Thoughts on pak-it-lit fob?

[Time to Hang]

I'm not sure if you got my last email. The hyper extension in your knee may be from how you are hanging the hammock. If you are using a webbing support system and your trees are too far apart, no matter how tight you hang the hammock it will still sag out of the signature hang of the design. Here is a photo of your hammock before I shipped it out to you. This is how it should hang when properly set up. If your still will not hang right, let me know and I will fix the problem.Attachment 117039

I've had the head end short/longer, really didn't make much difference. In this picture, I've probably got it a little too tight by looking at the sides. But it was strung between a metal stand.

[SemperFiGuy]

So I'm new to hanging and have a trip with friends the 3rd week of November planned. I'm getting older and getting off the ground is becoming a priority.

Temps will be high 40s-low50s with lows down to 20's.

Doing enough research to realize that doing this cheaply is going to be tough.

I then ran into camphammocks.com and saw the fob system. I contacted them and he confirms I will be more than fine with that setup. At $295 it seems like a good deal.

Anyone have experience? I saw some posts a while back here but thought I'd ask again

Thanks.

Hey Whyhave5,

Glad to meet you and glad you're joining the ranks of us hangers. Welcome aboard. As you are probably finding out................. If you ask for an opinion, you're certainly going to get one. So far you've gotten a whole bunch. All good and all informative.

One thing you'll notice as a common theme on this forum is a philosophy that says "Hang your Own Hang". Simply stated, in the end, do what you feel is going to work for you.

I must admit that I was not familiar with the Pak-It-Lite FOB, but I did go out and research it and if that's the one you've had your eye on, I don't think you'll be disappointed. After all, you have no basis for comparison. Your stated goal is getting into this addiction with as little cost as possible and staying warm when you go on your upcoming adventure. I think if you spend the $295, you'll have met your goals and you'll have a kit you can be proud of.

Like many on here, Hutzelbein included, we love to buy and evaluate new systems. I too may buy one of these Pak-It-Lite hammocks at some point. I have Hennessey's, Warbonnet's, Dream Hammocks, and an Amok Hammock. Not to mention a couple of Dutchware Hammocks. Sooner or later I'll probably have the FOB.

Getting back to the point, if and when you get your FOB, you'll have one final expenditure to make on top of your $295 and that will be a pad that will do the trick. You can go inexpensively and get a Walmart closed cell foam pad, or you can go for an R-6 Exped Synmat 9 LW, that will be sure to keep you warm in the coldest of temperatures. What you end up getting will come down to economics and personal preference.

If you were to get one of the other hammocks recommended, ie., the Warbonnet XLC with Warbonnet Superfly (tarp), or whatever, you're still faced with insulation as an add-on, so just know that whatever kit you get, you'll still have at least one more expenditure, whether it be a pad, or UQ (and maybe a TQ), etc......... The additional value of this forum is there is a whole section devoted to insulation.

Arrowhead Equipment makes a kit for the "Journeyman" that provides you with everything you need. Again, it's a matter of what comes with the kit. That particular kit is pretty complete.

If you were asking me ???? I'd say go with your gut and the Pak-It-Lite FOB, have a blast, and let us know how you make out, so that Hutzelbein and I can then go out and get ours.

Please keep us posted..................... and Hike your own hike..... Or hang your own hang........ or................

All the best !
Gil

[Rekoob]

^^^ well stated. I've been following this thread from the start, and @SemperFiGuy really puts it all together.

I teach all the MSF course and when asked about what motorcycle to get I tell them to sit on anything they can and when that "feels" good look for something that catches your eye.

Hammocks are pretty much the same, so many out there that you might as well go with the one that catches your eye. If that's the FOB, go for it.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

[theseakayaker]

I've had the head end short/longer, really didn't make much difference. In this picture, I've probably got it a little too tight by looking at the sides. But it was strung between a metal stand.

Looking at your photo I was wonder why the side of your hammock was so high. Almost over the top of the hammock. It shouldn't be that high. Then I noticed that your pad and the pocket it goes in is up on the side of the hammock. This mean you are not laying on top of the pad.
You do understand that you are supposed to be laying on the diagonal of the hammock, right? In the photo it looks like your have your head and feet in line with the support axis of the hammock and not on the diagonal. Put your head in one corner and your feet in the other.
Take another look at the photo of your hammock I posted and compare yours to it. You will see what I mean.

[Time to Hang]

I think it looks like that because it was too tight. I know your supposed to lay on top of it, or on a diagonal

[theseakayaker]

I think it looks like that because it was too tight. I know your supposed to lay on top of it, or on a diagonal

It is hanging like that because you are laying on the far left side of the hammock and not over the CC foam pad. If when you hang it and it rolls you over to that side, yes, it's too tight. Take a look at this photo. You should be able to lay your head on the right side of the hammock with your feet on the left side. The cheater line should only be about 8.5 feet long. IMG_5034.jpg

I also notice you did some modifications to it by painting the fabric. This shouldn't effect the hang but I don't know what the chemicals in the paint will do to the fabric in the long term.

[Time to Hang]

It is hanging like that because you are laying on the far left side of the hammock and not over the CC foam pad. If when you hang it and it rolls you over to that side, yes, it's too tight. Take a look at this photo. You should be able to lay your head on the right side of the hammock with your feet on the left side. The cheater line should only be about 8.5 feet long. IMG_5034.jpg

I also notice you did some modifications to it by painting the fabric. This shouldn't effect the hang but I don't know what the chemicals in the paint will do to the fabric in the long term.

I don't know what you're looking at, but I never painted anything or made any modifications. If you want to see it, send me a shipping tag and I'll be happy to send it back for you're inspection. As I stated in the PM I sent you, the photo wasn't a representation of a perfect lay. Just got in and my wife snapped a shot, not real scientific. It was more to show how high the sides are when it's hung @ the length listed for on your web site.....8' 6" I don't hang it that tight normally. You seem to have taken some offense as I am attacking you're product; I am not....I have been very respectful and commented on its quality construction. It is what it is, some things don't fit everyone and this appears to be the case here.

I have hung that thing at many different lengths and they were all measured exactly and I used an adjustable ridge line. It's better looser, but more knee hyperextension the looser it gets. No biggie, I just use a pillow under my knee.

J

[Time to Hang]

Whyhave5, I would like to apologize to you for apparently hi jacking your thread. I didn't mean to do that at all, just offered my 2cts. If time allows I may do an in depth review of my(unpainted) Pak it lite scout. Lots of pictures and measurements. And who knows, If someone wants to try it out, maybe we can start a hammock loaner program !

J.

[Jammer817]

Just in general, to save money I would say to skip the UQ and go with a few ccf pas. I was surprised how warm they kept me before I got my UQ. 1 ccf got me down to 40.

[theseakayaker]

Whyhave5, I would like to apologize to you for apparently hi jacking your thread. I didn't mean to do that at all, just offered my 2cts. If time allows I may do an in depth review of my(unpainted) Pak it lite scout. Lots of pictures and measurements. And who knows, If someone wants to try it out, maybe we can start a hammock loaner program !

J.

Sorry for the confusion but looking at the photo the hammock appears to be coyote tan and not its normal OD color. Maybe it was just the exposure on the camera making it look that way.