First Impressions: Exped Ergo Hammock Combi

[cfi on the fly]

Well I set the Exped up again just to make sure that I wasnt doing anything wrong. No mistaking it, Im just way too tall for this thing at 6'1.5". I also had hammock material pulling away from the stiching such that I could see the material tearing and very clear daylight coming through the holes.

Im not goint to even do an extensive review, because I need to get this thing back to REI and get my money back. I did call them and they will apply a 20% discount on my next item since I used it up on this one. You do have to call them for this to happen. Im eating up close to $35 in shipping charges back and forth, mostly because I was too impatient and opted for 2nd day air to deliver it to me. That will teach me..until the next time.

[stevebo]

Sorry to hear the Exped didnt fit you----I'm 6'5"-----its tough to find things that fit! Thanks for giving every one a heads up----

[TowJumper]

I had my "First Hang" this weekend on a trip with the Boy Scouts. We were fortunate to have my Exped, a Hennessy Expedition and an ENO double nest all camping within a few feet.

The new exped received a lot of attention many people tried her out briefly. General reception was "cool design." I sleep GREAT in the hammock. Not perfect, I need to play around with the amount of air in the mattress and a couple other details, but I very pleased after a night.

No back pain for me (I have an old 4 level fusion) and I was able to get out and back in with no problems to answer nature's call in the middle of the night.

I tried them all out in close proximately and the ENO was the least comfortable for me. It also have a tiny rain fly (which was separate). Definitely felt like a bit of a banana in it. The Hennessy was more comfortable, but was a pain in the butt to get in the sleeping bag inside.

Nobody over 6 foot really tried it out, but a few around 6 feet like me were fine with it. HOWEVER, I can certainly understand that it may be constricted for those over 6 foot.

In the Exped it was very easy to slip into my down sleeping bag when it got colder. I also appreciated the nice rain fly with pockets sown-in for the cords and carabiners throughout. I was a novice hammock hanger and I got my setup MUCH faster than the other two, they loved the ropes with eyelets and said they would order a set of those for themselves.

It was also the quickest to adjust - I just moved the carabiners to a different holes on the suspension line.

So far so good.

[waldmann]

Great Review.

How is it without the mat? And do you think it may be possible to addapt a 3/4 length UQ to fit.

Cheers,Waldi.

[TowJumper]

How is it without the mat? And do you think it may be possible to adapt a 3/4 length UQ to fit.

I tried without the mat and it is definitely much less comfortable to me. Also, I tried my son's smaller mat and it just did not give me (5'11, lets say 230+) much room. The company says that it is designed to be used with a mat and my trials support that claim, if fact I would add that a large mat, mine is a NeoAir large, is needed to have it all work as intended.

Regarding the 3/4 length UQ, the setup makes a very nice cradle, so I imagine it would very easy to attach, but I have no UQ... yet. I live in Georgia USA and and generally camp/hike the AT and similar terrain here in the South, so I may never get to experience "shug" style great white north camping.

I felt very comfy in the 50's overnight with just the mat and a down 20 degree bag as an over quilt.

Regards!

[fourdog]

I also have found it is not as comfertable without a mat.

I found a wide 24" + long + thick mat works best.

With the insulation of your mat a under quilt is not needed.

I have sleepet down to -20 with a Dam9DX down mat and a down sleeping
bag rated to -20 in complete comfert. No other insulation.

fourdog

www.fourdog.com

[voivalin]

I have sleepet down to -20 with a Dam9DX down mat and a down sleeping
bag rated to -20 in complete comfert. No other insulation.

fourdog

www.fourdog.com

On ground or in hammock?

-20 Farenheits or -20 Celcius?

[fourdog]

On ground or in hammock?

-20 Farenheits or -20 Celcius?

In the Exped Ergo, hanging in the hammock.

-20 farenhiet

fourdog

www.fourdog.com

[voivalin]

In the Exped Ergo, hanging in the hammock.

-20 farenhiet

fourdog

www.fourdog.com

WOW!

But sadly I'm 6'3" long (191 cm)

[fthanger]

Well I set the Exped up again just to make sure that I wasnt doing anything wrong. No mistaking it, Im just way too tall for this thing at 6'1.5". I also had hammock material pulling away from the stiching such that I could see the material tearing and very clear daylight coming through the holes.

Im not goint to even do an extensive review, because I need to get this thing back to REI and get my money back. I did call them and they will apply a 20% discount on my next item since I used it up on this one. You do have to call them for this to happen. Im eating up close to $35 in shipping charges back and forth, mostly because I was too impatient and opted for 2nd day air to deliver it to me. That will teach me..until the next time.

I'm 6'1.5" and this is too small. I was STOKED to get this hammock and to use my REI coupon. I've been sleeping full time in an ENO at my house for a year and not too stoked on it, thus looking for something else. The Exped boasts only needing 6-8' space to hang b/c the hammock bed hangs diagonal to the ridgeline. There are some really great qualities about this thing. I really like the rope design and the zip off netting. The fly looks sweet but I've not used it yet. This is just a review of the hammock.

The bad news, after only 2 nights sleeping (and I didn't even read these forums until now, AFTER I noticed these problems myself).

1. The hammock is too short for me.

2. At 155 lbs, I noticed the seam is weak by the head, so that I can see small holes developing. NOT COOl on a weight rating of 330lbs and a pretty price.

3. If the pouch for a sleep pad is supposed to keep bugs from biting, then if you like to put a knee up or arm up (i.e. if you don't sleep completely straight in line w/ the pouch), it seems that the single layer would not prevent bugs biting you. I've not tested this but Exped boasts the bug protection is in the area of the 2nd layer for the sleep pad, which is not the whole width of the hammock bed.

4. Comfort: I positioned the hammock exactly as described so my ridgeline is horizontal to the ground. Yet I find that the hammock is tighter in my lower back area, making it force my back to be arched, thus not comfortable. I find myself turning and tossing more on this than my Double Deluxe ENO.

Conclusion: Unfortunately, this one is going back to REI.

Can anyone suggest a solid hammock for me? I want a zip off bug net (thus HH doesn't work) and want to sleep flat, and don't want spreader bars b/c I want simple design w/o field problems (thus JRB doesn't work), and I think I want a double layer, or whatever will keep bugs from biting (thus I'm looking at WB vs. Clark's) but Clark is expensive and I don't like the attached flys b/c I want more room and flexibility for winter camping and cooking and setting up the fly first. I also don't like Clark's poles, again, b/c I don't want stuff breaking in the field and its just added weight.

Anybody comment on WBBB comfortability (i.e. flatness), and durability, and is the double layer needed for bug proofness? I think I want double layer for a pad anyways, though I'm not convinced yet btwn pad vs. underquilt? Also, can anyone speak to the Thermarest XTherm or Exped down mats? Do the R-values hold true when off the ground hanging or are those only for ground temps? It seems like horizontal baffles are more comfy on the ground, but maybe vertical baffles are better in a hammock b/c they form around you?

Thanks for the help.