Thanks, all
There is definitely a lot of "fiddle factor" to hammock camping. It's takes time, trial, and error to get your system to work well together, especially at cold temps. It sure makes being in the woods a pretty special experience. Nothing like swaying in the breeze on a warm summer night or huddling down in a pile of downy-goodness when the snow is flying outside your tarp.
Making my own gear is something I've always worked at, but this is the first time I've made any of these items. I got into hammock camping a few years ago but didn't have much early success because I didn't have the money to invest in a proper system. Months of research and discussion over on hammockforums.com as well as tons of experimentation has been worth it.
I agree...if you want to learn the basics of hammocking and be entertained in the process, check out Shug's YouTube channel. You can even catch his video report of his -40F hang this winter. YIKES!
