Why did I not see this earlier??? Prior to owning the X, my outdoor adventures were via my feet packing the crap in. Over the last 20 years I changed ALOT of my kit out, but for the last 8 years, one thing has stayed. The hammock. I started simple enough a Hennessy hammock. But after the first few uses I found anything below 70 sucks in it. So I went with insulation. Jacks r better, 30* top and under quilt. Great setup for 7 of the 12 months here. In the winter however I would always hunker down in a Kifaru shelter with stove and regulator bags. That is until I found hammock forums and yes, shug. That dude is nuts. Plain and simple.
Anyways, I ended up getting my first winter insulation and tarp. The insulation was a -10F Hammock gear top and bottom quilt, and the tarp a warbonnet superfly. Still using the hennessy hammock, but I had it modified by 2QZQ with a removable bug net, peak bag, and a few other things. Worked great, but I wanted to upgrade the hammock, which warbonnet hooked me up with a XLC dual layer. It has since been modified with whoopie slings and dutch hardware. I also added dutch gear to the insulation and tarp. Took 8 years, 5 different tarps, 2 hammocks, a dozen different setups, but I found what works for me and what I like. My daughter now uses the 2qzq modded hennesy and one of my warbonnet tarps with the JRB insulation as her setup. So its still seeing use. but she is limited to about 40 in it.
A few things, get a nice beenie, ever with nice insulation your head will get cold. Practice getting situation. As dumb as this sounds, nothing destroys a good night sleep like having to tweak your setup when the sun is down. Learn to do it 2nd nature and great, amazing sleep will follow. I sleep better in a hammock than I did at home so for about a year when the girl left me I actually mounted points in the bedroom to hang the hammock. they are still there and Ive used them a few time even after she came back....
Hope your trip goes well and please give a trip report, but here are some of my hammock photos to give ideas.
My go to showing the amazing hammock gear insulation on a solo hike to desolation lake. I was the only fool out there, temps were just around 0.
The hennessy with warbonnet extras.
The old setup... still great however.