I am not a thru hiker. I came on this forum to learn how to lighten my load, after a 28 year gap in my backpacking history. I quickly learned that I can no longer sleep on the ground, with my CCF pad. I started looking for alternatives and I beleive it was Bigfoot's post on this site, with his Warbonnet Blackbird and his winter tarp, that sent me looking.

When it comes to innovation, IMO those hammock guys are off the charts. Many are not ultralight or even light, but they don't claim to be. You want to see innovation check out this topic DIY Hammock Stand. Or McEntire's Prairie Travoismade from bamboo poles. Most the time, they post very elaborate diagrams or step-bystep photos of their projects. It makes me want to go buy the stuff and attempt it myself.