Took Eureka Chrysalis to Charles Deam Wilderness--Need Advice!

[chrislrob]

Took my Eureka Chrysalis to the Charles Deam Wilderness Area outside of Bloomington, IN this weekend.

I continue to love this hammock!

But I had a couple of problems. First, I badly tore the cover. I didn't pull it all the way down to the end before I did a test lay and when I sat, it split about 8-10 inches from the suspension hole. Anyone have a cover only that they want to sell?

Better yet, anybody have suggestions for how I can repair it?

Second, I've *really* got to get an underquilt. I toss and turn all night as it is, so between the slippery hammock, my prolite pad and my slippery sleeping bag, it's like trying to stack marbles on a pitching ship.

I know that people have talked several times about various *ideas* about what we might do, but does anyone have a fairly inexpensive solution? If I've got to spend a couple of hundred bucks for an underquilt, I might as well buy the 2011 version of the Chrysalis with the pad pocket. But I don't WANT to spend $200.

Thanks.

[BillyBob58]

Someone will give you some good repair advice shortly.

If you get an UQ- and you use the Chrysalis rain cover - how are you going to protect the UQ? Without a separate tarp? ( Something I have been wondering about with the no pad pocket model I have ).

[rbinhood]

I have one of the original models. I think you have to use a separate tarp if you are going to use an under quilt.

Otherwise, as somebody else suggested here, you might make a waterproof sock for your underquilt and attach the quilt inside the sock. If you think about the material that goes into making a sock, you might be just as far ahead with a tarp.

[chrislrob]

I have one of the original models. I think you have to use a separate tarp if you are going to use an under quilt.

Otherwise, as somebody else suggested here, you might make a waterproof sock for your underquilt and attach the quilt inside the sock. If you think about the material that goes into making a sock, you might be just as far ahead with a tarp.

Aaarrrghh! I hadn't thought of that!

[Shug]

Use an SPE for the pads.....or this Hot Spot: http://www.backcountryedge.com/eagle...-hot-spot.aspx
Carry Forth in comfort.
Shug

[BillyBob58]

Use an SPE for the pads.....or this Hot Spot: http://www.backcountryedge.com/eagle...-hot-spot.aspx
Carry Forth in comfort.
Shug

Well OK then: looks like someone is making a version of SPE, at last! Wonder if it has a mesh bottom that grips the hammock?

[BillyBob58]

I have one of the original models. I think you have to use a separate tarp if you are going to use an under quilt.

Otherwise, as somebody else suggested here, you might make a waterproof sock for your underquilt and attach the quilt inside the sock. If you think about the material that goes into making a sock, you might be just as far ahead with a tarp.

Especially after reading that you tore your tarp, I am a little paranoid about the correct set up of this thing. The "tarp" or "tent" is very similar to the original HH over cover, but on steroids. The hammock webbing and apparently also the cam buckle goes through the opening in the end of the tent. It looks like the buckle is supposed to protrude through the tent opening "tent opening", at :52 into this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DaTc8kLa4I

But it seems nearly impossible to get the buckle all the way through the opening, so I guess it is not supposed to go all the way through? On my buckle, for some reason there is a bolt which sticks out from the side of the buckle maybe 1/2" or so, with a big spacer/washer holding it out from the buckle. This bolt is what the tent opening hangs up on.

But it all just seems a little odd to me. Is this bolt supposed to remain just inside the "tent" opening? When I am done it looks like in the video. But it just also looks like that could be asking for a tear under tension once you get inside. Am I doing this right?

And those permanently attached spreader bars can not be left behind, but are an absolute bummer when trying to pack up into the stuff sack it comes with. Is there a trick to this? I think I am going to see if I can un-bolt and remove them, though having to bolt them back on every time might prove a PITA also.

Still, despite the above, there is just something very attractive about this set up. I love laying in it with the tent sides Velcroed up and out of the way. Which leaves things wide open on the sides while still providing some pretty good rain coverage top side. The big downside of course is weight, but one of our cottage guys could make one just like this but 1/2 the weight. I think this tent would be pretty bomb proof in wind and rain. Except of course for the UQ, which would be totally exposed without a separate tarp. So without a tarp, I think a pad is called for.

I miss the pad pocket, but I tried a Ridgerest in it yesterday with pretty good results, and even better with an SPE.

I wonder the same thing about the Hot Spot, Billybob.

How *does* it stop the pad from slipping? I really don't need the insulation, so that doesn't concern me. And how small does it pack?

I don't know how it will stop the slipping. Fortunately, I still have an ~ 4 oz Speer SPE, which has a non-slip mesh fabric on the bottom. Also great for 1 thin pad when not very cold, or stacking pads when colder- and you can also vary the amount and type of insulation in the side sleeves.

[Timberrr]

And those permanently attached spreader bars can not be left behind, but are an absolute bummer when trying to pack up into the stuff sack it comes with. Is there a trick to this? I think I am going to see if I can un-bolt and remove them, though having to bolt them back on every time might prove a PITA also.

I miss the pad pocket...

Here's how I pack up. It seems to do fine with the original stuff sack.
1. I separate the two halves of each spreader bar and tuck the ends into the little orange pouch.
2. This step is important. I then tuck the ends of the bars down into the hammock (toward the ground - perpendicular to the RL).
3. Disconnect one end-carabiner from the whoopie (that leads to the tree).
4. Grasp the two parts of the spreader through the fabric of the hammock and fold that loose hammock end toward the center.
5. Roll the fabric up around the bars until you reach the other bar. Roll it in too.
6. Disconnect the other end-carabiner and finish rolling nice and tight.
With just a bit of practice it should make a package that slides into the stuff sack.
Yeah... unbolting the spreader bars and remembering which goes where would be a definite PITA to me too.

The Wundersling acts like a pad pocket. Mostly.
Good luck.

[Womble]

But it all just seems a little odd to me. Is this bolt supposed to remain just inside the "tent" opening? When I am done it looks like in the video. But it just also looks like that could be asking for a tear under tension once you get inside. Am I doing this right?

According to this, the bolt is indeed holding the tent on the suspension.

[Timberrr]

According to this, the bolt is indeed holding the tent on the suspension.

When I replaced the jam buckle and webbing with a carabiner and 1/8" line the carabiner just sits inside the tent-top. The little cone-shaped end caps keep everything dry inside while 'looking finished' outside.