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  1. #1
    Member trenttyre's Avatar
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    Gathered End vs Bridge questions

    So whats better for side sleepers, gathered end (ie WBBB) or bridge hammock?

    Can you get a Birdge Hammock, with bug net, as light as a WBBB or even lighter that will hold 250lbs?

    would carbon fiber poles found on this website work for a bride hammock?

    any help is greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    I sleep on my side and have found both my HH Explorer and my DIY bridge hammock equally comfortable. I disposed of my bridge hammock only because it was an experimental project that I outgrew.

    As far as your other questions... I'll let the bridge experts weigh in on those.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

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  3. #3
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by trenttyre View Post
    So whats better for side sleepers, gathered end (ie WBBB) or bridge hammock?
    Depends on how much you want to curl. If you want to go fetal, you'll need a wide gathered end hammock. But with your legs moderately straight, you don't lay on your side across a ridge in a bridge.

    Quote Originally Posted by trenttyre View Post
    Can you get a Birdge Hammock, with bug net, as light as a WBBB or even lighter that will hold 250lbs?
    It is possible to make a light DIY one. The JRB BMBH is built for abuse, and weighs it. The key differential in comparing bridge hammock weight and gathered end weight is the spreader bars. If you don't have to count them because they are dual use hiking poles, then coming in lighter than a WBBB is easy---there's a lot less material involved. Carry dedicated spreader bars....well, there's 10 ounces right there.

    Quote Originally Posted by trenttyre View Post
    would carbon fiber poles found on this website work for a bridge hammock?
    MedicineMan had a set of custom fiber poles made for his BMBH, might have been these folks that did it. It lowered the weight by 3-4 ounces and lowered his bank account by $300-$400
    Grizz
    (alias ProfessorHammock on youtube)

  4. #4
    Member trenttyre's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams View Post
    Depends on how much you want to curl. If you want to go fetal, you'll need a wide gathered end hammock. But with your legs moderately straight, you don't lay on your side across a ridge in a bridge.


    It is possible to make a light DIY one. The JRB BMBH is built for abuse, and weighs it. The key differential in comparing bridge hammock weight and gathered end weight is the spreader bars. If you don't have to count them because they are dual use hiking poles, then coming in lighter than a WBBB is easy---there's a lot less material involved. Carry dedicated spreader bars....well, there's 10 ounces right there.


    MedicineMan had a set of custom fiber poles made for his BMBH, might have been these folks that did it. It lowered the weight by 3-4 ounces and lowered his bank account by $300-$400
    I usually sleep with one leg extended and one leg bent up to my waist.

    but man carbon fiber poles are half the weight of aluminum so its hard to believe that it only saved him 3oz!

  5. #5
    Senior Member BrianWillan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by trenttyre View Post
    but man carbon fiber poles are half the weight of aluminum so its hard to believe that it only saved him 3oz!
    Right so when the original aluminum spreader bars for a Bear Mountain Bridge hammock weigh 8.5 ounces (for both) to start with, it's not hard to believe that switching to carbon fibre spreader bars only saved 3 ozs.

    Cheers

    Brian

  6. #6
    Senior Member G.L.P.'s Avatar
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    grizz i think he paid $275 ... if i remember right.. i know i asked him about it a while back maybe he will chime in

    i'm a side sleeper at home but i can sleep on my back in a hammock..
    it didn't take long since i had to sleep on my back for 3 months after my first surgery ... and just last month i had to do it again

    but you can get someone on your side in a GE hammock.... i like the bridge hammock as well i have one i play around with i just don't like it for backpacking... the extra weight of the poles ... i don't use hiking poles anymore so i need to take them if i use it... but i really think you should find a hang close to you and try both out
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  7. #7
    Member trenttyre's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by G.L.P. View Post
    grizz i think he paid $275 ... if i remember right.. i know i asked him about it a while back maybe he will chime in

    i'm a side sleeper at home but i can sleep on my back in a hammock..
    it didn't take long since i had to sleep on my back for 3 months after my first surgery ... and just last month i had to do it again

    but you can get someone on your side in a GE hammock.... i like the bridge hammock as well i have one i play around with i just don't like it for backpacking... the extra weight of the poles ... i don't use hiking poles anymore so i need to take them if i use it... but i really think you should find a hang close to you and try both out
    I am actually meeting someone tomorrow to try out their WBBB so i should have a better idea of what i like by monday.

    see i dont take wussy wands, sissy sticks, pansy poles, well you get the idea , either so that is what is bothering me about about a bridge hammock. haha

    has anyone made a bridge hammock out of cuben fiber before?

  8. #8
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    I have a Grizz Bridge, a Hennessy Hyperlite, a GT UL, GT Nano, have slept in a WBBB and a Traveler, and now own a Custom GE from a awesome HF member and I was able to go fetal semi comfortably in all but the Nano, I just couldn't do it in the Nano! I will say that the Custom GE that I have is by far the most comfy net-less I have tried for the weight (it's lighter than all but the Nano) and I can turn on my side in that bad boy and sleep fine, but I find that the most comfy position for me is on my back with one leg bent (one closest to center-line of hammock) and then it's light's out! The Grizz Bridge is awesome, so don't get me wrong I "LOVE" it it's the most comfortable hammock I have tried, but weight wise, cause of the spreaders, I don't carry it often!
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  9. #9
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by trenttyre View Post
    I am actually meeting someone tomorrow to try out their WBBB so i should have a better idea of what i like by monday.

    see i dont take wussy wands, sissy sticks, pansy poles, well you get the idea , either so that is what is bothering me about about a bridge hammock. haha

    has anyone made a bridge hammock out of cuben fiber before?
    Quote Originally Posted by Cranky Bear View Post
    I have a Grizz Bridge, a Hennessy Hyperlite, a GT UL, GT Nano, have slept in a WBBB and a Traveler, and now own a Custom GE from a awesome HF member and I was able to go fetal semi comfortably in all but the Nano, I just couldn't do it in the Nano! I will say that the Custom GE that I have is by far the most comfy net-less I have tried for the weight (it's lighter than all but the Nano) and I can turn on my side in that bad boy and sleep fine, but I find that the most comfy position for me is on my back with one leg bent (one closest to center-line of hammock) and then it's light's out! The Grizz Bridge is awesome, so don't get me wrong I "LOVE" it it's the most comfortable hammock I have tried, but weight wise, cause of the spreaders, I don't carry it often!
    I'm pretty sure the bars on my ( original version) BMBH weigh 6 or 7 oz max. The GrizzBridge I have tried weighs about 14 or 15 oz in stuff sack, plus bars. The bars appear to be about 6 or 7 oz. So at (leass than)1.5 lbs total for hammock and bars and suspension, the GrizzBridge may well win the "most comfort per oz" category, at least in my experience. Of course the BMBH is dbl layer and is the king of pads, if you need to use a pad for whatever reason. But it is probably at least 3/4 pound heavier - with stock webbing/triglide suspension- once the net is removed.

    Then again, my Claytor double layer is very comfortable, and weighs 1 lb 12 oz in the stuff sack, with a cinch buckle and webbing suspension AND biners.

    I am having to agonize over all of these choices as a week long trip approaches. Weight vs comfort and various features I like. Also, the insulation to be used with each hammock comes into play in making such a decision. For example, if I want to use a PeaPod for that trip, the Claytor has worked superbly with it in the past and is probably best choice I have with that insulation. I think the hands down best choice with a JRB Bridge is the JRB MW UQ, and vice versa. They just seem custom made for each other. Etc Etc Many possible (good) choices and combinations. We have a lot of good options available to us!

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