no more s/s headaches

**SuperTramp** · 09-13-2009, 17:27

well this year brought about a zip mod and the bottom entry closure to my Explorer.i had had some concerns after the fact as to how the s/s and mod would interact,well my worries were unfounded.i set up my rig on the deck today to fix my busted ridgeline (yes it snapped) and thought as the weather is getting cooler i would put the s/s on.one of the problems i had and hated with the s/s without the mod last winter was the getting in and pushing aside the pad and getting it to close back up neatly.so today as i was playing with my hammock my little wife was inside sewing together some clothes and i thought hmmm, good time to close up the bottom s/s entry.well as usual she did a great job and installed with underpad it is a beautiful thing! now it looks like and feels like the way it should be-a nice neat slick winter hammock set-up that is easy to set-up and get into

**Dutch** · 09-13-2009, 18:53

I'm hoping to use my SS more now that Ihave a #2 mod.

**Knotty** · 09-14-2009, 09:51

Did she untie or remove the thin bungee that's in the hem of the SS entry slit? Doing that will prevent the SS riding up and creating that ridge in the center of the hammock when you're not in it, making it easier to layout you bag/top quilt/etc.

That bungee only seems to be in there to help hold the entry slit closed.

**SuperTramp** · 09-14-2009, 11:56

Originally Posted by Knotty

Did she untie or remove the thin bungee that's in the hem of the SS entry slit? Doing that will prevent the SS riding up and creating that ridge in the center of the hammock when you're not in it, making it easier to layout you bag/top quilt/etc.

That bungee only seems to be in there to help hold the entry slit closed.

yes,she just cut it and pulled it out and sewed a nice seam-you would never have known it was there

**BillyBob58** · 09-14-2009, 12:20

Originally Posted by Supertramp

yes,she just cut it and pulled it out and sewed a nice seam-you would never have known it was there

So does that get rid of all elastic tension in the UC? Here is what I am wondering about: The elastics on both the pad and UC also seem to me to function to supply a "close" fit, keeping the pad against your back as well as the UC fairly close to the pad to avoid a really large, cold air filled gap. This seems to be pretty much automatically adjusted with out having to have a perfectly adjusted UC and pad. And the amount of tension is somewhat adjustable by how the prussicks are adjusted, or by placing some knots in the cords that hook to the prussicks.

And this same tension can cause a problem- at least it has to be accounted for- if you place puffy insulation in the UC, which tends to compress the insulation.

Any way, another big advantage you should have with the zip mod is the ability to reach down into the SS and make sure pads and added insulation are correctly placed with no gap and also no compression. It seems to me it should be a BIG improvement in ease of use with the SS.

Let us know if there turn out to be any down side from snipping that bungee, or if it instead only inproves function. I've always felt a zip mod would be a major boon for SS use, leading to a shorter learning curve for new users.

**MacEntyre** · 09-14-2009, 12:41

BillyBob, I've avoided cutting my SS elastic for that reason. However, I dislike the way the hammock bunches up and looks wrong, when there is no weight in it, and the UC is under it. I always toss things in the hammock so it will look right.

**Knotty** · 09-14-2009, 13:06

Even after cutting the bungee in the SS entry, there is still another that runs along the perimeter of the whole SS, helping to keep the SS tight to the hammock. You wouldn't want to get rid of that one.

**MacEntyre** · 09-14-2009, 14:35

Originally Posted by Knotty

You wouldn't want to get rid of that one.

No, but that one doesn't bisect your hammock and mess up the looks when it's empty.

**BillyBob58** · 09-14-2009, 14:50

Originally Posted by MacEntyre

BillyBob, I've avoided cutting my SS elastic for that reason. However, I dislike the way the hammock bunches up and looks wrong, when there is no weight in it, and the UC is under it. I always toss things in the hammock so it will look right.

I guess I must be a Neanderthal or something. You know the appearance of the SS never crossed my mind. Except when I was first seeing it and thought"Oh man, that can not be very warm!". My wife has often reminded me that I don't seem to give a hoot what I have on and whether things look right together or not. I guess it is all related.

OTOH, I have been known to think " that sure looks good" about things like the pitch of a MacCat tarp or a MWUQ under my BMBH, so........