Really, none of them are a bad choice. I own both a hennesey and a homemade speer. my personal preference is the speer but the hennesy is also a fine piece of gear. So while I voted "speer" really it's "make your own". The bottom entry hennesey
is neat, but I prefer the top entry with detachable bugnet type thing of the speer. I do find the full velcro on the speer type bugnet to be somewhat annoying, and were I to only hammock in the speer I would not use velcro, I would use a draped over the ridgeline type bugnet that is weighted on the bottom that does not attach. HOWEVER. one of my big reasons to like the speer is I do use it above the treeline as a bug bivy on the ground, and then having the velcro attaching the bugnet to the sides of the hammock is *Very* worth it.

As for stoves, Keep it simple. if your esbit setup works *and* you expect to have esbit available on your through hike stick with it. Me, up here, I'd use alcohol, just because of availablity everywhere at a resupply, which is pretty much guaranteed at any gas station. as opposed to esbit and canisters which are much harder to find. I don't put the ablility to use wood even into consideration for a stove. I think it's silly. If I am allowed to have wood fire, I can find three rocks to set my pot on, and make a small fire without having to carry anything.



Edited by phat (01/31/09 11:51 AM)
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