I've been doing a lot of offline hiking lately, so I have to downloading shows ahead of time, and I'd love to hear what everyone thinks are the best ones.

My go-to favorites are:

St. Augustine 4/21/24 — that opening of Southbound is sexy as hell.

UNO 12/31/23 — partly because I was there, but also because it felt like Billy played literally every song ever written that night.

All his Ryman shows in the rotation, including 5/7/22 with Bobby.

What are your must-have downloaded shows?

Looking for some advice from people who have experience with different hammock brands and fabrics.

I recently spent a couple nights in a single-layer Warbonnet Blackbird XLC Gen 3 and found that I loved some aspects of it but struggled with others. The fabric was perfect for me — I slept great, liked the amount of give, and really enjoyed being able to sink into it a bit and snuggle into the fabric. I'm 150 lbs, 6' tall, and tend to sleep on my side and spread out quite a bit.

What I struggled with was the asymmetrical design and shelf. I felt like I didn't have enough room for my arms, and I found the shelf side somewhat claustrophobic. Interestingly, when I slept with my head at the footbox end, my shoulders felt much better, but then I was fighting the directional lay.

I'm trying to figure out how best to address these issues. I'm pretty sure I would prefer a symmetrical lay and something that feels more open. Should I consider moving to a 12' hammock, or would additional width better solve the problem?

I'm considering a custom Trail Lair and would love thoughts on that versus something like the Chameleon or Dream Sparrow. Then there's the fabric question. Comfort is my top priority over ultralight performance. I'm well within the weight limits for the lighter fabrics, and I prefer something softer with a little give rather than a very firm lay. Right now, I'm considering Hexon 1.2, Hexon Wide 1.6, HyperD XL 1.6, and possibly even Hexon 1.0.

Given my experience with the Blackbird and my preferences, what would you recommend in terms of:

• Staying with 11' or moving to 12'
• Prioritizing additional width
• Fabric choice

Love to hear from those who have been down this road before - particularly if you know these fabrics and dimensions.

Putting together a lightweight hammock/backpacking setup and seeing what's out there used before buying new.

Looking for Top Quilts:

Strong preference for:

• Long + Wide / Extra Wide
• OPEN / ZIPPERED / CONVERTIBLE footbox (not looking for sewn/closed footbox)

• ~15–25°F preferred (would consider nearby depending on loft/model/deal)
• 850–950 fill down a plus.

Interested in:

• Katabatic Flex (Long Wide)
• EE Revelation (Long Wide)
• Hammock Gear Burrow Custom (Long/Wide, zip footbox)
• Feathered Friends Flicker
• UGQ Bandit
• Possibly similar quilts that fit this style.

Also looking for a hammock tarp:

Lightweight / backpackable tarp for hammock use. Interested in:

• Dyneema / UL options
• Good weather protection without feeling super enclosed
• Hex / asym / winter-lite / storm-worthy options welcome
• Warbonnet, Hammock Gear, Dutchware, UGQ, Zpacks, etc.

Show me what you’ve got — photos, specs, condition, and asking price appreciated.

CONUS.

Hi everyone — I’m new to dialing in a real hammock camping system and would really appreciate some guidance from people with more experience.

I’m a solo traveler slowly rebuilding my health after a long illness, and I’m starting to spend more time outdoors again. My plan is gentle backcountry travel in Texas (including Big Bend), usually 1–2 days hike from my camper van while I rebuild strength and confidence in the field.

🌿 What I’ve learned about my needs so far

I’ve tried a basic gathered-end hammock setup, but it didn’t go well — I had issues with:

• shoulder compression and numbness
• overall feeling “cramped”
• poor sleep as a side sleeper

So at 6 feet tall I’m realizing I likely need a longer, more structured cottage-style hammock system (around 11 ft).

I’m also a cold sleeper, so insulation matters a lot.

🌙 What I think I’m looking for

From research, I’m currently considering systems like:

• Dream Hammock Sparrow
• Dutchware Chameleon
• possibly Warbonnet Blackbird XLC

And pairing that with:

• at least a 20°F down underquilt
• a 20°F top quilt
• a lightweight tarp (possibly with doors due to Texas wind)

But I’m still trying to understand what actually matters most in practice vs what is just gear marketing.

🌵 Where I’d love advice

For people who have dialed in hammock systems:

• Is 11 ft really the “make or break” difference for shoulder comfort for taller side sleepers?
• How important is “wide” vs standard width in real-world comfort?
• Do people regret going with asymmetrical hammocks (like Sparrow/XLC style) vs symmetrical systems like Chameleon?
• For REALLY cold sleepers — is a 20°F underquilt enough for Texas conditions most of the year?
• Are tarp doors actually necessary in windy regions like Big Bend, or just nice to have?

🌙 What matters most to me

I’m not trying to build an extreme ultralight system — I’m trying to build something that is:

• comfortable enough that I actually sleep well outdoors
• light enough that I can carry it solo
• simple enough to set up independently in the field
• reliable in wind and variable desert conditions

Comfort is probably my top priority, but I don’t want to ignore weight either. Also, if it's something with a great resell than the risk feels lower to try something and then trade or buy/sell if it's not perfect. For example, is it easier to buy and sell a 20°F underquilt than a zero?

Thanks in advance for any advice.