Grand Trunk "pod" bag/insulation

[hkroeger28]

The Ease of Entry would benefit from just a one way ONTOP zipper, and it was considered...
But, i think that the idea for this bag was to make it just as Useable to a ground camper or tent goer and to Key in on versatility and Comfort.

We Liked the double sided 2-way zipper for a few good reasons.

1) YOu can Tuck the Lid or "Tongue" into the Footbox when you have the Sleeping bag suspended but do not want to cover up.

2) You can Vent from the sides and still be covered.

3) You can Hang your Legs out!!

And Lastly, You can Exit your Sleeping bag With the quickness if you need too, Just Push on the Lid and it tears away with out hassle..

What are your thoughts?

[hkroeger28]

I have always found that I must Forego the Deep Sag to get a good nights sleep anyhow

I have found it's Good Practice to Lay in the Hammock and then Restretch after a few minutes. Good and Tight keeps the Back nice and straight!

What are you thoughts?

[rip waverly]

I have always found that I must Forego the Deep Sag to get a good nights sleep anyhow

I have found it's Good Practice to Lay in the Hammock and then Restretch after a few minutes. Good and Tight keeps the Back nice and straight!

What are you thoughts?

i agree with this statement

[HappyHiker]

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/

Where did you get yours from? Are they available to the public yet?

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. ....... I'll get precise dimensions in a new thread, but with the caveat that mine is a pre-production model.

Do peapods allow a very diagonal lay? (Never used one so I have no idea.) I'm currently experimenting with a "pod" type system (sleeping bag over the hammock) and it doesn't allow much diagonal lay either.

Looking forward to more hands on info!

[dejoha]

Where did you get yours from? Are they available to the public yet?

No, they are not available yet. Grand Trunk is still finishing production in China, last I heard. hkroeger28 might be a GT employee? I was sent one to evaluate and use at an upcoming book signing that GT is sponsoring.

Do peapods allow a very diagonal lay? (Never used one so I have no idea.) I'm currently experimenting with a "pod" type system (sleeping bag over the hammock) and it doesn't allow much diagonal lay either.

Looking forward to more hands on info!

I've used "pull-over" bags multiple times and in my experience they do not allow for a diagonal hang, at least, not a big one. My first experience was using a rectangular bag with my GT Nano 7 (scroll down to see the photo with the bicycle). The rectangular bag allowed me a little more wiggle room to get diagonal.

Mummy-style bags are more alike to the pea-pod style and do not allow for much of a diagonal hang. Shug recently posted some videos with him experimenting with this sort of set-up. I'd have to ask him about the comfort. I can vouch with him that they can be warm, although I needed something else inside the hammock, like Shug, as the wrapping bag left a void that was hard to heat up easily.

Another bag I'm testing is the EXPED Dreamwalker 650. I'm currently loving this bag. I'm testing the long version and it works great as a pull-over, pea-pod style bag. It is long and wide enough that it allows for a good diagonal hang without a problem. I guess what I'm saying is that if you can pick a bag for this style of insulation, choose wisely.

Personal preference plays a big part. For me, I don't like hanging a hammock tight and horizontal as I get a lot of shoulder squeeze. Sure, it probably beats having a rock in your back, but compared to other hammock positions, it's not _my_ ideal. I'd rather have a diagonal and more flat lay.

The other issue here is the tremendous force on the suspension lines, straps, and hammock when you pull it so taut. Make sure you play the physics game to win so you don't rip and fall to the ground!

[hkroeger28]

[QUOTE=dejoha;672380]No, they are not available yet. Grand Trunk is still finishing production in China, last I heard. hkroeger28 might be a GT employee? I was sent one to evaluate and use at an upcoming book signing that GT is sponsoring.



I am definitely not an Employee of GT, I work and live in Rome, GA at an Outfitters. . But I might as well be sponsored, every thing I travel with on the trail seems to be GT!!

[BillyBob58]

[QUOTE=hkroeger28;672443]

No, they are not available yet. Grand Trunk is still finishing production in China, last I heard. hkroeger28 might be a GT employee? I was sent one to evaluate and use at an upcoming book signing that GT is sponsoring.



I am definitely not an Employee of GT, I work and live in Rome, GA at an Outfitters. . But I might as well be sponsored, every thing I travel with on the trail seems to be GT!!

So how did you get one, lucky dog? Maybe working at an outfitter they got you one to test out?

Yay Rome GA! Berry Academy grad 1967!

Re: the questions about diagonal lay in PeaPods: I guess it depends on the pod and the hammock used,. I can only speak for Ed Speer's commercial model called "PeaPod", and the few hammocks I use it with, primarily a Claytor No Net and Speer 8.5. I can get in any diagonal position which I can get in without the PeaPod. No difference. Consider: It is 6 ft wide in the center, the Claytor is 4 ft at the widest point. It is 9 or 9.5 ft long, about as long as some hammocks, so it closes around most hammock ends, or pretty close. However, there are some fetal side positions I like to get in in some hammocks that do not work well. Positions where I get pretty close to completely side ways- well beyond normal diagonal. But, these positions are a problem(small or large) with all under insulation. But this is a bigger problem in the PeaPod. Probably would not be with the wider/longer Polar Pod.

[HappyHiker]

Another bag I'm testing is the EXPED Dreamwalker 650. I'm currently loving this bag. I'm testing the long version and it works great as a pull-over, pea-pod style bag. It is long and wide enough that it allows for a good diagonal hang without a problem. I guess what I'm saying is that if you can pick a bag for this style of insulation, choose wisely.

Those do look nice (and expensive too ). By any chance do you have measurements for shoulders/hips/feet? Only info I can find is the length (83").

You make an excellent point on the differentiation of the type of bag to look for. The one I'm messing around with is a semi rectangular, and ultimately I think the length is the limiting factor in how diagonal of a lay can be achieved with it, along with a smaller footbox.

I can get in any diagonal position which I can get in without the PeaPod. No difference. Consider: It is 6 ft wide in the center, the Claytor is 4 ft at the widest point. It is 9 or 9.5 ft long, about as long as some hammocks, so it closes around most hammock ends, or pretty close.

Thanks for the info. From photos I wouldn't think they are that roomy. And 114" long - wow. More diagonal would be nice, but limited isn't horrible.

I'll be really interested to see full specs on the GT pod and how they compare. Of course they seem to be designed with a narrower/shorter hammock in mind (Nano/Ultralight) with a listed length of 88", so a heavy diagonal probably won't be possible in it either.

[dejoha]

The other thing to consider with a Pod: if a bug net is in the cards, you'll need an external one. Pods don't work well with hammocks with zippered bug netting, obviously.

[rbinhood]

I am definitely not an Employee of GT, I work and live in Rome, GA at an Outfitters. . But I might as well be sponsored, every thing I travel with on the trail seems to be GT!![/QUOTE]
A lot of people have questions and it sure would be nice if you'd answer them.
1. Where did you get the bag from?

2. How much do they cost?

3. Is it possible for anyone else to get one from the same source that yours came from?