Eureka Chrysalis Deconstructed.

**Boris Losdindawoods** · 08-13-2010, 13:33

Billman, if you're somewhat handy as a do-it-yourselfer, there's a pretty simple way to add a handgrip to your hammock as a way to adjust your position. All you need is a continuous loop of amsteel and a willingness to mod your hammock. At the head end of your hammock, take the continuous loop and larkshead it to the main suspension right at the point where it enters the gathered fabric. Take the rest of the loop and fish it through the gathered fabric so it's hanging inside the head end of the hammock with you. Any time you need to adjust, you can reach up and pull as hard as you want on that loop. All of the stress from you pulling will be transferred straight to the suspension which is already holding your weight so it's really not much of a difference to the suspension. The length of loop you'll need really depends on your hammock and how far down the loop needs to hang in order for you to be able to grab it.

Paul has premade loops at Arrowhead. If you need a longer loop, I'm sure he can crank one out for you if you tell him the length.

Boris

**Land** · 08-13-2010, 14:13

I picked up the wabi-ized Chrysalis from wabi's ad here. He did a nice job with those mods.

I am going to the Goat Island hang here in SC later today. The modded Chrysalis is one of the hammocks that I'll be taking.

It's been hanging in my back yard for the last couple of days. Hope it dried enough today after last night's storm.

BER, I'll be very interested in looking at your pics and mods again now that I have this thing.

Hang loose,

Chris

**joggerjohn** · 08-13-2010, 14:51

I borrowed a Chrysalis from a friend and used a 5-1 Jerry Chair IX underquilt on it for insulation and it fit perfectly and snug against the bottom of the hammock . I figure that any 3/4 IX underquilt would work on it.

**BER** · 08-13-2010, 23:13

For those of you who have laid in this hammock, how much do you think the transverse panels of fabric make a difference in the lay of the hammock. In other words, I am wondering if I make a bridge with similar dimensions as the Chrysalis out of 1.9 ripstop, do you think that a single piece of ripstop will lay the same as having the multiple transverse panels. Obviously it would make it easier to cut one piece of ripstop than to sew multiple panels together before cutting to shape...

Land, the pictures of my modified Chrysalis are linked at the bottom of the original post.

**BER** · 08-31-2010, 10:11

Tested a couple of different pads in the Chrysalis yesterday. Thermarest Prolight 4 probably my lightest option, orange and black color matches Chrysalis "ensemble"

, but a little narrow and a bit of pad slide. Next an older Thermarest Camprest Deluxe. Thicker, wider, certainly more comfortable than the prolight 4, less slippage due to better size match with the Chrysalis body, but the heaviest of the bunch

. Finally my go to, the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core. As good, or perhaps slight better comfort than the Camprest. Same size and no slippage side to side. Reasonable weight. And given the thicker nature of this pad, brings shoulders up off curvature of hammock so absolutely no should squeeze (though I felt little to begin with). Very flat lay with same slight rise at head making pillow unnecessary.

Yes I believe I have avoided the thread injector again! No underquilt!

**kycamper** · 08-31-2010, 10:29

I skipped all of the thermarest pads I had and just put in a Walmart excercise mat. It rolls up smaller then the thermarest pads and fits in my kayak's hold better. Comes right to the edge of the hammock sides. Worked very well and I did not slipp off of it with the mummy back like I do with the thermarests. It was also less then $15

**genegene** · 02-02-2011, 09:05

BER:

How did the new spreader bars hold up? I want to use something that can completely come out of the hammock like what you have done.

**BER** · 02-03-2011, 23:06

Originally Posted by genegene

BER:

How did the new spreader bars hold up? I want to use something that can completely come out of the hammock like what you have done.

Gene, I've not had any problems with the new spreaders. Just don't pull on them to shift your weight. I lent the Chrysalis out for the off season, but I haven't heard that either of the gents had any issues either.

**GrizzlyAdams** · 03-11-2011, 21:55

Curiosity got the better of me so I popped $99 plus a free shipping code someone posted on another thread (thanks!) to get one of these fellas from Cabela's and have a look.

Then I remembered someone had done a nice quantish evaluation of Chrysalis dimensions and found this here thread. Nice job BER.

What can I say in addition to what's been said already---well, maybe from a bridge hammock user's point of view...

a) the lack of any kind of "squeeze" around the shoulder is achieved by the combination of a wide spreader bar at the head (39") with an almost the same width body there (43"). That also cranks up the compression on the head spreader, it's that geometry-multiplying-forces thing again. The body is wider but the width is smaller at the foot. The dimensions on mine are 36" spreader, 50" fabric beneath at the head, 26" spreader, 43" fabric beneath.

b) flatness in the middle is achieved with quite a narrow waist (28"). That's fine for me laying on my back, but one of the heavier guys on his side may find his top knee heading off the reservation. The waist on mine range from 30"-34" typically, (except for the loaner I sent to Danalex recently that was likely closer to 38". He was lucky to get out of it without calling 911).

c) this combination of wide and flat tend to make the hammock tippier than something narrower and deep, like the BMBH. It is compensated for in part by the longish side suspension triangles. Tippiness is mostly about the distance of the line between the tops of the suspension triangles (e.g., ridgeline) and the center of mass under load. Flatness brings the center of mass up, longer suspension triangles make the ridgeline higher.

d) The interesting feature of overlapping panels making up the body. A dollar to donuts that's to reduce the amount of fabric needed to make the body. When you cut a bridge body as I do out of one piece of fabric, that arc cut out isn't much use. So some smartbody figured that less fabric would be lost if the body were made of overlapping rectangles that were then trimmed. The rectangles near the middle would be smaller than the ones at the end. Clever.

e) I like the strip of webbing that acts as a cover over the tip of the spreader bar to protect the tarp. Gonna remember that one...

f) this webbing must be nylon. I don't get this kind of stretch with my polyester webbing + amsteel.

What others have said...it is comfortable, although I've not spent a night out in it. No way would I carry this rig in anything other than a gas-powered vehicle. When you get used to carrying 2lbs for hammock and tarp, 4 or 5 seems overwhelming.

I'm not sold on the integrated tarp thing, but that's just a personal preference. I like having shelter that isn't inside the hammock.

I'm tempted just for grins to see how much lighter I can make this thing. In addition to the swap-outs others have done, I'd have a go with the stitch ripper to get the webbing out of the side and put a channel in, run Amsteel through it. Probably just end up tear up the hammock or going crazy. To really save weight I'd need to use different material for the tarp. Given all that it would be easier just to make a lighter weight DIY version.

WV · 03-11-2011, 22:54

Good analysis, Griz. I learned stuff that I hadn't figured out myself - and I've got BER's hammock right here. (Will be sending it home soon. Thanks, BER!)

Griz, your theory that the use of overlapping panels saves fabric must assume that the double layers are necessary and would need to be made with separate strips of fabric if the main body of the hammock were a single piece of fabric with side cutouts, yes? So, how necessary are they, and why?