i a do "the lean", i scoot as far toward the zipper on my bb, put my weight on it so im pointing more toward the ground and go. works great too. Never got anything wet with either bottle the "the lean". You can also, once you get to the zipper, use a hiking stick/trail stick to push off the ground, turning you to where your almost facing staight down, and go that way. lol

Edited by isaac.mouser on 03/24/2010 15:17:49 MDT.

Cuben Hammock Thread

Bill, are you sure the URL is correct? It refers to itself.

Thanks, I fixed it.

Here it is again:


Cuben Hammock Thread

It was mostly an issue changing at 36 degree angle in the snow. Yes its nice to hang mostly anywhere,but take getting changed and staying dry into consideration. Hang somewhere flat when in snow lol.
Everyone loves the whoopy slings, but I still love using my 2 sling slap micros from ENOs. The pair only weighs 4.5 oz and are superfast to attach.

My set up for the winter hike:

Hennessey UL Explorer modified with zipper setup#2 by HQ
Jacks r better - Winter Nest
UL equinox 10 x 12 tarp
West Mount megalight long
Golite 3x7 silnyl ground tarp ( which didn't help me a lick on the angle I was hung at)

My winter setup:

Jrb no sniv tq
jrb no sniv uq
blackbird
light pad
oes spinn tarp
whoppie slings
continuous prussic ridgeline on tarp
prussic guylines with spliced fixed eyes

"How light, Lori? Brand, model, weight -- please?"

This is a meaningless question. Because everyone has a different set of needs - if yours is to be the lightest possible, my gear will not work for you at all.

Note isaac's winter list - that is sooooooooo not what I would have. That's my three season setup. Below 25F or so, I'm gonna be adding to that list of isaac's - that no sniv uq is a three season quilt, mine will be a 0 degree 3/4 quilt that weighs the same as a full length quilt, plus the pad, plus the vapor barrier liner for the uq, plus my down jacket, plus expedition weight base layer...

My gear (hammock, tarp, quilt, pad) is going to weigh 48-70 oz every time depending on where I am going and what I imagine the chances of going to ground might be. Because I am going to be ultralight in every single thing OTHER than the sleeping gear, to keep the weight tolerable. In that aspect I am as comfort driven as they come, and being a cold sleeper on top of it doesn't help.

So no, I am not ulralight - I still have a Mariposa Plus instead of one of its smaller siblings. I can get a base weight under 18 lbs if I pull out the hammock and just use the tarp, neoair, and quilt - but since that means sleep deprivation I generally don't unless there's no way to use a hammock. I wake up with sore hips most of the time when I sleep on the ground. The Neo Air has been a significant improvement in that aspect, but it's still not letting me sleep more than a couple hours (I have been experimenting with ground sleeping again to sort out how I may be able to manage some specific non-hammock trips - it's been barely tolerable).

I have a trail buddy who took a simple ENO, threw in his sleeping bag, and was comfy all night despite temps in the high 30s. Doesn't care about bugs, wasn't cold on the bottom despite compressed insulation. I can't do that. Maybe you can. Lots of people do. It all depends.

Here is a spreadsheet with pages of quilts, hammocks and tarps - weights and dimensions are all listed. One of the hammock forums folks put it together.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pVGC6SYpN7Wa9NJHrtlPjHA&hl=en

Edited by lori999 on 03/24/2010 22:08:08 MDT.

lori, what is your vapor barrier liner for your underquild made of, and how does it attach to your uq?

Thanks for the spreadsheet.

Isaac - it's the mylar snap in that comes with the yeti. He uses small snaps to keep it in place. I haven't used it yet, I don't like vapor barriers generally.

just an example, my list shows a way to keep things light. i am and have been (as a convert) always under the 10lb ul status bar, and hope to keep it that way. this set up pro'lly wouldnt work for some, or even most, but for me its a part of a sub 10 lb pack that im never going to part with. i dont care if a pad that is 6" thick and only weighs 12oz comes out someday, which is likely never to happen, but it would be too hard to leave the Dark Side. Besides, i have a vested interest. :P

WBBB 1.1 single w/ whoopies and straps 21oz even
big, 11x10' winter tarp and stakes 19oz even
2 season, 32° top quilt 12.6oz
3 season, sub 30° under quilt 13oz
leg pad 3.1oz

roughly 4lbs, 5oz. swap the BB for my GT ul @ 12.4oz, and im under 4lbs at 3lbs, 12oz.
im trying to figure out how anyone can use a contrail, a neoair, and a sleeping bag (wm highlite?) for 54.5oz and save much over this (5.5oz, respectively). hence, another reason im a convert. if im given a choice of super versatility and unmatched comfort and a difference of 5-6oz, i'll do it. and these specs include a huge tarp, maybe twice the size of a contrail, and plenty of good storm protection if needed.

outside of weight comparisons as an example, it can also be clearly mentioned that the versatility of my hammock is high..
1)the best camp chair in the world, period
2)can be used as a ground bivy
3)pad is pack frame and sit pad for Murmur, Jam, and Comet
4)tarp can be used to house all the wet, cold groundlings who want to play cards but cannot fit 5 in a contrail
6)stealth, add a few bushes, trees, youd have to look REAL hard to see me
7)in a good forest, finding trees that let you lay side-by-side with your honey is easy to do (under one tarp). then you can share margaritas!
8)tarp can be pitched in a variety of shapes, coverage, and left behind if needed. so in reality, a hammock is a "double wall" shelter.
9)views, even with tarp in place - but not so much dependent on rotation.. meaning i can usually put the zipper side of my hammock anywhere within 360° with ease.
10)fun getting questions and doing show-and-tell. then seeing same ppl. next week, with hammocks of their own. :)

"im trying to figure out how anyone can use a contrail, a neoair, and a sleeping bag (wm highlite?) for 54.5oz and save much over this (5.5oz, respectively). hence, another reason im a convert. if im given a choice of super versatility and unmatched comfort and a difference of 5-6oz, i'll do it. and these specs include a huge tarp, maybe twice the size of a contrail, and plenty of good storm protection if needed."

Well, we're at BPL - we're surrounded by folks who use a poncho for a shelter and sleep on foam pads on the ground. :) Comfort in sleeping gear is hardly the first consideration for folks who want to say it's more comfortable to have less on their back.

The versatility of a hammock setup was the icing on the cake for me. I could use a Sublite at 20 oz, the NeoAir medium at 13 oz, and a single JRB 3 season at 20 oz and manage to be at 53 oz without sacrificing bug protection, warmth, or some small comfort on the ground - I do in fact have just that setup. But it would mean sacrificing the ability to camp anywhere there are a couple of trees (or a single large oak tree with drooping branches - that's very comfortable indeed) and going back to dragging myself in and out of the tent every morning instead of swinging my legs out, changing clothes, starting the kettle to boil, and kicking back with breakfast.

The Sublite only goes with me if more than 2/3 of the trip is treeless. There is no real advantage to it otherwise.

Edited by lori999 on 03/25/2010 10:49:04 MDT.

Lori: "Well, we're at BPL - we're surrounded by folks who use a poncho for a shelter and sleep on foam pads on the ground. :) Comfort in sleeping gear is hardly the first consideration for folks who want to say it's more comfortable to have less on their back."

i understand, and agree. but this is BPL, with nothing in the title using the word "ultra"
for me, the best of both worlds, a light pack AND sleeping comfort, is king. my point was that id confidently say that ive developed a system that is likely lighter than most of the members here.. with a 3 season base of under 7lbs. AND with a hammock system. it can be done. :)

Don't forget, some people actually can sleep comfortably on a foam mat on the ground.

..and I'll bet Bender can put together a 6" air matt for under 12 ounces.