BB Design Features - What are they? What Option and Why

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Originally Posted by animalcontrol

My only concerns with the tri-rings...they bite too good!
In the winter, I have issues backing out a 'little' webbing to make small adjustments.
I like the BB supplied webbing much better than even Strapworks (lighter)

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Brandon once called me "crazy" for carrying the Strapworks stuff. While I still think he was a little harsh (:tongueup::D), he is right. I haven't really had a situation to really put the durability to the test like I have with the Strapworks stuff (which is bombproof), it is much lighter and gives me no reason to believe it isn't tough as nails.

I've had the webbing catch in the tri-rings a couple of times, but the same with the rings. A quick sit in the hammock to load the webbing and you get the slack you need to release the webbing. Out of probably 30 or 40 hangs with the tri-rings, I think they've 'stuck' 2 or 3 times. I can live with that.

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Originally Posted by animalcontrol

I like the BB supplied webbing much better than even Strapworks (lighter)

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Originally Posted by Cannibal

Brandon once called me "crazy" for carrying the Strapworks stuff. While I still think he was a little harsh (:tongueup::D), he is right. I haven't really had a situation to really put the durability to the test like I have with the Strapworks stuff (which is bombproof), it is much lighter and gives me no reason to believe it isn't tough as nails.

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I really like the BB-supplied webbing as well. It's worth noting that StrapWorks sells 2 different types of polyester webbing, though, and their seatbelt polyester webbing isn't nearly as heavy as the original polyester. It is very similar to the BB-supplied stuff.

Here come the hate mails. :rolleyes::D

Is the seatbelt webbing really comparable to the webbing used on the BBs? I ask only because I prefer black to camo. <Cannibal quickly ducks the flying shoes!:scared:>

Yes, it is very comparable. Let me look tonight, I may have a spare seatbelt-set that I can send you to try.

That would be very cool. Thanks!

the owf camo is a good bit lighter than either of the strapworks polyester. also, i've switched to a new polyester webbing, it's a very tiny bit lighter than the camo (almost the same weight, and it's black. no more camo unless you order tree straps, got those in camo still.

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Originally Posted by warbonnetguy

the owf camo is a good bit lighter than either of the strapworks polyester. also, i've switched to a new polyester webbing, it's a very tiny bit lighter than the camo (almost the same weight, and it's black. no more camo unless you order tree straps, got those in camo still.

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WHOOO HOOOOOOOO!

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Originally Posted by Cannibal

Oh boy, OK here we go.

Generally speaking, I think 200 lbs is kind of the mark for the fabric choice you'll make. 1.1 starts getting stretchy over 200 lbs and losses some of that all important comfort factor. Can't have that!
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4. Yes they are breathable fabric.
7. Yeah, to even suggest such a thing can get you tar and feathered around here. There is no reason it won't function just as well as those other hammocks on the ground, although it may be more susceptible to ground water than the other hammock I think you're talking about.

I think that covers it. Did it help any?

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Cannibal,
Thanks for the helpful reply. I've gotten burned a time or two about specs of equipment. So I don't assume anything anymore. I'm no cry baby about something weighting a couple of oz. either way from specs. Purchased a tent one time that was supposed to be 7 feet in one direction. Turns out the 7 feet included about a foot up on each side for the floor pan. Some 10'x 10' tarps are 9.5'x 9.5 while another makers tarp of the same specified size it spot on and another's is 10.5'x10'.

I'm about 175# , still a bit up from the holidays. So 1.1 would likely work for me if I want to keep hammock weight down and not just purchase the heavier wt fabric to get a more robust product. I'm afraid I have more day dreams about having time and energy to take long multi-day hikes. Maybe some day I'll be able to get past the weekend event which is shorter hikes where weight wont be quit as important.

Of course the bit about being branded with "GD" and shunned was meant as joke , I should have included the smiley face. :)

David

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Originally Posted by lori

I have had a Hennessy and will be using the Blackbird this weekend. What I will appreciate about the Blackbird is the ease of hanging and adjusting the way the hammock hangs, ...

Not sure why you would want to swap from one system to the other, but that seems simple to me if you can re-whip the hammock yourself. Both systems will attach to the tree the same way.

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Lori,
Let us know how the BB works out during your weekend outing. If I remember from other post here I think you've only had the BB a short time.

Why would I want to change the suspension system?
Well there are a few reasons I thought it might be a good option. Not yet having seen first hand most of the designs available I wasn't sure if all have the ability to change the suspension or only some of them.

One reason would be to permit me to switch to a lighter system if backpacking rather than getting to the camp site by using a weight bearing vehicle of some type.

Another would be just to try something new. Folks are always coming up with new ideas about how to do things. Or some after experience just have a favorite way of doing it which differs from what is supplied. So why make it difficult to make a change to a favorite system.

Seems some hammocks come with good suspension systems. Others with rather poor ones, something just adequate to allow you to go hang it as soon as the box arrives in the mail. Some whine about this. But I take another view that if that is the case then they've purchased a hammock at a lower price leaving them money to spend on the type of suspension they would have wanted to install anyway , yet the hammock body itself maybe as good as any other design.

One of my other interest is folding kayaks. Some folks like to buy the most expensive ones where everything about it is top quality. All the parts the best the maker could design. Other folks prefer to buy folders which are on the whole a good quality frame and skin and good hull shape with excellent handling and paddling speed but the seat and back brace etc. are rather cheaply made. Which is fine with them since they will tear it out and replace those items with their own favorite setup anyway. And they saved money buying a kayak with less money in these acccessory parts. I've got four of five of these things - so I have some from both schools of thought.

David

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Originally Posted by angrysparrow

Wow. Have some questions, eh? :rolleyes:


Breathable. You don't want to use a non-breathable fabric for a hammock in many conditions due to potential condensation issues. When you *do* want non-breathable, it's easy to use something to act as a vapor barrier. i.e. a CCF pad or a sheet of plastic
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There are no design features of the BlackBird that I'm aware of that cater to using it on the ground.

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Angrysparrow,
Thanks for the reply. I've been thinking a breathable fabric is the preferred way to go.

I've noticed the DD Hammock has a good number of fans , lots of post over on bushcraftuk forum , youtube etc. Several good reviews but I also noticed that last year they switched from their previous fabric to a waterproof fabric. Purpose being that several people requested it. However some people thought it may turn out to not be such a good idea. Maybe its good for the weather in the UK.

Of course they are one of the designs which goes out of their way to promote their ability to easily go to ground when needed. Water proof fabric and I think also includes tie out loops for the sides. If needing to go to ground I think the side tie out loops would be a good thing to have . But I think it would be a better feature to keep a breathable fabric and just carry a water proof ground sheet. Seems the BB lacks side tie out loops for this purpose and that was something I wanted to know about.

David