UQ in wet weather?

[BillyBob58]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions, very helpful. Of course I ignored everyone and went with the Hennessy SS, for reasons that may not have been explicit in my prior posts:
- It is the lowest cost way for me to not sleep directly on a pad
- The undercover keeps me dry
- It is easy to dry out if it does get wet
- It is lighter than my 2lb Large Prolite-4 + new tarps
- It is minimal bulk/volume in my pack
- It is (mostly) compatible with Snakeskins (after the pad is removed)
- I'm not quite ready to invest in both quilts and tarps at the same time

We'll see how it goes. I can see over time how the inve$tment in quilts, tarps, etc. quickly exceeds what one pays for your hammock...

--Kurt

Kurt,
That is a combo that I have used with more than adequate success. It is a good, though not perfect, set up for all the reasons you have mentioned. You might want to search this forum for advice on how to use it correctly. Above all, practice with it some at home and make sure you know how to set it up correctly to stay warm enough before you get on the trail.

Most people seem to refuse to use the space blanket, but I highly recommend it. So does Tom Hennessy.

If you think you might be consistently below 30*, you might want to add the HH kidney/torso pads. You can compress( gently, they are fragile) all of these padsmain/kidney/torso) down pretty good, but it will take a little time and care. Also, look into a Garlington insulator to really beef up the SS, for negligible cost or weight. Place it down between the pad and the undercover.

With or without added clothes on top of the pad or beneath the pad in the undercover, check you adjustments and avoid any air gap at all costs. Any air gap will make the insulation about zero. Make sure that once you are in the hammock, the pad/space blanket ( and/or added insulation like a down vest) is in solid contact with your back. Make sure the space blanket is on top of ALL insulation, in contact with your hammock. If you add anything to the undercover, make sure the weight of it doesn't pull it down, causing a gap.

Did I mention to avoid any air gaps?

You might consider carrying a minimal 3/4 length pad mainly for ground backup, or even to add inside the hammock in case of record cold.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how it works for you!

[slowhike]

BPL.com has an improved space blanket that is still extremely light but less noisy & more durable.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...y_blanket.html

[Peter_pan]

The issue is I have the Ultralite Explorer hammock which is a bit longer than the others. The JRB tarp is not recommended for Explorer models, and the Speer tarp seems to have the same dimensions as the JRB.

The only option seems to be the Hennessey 12'x11' rainfly, which is $130. The supershelter for the Explorer is $140. So do I get the SS, or buy a new tarp + quilts + weathershield. The inve$tment just starts getting $cary.

Decisions, decisions...

Don't confuse the JRB 8x8 tarp with the JRB 11x10 Tarp, which was specifically designed for the larger hammocks, including the BMBH... It will easily handle the HH Explorer, and have the most varierty of pitch options.

Pan

[kwpapke]

Don't confuse the JRB 8x8 tarp with the JRB 11x10 Tarp, which was specifically designed for the larger hammocks, including the BMBH... It will easily handle the HH Explorer, and have the most varierty of pitch options.
Pan

Got it. Thanks for the clarification, I guess this kinda confusion is what makes forums like this so valuable. The website was a little confusing for me on this point.

FWIW, just went back to the website, and what confused me was " Alternatively, this tarp may be hung on it's 10 foot length and pitched in a "tent" like mode to provide excellent weather protection and privacy. This technique works well with regular size hammocks such as the Claytor Mosquito and Expedition, the Eagles Nest Singles and Doubles, the Travel Hammock, the Treklight Hammock, and all of the Hennessy models except the Explorer and Safari."

So it is only the tent pitch that does not work with the Explorer that I have.

[Cannibal]

Big fly = better. It will only take one really bad night to make a believer.

[Peter_pan]

Got it. Thanks for the clarification, I guess this kinda confusion is what makes forums like this so valuable. The website was a little confusing for me on this point.

FWIW, just went back to the website, and what confused me was " Alternatively, this tarp may be hung on it's 10 foot length and pitched in a "tent" like mode to provide excellent weather protection and privacy. This technique works well with regular size hammocks such as the Claytor Mosquito and Expedition, the Eagles Nest Singles and Doubles, the Travel Hammock, the Treklight Hammock, and all of the Hennessy models except the Explorer and Safari."

So it is only the tent pitch that does not work with the Explorer that I have.

Actually The JRB 11x10 will work for the HH Explorer in the tent mode....but the HHEXplorer must be hung so that the suspension line exit right at the top by the "tent" ridge points.... Tight but doable, just needs careful hanging.

Pan

[Lost]

Big fly = better. It will only take one really bad night to make a believer.

Just read your TJ. Are you talking from experience here??

You just had to get on HF, didn't you. Going into withdrawals after a week!

Happy hiking and good to FINALLY hear from you guys!!

[slowhike]

Just read your TJ. Are you talking from experience here??

You just had to get on HF, didn't you. Going into withdrawals after a week!

Happy hiking and good to FINALLY hear from you guys!!

don't let him kid you... he's got his lap top w/ a solar charger on top of his pack

[Lost]

And he told me the extra weight of his pack was due to 6 days of food!

[kwpapke]

BPL.com has an improved space blanket that is still extremely light but less noisy & more durable.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...y_blanket.html

Spent my first night in my SS last night. Made to midnight, then started getting cold as the temp dropped below 40F. Went in the house and grabbed my new heatsheet and rolled it out on top of the SS OCF pad. What a difference! I was quite warm all night long even though the temp continued to drop to 35F.

The heatsheet is very quiet - it only rustled a bit as I was installing it, and was absolutely silent once in place, even with my tossing and turning. I saw no signs of condensation above/below the SB.

Thanks for the suggestion slowhike, that was a good one. We'll see how durable it is, as it is big enough to flap around the entrance slit. I'd guess it'll eventually fray and tear at that point.

Doing another night tonight in the backyard - its a little windier which should be a little better test.

--Kurt