Clark Owner may be trying the BB

Printable View

03-02-2011, 10:32
photomankc

Clark Owner may be trying the BB

Well,

My little girl has decided that she wants to have a hammock when we camp and so it appears that my Clark is to be stolen from me. I was considering getting another in the NX-250 style but the price is too steep now given the other expenses we have to deal with. That and I think I would like having a hammock that is not quite so touchy to setup. Been reading the rave reviews on the BB for a while now and thought I might give it a try for the price.

I already have a couple of tarps, a JRB large tarp and an OES tarp that was a bit too small for the Clark's length so I'm not sure if it will work with the BB either.

I'm leaning towards double 1.7. I'm 230lbs and camp in places with a lot of mosquitoes so I think I'm stuck with double layer and I'd like a lot of leeway on weight capacity since it's never just you hanging up there. There is always some extra pounds in there with you. I also like the Olive color the best.

One of my major concerns is my underquilts. I have several JRB's (Mnt Washington, No Sniveler, and a summer weight) that represent a LARGE investment of cash. Will those still be able to work with the different layout of the BB? I'm worried that the asym nature of it will end up with my feet sticking out in the air uncovered while the quilt runs down the middle. That may make this a no-go. I simply can not replace the quilts just to try a new type of hammock but if they will work then I'll be happy to give it a shot.
03-02-2011, 10:39
hangnout

The WBBB is fairly easy to use about any quilt. It does not have the same problem as other asym hammocks due to how the tie outs pull the netting out more than the body.
03-02-2011, 10:47
KayakCarl

I picked up a 1.1 dl from a fellow HF member. I've only slept in it a few times so far, and my Mt W4 works great with the BB as an UQ.
03-02-2011, 10:53
photomankc

Beautiful! Sounds like the quilts will be fine then.
03-11-2011, 11:34
photomankc

Got the Hammock Wednesday and went out to get some biners that could handle some load for the webbing so I could try it out. Wow! Totally different experience to the Clark. The BB is much more roomy feeling than my Clark NA. The setup is an order of magnitude simpler with the webbing and ridgeline. It took me a couple minutes to find the right angle on my less than ideal trees in the yard (19' apart). The lay is much flatter and I can lay completely on my side without the hip bend that I get in the Clark.

The headroom is reduced a lot and with it staked out I have to duck into it but the stakes really make it feel a lot more roomy. I still have to figure out how the underquilts will work with the foot box and not end up with my feet poking out but that may just be me worrying about nothing. I'm heading on a family trip to Texas so hopefully I can spend a little time with it while I'm down there figuring it out.

Very nice product, I'm completely impressed.
03-11-2011, 11:56
Cannibal

Interesting post from a dedicated Clark user.
Glad to hear your experiment is working out for you. Now you can have 2 "favorite hammocks"! :D
03-11-2011, 12:20
texron

Quote:

Originally Posted by photomankc

Got the Hammock Wednesday and went out to get some biners that could handle some load for the webbing so I could try it out. Wow! Totally different experience to the Clark. The BB is much more roomy feeling than my Clark NA. The setup is an order of magnitude simpler with the webbing and ridgeline. It took me a couple minutes to find the right angle on my less than ideal trees in the yard (19' apart). The lay is much flatter and I can lay completely on my side without the hip bend that I get in the Clark.

The headroom is reduced a lot and with it staked out I have to duck into it but the stakes really make it feel a lot more roomy. I still have to figure out how the underquilts will work with the foot box and not end up with my feet poking out but that may just be me worrying about nothing. I'm heading on a family trip to Texas so hopefully I can spend a little time with it while I'm down there figuring it out.

Very nice product, I'm completely impressed.

I have a WBBB and a Clark NA. Love them both, they each have their own strengths and weaknesses. My Clark suspension is very modified. If you're coming close to North TX and want to hang, hit me up a PM.
03-11-2011, 13:38
photomankc

Oh yeah. The Clark has some strengths I see. I like the headroom better. I like the down-the-middle lay in the Clark better (first blush). I'd like a pocket or two inside the WB. I liked being able to move the water drip point out a bit. I liked the attached weather shield to keep the cold drafts out.

I see them as very different animals. But I the BB is lighter, more comfortable, and quicker to set then it's going to be tough to see where I'll still take the Clark. I don't winter camp and if it gets super cold it's because I was not expecting it not because I planned on it.

Maybe if I modified the Clark suspension I might still see a love for it but that's my biggest gripe. Two years using it and it still takes me multiple iterations to get it setup with the right hang.