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  1. #1
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    Question 1st night w/ Te-Wa. Need some help

    Hey all,

    So I got a Te-Wa Freeze (w/ 1 oz overfill) for XMas & just took it out for the 1st night in the backyard. This is my 1st UQ. I have a Warbonnet Blackbird. I did some basic adjustments during the day & hoped in at around 10pm. Got to sleep around 11pm. Woke up around 2am, fiddled until 3am & then came inside for the night. I got what I can only imagine is the all-to-common Cold Butt Syndrom. It got down to about 31* F.

    Here are my observations.
    1. At first I did not have the right foot shockcord above my feet. I think this created a hole for cold air to enter
    2. I wasn't sure exactly where to connect the side pullout. neither guyline seemed quite right
    3. I had about a 5" gap between the bottom of my hammock & the inner surface of the UQ... I was having trouble reducing this.
    4. Once in a while I would feel part of my back get nice & toasty warm. I'm assuming that this was when some part of my UQ setup was "correct"


    #3 id my biggest concern. I can only adjust the length of the footend lines, the head end lines are fixed. I tried reducing the tension on my ridgeline with little effect.

    In regards to #2 the importance is that I felt as though the UQ wasnt coming high enough on my left side.

    So, all you gurus. Please help this newb sort out his UQ so he can sleep all snuggly warm in his hammock!

  2. #2
    Senior Member MedicineMan's Avatar
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    I'd suggest another pair of eyes.
    I've got a Te-wa Winter Coat (not Flurry) and a Te-wa Breeze. I hang using them with no cold spots of heat leaks. Now those extra eyes, extr hands are better.
    Get in the hammock when you've got someone there you don't mind patting your buttock, thighs, calves, small of back, shoulders.
    Before you get in the hammock show them how to shorten the bungies at the head and foot ends; then show them how to adjust the tan cordlocks.
    Be cool to let them read the same paragraph you read on Te-wa's site about snugging it up first.
    Next step is a hard one-get in the hammock as naked as possible-without getting arrested. You can use your top quilt. You whole back side should feel cold.
    Now have your helper start tightening=shortening the bungies going back and forth from head to feet-rememer snugged up against, not strangled tightly against the bottom of the hammock.
    You will feel instant warmth as each body area comes in contact via the hammock material with the underquilt.
    Next have them adjust the tan toggles-if I remember correctly they close the ends of the uq off.
    3 min's maybe for the whole process...did you remember a piece of ccf for your heels?
    OK, once dialed in put your clothes back on and get your ruler/tape measure and measure how long the bungies for and aft are...if you are using the same hammock all the time its a done deal but you may want to put it on a different hammock and these measurements will get you close.
    Most people say 3 season uq's like this one don't need triangle thingies but they can't hurt and weigh precious little so maybe add them to your aquire list down the road.
    Whatever you do keep dialing it in. You have purchased an awesome pice of kit that is serving many hangers well.
    If you can get to a group hang well all the better.
    Just another 02.

  3. #3
    gunner76's Avatar
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    Good advice and always good to test that new gear under controled conditions.
    I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !

  4. #4
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    This may help a wee bit......
    Shug

    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

  5. #5
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Is this a differential cut UQ?

    With that type of UQ, for me 90% of all problems are related to "not tight enough". It is, I imagine, possible to get too tight and damage something. But as long as you can still- after tightening- push down on the quilt in the middle and towards the ground, and still move it a foot or more towards the ground, it should be safe.

    For example, with my dif cut WB Yeti style UQ ( a synthetic version), I have not yet needed any Triangle thingies yet. I just attach to end knots or very close to them on the ridgeline. But it is easy to tell if it is the least too loose, even though it might seem to be adequately snugged against my back.

    If your quilt is NOT dif cut ( dif cut = outer shell definitely larger than inner shell, usually you can see it ), then you probably need to do like MedicineMan says and get another person to help you dial in the set up. The goal is to make adequate contact with your back/butt, without being tight enough to start compressing the loft any significant amount. This can be a little tricky during the initial set up or learning curve, as the shock cord length will vary with the hammock and maybe even the occupant. Some folks seem to think it can vary even with the temperature! While I have not yet had that problem.

    The other variable might be the position of your quilt relative to your neck. On my WB, if it gets even a few inches Too high past my neck, cold air will rush in. Same thing if too much towards the foot end, though it has to be a lot of inches out of whack that direction for problems. Perfect is top edge of quilt right at my neck/shoulder line. This allows ventilation when it is warm, but too far head wards will freeze you if really cold out!

  6. #6
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    Thanks for all three advice guys. I will watch your video Shug.

    I'm not going to get to work on it today because it is about to start raining. I'll post back as soon as I get another test night.

    Sean

  7. #7
    Senior Member Nojack's Avatar
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    Raining? What a perfect time to test your tarp and underquilt at the same time!!!! Get out there soldier.

  8. #8
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    I agree with BB, it's probably not tight enough, especially if you have a 5" gap. at times it should appear your UQ is holding up your hammock without you in it. Almost every time it's either the draft cinches on the end aren't closed enough or your UQ isn't hung tight enough. Tighten it til it works. Also, the colder it gets the less rebound shock cord has, I have two different knots depending on how cold it gets.

  9. #9
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    Thanks for all the replies.

    I am now, 99.996% positive that 99.983% of my problem was that my suspension wasn't tight enough.

    I have 1 small concern, which is that the suspension at the foot of the Te-Wa Freeze is adjustable but the suspension at the head is not. As I continued to snug up the UQ the other night I stopped because it started pulling the UQ too far toward the foot end of my hammock. Shouldn't be a huge deal though as I should be able to simply untie the shock cord at the head end and install a cord lock there, thus making it adjustable.

    Great video Shug. I always get a kick out of them. Oh ya, and the information ain't bad either ;P

    I'll report back after my next attempt.

    Thanks,
    Sean

  10. #10
    Senior Member MedicineMan's Avatar
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    'suspension at the head is not'
    If its bungie/shock cord its adjustable!
    Just tie a knot in it to shorten.

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