"You can hammock as light as you want to go."
One thing that de-converts some folks from hammocks is the desire to be at least "weight neutral" in equivalent conditions. In colder climates and/or higher elevations, to be reliably warm enough it can be challenging to end up with an equivalently warm hammock setup without carrying more weight (and possibly bulk) as a result. Different people report differing degrees of "equivalency" with super-shelters (Hennesy), underquilts (JRB et al) etc, but when you count up everything --- I haven't seen a hammock setup as light as I can get an equivalent (lightweight) ground setup.
I do think that weight neutrality is possible, though unless you're handy with making your own gear it can come at quite a price.
I will basically agree with you Brian, as I mentioned previously. I think claims of "weight neutrality" aren't really real - o=or they are trying to compare "equivalent comfort" or something like that.
To put that in context - with *my* gear, my tarp, lines and stakes weighs about 600 grams. My speer hammock weighs 710.
my blue foam pad that insulates me in my hammock weighs about 250 - were I on the ground I could use a skinnier one that weighs about 150.
soo.. my "minimum weight" on the ground with my gear.
600 + 150 == 750 grams
weight with hammock
600 + 710 + 250 == 1560 grams
Where you get into "weight neutrality" stuff is you start thinking about "equivalent" - in my tarp above without the hammock I have no bug protection, and I am not as comfortable.
To get close, realisticly here's what I actually carry above the
treeline:
- Six moon designs lunar solo tent - 780 grams
- Big Agnes wide insulated Aircore mattress - 1103 - grams
Total: 1803 grams
You could arguably tell me to go buy a neo air and then assuming I didn't freeze you're back to 780 + 410 grams == 1290 grams
So when you get into arguments of "weight neutrality" it starts to get silly because you often end up comparing two setups that for the same person may be completely different wrt their comfort. I need to carry a lot of weight of inflatable matteress to even come close to my comfort level in my hammock. Other people (such as my brother, the lucky dog who just passes out on nothing..) simply don't.
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