When I was in the market for buying my first hammock years ago this was one that I almost bought until I ran across the HH. I have always wants to try this one though. Does anyone have an inputs on this one.
When I was in the market for buying my first hammock years ago this was one that I almost bought until I ran across the HH. I have always wants to try this one though. Does anyone have an inputs on this one.
I have been interested in CJH for a while, but you don't really hear that much about them in the hammocking community.
I am really interested in the North American model which claims to be the "first four-season hammock". If you look at the pictures you can see that they are only using a sleeping bag for a pad. I wonder how well they function in the cold.
The also rate the North American with a 900 lb. maximum load. The Ultra light model is rated at 600 lbs.. It may be just me but these stats seem to be,well, maybe a little exaggerated. A HH max load is 200-300 lbs, depending on model.
My daughter has one and I've slept in it a couple of times. I'm a newbie so keep that in mind. I'm one to buy high quality outdoor equipment and I can say it seemed like a very high quality hammock. There are a couple of different and interesting features which I feel sets it somewhat apart. The bug netting is suspended from above and unzipps on both sides all the way to the top suspension line. In hot weather you can roll it up and tie it to the line. It also has a seperate solid piece of cloth that zipps right over the bug netting and is waterproof. (pretty sure the zippers aren't) I would imagine that would also serve to hold in quite a bit of heat and eliminate drafts. The other nice thing is that it has several quite large pockets on the underside which can be used for storage and/or insulation. In a pinch I could imagine stuffing leaves in there for additional insulation. It also has interior pockets and hanging loops. I had a problem with the netting being too close to my face. I did see an easy fix in the Whiteblaze Picture Gallery. It was a piece of a coat hanger cut so that it could hook into the zippers and act as a spreader bar....simple and effective. It's also on the pricey side. In short...a really high quality piece of equipment with some nice features. One last note...I slept like a baby in the Clark...it's what got me out of a tent and into a hammock. Having said that...I bought two Tom Claytor Jungle Hammocks which has everything I THINK I want/need at a very nice price.
Miguel
It's been a while since my above post and I no longer consider myself a newbie. I thought I'd add the fact that my daughter loves the Clark in general but loathes the tarp. We literally could not figure how to attach it without instructions. We ordered the Sportsman's Guide 9*9 tarp and she's now a much happier camper. The one nice heature I like about the Clark is the silnylon that can be zipped over the bug netting which eliminates any drafts. In the model she owns the pockets don't cover the entire bottom of the hammock so filling them would give spotty protection at best. My daughter uses a Thermarest and seems to be happy with it.
Miguel
Miguel
I cut up a Wal-Mart 1/2" blue pad last night and put the appropriate sized piece in each pocket. I had to close the Velcro stays at the top of each pocket to keep the pads from popping out when I got into the hammock. But once secured the pads in the first two rows of pockets pressed against my body as if I were on top of them inside the hammock. And they wrapped around my shoulders as the pockets go nearly all the way to the top of the hammock.
The third row pockets had an inch of space near the top sides of the pocket but seemed to be pressed against the side of my thighs closer to the bottom of each side of the hammock.
I didn't check the middle of the bag to see how mush space was created between the end pieces of the pad, but I'm assuming that could be resolved by cutting longer pieces, although there will probably always be an inch or two of separation because of the seams separating the pockets.
This effect may be because of my weight and size - I have broad shoulders, 6'3" and 260 lbs
There is a small but growing forum of loyal clark owners on yahoo groups. clark-hammocks is the name of the group.
Hope that helps
I started using my Clark Tropical in the summer of '05. I posted this reply over in Whiteblaze.net
Satisfied with Clark Tropical
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I backpack in Vermont in the summer and this past winter chose a Clark "Tropical" after looking at both Clark and Hennessey. Have been very happy this summer using it during both rainy and dry conditions, and both warm and cool (low fifties). I liked the four pockets underneath the Clark, the neat "pistol pockets" inside the hammock for glasses and headlamp, being able to sit in it from either side, the no-seeum bug net, the optional Weathershield for warmth and a wind break (can zip on either or both sides while in the hammock), the weight (3 lbs. 2 oz. w/Weathershield), the simplicity of setup (2 ropes plus 2 strings to hold up the bug net plus optionally 4 more strings to guy out the rain fly to either vegetation or hiking poles. Plus it all folds nicely into a little bag attached inside one of the pockets - the bag closes with a velcro strap and has a handle strap - goes right into my pack above my sleeping bag. You do need a sleep mat for insulation. And I can sleep on my back or on my side (not on my stomach comfortably) and it has never come close to tipping.
For me the main tie-breakers were the side entry and the pockets.
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I have now used the Clark a total of 16 nights on the trail and am more satisfied than ever. BTW, my wife bought a Hennessey this past summer, choosing it over the Clark because of its lighter weight and wider berth. I suggest you try them both if you can.
Now I remember why I did not get one. It was the weight and the ammount of tye-outs. I have always wanted to try one though. I wish there was someone close to me that had one. I would really like to try one.
For me the Clark is an example of the design ethos of adding things to a basic concept until it works. NASA uses the same ethos, which is probably why their stuff is so heavy and expensive, and keeps blowing up. They seem to be masters of finding billion dollar solutions to million dollar problems.
I prefer Antoine de Saint-Exupery's mantra, ie that "An object reaches a state of perfection, not when everything that can be added has been added, but when everything that can be taken away has been taken away."
The Hennessy's come close, but end up losing their versatility in the process.
Last edited by Aramis; 10-24-2006 at 19:23.
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