I am not a hammock fan, but dangerous!!! Never heard that one before.
My preference runs to smallish tents and a decent sleeping pad. There are decent tents for under $100. The Eureka Spitfire solo model comes to mind (or if you prefer more space the Spitfire 2). The solo one can be found for about $85 (Amazon and with free shipping, for one).
Closed cell pads can be like $10-15 and are way better than leaves. There are self inflating pads that are much more comfortable yet and more expensive. Then there is the NeoAir. It packs small, is light, and is supremely comfortable. It is also expensive.