UnderPad Installation

[affreeman]

I recently bought the UnderCover and UnderPad for my Hennessy, so this afternoon I took it over to the local park and hung the hammock so I could install the SS and check it out. It all went together just fine, but left me with a couple of observations and questions:

- It was quite warm today -- about 62 -- but I could definitely feel the difference in warmth on my back with the undercover and OCF pad in place.

- Following the directions on the SS stuffsack, I used the elastic loops on both side tieouts and on the foot end. The instructions did not say anything about the elastic loop on the head end. Should that be attached to the tarp hook the same as the one on the foot end?

- I intend to leave the UnderCover attached, and it disappears nicely into the #4 Snake Skins, so no issue there. It does seem like it is going to be a bit of a pain threading the cords through the UnderPad loops every time I set up, and undoing them every time I take it down. Has anybody come up with a better way?

- There is no way I am ever going to get the UnderPad back into the stuff sack it came in. How does everyone else handle packing it? I wonder if I would damage it if I just got an appropriately sized stuff sack and stuffed it? Or would I be better off rolling it?

- I've only set up my hammock two times so far, and already the little end caps that cover where the hammock material is gathered at either end have both come loose. Is this a common thing? Any good ideas for getting them to stay in place better?

[koaloha05]

HH normally supplies you with couple glove type hooks that they instruct attaching using cinch ties to the suspension line. You then just hook the head and foot end ocf pad shock chord to the hooks. I just used some spare light weight line and attached the glove hooks using a Prusik type of knot.

You will get use to and efficient in looping the side and end chords. With the undercover already attached to the hammock it's relatively quick to slip the ocf in. Maybe someone has come up with a simple no added parts method?

The SS stuff sack makes a nice Bishop style, double sided chord locked bag for the hammock plus undercover. Use the sack for your hammock + undercover and save the SnakeSkins for a large tarp. The ocf compresses relatively tight but is a real pain to get back into the SS stuff sack. I ended up sewing a slightly larger stuff sack with the opening running the length vs. the end. Makes it easier to insert the ocf into the stuff sack. I fold the ocf and space blanket then roll the thing tight enough to easily place into the sack. The ocf seems relatively fragile. Tearing and punctures might occur if you tried to stuff it. Plus it's real "springy".

I'm a cold sleeper. The ocf alone limits my comfort level to ~60F. Not sure what my lower temp comfort level is with the ocf + space blanket. The space blanket by itself is a good thing to carry (~3.5oz) just incase. Now it serves a 2nd use.

At least on my ULBP, the end covers are loose. I pulled them off once to take a look at how HH gathers and ties the hammock.

[BillyBob58]

On my 2 year old UL Explorer SS, I connect both the foot end and head end to the tarp prussicks.

I have used one set of snake skins with a tarp, a 2nd set with with my HHUL Exp and SS, though I would remove the pad and SB. It worked ok, overall it was pretty fast for set up and take down.

But another thing I have done is to use skins on the tarp only, plus leave the HH an SS set up with pad space blanket and even sleeping bag still in the HH- and stuffing the whole shebang into a large stuff sack while leaving one end still attached to the tree, as I walk towards that tree. As supposed to separately stuffing the pad and bag and getting the hammock/UC into skins. It can be a little tricky, but works pretty good. The bigger advantage to that is when setting up, which is super quick. Tie to one tree, then another, and it is essentially all set up. Just takes a tad of straightening things up more neatly.

On my most recent trip, this same approach worked pretty good with my Claytor No Net hammock covered with a PeaPod and a space blanket in the bottom. I would just stuff both hammock and PeaPod into the stuff sack as one unit. Then after hiking all day, I would just strap to one tree, and walk to the other as the hammock and pod were pulled out of the stuff sack together. Once I attached to the other tree, every thing was immediately ready for me to just lay down. No need to reattach and adjust my PeaPod. Worked pretty good.

I think all of the above works better with a larger stuff sack, then compressing down as needed after everything is in the sack.

[trailale]

I just received my super shelter. Using the ss stuff sack as a bishop type bag is a good idea. However, I found that I am able to get the ocf pad back into the stuff sack by folding and rolling tightly. I then slide the stuff sack over it and leave the stuff sack open at both ends. It does take a little bit of effort and would likely be an unpleasant chore when performed outside in the cold. I may go to a bigger stuff sack and use the HH one as a bishop bag as previously discussed. The undercover I'll just leave on the hammock.

[kwpapke]

- I intend to leave the UnderCover attached, and it disappears nicely into the #4 Snake Skins, so no issue there. It does seem like it is going to be a bit of a pain threading the cords through the UnderPad loops every time I set up, and undoing them every time I take it down. Has anybody come up with a better way?

- There is no way I am ever going to get the UnderPad back into the stuff sack it came in. How does everyone else handle packing it? I wonder if I would damage it if I just got an appropriately sized stuff sack and stuffed it? Or would I be better off rolling it?

- I've only set up my hammock two times so far, and already the little end caps that cover where the hammock material is gathered at either end have both come loose. Is this a common thing? Any good ideas for getting them to stay in place better?

Good for you - you've greatly increased your likelihood of a positive experience in the field by working the bugs out before you go.

Getting underpad loops through the UC holes: its really not that bad once you get good at it. If you eventually purchase an overcover you'll find that one has smaller holes than the undercover and is even tougher.

Underpad sac: I use Sea-to-summit 8L waterproof stuff sacs. They are light and will fully protect your pad. Practice rolling up your underpad while it is still in the undercover - fold it into thirds the long way, roll it up lightly in the UC, then hold it on your thighs and re-roll the last 2 feet or so of the pad very tightly. One nice thing about the OCF foam is that it is very easy to get a tight roll by re-rolling just 1-2 wraps while compressing it. It is very "sticky" to itself and will not easily unroll while you are rolling it up.

The benefit of getting adept at rolling the pad up while in the undercover is that when you need to do so in the pouring rain, you can do it under the protection of your tarp and off the muddy ground. Its a little awkward at first, but after a dozen or so times it'll become natural.

My end covers came off immediately as well. I re-tied them with a fresh cable tie, but it just didn't hold. They are pretty much just cosmetic, so don't sweat it.

Billybob has been adamant at reminding all new SS users that a space blanket makes a huge difference. He is absolutely right. Get yourself a Heatsheet:

http://www.rei.com/product/750939

They are quiet (don't rustle) and mine has lasted an entire season without a tear. Just roll it up inside your underpad where its protected, and it will be right where you need it when you unroll.

Keep us posted on your success with the SS!

--Kurt

[lazarus]

i'm with billybob -- keep the tarp separate, and roll the hammock with the super shelter in place. Tom Hennessey gave me that advice, and i think he's right. i loosen the "HH" hugger knot most of the way at the head end, undo the foot end, and roll away, keeping tension against the head end. that way i always know the orientation of the hammock when i go to put it up again. i don't use a stuff sack for the hammock, just take the roll, knot it with the head end tree hugger, and cram it into my pack. no need for carrying the snake skins for just the tarp...

[BillyBob58]

Yep, that works good also- no stuffing, just roll 'er up. If you were concerned about keeping it dry, you could then drop it in a water proof sack.

[Javaman]

I echo kwpapke and BB58 - both knowledgable users of the system.

Having a slightly larger sack for the ocf underpad is alot easier, and rolling up the space blanket in it as well just makes plain sense. I use a 8L sack from REI, $4.99 in one of their "attic" bins.

I use the original sack for the ocf underpad as my tarp sack. Since its open at both ends I can run the tarp lines out each end. To take down, I close one end at one tree and start stuffing as I walk to the other tree.

Hammock goes in the original HH sack with Garda Hitch suspension system.

[kwpapke]

i'm with billybob -- keep the tarp separate, and roll the hammock with the super shelter in place. Tom Hennessey gave me that advice, and i think he's right. i loosen the "HH" hugger knot most of the way at the head end, undo the foot end, and roll away, keeping tension against the head end. that way i always know the orientation of the hammock when i go to put it up again. i don't use a stuff sack for the hammock, just take the roll, knot it with the head end tree hugger, and cram it into my pack. no need for carrying the snake skins for just the tarp...

I know it is the conventional wisdom of this group to pack the tarp separate from the hammock to keep the hammock dry.

I don't do that. With the undercover and snakeskins, the hammock does not get wet when rolling up a wet tarp:

1. The undercover is waterproof and keeps the hammock dry
2. When rolling up in snakeskins, the wet side of the tarp is kept on the outside, so the inside of the roll stays dry.

Don't get me wrong, to some extent this is a matter of preference, and keeping the tarp separate works just fine too. The only reason I belabor this point is it is often stated on this forum that you have to pack your tarp separately to keep your hammock dry. That assumption is simply not true when using the undercover and snakeskins.

What I did to remember which end is which when the hammock is in the skins: I wrapped the foot end of the suspension rope with few inches of duct tape. The tape weighs nothing, the silver color is easy to see in the dark, and it has stayed on all season with no problems.

I can see the simplicity advantage of the method you advocate: no skins, no stuff sack, just roll up the SS OCF pad in the hammock, tie off and go. This must make a good-sized bundle though, as the OCF pad holds a lot of dead air.

I guess I'm just a bit of a neat freak when it comes to my pack. By removing the underpad and putting it in a waterproof sac I can strap it neatly to the outside of my smaller packs, and my skinned hammock folds up into a small, neat package.

--Kurt

[Ramblinrev]

I have traditionally color coded my skins to show me which side is the head side. I have separated the tarp and the hammock for the purposes of keeping myself dry. Not so much the hammock. I like being able to set the tarp and work underneath it while getting the rest of my kit set up.