View Full Version : How do you manage the SS in your backpack? and SS questions.
Just got my SS and was playing around with it and trying to determine the best way to pack up what I needed all the time and what I needed occasionally, and insted of trial and error, I thought that I'd take advantage of the experiences of others.
Anyone care to tell me how they manage their heatsheet/OCF/undercover/overcover in their backpack? I know the Rev. rolls it all up in a stuff sack, but do you need all of it all the time?
I have the snakeskins for my HHED, and it accepts the undercover in the skins, but I am thinking that if I want the fastest possible setup time, that I will want the OCF and Heatsheet installed all the time. does everyone use the OCF all the time?
I also wondered if others are sewing the heatsheet to the OCF pad so it doesn't move around.
Just a few questions, and I appreciate your opinions.
MacEntyre
09-18-2009, 08:30
...the Rev. rolls it all up in a stuff sack, but do you need all of it all the time?
I like to do that, too. I rig it once and store it all loosely stuffed together. That protects the fragile OCF very well.
does everyone use the OCF all the time?
I have not used the UC without the OCF. I use my snake skins for my tarp, which is larger than the stock HH tarp.
I also wondered if others are sewing the heatsheet to the OCF pad so it doesn't move around.
Not a bad idea at all.
- MacEntyre
Ramblinrev
09-18-2009, 10:19
Actually... I roll the pad and heatsheet separately so I can use my skins. That's just me though.
They fit nicely in the large wally world dry sac.
I've been removing the OCF pad and heat sheet but in the future I think I'll keep it all in place and use a larger stuff or black bishop bag. Unless it's really warm, you end up having to use the whole SS system anyway, so why keep separating the parts? Plan is to only have the tarp separate in snakeskins.
I've been removing the OCF pad and heat sheet but in the future I think I'll keep it all in place and use a larger stuff or black bishop bag. Unless it's really warm, you end up having to use the whole SS system anyway, so why keep separating the parts? Plan is to only have the tarp separate in snakeskins.
I think this will be the way that I do it, putting the rainfly with the snakeskins up first, and then be able to take your time to set up the hammock with everything out of the rain.
Just got my SS and was playing around with it and trying to determine the best way to pack up what I needed all the time and what I needed occasionally, and insted of trial and error, I thought that I'd take advantage of the experiences of others.
Anyone care to tell me how they manage their heatsheet/OCF/undercover/overcover in their backpack? I know the Rev. rolls it all up in a stuff sack, but do you need all of it all the time?
I have the snakeskins for my HHED, and it accepts the undercover in the skins, but I am thinking that if I want the fastest possible setup time, that I will want the OCF and Heatsheet installed all the time. does everyone use the OCF all the time?
I also wondered if others are sewing the heatsheet to the OCF pad so it doesn't move around.
Just a few questions, and I appreciate your opinions.
No sewing of the OCF pad to the space blanket. I did duct tape two space blankets together leaving one long side open to slide in the OCF pad. I also left small openings at the head, foot and left side for the tie-outs. I use the space blankets and OCF pad all the time and they stay in place during the night, see installation instructions below.
Hammock and UC get stuffed into the original HH stuff sack. Tree huggers and biners also go in this bag. I put a small hole in the bottom of the bag so I could thread the foot suspension rope through. So I open the bag, put up the tree huggers and hardware, tie off the HEAD end suspension and then walk the hammock out of the sack, tying the foot end suspension line last. This keeps the hammock off the ground. Take down is just the reverse and the foot end rope just gets wrapped around the full stuff sack when in my pack. The hammock is carried internally to protect from rain.
The rain fly goes in the double ended bag the OCF underpad came in. Set up is similar to the hammock setup above. The tarp is separate in case I need to set up or take down in the rain. I carry the tarp bag externally in a rear or side mesh pocket. I tie the tarp to the trees using larger Nite-Ize Figure-9's.
Stakes go in a separate small stake bag from REI.. Nite-Ize mini-figure 9's are already and always attached to the stakes for quick setup.
The OCF pad in its space blanket sandwich is rolled into a generic grey stuff sack from REI and carried strapped to the side of my pack like a light weight sleeping pad. I think I bought the 8 or 10 liter size but don't quote me. I unroll it, slide the whole thing between the hammock and the UC, attach the tie outs (see below) and am good to go.
VERY IMPORTANT : I learned to change how the hammock shock cord side tie-outs are attached to the hammock. I untied them from the plastic rings and re-tied them to one end of a mini Nite-Ize S-biner. Then I clip the other end of the S-biner to the side plastic rings. This way I can just unhook the s-biner from the hammock side tie-out ring, slide the ring through the OCF elastic side tie-out loop then back through the UC hole and re-attach the S-biner to the plastic ring. Keeps me from having to pull the long side tie-out cord through all those small holes!
I sometimes use a KAQ outside of the UC. This is carried in its own stuffsack internally in my pack and is attached on the sides per the Very Important paragraph above.
Hope this helps!
Javaman
BillyBob58
09-18-2009, 22:47
Actually... I roll the pad and heatsheet separately so I can use my skins. That's just me though.
They fit nicely in the large wally world dry sac.
I have done this and it works just fine. I still had the fastest set up and tear down of any one on the trip, with skins for the tarp and another set of skins for the HH and UC. I would stuff the pad and heat sheet into a compression dry sack and strap outside the pack, along with the skins.
However, I also have a large side compression stuff sack that I use just to stuff the ENTIRE set up ( sometimes including even my top quilt) into. This makes for a very fast breaking of camp, and about the fastest set up you will see. Tie to one tree, walk sack to other tree and tie on, make minor adjustments of SS or tree strap height. Go to bed.
It can be very fast. Instead of taking a pad down and packing it, and TQ out and packing it, and then packing up the hammock, and then pulling every thing out and redoing it that night, you pack and unpack one big item.
But if your not trying to set a world record, the first method is fast enough and works just fine. The biggest hassle to me is readjusting the space blanket. But even that is just a minute or so, which I usually have to spare. No big deal either way, both work. ;)
The OCF pad in its space blanket sandwich is rolled into a generic grey stuff sack from REI and carried strapped to the side of my pack like a light weight sleeping pad. I think I bought the 8 or 10 liter size but don't quote me. I unroll it, slide the whole thing between the hammock and the UC, attach the tie outs (see below) and am good to go.
I do about the same as Javaman. I leave the space blanket on the OCF pad and roll it up so the SB is inside the OCF and protected. They fit nicely when compressed a little into a 8L dry bag which gets attached to the outside of my pack to save space. I use snakeskins for the hammock & tarp.
I think it all boils down to preference of snakeskins versus bishop bag, and whether or not you want your pad to take up space inside your pack or not.
I've come to like the snakeskin approach, though I've been using the bishop bag with my BB for the last 3 months. Because the tarp is rolled up around the outside of the hammock I've never had any issues with setup & teardown in the rain. I do like gaining the 8L of space inside my pack by carrying the pad on the outside.
This approach does require that you learn how to roll up the OCF pad while its in the UC. This skill is needed on rainy mornings.
Regards,
--kurt
MacEntyre
09-21-2009, 08:32
I sometimes use a KAQ outside of the UC.
I've done that too... toasty at 10*F! When I get rid of the elastic in the UC bottom entry (I have the 2Q/ZQ #2 Bugnet Mod), I'll try the UC outside the KAQ.
It's amazing how well a SS and a KAQ work together, particularly with a MacKAQ, or any other vapor barrier. Hammock/OCFpad/VB/KAQ/UC is how I'd layer them. (OCF pad on top of VB just because it fits better with the MacKAQ.) I look forward to testing them when it's cold... like 0*F or less.
- MacEntyre
BillyBob58
09-21-2009, 12:01
I've done that too... toasty at 10*F! When I get rid of the elastic in the UC bottom entry (I have the 2Q/ZQ #2 Bugnet Mod), I'll try the UC outside the KAQ.
It's amazing how well a SS and a KAQ work together, particularly with a MacKAQ, or any other vapor barrier. Hammock/OCFpad/VB/KAQ/UC is how I'd layer them. (OCF pad on top of VB just because it fits better with the MacKAQ.) I look forward to testing them when it's cold... like 0*F or less.
- MacEntyre
You are not concerned that your OCF pad will get wet from condensation, being on top of the VB? I guess I'm thinking of the time I did not use a VB in the SS and the foot of my bag and OCF pad got soaked. I guess the VB under the pad might still be warm from body heat and maybe there wouldn't be as much risk of condensation? Especially with everything being warmer in general underneath due to the KAQ?
Any way, it will be a good thing for you to test!
MacEntyre
09-21-2009, 13:57
When I've had condensation in cold weather, it has not been much at all. I have placed a VB under the OCF pad before, without any problem.
Realistically, I could not use my Thermadrape KAQ with the OCF pad unless I put the pad right under the hammock. For me, it works... so far!
- MacEntyre
Got the heatsheet and was laying the OCF over the heatsheet and thinking that I should cut it to size and attach it somehow to the OCF, at first I thought of cutting to fit and sewing it, which is probably the best answer, but I am not sure the plastic will sew very well and would probably tear and not shift underneath you as you move around.
How do you fix your heatsheet to the OCF, or do you? AND are you cutting it to fit the OCF?
Ramblinrev
09-23-2009, 15:06
I don't attach it. Mostly because an attaching point is not moveable and a further source of strain and possible tears. I also do not plan on cutting it unless my reasoning turns out to be faulty. The heat sheet is a vapor barrier against condensation, not a protectoer of the ocf. So the whole of the bottom cover would seem to need a vapor barrier, not just the foam. If I cut the heat sheet to fit the foam I leave the rest of the undercover exposed to possible condensation with will sink down to the bottom of the undercover and soak the foam anyway. I figure I am better off trying to cover the majority of the undercover. BTW I think the heat sheet goes over the pad between the pad and the hammock, not under the pad between the undercover and the pad.
Obviously there will be some exposed parts like on the other side of the slit where the heat sheet needs ot move to let me in. But that's my reasoning.
patriothomer
11-23-2009, 22:03
I recceived my SS this afternoon and installed it to my Explorer UL with the snakeskins and tarp together, minus the OCF. I noticed on one of the videos on YouTube that the OCF was packed really tight into the SS stuff sack as shipped. The person setting up the hammock commented that he doubted anyone could get it back into the same sack, which concerned me. I don't like wasting gear or having to buy additional items to make use of new gear. I couldn't get it back in the bag either, so I put it in the hammock stuff sack and put the coiled HH/SS in the SS bag:
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=215&pictureid=1849
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=215&pictureid=1848
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=215&pictureid=1847
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=215&pictureid=1846
May not be for everyone, but an idea I am trying. :D
angrysparrow
11-23-2009, 23:49
What's a bishop's bag?
A normal stuff sack, with a very small opening on the 'bottom' end that is only large enough to accommodate suspension cording. It is used by leaving it in place when deployed, which makes it easy to always distinguish the head/foot by the placement of the bag itself.
Lots of people confuse Bishop Bag's with a double ended stuff sack, but those are functionally different and IMO largely more aggravating.
Rhapsodist
11-25-2009, 22:59
Is it possible to roll the SS up in the snakeskin with the HH? I'd like to bring the HH with me on my thru hike but I'm starring in Feb and would like to get a SS. I'm confused at how affective it would be and what other precautions I'd need to take.
I think I posted this once before but. I duct taped mine around the ocf. I just wrapped it all the way around and taped. I reinforced the areas where the cords for the oxf came from the sides.I wrap it all together and put back in the stock bag. Just gotta roll tightly.
It fits vertically in my pack. My pack has the membrane that seperatea the sleeping bag compartment and. The main. It slides all the way to the bottom so it takes up very little space in the main area. I out the snake skins with the as and hmmock in its bf in main area. The hex tarp is the last thing packed and goes in outside compartment. That was a big reason I chose the pack I did for the outside tarp storage.
First thing out in the rain last thing packed.
BillyBob58
11-25-2009, 23:44
Is it possible to roll the SS up in the snakeskin with the HH? I'd like to bring the HH with me on my thru hike but I'm starring in Feb and would like to get a SS. I'm confused at how affective it would be and what other precautions I'd need to take.
I don't think that is practical(the pad in the SS). Seems like I remember some one(HH?) said it would put undu stress on the fragile pad and might damage it, mainly when the skins are rolled/wrapped up.
If you are going in Feb, be sure to get in some really cold night practice runs before you hit the trail. Practice runs so that if it won't work for you, you can bail out safely.