I use a diy ccf wingpad under me. Doesnot move once it is positioned between the layers.
May have time this week to test out raising the foot end of my BB. have been hanging it the same as my HH...foot 2" higher than head. Guess i will start raising the foot an inche at a time and see how it goes.
I usually run mine about 8" to 10" higher. The other important thing is to get the angles correct. You can tell this by how taut the ridgeline is (do it like Brandon shows on his website). Even a little too tight will make it lay different.
I used pads before I could afford an UQ. I found that the closed cell pad worked better that the inflatable. You don't need a thick foam pad, a wallyworld blue foam pad works very nicely in a BB double. When I tried an inflatable pad I had problems with the pad pinching and or not conforming to me.closed cell pads verses inflatable pads.
On keeping a UQ tight against the hammock I find triangle thingies do a good job of keeping my UQs tight against my BB
I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !
Indiana remains under a nutso drought, and storms threaten to bring down limbs left and right. I haven't been able to get out on an overnight yet, but I did get my new Toxaway Tarp from AHE, and it actually reveals something on the WBBB.
So check the picture attached. This is my WBBB 1.1DL in "grey." The tarp is billed as "stealth brown." I'd say describing the WBBB as "grey" doesn't quite hit the nail on the head. It looks grey, but with green and brown hues to it. Anyway, you guys have a gander and tell me what you think.
Personally, I'm really excited to try out what promises to be a very stealthy rig! Oh, and this is crashvandicoot; just changed my username.
Last edited by SaabZombee; 07-26-2012 at 18:55.
Excellent review and I have to agree on just about everything you say about the hammock. You’ve put into words what I’ve been thinking about it. I love the room it gives me and its very comfortable. The foot box is a great idea. It's funny you mentioned the color, I wanted the grey but because got the 1.7oz double layer, mine was olive green. It’s ok, but I would have preferred the grey just for the reasons you mentioned. I'm still undecided about replacing the straps w/ whoopie slings. They are somewhat difficult to let out but not unduly so.
I was very surprised in one regard, like you I expected the double layer to be a little warmer. I was in it this past weekend and my back was cool. It felt great considering the heat but I was surprised what a little breeze did.
I never hike alone. The voices in my head are always with me.
That's funny, I totally would've taken the 1.1 in the olive green. Different strokes for different folks!Originally Posted by Bellke
Well, I got out of Indiana and got to do some hiking in the Catskills this week. Here goes:
SET-UP
On this trip, I pushed myself way too hard after not hiking for a while. When I set up the BB, I was on the brink of total exhaustion. Furthermore, the site I had picked were two trees about 21' apart from each other. Now, I'm hesitant to use the term "idiot-proof" because I've set up hammocks before, but at the same time, I know my mind was not completely there when I was doing this.
With this setup, I was pushing my tree straps to the max, and whoopies close to it. I was not able to both get a 30* hang AND get my tarp/hammock set up for the storms that were coming in. That said, I got the BB up in a couple minutes without much fuss. In the state I was in, that says something.
WARMTH
You'll notice I'm not calling this "Insulation." I don't want to focus too much on my other pieces of gear, but the hammock necessarily influences their performance. For this trip, I had a poncho liner top quilt and an AHE Jarbridge UQ. The temperature got down to around 60 degrees, and a number of very strong thunderstorms moved through the area.
The BB's netting also does a fantastic job of keeping in radiant heat. I ended up kicking off the TQ for most of the night. There is also a fairly wide strip of nylon below the netting before the edge with the zipper. This blocks wind from passing through the hammock and stealing away heat. When I wanted to vent the hammock, I just cracked the zipper open a bit.
Most of you have seen Shug's recommendation in his videos to carry a 12" x 14" piece of reflectix. I wholeheartedly echo that. The BB's footbox is perfect for holding the reflectix in place to keep your feet warm with a 3/4 UQ setup. At first, I was going to stuff it in between the DLs, but decided I might want to move it around.
WATER REPELLING
More just an interesting observation here. When the storms hit, I got a fair amount of misting on the head end of the hammock. However, the water stayed on the outside of my hammock, and I stayed dry.
THE LAY
I wasn't able to jack up the foot end of the hammock with the trees the way they were. The hammock also didn't have a 30* hang. Not ideal. I found myself sliding into the footbox, and if I tried to lay on my side, I would either get pinched by the sides of the hammock, or I'd create a sharp shelf that would bite into the back of my legs. Hang is everything with this hammock.
That said, I found that if I can't jack the foot end up, lying more toward the center of the hammock (yes, the dreaded banana shape) was actually a bit more comfortable. It stopped me from sliding forward into the footbox, and the pinching was almost completely alleviated if I could stay farther from the foot end.
Here's a picture of my set-up the following morning.
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