Grand Trunk Tent

- Will this shelter work, or is there a better alternative?
So I asked a question last week about a trip I'm planning in April to a semi-arid island for camping, I got great help so I'm back for more! So with all the water we'll have to carry in I got to thinking that instead of lugging the tent I should be looking for something lighter and compact. I came across this tent hammock, but it has no reviews. http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Trunk-Bivy-Extreme-Shelter/dp/B001M0O29M/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1314306330&sr=1-1 The mosquito netting is a must, as I've already read several accounts from previous visitors who complain about the bugs. Although it's semi-arid, it's still in the tropics so some kind of rain flap should be gotten, so this comes with both. But it seems on the pricey side to me. Ones without the rain protection, like the Skeeter Beeter, are only half the cost. Should I just take my $10 hammock, my tarp and a mosquito net LOL, all of which is considerably heavier (but still lighter than tent) than what this one offers at a total of only 40 oz

A I'm not a fan of hammocks. I have a bad back and I'm not a back sleeper, so that's two strikes right there. Then you've got to find two convenient trees, get the thing stretched-out tight enough that you're not sagging too much in the middle. Then you need to figure out where to put your gear, how to deal with your boots getting in and out, and what to do for privacy when you need to get dressed. I don't know what island you're going to or how far you need to go from your drop-off point to your camp. But at 8.3lbs/gallon, it's impractical to carry large amounts of water for long distances. You might want to reconsider your logistics. Perhaps carry enough water with you for two days, leaving an additional supply at your drop-off point so you can return and restock during your trip? This way you can spare the additional weight (3-4 lbs, less than 1/2 a gallon of water) for an ultralight tent. Share that weight between two people and its the equivalent of about 1 Liter's worth of water. If you do decide to go with the hammock, by all means practice setting it up and sleeping in it at home before relying on it for survival on your trip.