Grand Trunk "pod" bag/insulation

[wisenber]

Speaking of hammock compatible sleeping bags...

http://grizzlymike.com/camping/High_..._BAG_00204.GIF

A bit heavy but still interesting

It looked interesting until it mentioned "cotton/polyester" for the insulation.

[L.D. Cakes]

It looked interesting until it mentioned "cotton/polyester" for the insulation.

I bought a sleeping bag once made out of that duraloft spiral stuff & took it back after I froze my butt off in it in 40* temps.

A mass marketing company like this that's geared to the general public will go with something less expensive to sell more volume. Doubt they will ever go the down route. Or maybe I just have no faith.

I'm willing to pay for a special order to a cottage buss. or DIY to have one like I would want. Any takers...Hammock Gear, LeighLo, TiWa, Wilderness Logic, AHE????

[BillyBob58]

Nice! I'd really like some info on pricing and a down version. The hood is really what does it for me. I'd been thinking about trying something similar but haven't found a down bag cheap enough and can't bring myself to cut up one I currently own.

Some thoughts on this vs PeaPod:
1:This system with hood may work even better than the actual PeaPod. Then again, with some experience learning how to use correctly, I have found my PeaPod to be a real furnace in the head area, assuming a person is willing to close it up most of the way ( I am when needed).
2: With the PeaPod, you have the uncompressed "hood" insulation under your entire head, just like with your back. With this hood, your head will compressing the insulation, especially with 900 FP down was used. So in extreme cold, some thing (pad?) will be needed under the head, right?
3: what about turning to your side?When I have my pod wrapped around certain hammocks ( like Claytor No Net for ex ), when I get on my side I can rotate the pod so that the vent hole and most of the Velcro are all the way to the side or even a little under my face. This provides fantasticly efficient coverage, with my entire head, neck and shoulders draped in thick down, plus my face depending on the size of the vent I use.

Do you think I could do this with this system? Maybe, but can't tell for sure.

4: I guess this would potentially be a lot lighter than the PeaPod ( assuming same fill) because you wouldn't have to cover as much hammock towards the ends? So, it could be as light as a sleeping bag for whatever rated temps, and if you did not need a tall bag anyway you could use a reg size. Rather than having to cover the ends of the hammock. What does a good quality 20F mummy bag weigh? Maybe 2 lbs for the high end ones, like WM, and a bit more for the affordable ones? So 32+ oz vs 38 oz for a 20F PeaPod. So a huge weight savings does not seem to jump out at first glance. But it will probably be warmer for the weight, because the weight does not have to be spread out to cover the ends of the hammock. And if designed as a unit, could it not be made so that the bag's top layer would drape down into the hammock it is meant to work. So maybe warmer for the weight, not counting the possible advantage of 2-3" of uncompressed loft UNDER your head that a regular Pea Pod has.

But: VERY INTERESTING! I can't wait to see how this plays out. It might be a design that a cottage guy takes on at some point.

[rigidpsycho]

This as well as a few other new items will be added to their website April.

[HappyHiker]

Some thoughts on this vs PeaPod:...

1: I assume they would be fairly comparable.

2: Check out the link provided earlier - looks like there would be no compression under your head. They did a good job with the placement of the hole for hammock pass through placing it close to the crown of the head.

3: Looks like it could be rotated - like you say, hard to tell though.

4: I agree weight saving would probably be minimal. I'm no gram weenie, but any weight saved is good weight. GT's are smaller hammocks, and that would allow a better drape of the top surface I'd think.

The other thing I like is, if you're forced to ground (or still tent/tarp as I do) it will still function efficiently as a SB. Multipurpose

It'd be nice to see the cottage take on the design, but to do it using down could be very complex, adding to cost (which is why I assume they did it with synthetic fill - cheap, easy and fast to manufacture). Of course Peapods aren't cheap either. But I am! Haha

[hkroeger28]

Here It Is, The Only Solo Set-Up I will use. Serious Kudo's to the pro's at GT for considering something Out of the Box and Making it a Reality. Warm and Ultra Comfy, compressible and So Easy to Set up and Break Down. I seriously couldn't be more impressed by the end result and the Great Nights Sleep I get in My Nano 7.

http://instagr.am/p/mnrZG/

[HamMike]

very cool. i like how they've approached the hood

I was thinkin the same thing Rip!

[BillyBob58]

1: I assume they would be fairly comparable.

2: Check out the link provided earlier - looks like there would be no compression under your head. They did a good job with the placement of the hole for hammock pass through placing it close to the crown of the head.
.......

I looked again and you are right. The "hole" for the hammock passes through the hood right at the top of the hood, so there should be no compression. I was thinking it passed through closer to the shoulders, which would have put the bottom of hood inside the hammock. But it does not.

Here It Is, The Only Solo Set-Up I will use. Serious Kudo's to the pro's at GT for considering something Out of the Box and Making it a Reality. Warm and Ultra Comfy, compressible and So Easy to Set up and Break Down. I seriously couldn't be more impressed by the end result and the Great Nights Sleep I get in My Nano 7.

So you have one of these GT Pods? What is the weight with the Nano hammock and/or just of the pod/sleeping bag?

Edit: never mind, I see that it is 2 lbs 10 oz per the manufacturer. ( about the same weight as my 900 FP down 20F Pea Pod ) Is it roomy?

[hkroeger28]

The Nano 7 is 7.4oz and packs into your Pocket! lol

The Bag is actually lighter. The added weight comes from Bungees and barrell locks and two different stuff sacks. All which you could leave at home if you need to shed as much of those 0z as possible. But the Bungees Help A bunch in keeping the bag in form and spread out with out to much tension and seems to be a well added feature.

It is Roomy, I would consider the "Mummy" cut to actually be more like a Large Extra Comfort Mummy Cut which adds girth and length to the crucial parts. In short, I can sleep on my side in this bag. If they made a REgular it would be even lighter, So you can consider extra weight is added due to it being a LONG as opposed to just a Regular.

With all this said, I Love it, and My Pack size just Shrank!! The Sleebing Bag, Nano 7, Straps and Rain Tarp fit into a Compression sack that slips into a Childs Book Bag! hah

[dejoha]

Grand Trunk recently sent me one of their prototypes and I've been playing with it. I'm planning a more thorough review soon. It has zippers on both sides, which is interesting. I'd prefer a single front zip. What I want to explore is how the bag affects the lay. The bag is currently designed for smaller hammocks like the Nano or the Ultralight, although double hammocks can work. The issue is you must forego the deep sag and diagonal lay. One of the issues right off is that this is a summer rated bag, but it isn't designed for an integrated bug net. You'd have to use an external bug sock over the kit, or maybe even a HUG net. I'll get precise dimensions in a new thread, but with the caveat that mine is a pre-production model.