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  1. #1
    Senior Member drewboy's Avatar
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    Is OES still shipping MacCat tarps?

    Hi folks. I am new to hammocking, and just had my first above-the-ground experience on a backpacking trip last weekend. I have a Hennessy Hyperlite and Supershelter system. I'm hooked and hoping these 50-yr old bones will never have to touch the ground again! I've enjoyed reading all the great information here and look forward to becoming part of the community.

    I am planning a 5 day trip to the Weminuche Wilderness (camping at >11Kft) in mid July, and want to be prepared for the cold as well as expected rainy conditions. Being a newbie, I have read with great interest the forum posts that express concern on the limitations of the stock Hennessy tarp.

    I decided to pick up a MacCat tarp to make sure I stay dry. I placed my order earlier in the week, and have followed up email to Brian, but have received no response yet. Brian has said on his web site that he will continue to ship products until mid June. Has he left already for his summer camp job? Or is he just completely buried right now? Has anyone heard from him lately? I'm wondering if I need to try and figure out some other alternative?

    Another question: people here seem to have a consensus that the Supershelter is good down to the mid 40's or so, and this was supported by my overnight experience last weekend. BTW, I used a No Sniveller top quilt and also wore a light merino wool shirt, windshirt and hiking pants. My question is, what addiitonal lightweight insulationg gear should I consider bringing along to extend my temperature range down to the mid 30's if needed? I am not particularly a warm sleeper, but also know this can vary a lot based on exertion, calorie intake, etc.

    thanks

    Andy

  2. #2
    Senior Member sk8rs_dad's Avatar
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    If 'twere me, I'd add a reflector emergency blanket (less than $3) to your kit and sandwich it between the hammock and the insullation in your supershelter. The radiant heat might be all you need to get those extra 10 degrees and the added weight is negligle. YMMV.

    /Karl

  3. #3
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    gimme shelter

    Quote Originally Posted by drewboy View Post
    I decided to pick up a MacCat tarp to make sure I stay dry. I placed my order earlier in the week, and have followed up email to Brian, but have received no response yet. Brian has said on his web site that he will continue to ship products until mid June. Has he left already for his summer camp job? Or is he just completely buried right now? Has anyone heard from him lately? I'm wondering if I need to try and figure out some other alternative?
    I put in an order 6 weeks ago, with a "needed by" date of later this month. Haven't received it yet, but he did write to say that it was coming on time.

    Another question: people here seem to have a consensus that the Supershelter is good down to the mid 40's or so, and this was supported by my overnight experience last weekend. BTW, I used a No Sniveller top quilt and also wore a light merino wool shirt, windshirt and hiking pants. My question is, what addiitonal lightweight insulationg gear should I consider bringing along to extend my temperature range down to the mid 30's if needed? I am not particularly a warm sleeper, but also know this can vary a lot based on exertion, calorie intake, etc.
    I really hate to be cold at night. Really really hate it. No doubt a reaction to growing up in Northern Minnesota, a subliminal fear of freezing or something. In the spectrum of weight vs. comfort I will carry what I need to ensure warmth at night. For low 30's / upper 20's I have an underquilt outside the hammock, and a Exped 7 (short) downmat inside, with a 0 degree down bag opened up and used as a quilt. I'm in polypro underwear tops and bottoms, wool socks, wool hat, and wearing Marmot Driclime windshirt and windpants.

    Grizz

  4. #4
    Senior Member NCPatrick's Avatar
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    Hmmm. I've read mixed reviews of the reflector blanket. Discussions of radiant heat, emergency blankets etc. can be found here and here, fwiw.


    "Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities."
    - Mark Twain
    “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.”
    - John Burroughs

  5. #5
    Senior Member TeeDee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by drewboy View Post
    Another question: people here seem to have a consensus that the Supershelter is good down to the mid 40's or so, and this was supported by my overnight experience last weekend. BTW, I used a No Sniveller top quilt and also wore a light merino wool shirt, windshirt and hiking pants. My question is, what addiitonal lightweight insulationg gear should I consider bringing along to extend my temperature range down to the mid 30's if needed? I am not particularly a warm sleeper, but also know this can vary a lot based on exertion, calorie intake, etc.

    thanks

    Andy
    A Gossamer Gear3/8" thinlight pad on top of the Supershelter pad will take you down more. I use one full length and another cut down to 39" length cross wise under my torso and shouders. Some people use their 1/4" pad which you can get a lot wider. I like the 3/8" better - personal preference. At 9 to 10 oz for the two I use, they are really good insulation. I added shock cording from the corners of the Supershelter pad up over the ridgeline, but that is easy and works great.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Darby's Avatar
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    Welcome to the forum, as far as warmth goes, I tend to sleep warm to hot so I get away with 35 deg. bag & Thermarest ccf pad. I have been down to 18 deg. with this set-up, but that is probably as cold as I would want to go. I think the reason I got away with it was that I was using a SG tarp pulled in VERY close to block the air flow.

  7. #7
    Peter_pan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by drewboy View Post
    Hi folks. I am new to hammocking, and just had my first above-the-ground experience on a backpacking trip last weekend. I have a Hennessy Hyperlite and Supershelter system. I'm hooked and hoping these 50-yr old bones will never have to touch the ground again! I've enjoyed reading all the great information here and look forward to becoming part of the community.

    I am planning a 5 day trip to the Weminuche Wilderness (camping at >11Kft) in mid July, and want to be prepared for the cold as well as expected rainy conditions. Being a newbie, I have read with great interest the forum posts that express concern on the limitations of the stock Hennessy tarp.

    I decided to pick up a MacCat tarp to make sure I stay dry. I placed my order earlier in the week, and have followed up email to Brian, but have received no response yet. Brian has said on his web site that he will continue to ship products until mid June. Has he left already for his summer camp job? Or is he just completely buried right now? Has anyone heard from him lately? I'm wondering if I need to try and figure out some other alternative?

    Another question: people here seem to have a consensus that the Supershelter is good down to the mid 40's or so, and this was supported by my overnight experience last weekend. BTW, I used a No Sniveller top quilt and also wore a light merino wool shirt, windshirt and hiking pants. My question is, what addiitonal lightweight insulationg gear should I consider bringing along to extend my temperature range down to the mid 30's if needed? I am not particularly a warm sleeper, but also know this can vary a lot based on exertion, calorie intake, etc.

    thanks

    Andy

    No Sniveller makes a great under quilt too....

    Pan
    Ounces to Grams.

    www.jacksrbetter.com ... Largest supplier of camping quilts and under quilts...Home of the Original Nest Under Quilt, and Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock. 800 595 0413

  8. #8
    Senior Member drewboy's Avatar
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    Thinlite with Supershelter

    Quote Originally Posted by TeeDee View Post
    A Gossamer Gear3/8" thinlight pad on top of the Supershelter pad will take you down more. I use one full length and another cut down to 39" length cross wise under my torso and shouders. Some people use their 1/4" pad which you can get a lot wider. I like the 3/8" better - personal preference. At 9 to 10 oz for the two I use, they are really good insulation. I added shock cording from the corners of the Supershelter pad up over the ridgeline, but that is easy and works great.
    Bringing the extra GG 3/8 Thinlite pads looks like a pretty light and cost effective adder for extra warmth. The shortened length one could probably also serve as a pack frame for my frameless Conduit. Can you describe what you did with the extra shock cording? I'm not quite sure I understand what you did.

    thanks

    Andy

  9. #9
    Senior Member TeeDee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by drewboy View Post
    Bringing the extra GG 3/8 Thinlite pads looks like a pretty light and cost effective adder for extra warmth. The shortened length one could probably also serve as a pack frame for my frameless Conduit. Can you describe what you did with the extra shock cording? I'm not quite sure I understand what you did.

    thanks

    Andy
    Putting anything on top of the Supershelter pad, tends to pull the pad away from the hammock.

    To cure this I took some shock cord of the same diameter as what Hennessy uses, tied one end in a bowline with one of the pad corner tie outs inside the bowline. Run the shock cord up and over the ridgeline and to the second pad tie out on the same end of the pad/hammock. Tie another bowline once you have figured the proper length which will keep the pad snug without compressing it. Do not include the second tie out inside the second bowline. I then use a micro-carabiner to attach the second end to the second tie out. You could use a micro-carabiner on both ends of the added shock cord, but I stopped that since it is 3 things to get lost. Keeping one end of the shock cord semi-permanently attached helps prevent that for me.

    Repeat on the other end of the hammock and pad.

    That gives you 2 shock cords running up over the ridgeline, one on each end of the pad/hammock. The added shock cords act to keep the Supershelter pad snugged up against the hammock and thus anything on top of the pad.

    The added shock cords are only needed when you lay something on top of the pad.

  10. #10
    Senior Member drewboy's Avatar
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    Stacking other pads on the Supershelter

    Quote Originally Posted by TeeDee View Post
    Putting anything on top of the Supershelter pad, tends to pull the pad away from the hammock. ...
    Ahhhh got it now. Thanks so much TeeDee, I'll give it a try.

    Andy

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