SuperShelter pseudo-tests

[elcolombianito]

Just wanted to give a small report since Ive been using the SS in my room the past 5 nights (temps according to my therm are normally 55-60 F with the window closed, I always sleep with the window completely open, but I dunno why I always forget to check how much the temps change with its open) and I am very happy: it met my expectations, and is actually better than I thought. I had planned a trip with my smallest sister to test it outdoors but she got sick (no, not swine flu, thankgod), so the real test will have to wait a bit more.

First setup was not difficult at all, and i did it alone! This might have been thanks to all the info already available on the subject, though it should be noted that I followed the instructions exactly as they are on the supershelter stuff sack -using the extra glove hooks and such. Only extra info used was the "more horizontal less vertical" tip for the tie outs. The OFC pad is removed when i need to get the hammock of the way, and this is also much easier than I thought.

No condensation problems so far, even thought I have not used the heatsheet, which is in its box, brand new. Only using Undercover, Underpad, cotton boxer, cotton tshirt, and a very thin fleece blanket. The first night I used a 40F bag but i was melting in my hammock 10 min after getting in, so i tried the blanket and its working great.

I do have problems getting in since i feel it always is a bit more of pad to my right than my left so after I hope in, i have to stick my hand out the slit to adjust the pad better under me, even thought its really not necessary... I just need to feel i am perfectly positioned with the pad. It should be noted that since my room is very small, I can't really hang my hammock with the right ridgeline tension or put the tie outs high enough.

Besides from this, no problems. If its worth anything for people looking into buying the HH system, even good reports here make make it seem way more difficult and problematic than what I encountered, so please try it first, it is worth it IMO. Much much better than using a pad in the hammock....

I obviously need to test it under real circumstances to have a better criterion. Till then, Good hanging fellow hammockers...

[BillyBob58]

Great, keep the reports coming as you get it out in the field! I'm surprised you have had no condensation if not using a psace blanket, but I have also got away with that once or twice maybe. But, another time I got wet in the foot of the hammock, but that was under really high humidity and temps hi 40s to lo 50s. Just be careful adjusting that fragile pad!

Also, glad to hear it was so easy for you to set up, good to hear that for a change! I think RamRev had an easy time 1st time out also. Sadly, my 1st time was a fiasco, but I could set it up in my sleep ( or in the dark) now. Although, there really isn't much to set up any more, as I just leave it all together in a big stuff sack.

It's really a pretty good set up, don't you think? I mean, considering price and weight and rain/wind protection and such. It might not be the best/lightest/warmest or most compact solution for all folks, but it's still a pretty good one for a lot of HH users.

[elcolombianito]

I'm surprised you have had no condensation if not using a psace blanket, but I have also got away with that once or twice maybe. But, another time I got wet in the foot of the hammock, but that was under really high humidity and temps hi 40s to lo 50s.

Believe me... I'm the one most surprised with the no-condensation, specially since i sweat a lot while sleeping no matter on what or where (bed, hammock, pad, hot temps, cold temps and because of my sweating issue I almost didn't buy this system... i definitely don't regret it, besides, got a free expedition and snakeskins with the supershelter order, so my setup is all brand new.

Sadly, my 1st time was a fiasco, but I could set it up in my sleep ( or in the dark) now.

Important thing is you didn't give up... THANK YOU.

It's really a pretty good set up, don't you think? I mean, considering price and weight and rain/wind protection and such. It might not be the best/lightest/warmest or most compact solution for all folks, but it's still a pretty good one for a lot of HH users.

IMO, Its the BEST. It meets all my needs, and as Cannibal says, thats whats important. I must confess I dream with a JRB UQ... its a luxury i could afford in terms of money, but I have to consider other stuff beside that, like for example delivery in my country (it sucks, things either get here damaged or don't ever arrive), extra fees in my country (which sometimes even triples the price, and thats not fair, IMO an UQ can't be worth even twice what it already is, or can it?) and those typical what-if-i-get-robed or some-law-enforcement-dude-falls-inlove-with it and takes it away (yeah, lost a really nice leahterman mutli tool to an airport security chump, and my hennessy has been in danger of being taken away many times by the military because of the supposedly unusable by civilians color it has).

Any way, IM TOO HAPPY WITH MY SUPERSHELTER... im so happy, im gonna go now and give it a hug......... ok, done, it says hi... :P.

[kwpapke]

IMO, Its the BEST. It meets all my needs, and as Cannibal says, thats whats important. I must confess I dream with a JRB UQ

Great report elcolombito. I feel pretty much the same way -- I'd love to have a JRB quilt, but I just can't justify the purchase when the SS works so well. Even if I did buy one, on many trips I'd still stick with the SS because it is so robust in wet conditions where a wet down quilt would be a liability.

Look forward to your field reports.

--Kurt

[Ramblinrev]

I'm waiting for the Big Brown Truck to arrive with my torso and kidney pads. Should be here this morning... Then I'll have to play around and test the gear. Good excuse for a nap.

[elcolombianito]

Okay, after seeing the AMK heatsheet nicely packed for more than a week on my desk, I decided to open it and add it to the SS. I must say its really nice piece of gear. Easy to handle and very strong for such a thin material, and not noisy at all, the undercover makes more noise.
It definitely adds a lot a warmth, so much, im now not using a fleece blanket for top side, but a very thin cotton blanket only for the bottom part of my body to not feel so exposed.

Pros an cons of adding the heatsheet to the system so far:
Pros: adds warmth to the system, and in the outdoors might have other uses, like in emergencies. If you wrap the ocf pad with it, is make it slippery so its easier to adjust once your in the hammock.

Cons (kindof): i was hoping i could uses the snakeskins to pack the hammock and undercover,, and stock tarp together, keeping the ocf pad and heatsheet separate. Had to ditch that idea, and now it will all go stuffed in a big stuff sack (bishop sack a s soon as I get my sewing machine back form an aunt), with out the stock tarp. I can easily get it compressed so it fits in the bottom compartment of my back pack were i used to put my sheltering gear (hammock, tarps, straps, etc). Now the tarp and straps have to go in another place, maybe the straps would fit if i compress the big sack more but i rather not.

BIG CON: My loved HH is becoming a PITA! And these are indoor tests, Im not sure how it will do outdoors... The feeling that i should have gotten an UQ instead of the SS is growing by the day. Yes the SuperShelter works, but it has taken away most of the simplicity I loved about my HH. Im actually even considering of spending my Aarn backpack money on a double layer BackBird... I can't believe Im saying this... OH LORD...

[Chris.Biomed]

join us Luke, join the blackbird side

[Ramblinrev]

My explorer UL fits into #4 snakeskins quite easily. I carry the foam and the heat sheet apart.

[elcolombianito]

Ramblinrev... I know it fits, and that's how i had been doing: took the ocf pad on and off, and snakeskinned the fly+hammock+undercover... I love the snakeskins.
But since i started using the heatsheet, I found it simpler to leave it all setup and stuff it as it is in a big bag, then compress it into the bottom compartment of my backpack. This way it just pops out of the sack already setup with ocf pad and heatsheet on their place, only need to tie the guy outs at proper level. The stock fly i just ditched it cuz the hex really does a good job, no need for the extra weight. People just luv when I pull off the skins and everything is already there, so im a showoff...

Chris... I will join you fellows, some day.. I just thought that day would be very very far away in my future. Now it seems so close... or maybe ill just add a zipper to my HH's bugnetting... Either way is difficult for me... a BB is expensive, and 2Q's zipper mod might turn just as expensive including shipping and handling fees.

I will give the HH 4 season setup a good chance though, it deserves it. If it keeps being a PITA Im gonna try to DIY zipper mod on my old hh and then try it on my new HH which has the SS. Still, im scared of this mod, im not to good at sewing, but im sure this would get rid of most of the issues one faces with the bottom entry of the HH's. If none of this works, BlackBird it is!

[Ramblinrev]

I must confess I don't understand what you are saying about the heat sheet. I roll the heat sheet up with the pads and put the whole wad in a stuff sack. I do have to rearrange things when I set up... but I figure I would have to do that to some extent even if I shoved everything together in one stuff sack.

Of course I am committed to the HH for reasons other than its simoplicity and frankly find the SS to be far simpler than having to much around with underquilts every time I set up and tear down.