There were so many good ideas in the responses that were in my post about Hammocks that rather than run that one into too much detail I will ask a new question here.

What would be your ideal Hammock set up? Let's set it for a 20 degree set up.

What Hammock,
UnderQuilt UQ,
Over Quilt OQ,
any foot box?
Ridge Line?
Tarp--style attachments?
How do you store it? Snakeskins? stuff sack?
Tree attachments?
What weight would you guess it would end up?

Nomad

I'm not a hammock user but I played that game while reading your other post.
Dutchware Cameleon the $175 bug net set. Hexon 1.6, 24.75oz.
Enlightened Equipment Revolt, dreaming so 950 fill 20 degree regular, $305. 15.41oz.
Enlightened Equipment Enigma, 950 30 degrees short regular, $310. 13.30oz.
CCS 1.1oz 12x10, $206. 22oz.
75oz+ total.

I'm dreaming here but the cost is close to what I have in a solo tent setup.
BSI Chinook, BA Horsethief, Exped down 5 short, same tarp. 119oz total.
I can pare down the weight of the Chinook to the same as the Cameleon but the Horsethief and mattress weigh about 3 1/2 pounds.
It took several years of upgrading my gear to arrive at my current setup.

butthead

I don't know about optimal, but I have enjoyed using my set-up.
Hammock is ENO Doublenest.
I have Dutchware Whoopie Hook Suspension Whoopie Hook
Bottom entry bugnet:
Bugnet
All fits in this AntiGravityGear bishop bag:
bishop bag
CCS 10x12 1.1 oz tarp:
CCS tarp
Stored in this ridgeline stuff sack:
Stuff sack

Keeping me warm top and bottom:
Hammock Gear Burrow 20
Hammock Gear Incubator 20

All this weighs 109.5 ounces, or 6 lbs 13.5 ounces, including all lines and 6 stakes for the tarp, and I refuse to add up what it cost me...
But, I get a comfortable night sleep, (no lower back pain crawling out of the tent) and a system that is easy to set up, take down, and packs pretty small.
I have slept in this set-up down to 27 degrees comfortably. It will go colder, I'm sure.

quote butthead: "
I'm dreaming here but the cost is close to what I have in a solo tent setup.
butthead "

We won't talk about the cost Ken. I as well don't talk to my wife about scrapbooking supplies.

I didn't include the bells and whistles into my setup, but if I didn't make some of the Ti accessories....Costs me about $30 for a small sheet of Ti, and why? I'm not backpacking the entire way. But I 'll take a .25 plastic mitten hook and make it out of Ti. I use the justification that my students get to see how intricate and small we can make something. If I only had a water jet, but those wire EDM's sure make a nice looking part.

Guess it's like everything else in life, got to keep up with the Jones's ;-)

quote KevinL: "

quote butthead: "
I'm dreaming here but the cost is close to what I have in a solo tent setup.
butthead "

We won't talk about the cost Ken. I as well don't talk to my wife about scrapbooking supplies.


I didn't include the bells and whistles into my setup, but if I didn't make some of the Ti accessories....Costs me about $30 for a small sheet of Ti, and why? I'm not backpacking the entire way. But I 'll take a .25 plastic mitten hook and make it out of Ti. I use the justification that my students get to see how intricate and small we can make something. If I only had a water jet, but those wire EDM's sure make a nice looking part.


Guess it's like everything else in life, got to keep up with the Jones's ;-)"

Kevin, I'm not interested in the Jones's. Like you I enjoy doing what I can to make improvements. Lots of folks can scoff and laugh at us but we do these things for ourselves.
I've got to admit the Cameleon is very tempting, even to a ground dweller like me! And sleeping gear made with high loft down (the most expensive parts to my dream gear, either way), is something hard to describe.

butthead

My current hammock is a Warbonnet Blackbird but I've got a Dutchware Chameleon coming one of these weeks. I'm sure that will be my go-to hammock. I ordered it with both the bug net and the cold weather cover option.
I hang with kevlar straps and amsteel whoopie slings with titanium dutch hooks that attach to amsteel continuous loops that are affixed to my hammock proper.
I carry my hammock in a bishop bag.
Under-quilt is a Hammock Gear Incubator 20 degree.
Top quilt is an Underground Quilts Flight Jacket 30 degree, and I just purchased an Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 degree for shoulder season hanging.
I carry my quilts in sil-nylon dry sacks.
Hammock fly is a Warbonnet Superfly in cammo with a zing-it continuous ridgeline and zing-it tie-outs. All of it is fastened to various Dutch bling and carried in MountainGoat mesh snakeskins.
I am a gear head and I love cottage vendors.

Unshaven man just wrote the prescription. Ditto.

unshavenman, please post a review with photos of the Cameleon. Been watching it since it's Kickstart launch. I am a dedicated tenter but option and new gear always draw my attention, bid a trial on quilts but they do not work for me on the ground. Never too old to change. And I trust BWCA.COM member reviews over general internet.

butthead

Depending on the weather - I plan to sleep out in my "mid-May// October" set up since I'm confident the temperatures will cooperate this weekend....

I'll comment later this weekend if I do it, and temps, and what worked! ;-)

i'll participate being a hammock camper for quite a few years.

my hammock of choice today is the dutch 11 ft. net-less , around a pound or so.

i use a fronkey bug net, i can attach or not use, depending on the bugs.

my underquilt is the ahe jarbidge. it's 3 season warmth has got me to 20 degrees, under 20 ounces. i also use a 2qzq underquilt protector which blocks wind and adds warmth.

my top quilt is the ahe white cloud 25 degree, under 2 lbs.

i use zing it 1.75 line on my 2 tarps, a hennessy hex tarp, and a dutch asym tarp.

i have the dutchware titanium bling to tie up and hold the tarps in place.
both tarps under 2 lbs.

i tried going back to the tent a few times, but it was always the hammock where i got the best sleep and my body felt the best. i stick with what works for me now.

I'd have to go with what I stated on the other thread. I haven't made any hammock upgrades aside from the tarp and slug tube I'm working on for the past few years. I can't see ever needing a different setup until this one wears out.

Warbonnet Ridge Runner
10 degree DIY UQ
10 degree DIY topquilt with a footbox going 1/3 length of the quilt that can unsnap if desired.
Working to finish a winter tarp similar to the one on ripstop by the roll's plans on their website.
DIY snake skins
(working on DIY lazy slug tube that'll contain hammock and quilts) all of it is under 5 lbs. I use my puff jacket or vest as a pillow.

Thanks everyone. I got a lot of new ideas for my next couple steps in the Hammock world.

Nomad

quote VaderStrom: "I'd have to go with what I stated on the other thread. I haven't made any hammock upgrades aside from the tarp and slug tube I'm working on for the past few years. I can't see ever needing a different setup until this one wears out.


Warbonnet Ridge Runner
10 degree DIY UQ
10 degree DIY topquilt with a footbox going 1/3 length of the quilt that can unsnap if desired.
Working to finish a winter tarp similar to the one on ripstop by the roll's plans on their website.
DIY snake skins
(working on DIY lazy slug tube that'll contain hammock and quilts) all of it is under 5 lbs. I use my puff jacket or vest as a pillow."

I am interested in your "lazy slug" got pictures? DIY pattern? Dimensions?

Asking for the "Optimal hammock set-up" is like asking for the "Optimal spouse"... a whole lot depends on you.

allot of very fine gear mentioned here.

quote butthead: "unshavenman, please post a review with photos of the Cameleon. Been watching it since it's Kickstart launch. I am a dedicated tenter but option and new gear always draw my attention, bid a trial on quilts but they do not work for me on the ground. Never too old to change. And I trust BWCA.COM member reviews over general internet.


butthead"

Absolutely I'll post a review with pics when it arrives. Trust me, a hammock provides such a wonderful sleep compared to the ground, especially as one gets older.....

quote butthead: "unshavenman, please post a review with photos of the Cameleon. Been watching it since it's Kickstart launch. I am a dedicated tenter but option and new gear always draw my attention, bid a trial on quilts but they do not work for me on the ground. Never too old to change. And I trust BWCA.COM member reviews over general internet.


butthead"

Absolutely I'll post a review with pics when it arrives. Trust me, a hammock provides such a wonderful sleep compared to the ground, especially as one gets older.....

quote Grandma L: "

quote VaderStrom: "I'd have to go with what I stated on the other thread. I haven't made any hammock upgrades aside from the tarp and slug tube I'm working on for the past few years. I can't see ever needing a different setup until this one wears out.



Warbonnet Ridge Runner
10 degree DIY UQ
10 degree DIY topquilt with a footbox going 1/3 length of the quilt that can unsnap if desired.
Working to finish a winter tarp similar to the one on ripstop by the roll's plans on their website.
DIY snake skins
(working on DIY lazy slug tube that'll contain hammock and quilts) all of it is under 5 lbs. I use my puff jacket or vest as a pillow."

I am interested in your "lazy slug" got pictures? DIY pattern? Dimensions?"

HI Grandma,

I'm moving to Hopkins/Mtka this weekend so all my stuff is packed up! I'll get it out and measure when I unpack. I basically started with way more than i needed using real cheap ripstop that i've had for a few years and tapered down as i got closer to my desired size. I'm thinking about redoing it with some better material though.

I have used a number of hammocks and my current set up is a Warbonnet Blackbird XLC with Hammock Gear down quilts. With that said, I have come to the conclusion that the best set up is an 11' netless gathered end hammock with former fabric (like hexon) and a fronkey style net. The ability to adjust your UQ at night inside the net is priceless. In addition, netless hammocks don't seem to have as much calf ridge. I HATE the calf ridge in my XLC.