I’ve hiking the JDF in British Columbia, Canada using my casual hammock (had an integrated bug net) and my own janky tarp rig for wind / rain and I loved the experience… Looking into getting something more, better designed specifically for hammock camping
Hmu with recommendations!
**Thanks everyone for the help, I ended up going with the warbonnet black bird xlc. I’m excited to see how it turns out when it arrives.
That’s a tough one, honestly. You can find budget hammocks all over the place, but I would prioritize one that’s 11’ in length. The tarp is important, as it’s really your only shelter against the wind and rain. Again, there are budget options that might be heavier, but they’ll get the job done. If you already own a sleeping pad, you can try that out in place of an underquilt. I never found it to be ideal, but it will work and can save you money. And, if you already have a sleeping bag, you can use that in place of a top quilt. So there’s lots of places to make compromises…
If I were choosing and already had a sleeping pad and sleeping bag, I would likely start with the hammock itself and go with a budget tarp. If you go that route, a word of caution, maybe… There are small asym tarps that you can use, but I understand they can be finicky to get hung right and if the wind shifts or it starts raining heavily you’ll likely have a long night. That’s not to say they can’t work, but from what I’ve heard from others who have used them, it takes some practice. But that’s just me, and I’m sure others would choose differently.
As a final note, a lot of the vendors mentioned above run sales throughout the year. There should be a way to sign up for notifications from each of them.