UQ Suspension System

[scum]

With no shock cord, is there a trick to getting in the hammock?
With no shock cord there is no give/
Do you loosen the suspension all the way to get in and then tighten up once inside?

I do loosen it up before getting in. As a side note, I also tighten it way up when not in it since that sucks it up high so it stays out of the dirt/muck.

Also, do you think it will be hard to keep the middle section of a sleeping bag up snug against the hammock?

To be honest, that was my first thought. I'm not sure but I think you should be OK. There are plenty of UQ designs that only use grossgrain tabs at each corner to suspend it. I presume you will essentially be doing the same thing.

I can't recommend moving the pulleys to the trees though. Half the benefit with them in the position I have them is the angle pulls the UQ up snug under you to combat gaps. Pulling it away towards the trees will encourage air gaps. But, I think this ONLY applies for 3/4-2/3 UQs. With a full UQ, I'm pretty sure you'd want the suspension to tie up at the ends of the hammocks. If your bag is near full length of the hammock, I would try shortening up the pulleys and make them as close to the hammock ends as possible.

If your suspension is sturdy enough to hold you, you should be OK adding the weight of the sleeping bag. Either way, I'd do a test run of your setup before hitting the woods and counting on it for a good nights sleep...

[wwk10]

There is no time for a test run, but this is private land with a cabin 50 feet away. So if it doesnt work. I go inside and watch TV (although I would be watching TV deep in the woods)

I wasnt worried about the suspension holding the weight of the sleeping bag. I was just worried about the suspension holding the sleeping bag with no sag.

I may take small C clamps to use as my attachment loops. That way I can move them if I need to.

Thanks for all the advice. I cant wait to get a UQ and stop worrying about this.

[Redoleary]

Just wanted to say thanks Scum for posting this suspension system, I have adopted it and I think its great. I've used much smaller prusiks but I think I've got the concept down. It can be seen here in action go to about the 8:30 mark to see the suspension. Thanks again.

[scum]

Thanks for the props! Glad it's working out for you.
On a side note, I really like the idea of the gear hammock. Real handy.

[Redoleary]

Thanks for the props! Glad it's working out for you.
On a side note, I really like the idea of the gear hammock. Real handy.

You're welcome, thanks for sharing your system. Yeah, I was a little surprised at how much I liked the gear hammock. It is quite handy.

[BodhiKnight]

Excellent choice of fly color to show how much this set-up is beginning to qualify adopters for a more advanced rigging and sailing class.

Goal: Every UQ'd hammock a forest dinghy. Or night-schooner. This is looking very very sefistekated.

Best of all, it works, enormously increasing value.

The Scum setup is a great way to help you find what angles you need to get your UQ properly fitted.

Once you have the proper angles and fit you dont need to have 4 prussiks.

Mark your shock cord where it meets the biner, on the head/foot prussics.

Leave 4" extra so you can tie a knot to create loops so you can clip into your biners at the 2 prussiks, head and foot end.

Hope it helps.

[wwk10]

Does this make sense?

SSS.pdf

My sleeping bag zipper will open the head and foot end.
Sleeping bag goes over hammock ridgeline so its more like a sock than a peapod.
The bottom of sleeping bag "tube" is pulled tight against hammock using Scum System.
I will be car camping so I think I will use C Clamps as my attachment points.
Does this look like it will work?

It will be in the low to mid 30s.
I think I will be OK with a coleman 40 degree bag as the "tube" and a 30 degree down bag as my TQ.

[scum]

Once concern will be that when you lay in the hammok, that bag better be big enough that your not laying against it. In other words (just throwing #'s out since I don't know exactly) but say from ridgeline to lowest point of hammock when your in it (usually your butt) is 2.5 ft. So that bag has to have a large enough inside circumference to accommodate > 2.5ft depth. Otherwise, when you lay in it, you'll rip the bag right off the ridgeline. Or more likely, you'll never be able to zip it up over the ridgline.

When I did this, I used a very large bag and was just able to wrap around the hammock. Even with it's large size, I was limited to only be able to lay straight down the hammock rather than at an angle. Keep in mind, I have an extra wide hammock so my 'sidewalls' stand up a little taller so the bag had more to surround. Unless your bag is big enough to accommodate 2 people, then I'm skeptical that it will reach.

Also, you'll be wasting 1/2 of the available insulation that could all be under you since 1/2 of it will be wrapping around the ridgeline. I LOVE overcovers - don't get me wrong. But I think you'll be better served using all that insulation under you or at least as close to you as possible. I almost always use a military poncho liner as an overcover over the ridgeline at a diagonal and tucked down between my UQ and hammock to seal it off. Makes a big diff for added warmth. You have to be careful with condensation whenever you use overcovers though.

[wwk10]

You are right about the bag being too small to go over the ridgeline.

I could put the bag on under the ridgeline like a pea pod and use your system to raise the bottom snug to the hammock

Or

Probably I will open the bag and fold the edges in and attach it below me like this: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=29577
But using your suspension method.

I keep a fleece blanket in my truck and may drape that over the ridgeline.

Thanks for all the input.

[wwk10]

Worked great