I have a WBBB and after my recent 120 mile hike with it, I ordered a Switchback 1.1dbl. I loved the shelf, the width and the weight of the BB. Unfortunately there were a couple of things I just found too annoying. I'm fairly tall and when my feet were in the foot box my ankle bones were pushed together and I would find myself waking in the middle of the night from pain.
I also did not like the tie out configuration on the zipper side. The tie out is connected to the upper part of the hammock which includes the netting and a small section of hammock material. That means that when you are in the hammock you can't unzip and flip the netting out of the way without getting out of the hammock. And disconnecting the tie out.
Those same tie outs impede entry and exit from the hammock especially at night. Basically they require you to exit and enter from the foot end of the hammock. More than once I found some body part becoming entangled with the lines. If you want to sit in the BB with the netting out of the way, you pretty much have to unhook that side tie-out.
I know the WBBB is the most popular hammock being sold on this forum but for me it just wasn't happening. Oh yeah....I couldn't see a thing out of it while lying in it.
I started with a Claytor JH but that too had a couple of drawbacks. I see the Switchback as a similar design but with all the improvements I wanted added on the Claytor. The Switchback is wider, has more pockets, dual zippers, dual tie-outs which don't impede the netting, a non structural ridgeline, dual interior end loops and the ability to tie the netting out of the way while being inside the hammock. Kind of a Claytor on steroids so to speak. I'll give my impressions of the Switchback soon as it's in the mail.
On the other-hand my wife has inherited the WBBB and loves it. She's only 5'2" and doesn't even use the foot box.
Miguel
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