supershelter system

[edwat72]

Does any one have the supershelter system for the hennessy????

I was just wanting to know if it is worth to get??

[Ramblinrev]

I have used it down to 12*F. Very satisfied with it.

[G.L.P.]

I'v used one as well and was cold at 40 degrees...and had condensation problems as well..the Super Shelter is hit or miss if you ask me
some ppl it works great...and some ppl it doesn't

to be honest...for the same price you can get a 2/3 length Synth UQ from Paul over at AHE ...

[Knotty]

I've used the SS fairly successfully but in the end bought some under quilts and prefer them. Main complaint with the SS is the open cell foam pad. It's fragile and the system as a whole doesn't pack down very small. Still, it does work.

[Ted]

I first used it this past weekend at 5300' in the Appalachians. Low temp in the high 30s. Worked great. It is essential that you use the recommended reflective space blanket on top of the foam pad to avoid condensation problems when you have cold, dry conditions, and to get the benefit of reflected body heat.

[BillyBob58]

I have used it down to 12*F. Very satisfied with it.

I'v used one as well and was cold at 40 degrees...and had condensation problems as well..the Super Shelter is hit or miss if you ask me
some ppl it works great...and some ppl it doesn't

to be honest...for the same price you can get a 2/3 length Synth UQ from Paul over at AHE ...

Those two posts sum up the entire gamut of SS experience. I personally was always amazed at RRevs experience with a base SS if mem serves, nothing added like spare clothing, right? ( though again if mem serves, one or 2 Canadians have even beat that 12*F with the base system) I could never do that, but I believe I remember being just OK at ~32*F with the base SS unit ( space blanket, pad and undercover). I have done the teens OK by adding various items to the UC or on top of the pad. I think it is a pretty good system over all, and I have quite a few types and approaches to compare to.

At the same time, I am equally amazed at Greenlespaul's experience. I can't imagine me being cold in the 40s with a SS, nor do I ever have any condensation problems as long as I use the space blanket.

So, asking advice here still leaves you with a gamble. Some folks have been very happy, some have not been very happy, a few have really hated it. I think at least sometimes a poor experience is due to user error, failing to follow the directions. But clearly that is not always the problem.

And it is clearly not the most compact ( stuffable) nor lightest system for it's temp performance, especially for folks that only find it usable in the 40s or warmer. OTOH, it has significant additional water and wind protection as part of the basic system, and is one of the cheaper approaches. And it is a very quick drying synthetic approach if you do manage to get it wet, at least if you have at least a few sunny hours. At least it was when I tested it it at home.

You will have to roll the dice to find out if it is for you.

[G.L.P.]

Those two posts sum up the entire gamut of SS experience. I personally was always amazed at RRevs experience with a base SS if mem serves, nothing added like spare clothing, right? ( though again if mem serves, one or 2 Canadians have even beat that 12*F with the base system) I could never do that, but I believe I remember being just OK at ~32*F with the base SS unit ( space blanket, pad and undercover). I have done the teens OK by adding various items to the UC or on top of the pad. I think it is a pretty good system over all, and I have quite a few types and approaches to compare to.

At the same time, I am equally amazed at Greenlespaul's experience. I can't imagine me being cold in the 40s with a SS, nor do I ever have any condensation problems as long as I use the space blanket.

So, asking advice here still leaves you with a gamble. Some folks have been very happy, some have not been very happy, a few have really hated it. I think at least sometimes a poor experience is due to user error, failing to follow the directions. But clearly that is not always the problem.

And it is clearly not the most compact ( stuffable) nor lightest system for it's temp performance, especially for folks that only find it usable in the 40s or warmer. OTOH, it has significant additional water and wind protection as part of the basic system, and is one of the cheaper approaches. And it is a very quick drying synthetic approach if you do manage to get it wet, at least if you have at least a few sunny hours. At least it was when I tested it it at home.

You will have to roll the dice to find out if it is for you.

Yeah BB thas why i feel that it's hit or miss as well...
and the worst part is i had the condensation problems and i wasn't even using a space blanket...just the stock setup
i think i played around with it for 2-3 weeks total 6-8 nights trying to figure out why it wouldn't work...but never had any luck..
guess it just didn't like me

to be honest...nothing beats a good UQ...and you can use the UQ on any hammock...with the SS you can't...so if you get a WBBB...your going to buy an UQ anyway..thats just how i see it

[Ramblinrev]

I got down to 12* F in my back yard for about three hours. I had the full arrangement... torso and kidney pads and a cheap-o Coleman 0* bag from wally world. I was also in a good solid base layer of clothing including a good balaclava. I also had a DIY top cover over the net. What drove me inside was not that I got cold, but rather the amount of ambient light and noise in that neck of the neighborhood. (High rise Senior housing with lots of lighted security bordering on an interstate highway. Sound travels real far in those crisp temps.)

The Super Shelter is an exclusive system for HH and even then only specific models. However, that being said, I am an exclusive HH user because I require the bottom entry for my mobility impairments. My purchase was also driven by cost. IMO the SS is the most cost effective system you can get IF you are using the appropriate models. I don't know if the super shelter could be used on other gathered end hammocks because I have never tried it.

I'm not saying it is the best system available. Simply that, for me, it has been successful. The space blanket is an _absolute_ requirement to avoid condensation problems. If the user does not use the space blanket they do not use the system as it was designed.

There is a report of the Super Shelter making down to -27* F but that was augmented with addition insulation in the form of down parkas and such. I can't claim that level of success, but then I wouldn't be out camping in those temps one way or the other.

[Tstrube]

I'm new to UQ so I have lots to learn. I have a HH Ultralight and I would like to stay warm in the winter. Would it be better to buy the Super Shelter or buy some other brand. I use it for backpacking so weight and space is important to me but so is cost.

[BillyBob58]

Yeah BB thas why i feel that it's hit or miss as well...
and the worst part is i had the condensation problems and i wasn't even using a space blanket...just the stock setup
i think i played around with it for 2-3 weeks total 6-8 nights trying to figure out why it wouldn't work...but never had any luck..
guess it just didn't like me

" i had the condensation problems and i wasn't even using a space blanket...just the stock setup"

Are you saying that you didn't use the SB with the SS?

Did you have the condensation also while using the SB? In my experience, you are almost guaranteed to have condensation if you don't use the SB, as well as being not near as warm.

Though I have occasionally used the SS without the SB at warmer temps, for me the SB is really part of the system. The one time I have had condensation was without the SB. That time, the foot end of the pad was soaked, and the foot of my bag was pretty wet.