Hi Guys

Will appologise in advance as this thread will be all over the place

Right the story so far , Bought a DD Hammock , it was ok , but i found it a little narrow for me ( I am 6'1" and fairly broad shouldered, 100Kg and had a few too many pies, just a few!!) My mate who also has a DD is slighty smaller in every dimension loves the DD and has no problems. I made a sythetic/down mix under blanket based on the KAQ design but never really got away with it. Next I tried a down peapod type design which I just cant stay warm in plus was starting to realise the DD just didnt suit me.

Next came a HH explorer deluxe which i replaced the fly for the larger HH hex , i modded the peapod so instead of the velcro it has shock cord down the perimeter and works like a large underblanket rather than the full wrap round. It sits about 4 inches from the top of the HH bug netting but I just cant stay warm. Next came a Snugpak underblanket which is so much warmer and this is the gear i use now.

At some point i got the HH super shelter complete with top cover and just cant get away with it , I do like the undercover and use this over the underblanket but as part of the deal from HH's at the time I got a free HH Scout ( Awesome ). I had camped on the ground with my 8 year old son and he was getting the bug so the scout was perfect. But I now have a kit dilemma , we tend to go to Scotland where the weather is generally windy and raining and the temperature at night even during summer is fairly low. I have found that the Scout and the snugpak blanket keeps him warm and happy ( to the point where last weekend it got down to about 2 deg C (36F ) with gusts of up to 60 mph winds and he slept right through ) while i was awake every hour and cold as when he is with me I give him the warmer gear and I make do with the peapod and other stuff

I have had about 8 nights in the HH (with the Snugpak UB) and I have been more comfortable and slept better than i did in the DD , of those 8 nights everything was a 1 nighter apart from a 3 day trip , we spent 2 of the 3 days in one location so the hammock stayed up for both nights and I slept solid ( i.e better than i do in bed ) and it was fantastic but the 3rd night at a new location i was back to being awake a few times during the night.

so first question - Has anyone found there is a sweet spot in these hammocks.(or is it the nature of all hammocks) i.e have i hit lucky and got the right heights at each end or right tension in the ropes where as on other nights have i been feet too high or low or sagging to much - Or is it more likely to be things external to the hammock setup - wind noise etc - I have kind of accepted that I will not sleep as well my my son is with me as I am more alert listening to make sure he is ok ( not that he has ever not been )

He has properly got the bug so I now go out with him as much as I do with mates/on my own so i need to find a way to keep me warm. If my son has the Scout , the Snugpak UB and the hex fly that is him sorted for every weather condition i am likely to take him out in.

I guess my goal is to get some low temp solo trips in , I do like the idea of Cycling over Scotland when its snowing , not sure why !!. My ideal would be a JRB Hammock Hut with a Ti goat cylinder stove fitted , I like the look of the JRB bridge hammock and would probably go with the Mt Wash 4 quilt but having read a ton of previous posts I would appresiate any recomendations before making a pretty big purchase. As i am in the UK and most of the premium kit is US made so i have to deal with , import duty,VAT , Customs charges, Handling Fee's meaning getting caught will add a significant sum to my already sizeable outlay

My plan is to buy the JRB bridge and hope i get lucky with customs - get used to it and see if it suits me - One problem is the BW blackbird has some excelent reviews on here so I have to make a choice. Of course if my sleeping problems are just the way it is and i just need more experience to get it right then my plans may well change

Next assuming the JRB MBBH is for me then as part of a family holiday to the US early next year pick up the hammock hut and MtW4 and bring them back home with me

I have read with great interest the posts where Turk had fitted a stove in a JRBHH, I have checked with the Jacks and unfortunately they dont plan to produce the flame resistant version , pretty small market i guess

Will the JRB BMBH fit in a JRB HH ok , and if so how likely is fitting a stove without it getting too close to anything

If the stove wasnt used could me/my son hang side by side in the JRB HH, If so what method of seperating the hammocks could be used ( I had considered ordering two spare JRB spreader bars as i read somewhere that could be used

Of course Warbonnet also make some fine kit so I could always mix and match between the 2 makes hence my utter confusion

Weight is not a huge concern for me as I will either car camp or other trips will be canoe or cycling, so i never have to directly carry my kit and in terms of budget I guess getting a few years where my son wants to spend time with his old man outweighs any financial constraignts plus I can split the spend over a few months/ sell off old kit etc

Once again sorry complete lack of coherence - Is there an award for longest post

cheers

Mike