We’ve never put our gear on a scale but I estimate we are carrying about 50 pounds each. We don’t carry any cooking gear. We typically have one hot meal of the day at a restaurant and then a lot of snacking. Some days dinner is cold from a can at the campsite. This isn’t as bad as it sounds because we are plenty tired at the end of the day and often more interested in sleeping than in eating. If I were to carrycooking gear I would consider a liquid fueled stove. You certainly don’t want to be rolling around with any sort of compressed fuel!
Our hammocks are Hennessey and we have been thrilled with them since we got them back in 2009. Even when I’m not on my bike it is my preferred camping shelter. It takes a little practice to get setup but isn’t that hard. They do setup and pack up quickly. As compared to traditional tents there are a few major difference. Obviously, you need trees or something to tie them to. This generally isn’t a problem in New England. On the other hand, the ground condition doesn’t really matter. You will never have to sleep on a root or feel the hard ground under you again. However, you are more exposed on the bottom. The hammock is much cooler in hot weather, but you will need more insulation in the cold. Also, mosquitoes will bite through the bottom so don’t fall asleep in the woods without a barrier under you!! One more consideration is the sleeping position. It takes a little getting used to but most everyone seems to agree with us that it is very comfortable. Because the entry is underneath you, it can take a few seconds to get in and wriggle into place or into a sleeping bag. Once in there it takes a few seconds of maneuvering to get back out. This can lead to a touch of claustrophobia when you’re in there, but again you get used to it.

Good luck with your backpacking trip!

Haha, thank you. It’s not too difficult when the man himself seemed to have come from a Stephen King novel!