Loving my new Jacks R Better quilts!

[Cuffs]

Hey! Sometimes it breaks 40 degrees here....then I close the refrigerator.

Actually, most of my life was spent where blizzards are an annual event. Even got the frostbitten feet to prove it. That's why I'm trying to get my gear as simple as possible for set-up; I know my fingers will be angry otherwise. Especially seeing how I've gotten so soft living here in the tropics.

I completely understand this!

Grew up in MI, spent 19yrs in FL, now in AL and I think its freezing here! It went down to 34* this morning! Yea, I got aclimated to FL way to easily!

[Cannibal]

Yeah, that acclimation thing is a bi%&#! But, I bet a RMS from the Jacks will help with that!

[BillyBob58]

And then, even though I knew it was to be a doomed hang, the debate raged on: stay in the hammock, where my butt and left toe were cold but the rest of me was toasty, ........)

Now this could lead to a real learning process as you continue to experiment. I am testing a new PeaPod( working on a pre-lim review now), and that has been full of surprises. I saw in the set up instructions about giving the pod a "little more sag than the hammock, in order to avoid compressing the down but also not so much sag as to cause an air gap once inside. And add more sag once you start adding clothing etc for more insulation. Well, I figured I'd start with about 1" more, thinking as the hammock sagged lower the pod would come with it, sort of like it does with my SS, where it's not that critical if you are a little too close/tight to the hammock.

Fortunately, I called Ed as soon as I got it and told him my plan to start with about 1". Too which he said "NO! Start with at least 5" dif"! So I did, but I still found that even though when I felt around under the hammock, it felt like there was either no compression or a very slight gap between the hammock and pod down, when I felt around the outside to my butt, there was VERY little loft. Just a few inches to the right or left there was abundant loft, but very little under the lowest point.

So some experimenting ensued. I gave it a little more sag, and that seemed to help a little. But I finally figured out that the center baffle at the low point was a bit lacking in down. So I scooted some down from the head end ( which was way above my head anyway) and that seemed to take care of most of the problem. But if I was to scoot the end even one more inch towards the end knot, it would probably compress that low point loft by an inch or more. Fortunately, it's easy to reach out of the Speer hammock and check all of this once you are in the hammock.

So, I'm figuring the JRB UQ's would have similar adjustment requirements? And with both of these I am wondering: If you get a just loose enough hang to avoid down compression under the butt, will that cause an air gap somewhere else? Oh well, further experimentation follows. But maybe a sit pad is the simplest answer. In the meantime the low 20's night before last resulted in no cold spots anywhere. With no pads and no quilt, just my BMW's Cocoon Polargaurd pants(8 oz) and jacket( 14 or 15 oz) ( of course, that aint minus 2*!)

Keep us posted with your further adventures! Looking forward to reading your results.

[slowhike]

nartoff, i've only been out once in those temps (pre-hammock) but i understand what you're talking about.
things need to be simple & quick once you stop hiking<g>.

billybob... i have often wondered if a person could have the attachment cords at one end of a peapod or under quilt run through a loop at the end of the hammock
then back along the hammock edge to a reachable point on each side so fine tuning adjustments could be made by the person in the hammock.
what do ya think?

[BillyBob58]

nartoff, i've only been out once in those temps (pre-hammock) but i understand what you're talking about.
things need to be simple & quick once you stop hiking<g>.

billybob... i have often wondered if a person could have the attachment cords at one end of a peapod or under quilt run through a loop at the end of the hammock
then back along the hammock edge to a reachable point on each side so fine tuning adjustments could be made by the person in the hammock.
what do ya think?

Sounds like a plan. I had already been planning on adding some Speer orange spectra to lengthen the draw cords, maybe attach a little above the end knot and using a truckers hitch. I should contact Ed and see if there is any reason I can't attach to the webbing D-Rings, then pull the the pod up with the truckers itch to the appropriate spot and tie off. Or if that is a problem, I could attach a prussick closer in and use that.

But, running a cord back into the hammock, I could stick my hand between hammock an pod and draw up until contact is just barely made with my behind, OR have my hands outside and under the hammock with excess sag and max loft, and draw up until loft just starts to decrease. Yes, this needs looking into! I would need something to tie off to. I guess I could use my added ridge-line. I would want the line outside the pod, as it would raise the top layer of the pod up even higher than normal, which would add cold on top. But this wouldn't be a concern with a quilt. It might work well with both PeaPod and JRB quilts. I hope to find time to try it soon.

Correct adjustment of quilt/pod sag is the whole ball game with quilts and such, aint it? Too much or too little, and you are cold. And if your cold in the field, you have to figure out which one is the problem. And do you ned to make it looser or tighter?

[slowhike]

i've been thinking of sewing a grosgrain loop to the hemmed edge of the hammock on both sides as a tie off point that could be used while in the hammock.

[BillyBob58]

billybob... i have often wondered if a person could have the attachment cords at one end of a peapod or under quilt run through a loop at the end of the hammock
then back along the hammock edge to a reachable point on each side so fine tuning adjustments could be made by the person in the hammock.
what do ya think?

I tried this out today in a temporary set up. It worked just fine. I put a loop in each of the attachment cords on the "foot" end of the pod, after first attaching the cords on the head end very close to the end knot. I probably won't bother with it in the field, because after playing around with this at home, I am going to end up with a pretty good idea of when it is adjusted correctly for me and my set up. And I'll be able to tell just by eye-balling it.

But this makes it easier to first learn where that point is. I just lay down in the hammock, starting with obviously TOO much pod sag, with an obvious gap of several inches between my hammock low point and the pod. Then I would either pull on the cord, raising the pod until it would just barely touch my hand, which I had tight up against the hammock. Or, I would have my free hand outside the Peapod, and raise the cord until I first felt the loft compress a bit, then back off some. It makes the adjustment quite easy and save a lot of getting in and out of the hammock. Once set, as far as I can tell, there will be no more need for further adjustment most of the time. Or, I can just leave it attached to the hammock and pack them together.

One thing bugs me about the adjustment, and I wonder if this applies to UQs also? So far, I have not been able to find an adjustment with very little or no air gap that does not also compress the down at least a little. I can't figure out why. If I adjust to where I first feel the down barely touch my hand ( which would still leave a gap of about a fingers width), then when I reach around and feel from the outside, the loft is compressed at least a bit ( or a lot). It seems as though I need a gap under the butt of an inch or more to assure no compression. Hopefully, this is just learning curve and later I'll be able to find the best of both worlds: no gap and no loft loss. I wonder how much gap is a problem, especially in a system like this that is well sealed on the ends? Is it better to ( if it turns out I must choose) have full loft and an air gap of an inch or so, or no gap and give up half the loft at the low point?

Experienced quilters/pod users, what do you think? Please excuse if this is a hijack! If so I will move to a new thread. But I figure if Nartoff is considering a sit pad, this question might concern him and quilt use also.
Bill

[Mule]

I tried this out today in a temporary set up. It worked just fine. I put a loop in each of the attachment cords on the "foot" end of the pod, after first attaching the cords on the head end very close to the end knot. I probably won't bother with it in the field, because after playing around with this at home, I am going to end up with a pretty good idea of when it is adjusted correctly for me and my set up. And I'll be able to tell just by eye-balling it.

But this makes it easier to first learn where that point is. I just lay down in the hammock, starting with obviously TOO much pod sag, with an obvious gap of several inches between my hammock low point and the pod. Then I would either pull on the cord, raising the pod until it would just barely touch my hand, which I had tight up against the hammock. Or, I would have my free hand outside the Peapod, and raise the cord until I first felt the loft compress a bit, then back off some. It makes the adjustment quite easy and save a lot of getting in and out of the hammock. Once set, as far as I can tell, there will be no more need for further adjustment most of the time. Or, I can just leave it attached to the hammock and pack them together.

One thing bugs me about the adjustment, and I wonder if this applies to UQs also? So far, I have not been able to find an adjustment with very little or no air gap that does not also compress the down at least a little. I can't figure out why. If I adjust to where I first feel the down barely touch my hand ( which would still leave a gap of about a fingers width), then when I reach around and feel from the outside, the loft is compressed at least a bit ( or a lot). It seems as though I need a gap under the butt of an inch or more to assure no compression. Hopefully, this is just learning curve and later I'll be able to find the best of both worlds: no gap and no loft loss. I wonder how much gap is a problem, especially in a system like this that is well sealed on the ends? Is it better to ( if it turns out I must choose) have full loft and an air gap of an inch or so, or no gap and give up half the loft at the low point?

Experienced quilters/pod users, what do you think? Please excuse if this is a hijack! If so I will move to a new thread. But I figure if Nartoff is considering a sit pad, this question might concern him and quilt use also.
Bill

It may be that the bungies are too tight, too much force pulling out, I may be way off, but that made a difference with my Nest, then when you tighten the pucker on the ends, it also pulls some but is the bungie pulling too? Mule

[slowhike]

i've spent most of my time in clod weather in an insulated hammock, so having not really used an under quilt much, some of the others could probably answer that question better.
that's one of the things i like most about the speer snugfit under quilt... no hassle fit.

maybe it would be a good idea to start a new thread on under quilt adjustments.

[FanaticFringer]

Some old coot on this site talks about adjusting the underquilt.
http://www.jacksrbetter.com/index_fi...g%20Tricks.htm