speer hammock = pretty cool

just got my new speer hammock and have been playing around with it.

SUSPENSION: the suspension webbing is super heavy seatbelt stuff - i appreciate it, but it's gotta go. just too heavy. seems to use a sheetbend to finish the whipping and attach to the hammock ends. can't tell, as there is a 'hennessy' style fabric cap covering the attachment. i'm also not hip to the speer suspension wrap method for hanging at the tree. that said, the little d-ring sewn to the webbing near the hammock whipping for attaching the shockcord/ridgeline is pretty sweet, i have some ideas on swapping suspension, while keeping with the "stock idea" of ridgeline attachment via d-ring. just putting amsteel on this will likely drop ~6 oz.- taking the rigged hammock under 20 oz. total. **currently 24.8 oz. rigged and in stuff sack on my scale.

BUGNET: bombproof no-seeum, with hook&latch along both entire long edges. small, maybe 2' wide. doesn't give much interior space to sit up, and attaches along the side of the hammock with the velcro. the 'sharp' velcro is on the net itself, the soft stuff is along the entire length(s) of the hammock. 2 tabs are sewn to the middle point of the net, for easy detachment while inside. the ends taper, and secure vertically to each other to create a full seal. i was concerned about the actual usability, but its actually quite easy. a little practice, and sealing the velcro up is simple. its also cool, because it can be totally removed, or un'stuck from one side and tossed over the back for an open hammock. the frugal use of no-seeum is nice, minimal weight and efficient. the included ridgeline is classic speer no-tangle line with a small length of 1/16" shockcord at one end to prevent over tensioning. a plastic hook clips the shockcord to one of the d-rings on the webbing, and a slippery half hitch connects the no-tangle line to the d-ring at the other suspension. that much velcro could be considered "loud" when opening--- sorta caught me off guard, and would likely startle your hiking partner in the middle of wilderness nights. *but no louder than my ""jiffy pop"" cuben tarp in the rain

HAMMOCK: hi-stregth 1.9 ripstop i believe. overkill for my weight, but heavy duty for worry free hanging. same brown as my ex-switchback. whipping is the old-school, gather, fold over and sheetbend the suspension to secure. something so nostalgic in that method. me likee. ed speer from what i gather pulled the edges of the fabric body higher up into the whipping, creating high side walls, and i frankly really like it. it really cradles the user, and helps to make up for the narrow bug net. along the entire long edges is soft velco, for pod, snugfit, or bugnet attachment. after that, comfort. i've been a big advocate for the dismissal of a ridgeline for MY comfort. that, in conjunction with the speer whipping makes this hammock awesome for me. just like the switchback, i can lay almost dead center, flip to either side, no calf ridges or pressure points.

this hammock, a true original from hammock lover ed speer & tttg, is simple- utilitarian and efficient. it offers everything i'm looking for: no srl, single layer, removable bug protection (that isn't a huge net completely separate from the hammock like a few vendors offer). my reservations against looooong stretches of hook&latch are diminishing, and the system is becoming quite easy to use *note, i can be a perfectionist,,,, & the netting actually closes up nicely without much effort. not quite as easy as a zipper, but not bad either.
sidenote thought****i would venture to say the net and hammock could probably be attached via zippers... (*think convertible pants/shorts), where the net would actually be completely detachable, and one would merely need to simply engage the zippers like a jacket. little patches of nylon could be sewn to both ends of the bugnet to finish the seal, securing around the whipping.

i've been watching the tttg website for close to a year, popping in at the speer hammock every now and again and was excited to see it in stock.
originally bought out of curiosity and hammock nostalgia, i intend to give
the speer hammock a shot at out-doing my other hammocks, making its way
to the top as my primary hammock.

Great write-up Rip. It's an interesting hammock for sure. Minimal but clever usage of the bugnet.

I think you're on the right track about attaching the UQ to the velcro (hook/loop) edges and I'd love to see it applied. I've wanted to do something similar for a while, but alas, this hanger' doesn't sew. It would be a great way to allow the UQ to shift with the sleeper and eliminate that bungy "squeeze" however.

Hook us up with a youtube vid brother!

Rip, your hammock sounds identical to my Speer from 4 or 5 years ago. One thing I always thought was a Speer plus was no calf ridge, even with a relatively short hammock! I guess that is due to the whipping? Though I did have a little knee hyper-extension ( I'm 6'1") so still needed some form of knee pillow. And I have never been able to lay on my side with legs straight, but fetal is just fine.

I didn't realize mine weighed that much though, I should go re-weigh it ( pretty sure it was 1.9)

This was my hammock used for all of my early 10F PeaPod experiments, with net removed. I took special interest in your thoughts on the Velcro. So many folks really dislike any Velcro systems, but Ed used them because he thought there were major advantages. And I think he had a point.

But like everything else, there is a learning curve. With the hammock as well as the PeaPod, I got to where I was pretty slick with the Velcro. The secret for both, for me, was pulling it real tight before trying to "stick" it.

The Velcro on my my hammock is still sticking great and strong, but on my PeaPod it is very weak. Though I have made the Pod fully functional by just adding a few nearly weightless snaps. But I would like to replace the Velcro someday. Some of the Velcro I have got from the fabric stores does not seem to stick as strongly as the stuff on my Speer hammock. Wonder where I can get an exact replacement for the Velcro- just like what is on my Speer hammock?

i doubt much has changed - such a simple approach to a hammock shelter there is no real need to change much.

i've never had or used a speer snugfit UQ, but my research tells me it has the velcro along the long edges to attach right at the edge of the hammock, and then also utilizes a "stretchy" mesh sewn to the head/foot end of the quilt, tapering to the whipped ends of the hammock.

everything tells me that while that additional stretch mesh adds weight, it helps the quilt conform to the hammock bottom, eliminating drafts and helping to secure the quilt solidly in place. *think of a UQP, with insulation in all the right places*. of course, the snugfit was designed precisely for the speer hammock, so the width no doubt matches to the velcro,,, not sure one could say the same for mixing vendors.........

with all the advents in hammock technology, it feels a bit liberating to return to an original. while seemingly 'clunky' in presentational theory, it just works. and i'm happy about that.

man that velcro IS strong. no complaints here. video will be shortly following. of course, these are the reactions of a few sessions worth of messing around, and trying the thing out....but i got a good feeling about this one.:)

I just bought my second Speer. Why two? Insurance. I am so enamored of the SnugFit/hammock combo, it's all I use from Fall through Spring. Speer #1 has a couple of minor boo-boos, and I simply wanted backup. I really need to sell a bunch of the stuff I don't use anymore.:)

My wife still uses my 6 year old Speer and peapod - she lays straight down the middle and sleeps great. The only thing I ever did to it was add whoopies to it. Mine was the Speer in the heavyweight blue fabric as I weighed 260 when I got it. It looks cool with the blue tarp from Ed.

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Originally Posted by Sweeper

My wife still uses my 6 year old Speer and peapod - she lays straight down the middle and sleeps great. The only thing I ever did to it was add whoopies to it. Mine was the Speer in the heavyweight blue fabric as I weighed 260 when I got it. It looks cool with the blue tarp from Ed.

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awesome!
i just pulled the 'end cap' off the whipping and saw that classic becket hitch to secure the whipping fold with the seat belt webbing.

thanks for re-confirming and inspiring the swap to whoopies.

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Originally Posted by rip waverly

awesome!
i just pulled the 'end cap' off the whipping and saw that classic becket hitch to secure the whipping fold with the seat belt webbing.

thanks for re-confirming and inspiring the swap to whoopies.

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When I changed mine over, fearful of screwing things up, I just cut the webbing and larksheaded the whoopie on. Does the webbing secure the whipping, or is there something else in there?

the webbing secures the whipping, and serves as suspension.
a double sheet bend does the work. no loops- just a knot.

i went with a triple sheet bend and ran the working end of the adjustable whoopie loop back up through the fixed eye after finishing the bend.

nothing new here - but i wanted to add some video fodder to the limited stock of speer hammock stuff

here's my take:

OLD THREAD, but what is a Speer worth these days used? I never see any for sale here on HF.

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Originally Posted by halfastronomical

OLD THREAD, but what is a Speer worth these days used? I never see any for sale here on HF.

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Whatever someone is willing to pay for it:D

BF:cool:

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Originally Posted by halfastronomical

OLD THREAD, but what is a Speer worth these days used? I never see any for sale here on HF.

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well, here's what they cost from the maker:

http://stores.tttrailgear.com/-strse...ock/Detail.bok