccat tarps also seem to be very well received. I would love to hear a review from you if you get a UQ made from IX, pics too.

I am using myog 1.1 single layer, removable bug net ( only covers top half of me, and just hangs from ridgeline ), and a 5x9 sil tarp (just barely enough coverage, would be miserable in a hard rain with wind), and 7/64 whoopies.

My total weight for tarp/guylines, bugnet, hammock, whoopies, ridgeline, treestraps, carabiners (will swap for softshackles) is 23oz.

I have removed quite a bit of extra cord, trimmed my bugnet, and shortened my hammock since I weighed everything. So I should be lighter then the 23oz. I will have to weigh it again.

I am starting my UQ tonight. Tried the pad and it doesn't work for me.
If all goes right my UQ should be around 12oz.

It looks like you are heading in the right direction, good luck.
Let us know about the IX UQ.

I have had two different Hennessey Hammocks, a WBBB 1.1 single and 1.1 double. I sold the Hennesseys and kept the WBBBs, and the 1.1 single is my favorite.

I've also had the OES Maccat Tarp, but I ended up selling it and buying the WB Edge Tarp in Silnylon. Both tarps were great, but I like the WB a little better (mostly because of the service). They also sell it in Spinn which saves 3 oz, but can be a little noisier.

I've never heard of the Molly Mac UQ, so I can't comment on that (not that I should have heard of it). I have two Te-Wa UQ's which work great - warm and light.

I've found that you can shed several ounces by working on your suspension. Get lightweight tree straps (one short and one long, to handle most tree sizes but still maintaining light weight), whoopie slings and "soft shackles" aka "nacrabiners" (biners made of amsteel).

Now that I'm all hyped up about hammocking, I think I'll go pack my gear and plan a trip...

Chris - sounds like a nice setup. Any chances of seeing a few photos of the DIY hammock and UQ when it is finished?

Dennis - i was looking at the edge too, bit started to look at OES after all the great reviews on them. However, I have sent OES a couple of emails about a few questions I had and no response as of yet......

How do you like the edge and its coverage on the BB?

As for the IX UQ, here is the LINK if you want to find out more on it. At 5.5 oz for a possible 3 season uq it has me intrigued.

"i was looking at the edge too, bit started to look at OES after all the great reviews on them. However, I have sent OES a couple of emails about a few questions I had and no response as of yet......"

...that's exactly the same experience I had (and apparently others have as well). I know he's a busy college student, but he really has a hard time responding to emails in my experience.

"How do you like the edge and its coverage on the BB?"

The Edge covers just as well, if not better, because it was made by the same guy who made the BB. Like I said, I had them both, used them both, and decided to sell the OES. But if I kept the OES, I would have been happy with that as well.

Thanks for showing me the IX UQ - now I'm gonna end up spending more $$$!

Dennis - I appreciate your insight on the edge and I am always happy to play the part of gear enabler!

Nathan,
I have some pics of my hammock, tarp and bug net under the myog section. I think the title was "MYOG hammock, tarp and bugnet" from a couple weeks ago, or you could click on my name and look at my posts, probably easier.

I just started making the UQ, i'm taking pics and will post as soon as it is done.

Chris, you are going to love that IX underquilt. I have a custom, Tim Marshall, top quilt with three layers of IX. I have not had a chance to use it yet because it has been too hot, but it is an incredible piece of kit. It is 21 oz for an ASSUMED 20 degrees (or lower) of comfort that packs smaller than my down quilts. Review coming SOON.

With apologies to Sgt. Rock (whose post I plagiarized for this), here's one UL hammock "system".

Here are some pieces one could buy and only have to know how to tie a couple of knots to make a SUL hammock.

- Hammock: Grand Trunk Nano7 - without the biners. 4.91 ounces ~$70

- Suspension: 6' Dynaglide Whoopie Slings from www.whoopieslings.com. 0.64 ounces $18.55. Arrowhead Equipment also sells them but I don't know the weight.

- Toggles: Arrow toggles from www.whoopieslings.com 0.18 ounces $4

- Tree Straps: Variety of sources. Your pick... ~2.00 ounces. ~$15

- Hammock Ridge-line: 1.75mm utility line from Arrowhead Equipment. Length will vary based on your comfort and how you tie knots, but 9' of line would probably be a good start. ~0.21 ounces $2.25

- Stuff Sack: Medium cuben stuff sack from www.Zpacks.com. 0.25 ounces $12.95

- Tarp Ridge-Line and Strings: 50' of yellow and 50' of black 1.25mm spectra cord from Zpacks. You won't need all this but they sell it in 50' lengths. you need about 26' of black and 40' of yellow. 0.32 ounces for the ridge-line and 0.35 ounces for the tarp strings. $25.90

- Tarp: To exactly replicate my tarp you need a 7'x9' cuben tarp from Zpacks.com with 16 tie out points. That would be 4.45oz for $210. There are other tarp options out there if you don't want the rectangle.

So far to get all that you only need to know a couple of knots and have some cash. It would get you at about 13.31 ounces for the hammock, suspension, weather protection, and storage - for about $360 not including shipping from these various places.

The only hole in buying one at this point would be getting the net.