> 1. I noticed that you did not use the GG 1/8" pad or the space blanket with your recent tests... did you find they really are not needed?


I think space blankets are overrated. I put one under my sleeping bag in the hammock on a cold night and didn't notice any difference in warmth (and the sleeping bag loaded up with moisture). I put one under the hammock on top of the JRB Nest in a recent test, and again didn't notice any difference, even though the next night (when I didn't use the space blanket) had lower temps. I won't carry a space blanket/bag in the future, except as emergency gear for day-hiking.

Yes, I've been sleeping at temps from +10F to +20F with the JRB Nest (plus three layers of clothing) and haven't needed to resort to a pad inside the hammock. In the recent tests, I've had the BMW TorsoLite in the hammock with me (deflated and shoved in a corner) in case I did get cold, but I haven't used it. I suspect the GG 1/8" ThinLight is probably as good or better than the HH UnderPad, but I haven't tried putting it underneath the hammock in the JRB Weather Shield or HH UnderCover yet. Last summer I used the GG ThinLight in the hammock (with no other bottom insulation) around +40F and it was sufficient, but not toasty; it was warm enough at +50F (especially for the weight of 2.5 oz). GossamerGear may add an over-sized 3/8" ThinLight to their collection; that would probably work well in a hammock at +40F.

I'm impressed with the temperature range of the JRB Nest alone. YMMV. I'm hoping for colder weather so I can find my shiver-temp for the Nest. With more hammock experience I may be able to trust having no backup option for winter shelter, but right now I would carry a ground cloth, two sleeping pads (ThinLight + TorsoLite or NightLight), and a shovel. That would give me the option of "going to ground" in the hammock or building a snow shelter if the weather got nasty. Once frozen twice shy, to paraphrase an old saw.


> 2. I am in process (a local seamstress) in converting my TNF Beeline into a quilt for warmer temps, but was also thinking about also converting my 15 degree bag (for shoulder seasons) also into a quilt but am worried that in the colder temps it might not be a good idea, too drafty at those temps, even in a hammock. Any comments on this?


I have nothing but positive things to say about quilts in a hammock. I slept in a down sleeping bag in the hammock and froze because the insulation under me was so compressed that it was useless; wasted weight. Further, it is a real pain to get into and out of a sleeping bag (esp. a mummy bag) when you're swinging in mid-air. The quilt can be shoved from one end of the hammock to the other when you're getting arranged in the hammock, and then simply pulled over and tucked in. I haven't ever found my Ray-Way quilt to be drafty, in the hammock or on the ground. The Draft Stopper(tm) is a great idea. For less than an ounce of nylon it really makes a difference in whether any drafts get under the quilt (more so on the ground than in the hammock, where it's easier to tuck in).

Edited by Otter on 02/23/2006 17:57:50 MST.

Douglas, I went to the "Ray" site to see his "Draft Stopper (TM)" thing. I decided that I didn't want to read that much at this time and tried to "BookMark" the page.

I got a message that I was on a waiting list till they could do a background check. If I was approved they would let me come back.

So you know this was done in fun I do have two of his books, or at least part of both books.

> What was the wind like on this test? Your previous post convinced me of the value of the OverCover. Are you now doubting it?

Wind was about 10mph, and last night was 20F warmer than my last test. (My wife said, "It's almost balmy out there.") I think the OverCover is more useful when it's a lot colder or windier. I wouldn't use it near or above freezing because it would probably cause too much condensation, and those temps aren't cold enough to freeze your face off inside the hammock.


>I've wondered if two small fabric loops sewn to the underside of the tarp, where the lines from the hammock come from the sides, would allow you to pull the tarp down tighter to the hammock.


I think that's a great idea. I tied the hammock pull-outs to the tarp rings, then staked down the tarp lines. That kept them close, but probably not close enough if it was actually windy. Your idea would also allow the hammock pull-outs to be staked out further.

Edited by Otter on 02/23/2006 18:11:02 MST.

Bill,
I didn't pay much attention to the complaints from "anonymous" on that other thread. I've had nothing but good experience with Ray-Way service and kits. (It sounded like anonymous was using a broken DNS or something.) Ray has his opinions, for sure, but he also backs them up with big miles living by them. Somebody was ranting a few months ago on Yahoo's hammock forum about Ray, and also "The Cult of Ryan" (Jordan) that we here on BPL all follow. Isn't it nice to know you're part of a cult? ;)

Edited by Otter on 02/23/2006 20:38:54 MST.

>> Couldn't you have put the UnderPad between the hammock and the Nest[...]
>[...]Next time I set it up I will test whether either or both of these configurations stay sufficiently close to the hammock bottom.


There are quite a few combinations of the JRB Nest, JRB Weather Shield, HH UnderPad, HH UnderCover, and GG 1/8" ThinLight pad. I hope the following list makes sense.

The JRB Nest hung on the JRB Suspension System hugs the hammock bottom nicely. The HH UnderPad hung on its own does not--it doesn't hang closely near the head/shoulders or feet. (To be fair, hanging the UnderPad on its own under the hammock is not an HH-recommended configuration.) The UnderPad does not hug the hammock bottom when hung between the hammock and the Nest--there is an air gap between the hammock and the UnderPad. The UnderPad doesn't hang closely when hung below the Nest.

The GG 1/8" ThinLight pad fits without an air gap when placed between the hammock and the Nest, but it is difficult to keep it in position when entering the hammock. (However, it is also difficult to keep the pad in position when placed inside the hammock.) My wife mentioned she noticed the extra warmth immediately when the ThinLight was placed betweem the hammock and the Nest.

The Nest inside the Weather Shield hangs a little low, so I had to snug the JRB Suspension System up extra tight to remove the air gap between the hammock and the Nest. Placing the UnderPad on top of the Nest in the Weather Shield made an air gap between the hammock and the UnderPad. Instead, placing the UnderPad between the Nest and the Weather Shield allowed the Nest to hug the hammock bottom.

The ThinLight fit without air gap between the hammock and the Nest with the Weather Shield supporting the Nest, but it is much easier to keep in position by placing it between the Nest and the Weather Shield.

The HH UnderCover holds all arrangements of the UnderPad, Nest and ThinLight close to the hammock bottom. However, the UnderCover compresses the Nest. Thus, although I was able to use the Nest/UnderPad combo inside the UnderCover at 0F, this is not as effective as it could be. I won't be using the Nest with the UnderCover in the future.

It appears to me that the optimal bottom insulation configurations are: Nest; ThinLight on Nest; Nest, then optional UnderPad and/or Thinlight, on Weather Shield; and UnderPad and/or ThinLight on UnderCover.

Douglas, thank you for your informative hammock insulation warmth posts. Please keep up the good work.

Approximately how big are the gaps, at each end, between the HH bottom and the under pad? The connection points for the under pad's bungee cords are on an adjustable prussic. Have you tried putting more tension on the under pad bungee cords to eliminate the gaps?

Edited by richard295 on 02/23/2006 21:21:15 MST.

>Approximately how big are the gaps, at each end, between the HH bottom and the under pad?


It varies (I'm not sure to which configuration you are referring) but generally 2 to 3 inches. Also, some of the gaps, such as when the UnderPad is hung unsupported below the hammock or Nest, are because the UnderPad tension line attachment points are pulled tight enough to distort it from a flat surface. Thus, tightening the UnderPad ends in these cases doesn't make it hang closer; it just distorts it more. When used with the UnderCover, the UnderCover smooths out those problems by supporting the UnderPad (as HH intended).


> Have you tried putting more tension on the under pad bungee cords to eliminate the gaps?


Not really. Besides the above gap problems where increasing tension doesn't cure the problem, for most of the cases where there is a gap there is a better equivalent configuration. E.g., I didn't bother trying to make the UnderPad fit better inside both the Nest and Weather Shield because placing the UnderPad between the Nest and the Weather Shield is better because the Nest slips into place under the hammock much easier than the UnderPad, and condensation is better handled by having it on the UnderPad (where it can be brushed off) rather than inside the Nest.

Edited by Otter on 02/24/2006 19:39:50 MST.

Since my previous tests had failed to leave me shivering, I decided to try my proposed "summer" (overnight low +35F to +45F) configuration.

Hennessy Hammock Ultralight Explorer (34.6 oz)
Hennessy Hammock UnderCover (9.8 oz)
Hennessy Hammock UnderPad (10.7 oz)
Jacks R Better Nest, used as top quilt (20.2 oz)
FlexAir pillow (small: 0.7 oz)

Evening temp was +28F, with an overnight low of +25F. There was a 30mph wind that was partly blocked, and it dropped to just a light breeze by 3am.

I wore the same clothing as in the +15F/+10F tests. I'll have to think a bit more about summer clothing because three layers is pretty heavy, but with the Micropuff weighing 13.2 oz and the closest other insulation being a 200-weight fleece vest at 13.4 oz, the Micropuff is still my lightest and most compressible upper-body insulation. I may leave out both the longjohns and the Cocoon pants, and wear my hiking pants to bed for leg warmth, but that will be a big reduction in lower-body insulation. Probably a reasonable risk for summer. (Maybe carry a ThinLight sit pad and put it under my hips at night if needed?)

I slept cold, but not shivery. The JRB Nest was warm enough, big enough, and comfy enough to keep my top-side warm all night. (Yay! That saves over a pound on the Ray-Way quilt, which I made heavier for winter use.) The bottom of my upper torso was cool, but the wind didn't seem to affect heat loss (I could hear the gusts but not feel them). The UnderPad wasn't long enough to cover both my feet and my head (bummer), so I made sure it covered my heels and relied on the FlexAir pillow, Bomber hat and balaclava to insulate my head (it felt sufficient). The worst cold spot was along the entry slit, which made my legs cold, and the discomfort interrupted my sleep. The UnderPad didn't seem to seal well there, and the UnderCover's entry slit is loose so maybe it doesn't hold the UnderPad close. I'm going to have to look at that area more closely with somebody in the hammock. I might need to add snaps or velcro to the UnderCover's entry slit edges.

There was moisture between the UnderPad and the UnderCover again, so clearly it is condensation against the non-breathable fabric. The UnderPad is open-cell foam, but it doesn't appear to actually get soaked; the condensation is on the outside. I staked the tarp down tightly against the hammock. This time there was some condensation on the tarp, and when the gusts rattled the tarp there was a light dusting of cold frost on my face (not unpleasant, though). At one point it felt very close in the hammock and I had a bit of a headache. I flapped the sides of the hammock to get some fresh air inside, and the headache went away. It's possible that the hammock was too closely sealed (the HH OverCover has a porthole in it to promote fresh air exchange). This could be dangerous, so I will make sure I don't stake it quite that close again.

Cold is acceptable; shivery is a bit on the edge. (When you wake up shivering, then stop and fall back asleep, are you warming up or dropping into profound hypothermia? That's a serious question to ask yourself in the middle of the night.) This configuration was meant to keep me cozy and warm at a typical +35F to +45F (which I will have to test in a few months), but it also needs to handle down to +25F. (I'm sure you've all heard the phrase, "Any day of the year..." It's happened to me more than once.) Not necessarily comfortably, but at least you shouldn't have to spend the night doing isometrics. This configuration passed the test.

I'm really surprised that this worked out. I expected to bail half-way through the night, but although I didn't get a good night's sleep, I was able to sleep most of the night. I thought about inserting the ThinLight at 3am, but I figured I wouldn't be carrying it in the summer anyway. Temps lower than +25F aren't likely in my summer hiking, and I figure the shiver point was about 10F lower. Thus, this configuration (4.75 pounds of shelter and sleep gear) should work for me for the full summer season in the high country.

Edited by Otter on 02/25/2006 00:06:03 MST.

Douglas - Thank you for another very useful post.

I suggest that you repeat this test with a 3 oz Space Emergency Blanket on top of the UnderPad. HH Super Shelter testers in Backpack Gear Test found a very significant increase in warmth by doing this.

If you are lying in the hammock at an angle, like it was designed, your legs should be to the right of the slit and above the UnderPad. In one of your earlier posts you mentioned that there was a multi-inch gap between the UnderPad and the bottom of the hammock at both the head and foot area. A Space Emergency Blanket will only reflect radiant heat if there is an air gap. Ideally it needs to be at least an inch. It just acts as a heat conductor if it is touching the bottom of the hammock. I expect that your legs will then be toasty in the same environmental conditions with this 3 oz addition. You shouldn't have to modify the slit for warmth. Hopefully this test will show up soon as your Hammock warmth 5 post.

Edited by richard295 on 02/25/2006 01:35:32 MST.

Douglas, thanks again!

That is very encouraging about the JRB Nest. I have the No Sniveller Long and would expect it to preform the same.

I was suspicious that the UnderPad would be too small. Maybe Tom would be willing to sell a long version. The width was good for you though?

The Hennessy web site lists the UnderPad at 6 oz and the Undercover at 8 oz. That's quite a difference from your measurements. I bet yours are right unfortunately.

It is sounding like the JRB Weather Shield (WS) may be a better option than the Undercover. If the UnderCover were made out of the same material as the WS and didn't have the slit. Is the silt needed because of how the UnderCover fits on the hammock?

Your test bringing the tarp down close to the hammock was interesting. It sounds like it works too well. You had 30 mph wind and did not mention it being a problem so I assume the tarp blocked it. I really want to get rid of the OverCover. It seems there must be a way.

Just out of curiosity, which part of the country do you usually hike in in the summer?

> I suggest that you repeat this test with a 3 oz Space Emergency Blanket on top of the UnderPad.


I haven't noticed much difference with a Space Blanket in prior tests, but I might try again. It wasn't exactly comfortable (the test was meant to fail) so you might guess I'm not in a hurry to sleep cold again. This isn't what I would take if I thought the temps were actually going to be in the 20s. However, I was thinking about trying it again wearing summer hiking clothing, so I could be sure I got really cold :)

I do lie in the hammock at an angle, and the UnderPad was mostly to the right of the slit. I think part of the problem is that the UnderPad wasn't covering all of the hammock slit, and the UnderCover slit was gaping open, which let lots of air come up against the hammock bottom. The hammock slit was the only place that felt really cold, as opposed to just cool. (I'm a side sleeper, so my knees are over and to the left of the hammock slit.) The configurations where there was an air gap were _without_ the UnderCover. With the UnderCover, the UnderPad is held closely against the hammock bottom along its full length.

I think if I were going to carry a Space Blanket at 3 oz, I would be more likely to carry instead the GG ThinLight 1/8" full-length pad at 2.5 oz. That pad has proven its worth several times.

Edited by Otter on 02/25/2006 22:48:20 MST.

> That is very encouraging about the JRB Nest. I have the No Sniveller Long and would expect it to preform the same.


YMMV, so it's certainly worth testing yourself. But I'm really impressed with the performance of the Nest, and your No Sniveler is built just the same. I wish now I'd spent the next night out after test #3; it went to -10F and I would like to know if the Nest alone would have been sufficient. (The three layers of clothing are also crucial to my overall results.)


> I was suspicious that the UnderPad would be too small. Maybe Tom would be willing to sell a long version. The width was good for you though?


It seems a bit short, but after considering how it is cut and suspended, I'm not sure it could have been made much longer without introducing other problems, such as distorting the ends. (Just a guess.) The width was fine; it came up high enough on both sides, and when side-sleeping width isn't really an issue. It was just long enough for me to work around its 'short'comings by separately insulating my head; you would need to separately insulate your feet as well as your head (non-compressible insulation, such as a sit-pad or boot liners) unless you sleep with your legs drawn up.


> The Hennessy web site lists the UnderPad at 6 oz and the Undercover at 8 oz. That's quite a difference from your measurements. I bet yours are right unfortunately.


The weights came from my Pitney-Bowes digital postal scale. I just double-checked them. My other UnderPad weighs 10.6 oz (I bought two in case I needed to double-up; this was before I decided to get the Nest). The UnderPad stuff sack weighs 0.9 oz; I think the stuff sack might be necessary to keep from damaging the UnderPad (not sure, but that's why HH includes it).


>It is sounding like the JRB Weather Shield (WS) may be a better option than the Undercover. If the UnderCover were made out of the same material as the WS and didn't have the slit. Is the silt needed because of how the UnderCover fits on the hammock?


Yes, it seems to come up fairly high on the sides compared to the Weather Shield, and it's hung to the end of the hammock rather than suspended. I tried moving it over to get in, as you do with the Weather Shield, but it really put the UnderCover side under tension and I was afraid something was going to rip. On the other hand, one good point is that you can use it to suspend other insulation right up to the ends of the hammock. (But I don't plan to use other insulation at this point.) In my opinion the UnderCover works better with the UnderPad because it holds the UnderPad close to the hammock; the UnderPad is open-cell foam and doesn't compress easily. The UnderCover compresses the Nest, while the Weather Shield doesn't. I think the JRB Nest and Weather Shield and the HH UnderPad and UnderCover are well-designed pairs, just different. However, the UnderPad does work well with the Nest and Weather Shield pair, if you need to add more insulation (the GG ThinLight would work well too). Mostly I'm surprised that the UnderCover's slit doesn't seem to close as well as the HH hammock slit. (I'm going to check that out more carefully next time I hang the hammock.) If you only get the Weather Shield, the UnderPad or ThinLight (when used alone inside the Weather Shield) might benefit from a Space Blanket, as Richard suggests. I'll have to try that in a few months when it gets warmer. (One concern with a Space Blanket is that it will cause condensation on the bottom of the hammock, rather than on the UnderCover. I've had this happen before with a Space Blanket.)


> Your test bringing the tarp down close to the hammock was interesting. It sounds like it works too well. You had 30 mph wind and did not mention it being a problem so I assume the tarp blocked it. I really want to get rid of the OverCover. It seems there must be a way.


The tarp definitely blocked the wind; it was still windy when I had the headache. I staked the tarp down very close, and I think I experienced CO2 buildup. In the future I will be sure to stake it down just far enough away to enough to expose some of the mesh (this is why the OverCover has a porthole). As I said before, I think the OverCover is something to use when it gets cold (+10F and below?). I wouldn't use it above freezing, and at this point I'm not certain I'd use it above +10F. I did use it successfully at +15F/+10F, but that doesn't mean it was necessary. The mesh on the hammock handles the frost from the tarp fairly well, but the dew point has been 10F lower than air temp; if it was 100% humidity the condensation on the tarp could really become a problem if you staked it close. You have a down top-quilt, so condensation in the hammock would be more of a concern for you than it is for me. The OverCover was designed for dry, very cold conditions; that's the only time I plan to use it. If the temp inside your hammock is warm enough (about 10F above outside temp is what I have measured) then you wouldn't need to stake the tarp close anyway.


>Just out of curiosity, which part of the country do you usually hike in in the summer?


Washington's Olympic mountains; until recently Hawaii; and now Wyoming.

Edited by Otter on 02/25/2006 23:02:35 MST.

>which I will have to test in a few months...


We had a record high yesterday (+60F) so I figured the overnight temperature would be warm. It was +42F in the evening, +37F at midnight, and +30F at 2am. Wind was 15-25mph and there were occasional rain showers. Close enough.

I used the "summer" hammock configuration described in my "Hammock warmth 4" post. I staked the tarp far enough away to allow for good ventilation without allowing the wind through. For clothing, I wore what I would likely wear/carry for three-season hiking:

WalMart compression tank-top (like Underarmor) (XL: 4.0 oz)
Patagonia R.5 long-sleeve zip-T (XL: 11.4 oz)
Patagonia Micropuff pull-over (XL: 13.2 oz)
Patagonia Capilene lightweight briefs (L: 1.8 oz)
Lands End convertible hiking pants (L: 13.2 oz)
DriDucks rain pants (XXL: 4.4 oz) (optional)
Mountain Hardwear Polartec fleece watchcap (L: 1.0 oz)
Ray-Way Bomber Hat (L: 1.0 oz)
BPL PossumDown socks (XL: 1.9 oz)

I wanted to use the same upper-body insulation as my previous test so I could focus on the change in lower-body insulation. For summer hiking I would probably swap the WalMart shirt and Patagonia R.5 for an REI CoolMax mesh t-shirt (6.0 oz) or REI MTS midweight t-shirt (7.8 oz) and save a half-pound; I could save an additional 4.5 oz by leaving the zip-off pant legs home.

Last time I tested this configuration (at temps 5-10F colder), my legs were cold even with the BMW Cocoon pants. I was careful to arrange the UnderPad beneath my legs, and checked the UnderCover slit: it appeared to close better this time. My upper body was warm, maybe too warm (I had to open the zips on my upper-body insulation), and my legs and bottom side were comfortable and not too cool. Around 1am I took off the DriDucks pants to see if that made a difference. It wasn't a big difference: I zipped up my R.5 and Micropuff and went back to sleep just as warm as before. There was no condensation on the tarp, and again a small amount of condensation on the bottom of the UnderPad. I didn't feel a chill on my under-side when the wind gusted. I did manage to poke a hole in the UnderPad foam when I was grabbing it through the hammock fabric to pull it up; I will have to be more careful in the future.

I don't think the clothing worn is out of the ordinary for 3-season hiking, so it appears that the 4.75 pounds of sleeping gear is sufficient. I think that compares well to lightweight ground-sleeping gear, at least when I factor in the benefit of a good night's sleep.

I spent Monday and Tuesday in the Snowy Range (Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming), in winter conditions, ski-packing (AT), off-trail, solo. Destination was Browns Peak (11,722ft). Overnight low was about +15F, wind 40-50mph (trees blocked it down to about 20mph), elevation 10,800ft, and snowing. Here's the sleeping gear:

Hennessy Hammock Ultralight Explorer (34.6 oz)
Jacks R Better Nest down under-quilt (20.2 oz)
Jacks R Better Suspension System (2.0 oz)
Ray-Way 1-Person Deluxe Quilt with Extra Layer 3D (36.9 oz)
FlexAir pillow (small: 0.7 oz)

WalMart compression tee (like Underarmor) (XL: 4.8 oz)
Patagonia Capilene expedition-weight long-sleeve zip (XL: 10.8 oz)
Patagonia Micropuff pull-over (XL: 13.2 oz)
Patagonia Capilene lightweight boxer-briefs (L: 3.0 oz)
Gore-Tex 3-layer full-zip ski pants (L: 20.6 oz)
OR Gorilla Balaclava (M: 3.0 oz, didn't sleep with 0.9 oz nose cover)
Ray-Way Bomber Hat (L: 1.0 oz)
BPL PossumDown socks (XL: 1.9 oz)
Scarpa Laser ski-boot liners (heavy)
Seirus Super Liner gloves (S/M: 1.1 oz)

I woke up sometime in the night and found that I was toasty warm. I didn't even bother going back to sleep for a while because I just wanted to enjoy rocking back and forth, listening to the wind howl outside while I was snug and warm in the hammock. I anticipated a blizzard (and got it) but I left the JRB Weather Shield bottom at home because I didn't expect the JRB Nest to wet out from cold blowing snow. (I don't think it did, although I wish now that I had weighed it after the trip.) I wore my boot liners to bed to dry them out and keep them from freezing, so I didn't bring the down booties I'd worn in the tests. Also in the tests I wore three layers on my lower body: Patagonia Capilene lightweight briefs, Duofold longjohns and BMW Cocoon pants. Because the longjohns don't work well with ski boots, I switched to just a single layer of lightweight Capilene with more coverage (boxer-briefs). I brought the BMW Cocoon pants but I didn't need to wear them; the Capilene underwear and Gore-Tex ski pants were sufficient for both day and night. (In the future I probably won't wear long underwear, except in Washington state where shorts over longjohns is the standard hiking uniform ;-)

The only difference between night and day clothing was that I wore SmartWool medium cushion ski socks instead of the PossumDown socks, traded the Patagonia Micropuff for a Montane Aero windshirt, put on REI Elements insulated mittens over the Seirus liners (which shredded with only two days of use), packed away the Ray-Way Bomber hat, added the nose cover to the OR Gorilla Balaclava, and put on Smith ski goggles. The Aero worked perfectly, allowing moisture through (no frost on the inside) while stopping heat loss to the wind. I noticed no drop in skin temperature when I was hit by wind gusts (although I had to brace myself with my poles). The Micropuff did the same in camp, so I had no need for a shell. Adding it all up, the weight of sleep-specific gear and clothing was 6.9 pounds, with a 'wasted' day-only clothing weight of 7 ounces (ski socks and windshirt).

I tied the windward side of the tarp down to a buried ski pole close to the hammock (to block the wind), while the leeward side was tied to a tree branch about 20 degrees from horizontal (to get plenty of fresh air). In the picture below, the JRB Nest has been packed away and the asymmetric hammock guys have been untied. The Hennessy hammock then makes an excellent swing seat, which provides a comfortable place to cook and relax while the hammock back and fly protect from the wind and snow. The lump to the right of the hammock under the fly is a Jacks R Better Jeff's Gear Hammock and Pack Cover, which I used in both of those roles on this trip. The small HH fly covers it sufficiently, and it didn't catch the wind or snow when I clipped the sides to one of the JRB Suspension System cords.

Edited by Otter on 08/10/2011 13:58:50 MDT.

Thanks for the report. I have read bout the Jacks R Better system and it sounds great. Your review seems to bear that out. Here is my question for you. How bulky is your entire sleep system? It would seem as if a fairly large volume pack would be required. What size pack do you use?

> What size pack do you use?


Oh no, now you're going to make me admit to using my Dana Design T-1 pack (7lb 10oz). It is over 1/3 of my base weight, and heavier than my entire winter sleep system! The pack volume is listed as 4600ci/75l, and it was fairly full. (I'm still transitioning to lightweight, and the pack will be the last item to be replaced.)

Here are the volumes of the parts. The HH Ultralight Explorer hammock and tarp and JRB Suspension System (in HH Snake Skins) and the JRB Nest (in its JRB stuff sack) together are 560ci/9.2l. I don't like to compress the down this much, but this isn't unreasonably tight. The addition of the HH UnderCover and UnderPad (270ci/4.4l) and a dry pair of socks makes my complete "summer" sleep system 840ci/13.8l.

The other, and biggest, winter sleep item is the Ray-Way 1-Person Deluxe Quilt with Extra Layer 3D, which is 1150ci/18.8l in the Ray-Way quilt stowbag. I don't like to compress it more than necessary.

The Patagonia Micropuff (campwear as well as sleepwear) is 100ci/1.7l in its stuff sack. The BMW Cocoon pants (carried but unused) are a whopping 330ci/5.5l in the BMW provided (and recommended) SpinSack LITE Ultralight Stuff Sack (Size M); they could be compressed to half this size if you're willing to risk damaging the insulation.

The total winter sleep system volume is 1800ci/30l. I didn't pack things down as tightly as I could, so it probably took up more space than that in the pack.

Another overnight trip in the Medicine Bow National Forest (WY), near Rock Creek Point (10,600 ft), snowshoe-packing, off-trail, solo. Overnight low was about +10F and calm. Same sleeping gear as Hammock Warmth 6, except I needed the OR Gorilla Balaclava nose cover (in-hammock temp was about +15F). I forgot the FlexAir pillow, so I made a pillow from my fleece mittens. I brought the Eddie Bauer down booties since I didn't have boot liners.

I was again warm. I am amazed at how well the JRB Nest works. This time I weighed it when I got home, and it had absorbed 0.9 oz of moisture; there was no apparent loss of loft. It might not have absorbed quite that much moisture if I had used the JRB Weather Shield bottom (9.5 oz), but the moisture in the Nest might have been transient rather than accumulated. There was no visible condensation/frost on the inside or outside fabric of the Nest.

I didn't bring the HH Overcover (4.5 oz), although it would have been nice. I staked the HH tarp a few inches from the hammock, but there was still some air moving through (thus only a 5F difference between internal and external temp). If it was windy or colder I would either need the Overcover or complete face cover (add eye mask, 0.3 oz, and dust mask, 0.1 oz). IIRC, the Overcover made at least a 10F difference between internal and external temp.

Edited by Otter on 03/25/2006 13:51:56 MST.

I have been loving my ENO Hammock all summer now! It has got to be the single most enjoyable piece of gear i have ever owned...

You got to love those sunny afternoons just laying around!

www.eaglesnestoutfit.com

hello! I made a "spear" type hammock with rip-stop nylon for a PCT tru-hike and it worked great! I now sleep in it 6-7 months a year, inside and outside.
I use the same knots as Ryan to tie around the ends except I make an extra loop around the fabric, it prevents catastrophic failure. I use hollow-braided 3/8" poly rope because it's cheap, light-weight and very strong. (lasts around 2 months). Make a loop at one end to go around trees, it flattens and rarely damages the bark.
For a fly I have an ID sil-poncho. I just clip it to the hammock lines with prusiks and a small plastic clip. Once in the hammock I clip a ridgeline with tault-line hitch and cinch it tight.
After using it for about 2000km and more then 200 camping days it never failed me. It gets cold below 40F though, so I sleep on my blue foam pad and use clothing for cold spots.
-Franc