Just Jeff's Hammock Camping Page

How do hammock weights compare to ground setups?

I made this chart just to compare a few setups that are representative of what people actually carry. While I'm always trying to cut unnecessary weight from my pack, I'm not sure how useful these comparisons are - I think that once you get to a certain point, a few ounces won't be the deciding factor for most hikers. For example, Carol Crooker from BackpackingLight.com has posted a few sub-5 pound base weights (including pack) for her trips. Those stories are worth a read (but you'll need a membership), but here's my point - if you can get your base weight below 5 pounds, what difference does it make if your ground setup saves 3 ounces over her hammock setup? Aside from the challenge of seeing how light you can go, most hikers won't make their decisions based solely on a 3 ounce difference when they're actually choosing a sleep system.

So how do the weights compare? Pretty favorably, considering the comfort of a hammock. According to these weights, it's possible to get hammock setup weights to be equal to ground setups, even lighter in some cases, but most are a few ounces more. No big deal - it's not a contest and most hammockers say they do it for the comfort and not the weight savings - but here are some important points to consider when comparing weights:

First, you shouldn't ignore the comfort issue. For most hammockers, sleeping in a hammock is MUCH more comfortable than a 3.7 oz NiteLite pad. And not many lightweight backpackers actually carry pads that light, anyway.
Must compare feature for feature. It's easy to say, "A tarp is lighter than a hammock and a tarp." Which is true - but a Hennessy or Speer setup also provides completely enclosed bug protection, full rain protection (no bivy needed), maybe an 8x10 tarp that you can stand up in, much more comfort, more convenience for site selection (unless you're above treeline, in the desert, etc). Adding these features in to a ground setup increases the weight - that's why I tried to pick some representative ground setups that people actually use.
User body characteristics. Bigger people need bigger (heavier) sleeping bags, older people may need inflatable mattresses, some folks may sleep cold and require more insulation for a given temp (like me), etc. The setups below are just estimations.

So the big idea here is just to throw out some comparisons, not to convince folks to go either way. Everyone will find the system that works for their hiking style, and as long as we're all out in the woods it's all good...

Here are a few WB threads that I used to compile these weights:

Nattyd123's Hammock+Insulation Weight thread
My Hammock Weights thread
C-Stepper's "Hammocks are LIGHTER"?? thread
And I got the user's ground weights from Happy's What's the weight of your BIG FOUR? thread and from manufacturer's websites

Hammock Setup	Ground Setup
Summer Temps
15 - HH Adventure Racer (w/ tarp) 02 - Stakes 16 - JRB Shenandoah Universal Blanket (Top Quilt) 33 oz total - 2 lbs 1 oz - 936 g 12 - Homemade Hammock w/ Supports (no bugnet) 16 - JRB Shenandoah Top Quilt 07 - MacCat Micro Tarp 04 - Stakes 39 oz total - 2 lbs 7 oz - 1106 g	05 - BMW SpinTarp X Pro 04 - 6 stakes 04 - Gossamer Gear NiteLite pad 04 - Tyvek ground cloth 16 - JRB SUB top quilt 32 oz total - 2 lbs 0 oz - 907 g (no bug protection)
Temperature: 40s F
11 - Homemade Speer (w/o bugnet) 29 - PeaPod 07 - MacCat Micro 04 - 4 stakes w/ cord 51 oz total - 3 lbs 3 oz - 1446 g 19 - Speer 8.0 (w/ bugnet) 29 - Speer PeaPod 13 - Speer 8x10 Tarp 04 - 4 stakes w/ cord 65 oz total - 4 lbs 1 oz - 1843 g Medicine Man's Setup: 22 - Hennessey Lite Racer 14 - McCat Delux Fly 16 - Arc Ghost 15 - JacksRBetter Shenandoah 67 oz total - 4 lbs 3 oz - 1899 g	Bullseye's Setup: 17.6 - ID Silponcho/BMW Bivy combo 17.0 - MH Phantom (45 F) 08.9 - BMW Torsolite 43.5 oz total - 2 lbs 11.5 oz - 1233 g (no bugnet or stakes in weight)
Temperature: 30s F
11 - Homemade Speer (w/o bugnet) 03.5 - Speer SPE 10 - Equinox CCF Pad 20"x72"x3/8" 16 - Speer Top Blanket 09 - JRB 8x8 02 - 2 stakes w/ cord 51.5 oz total - 3 lbs 3.5 oz - 1460 g (37F) Risk's setup: 23.4 - WarmHammock w/ 2" insulation, bugnet, suspension 11 - Homemade Tarp 24.5 - Homemade Quilt 04 - Stakes/line 63 oz total - 3 lbs 11 oz - 1673 g (30 F) 11 - Speer (w/o bugnet) 29 - PeaPod 16 - Top Blanket 09 - JRB 8x8 Tarp 02 - 2 stakes w/ cord 67 oz total - 4 lbs 3 oz - 1900 g (30 F) 20 - HH UL BP Asym 20 - JRB Nest Underquilt 20 - JRB No Sniveler Top Quilt 02 - JRB Connectors 09 - JRB 8x8 Tarp 02 - 2 stakes w/ cord 73 oz total - 4 lbs 9 oz - 2070 g (30 F)	Borntired's Setup: 15 - Sil Shelter 08 - Stakes 10 - CCF pad 16 - WM Highlight (35F) 49 oz total - 3 lbs 1 oz - 1389 g (no bugnet) Guru's Setup: 09 - Gossamer Gear Spinnshelter wt - stakes 16 - ThermaRest ProLite 4 Short 20 - WM Caribou (35 F) 45 oz total - 2 lbs 13 oz - 1276 g (no bugnet or stakes in weight) Chris's Setup: 17 - DL Tacoma Tarp (w/ 8 stakes and CF pole) 12 - 3/4 length Z-rest 24 - WM Highlight (35 F) w/ ID silk liner 53 oz total - 3 lbs 5 oz - 1503 g (30 F - no bugnet)
Temperature: 20s F
26 - Homemade Down Hammock w/ supports 24 - JRB Old Rag Mountain 07 - MacCat Micro Tarp 03 - Stakes 60 oz total - 3 lbs 12 oz - 1701 g 12 - Homemade Hammock w/ Supports 07 - MacCat Micro Tarp 31 - 20"x72"x2.8" Exped Downmat 7 w/ stuffsack 03.5 - SPE 26 - WM Ultralite 20 F 79.5 oz - 4 lbs 15 oz - 2254g Peter Pan's 15-25 F setup 16 - HH Extreme Light Racer 11 - JRB Tarp w/ lines and ti ul pegs 21 - JRB Nest w/ suspension system (underquilt) 20 - JRB No Sniveller (2nd underquilt) 24 - JRB Old Rag Mtn (top quilt) 00 - 11x20 CCF pad, carried as backpack frame 00 - Clothing that would be carried anyway (balaclava, down sleeves, etc) 76 oz total - 4 lbs 12 oz - g MedicineMan's Setup: 51 - Speer Hammock and PeaPod 8.5 20 - Arc Alpinist (20 degree top quilt) 20 - McCat Deluxe/Balaclava and down socks 04 - Insurance CCF Pad torso to tail 95 oz total - 5 lbs 15 oz - g	Milesbarger's Setup: 14.5 - Gatewood Cape (w/ 8 stakes, lines, groundsheet, stuff sack) 03.3 Homemade 55" x 108" nanoseeum bug shroud 15.9 25F quilt/bag hybrid with insulated hood 05.7 Gossamer Gear NightLight torso + ThinLight 1/8" 39.4 oz total - 2 lbs 7.4 oz - 1117 g (no bugnet) Footsloggers Setup: 23 - Six Moon Design Lunar Solo-e (w/ floor and bug mesh) wt - stakes 10 - Thermarest Ultralight 3/4 Length 34 - 20 F down bag 67 oz total - 4 lbs 3 oz - 1899 g Beachwalker's Setup: 26 - Tarptent Virga 1 (w/ floor) wt - stakes 20 - Thermareset Prolite 3 26 - WM Ultralite 20 F 72 oz total - 4 lbs 8 oz - 2041 g Happy's Setup: 33 - Tarptent Nomadlight (w/ groundcloth, ti-stakes and max ties) 32 - WM Ultralight (20 F) and Jagbag mummy silk liner 11 - 3/4 length Z-rest 76 oz total - 4 lbs 12 oz - 2155 g
Temperature: 0 F
Risk's setup: 23.4 - WarmHammock w/ 2" insulation, TravelPod, suspension 11.0 - Homemade Tarp 24.5 - Homemade Quilt 04.0 - Stakes/line* 63 oz total - 3 lbs 11 oz - 1786 g Gardenville's Setup: 16.9 - Silk Speer w/ Bugnet 12.8 - Custom MacCat Tarp 01.8 - Stakes/line 23.0 - Homemade Down Air Mattress 23.0 - Homemade Down Top Quilt 77.5 oz total - 4 lbs 13 oz - 2197 g Peter Pan's "single digits" setup 16 - HH Extreme Light Racer 11 - JRB Tarp w/ lines and ti ul pegs 21 - JRB Nest w/ suspension system (underquilt) 20 - JRB No Sniveller (2nd underquilt) 24 - JRB Old Rag Mtn (top quilt) 19 - Weather Shield Top and Bottom 00 - 11x20 CCF pad, carried as backpack frame 00 - Clothing that would be carried anyway (balaclava, down sleeves, etc) 111 oz total - 6 lbs 15 oz - g	wt - Ground Shelter wt - stakes wt - Ground pad wt - Ground bag XX oz total - lbs oz - g

Just Jeff's Outdoors Page

How do hammock weights compare to ground setups?