What is the width on the RR quilt?Originally Posted by Peppy
That might be my concern too; though at your size you should be "on it" so to speak but it won't cover the full width of the bridge body so if you are sleeping curled up on your side you'd need to tug it off center.
Single Layer 1.7 for sure.
I'm not officially working with the 1.2 yet. Because of the exceptional performance I won't be working with anything but the Hybrid line from Kyle.
If I measured correctly, the Ambush I have, and the RidgeCreek XL are about 38" wid at the head. Slightly smaller on the foot end. I just figured you'd settle into it slightly and would stay fairly centered in the hammock.
I may need a sample bridge to take pics and try it out, lol! I think with a bit of shock cord I could mod these easy enough.
Any idea how long until there is any availability? Over the next few months I have a minimum of 15-20 nights I'll get to hang on trips/wife gone so hammocks up.
My bridge is 32" wide... at the center.
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Here's a Exped wide/long pad for further reference
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I'll email you, let's see if we can work something out to answer this question for everyone.
These bridges are expensive enough so as much as possible I'm trying to make them work with some stock items for folks.
Ran the 3/4 AHE Ridge Creek last night...fits well. Clipped the head end to the (gasp) little yellow shoestring, and the foot end shock corded up to the ARL. I'm ready for a full length sub zero UQ to really trick this out. I recon UQ would need to have tie outs at the midpoints to run shock cord up to the ARL to keep the down snug up against the bum. This Lux runs like a dream, and she fits under the cloudburst....Jusstbarely.
Hi Bill: Kudos to you for making a Bridge hammock for the 300 lb club. Most manufacturers only go up to 225. I wish i was close to 225 but I'm not. As such, I have no idea of how comfortable a bridge hammock is vs a gathered end model. Can anyone on HF tell the difference in comfort between a bridge hammock and an 11 ft gathered end hammock. Enquiring minds want to know. Thanks again.
Tyroler Holzhacker
gathered end: light and cheap. Bridge: heavier and more expensive. BUT TOTALLY WORTH IT.
one thing about bridges you should know, kind of a wild ride when your squirming around when you first get in, adjusting your sleeping bag and such.
Thanks! And thank Mark and the members of this forum for pushing the idea into reality.
An abbreviated version of an early post on your question...
The question isn't so much the difference, but a question first.
Are you happy with an 11' Gathered end?
If you are don't look at a bridge. If it ain't broke don't fix it. There is nothing so vastly superior about a bridge that would cause you to abandon a perfectly good rig.
If you got money, you're bored, and just want to try something new... happy to have you. But for the average person getting a good night's sleep- save your money and go on a trip.
If you aren't happy... then the question becomes what are your issues with the GE?
A well made bridge is a bit like a floating cot.
-Calf ridge- not an issue in a bridge.
-Shoulder squeeze- depends how big your bridge is. If you're the right size for a Jack's BMBH or a Ridgerunner... I'd encourage you to go there first.
They are established products with complete off the shelf systems. If they are light enough to use them; folks calling me generally have tried those bridges and found them lacking in some way regarding width or sleep positions. But there are MANY happy RR and BMBH customers out there... so unless you flat out exceed the weight limit I'd look very hard at those.
-Lack of sleep positions- some folks cannot sleep well in a GE not for comfort, but lack of mobility. I have a bad back and shoulder. I can use a GE hammock for about a weekend with some success, and I can force myself into a side or even a fetal position too. My issue (and some of my customers) is that they cannot maintain a position for an extended period of time. Because of the bridges size and shape (my Lux or Big Guy in particular); it is easy to go from back, to side, to curled up. In my bridges you can fully belly sleep too.
-Ease of setup... this is one many could argue is an experience problem. Eventually with enough experience you get could at anything. But a bridge with a structural RL is a bit like it's own unit. From Apex to apex of the suspension there are no adjustments you really need to make. String it up tight, level it- sleep. The bridge is fairly forgiving in errors in setup as well. So I find that a bridge addresses one common complaint with GE hammocks that I had... one night it's amazing, the next night you can't ever seem to dial it in right. That said; folks used to pitching GE hammocks tend to struggle initially with bridges because you need to unlearn some habits. In that regard it's best to think of it as a totally different product... a hammock, a bridge, a portaledge, an Amok Dramor... they all hang from trees and get called hammocks... but in form and function they are totally different.
Pads- bridges and pads go very well together. If you are coming from the ground or use trails that might be nice to have a pad along... bridges play nicer.
Some negatives to a bridge:
New gear... new tarps and bug nets in particular... and some pain when using an UQ. If you have a very narrow hammock oriented TQ... you may need a wider TQ in a bridge.
Colder... bridges are wider, flatter, more open. You don't have multiple layers of fabric and insulation covering you up... and because you are more mobile then spilling your quilt or catching a draft can be more common.
Learning curve... it's new gear for most. It's even worse though for experienced hangers to adapt to a bridge. I've seen several folks fighting the bridge trying to stick with ingrained habits from GE setup.
Weight/Pack size. Though I am working hard on overcoming that issue... you still have a set of poles and an occasionally heavier rig. At 2lbs 4 ounces the Big Guy is light for what it is... but that's a good bit heavier than any big double layer 11' XL hammock and coming up on the weight of a UL tent. To be blunt... I don't see the Big Guy with it's 350lb rating going any lower. On the 200-250lb rated ones... I can break a pound.
Tippy? depends. Clay just mentioned taking a wild ride, and others can feel that way as well.
It's not that it really swings around any more than a gathered end... but you're wrapped in the GE hammock. In the bridge you are open to the breeze and feel more vulnerable.
I find them very stable after you get used to them. I will say with my bridge in particular, especially with carabiners, that it is very well balanced. If it's a floating cot... it's running up to two points in the center. While the amsteel load bearing channels and cords will deflect as needed to your weight so it's not a table top... the whole unit itself can swing for a good bit if you enter too violently or squirm around. It swings for much longer than any GE I've ever used.
A negative specific to my bridge:
Double layer does not mean 'pad sleeve'. My bridges are Structural Double Layers. There is no access to the internal layer, and there is no such thing as a structural double layer bridge... sorta. You do get some value from each layer of fabric used when you put a pad into a double layer hammock or a double layer bridge. But not 100%... and to be blunt... As shown in my videos of me walking in the bridge: a Single layer rated to 250 pounds does the job. The second layer is just there for the pad sleeve, not to increase the weight rating. I believe Brandon increases the weight rating in the double vs single- but not double. The poles, structure and other factors are at play. My Big Guy bridge is bigger, wider, and has a 100lb higher load capacity. It's not simply because I doubled the layers though.
Bridges concentrate loads differently than a GE hammock. For the most part a GE hammock takes all your weight on nearly all the fabric. With bridges you could find the users entire weight concentrated on under 1 yard of fabric at any given time. Such concentrated point loads on the fabric require any fabric you are using to be working overtime... so if you want to go past 250... you need a true double layer. If you want a pad sleeve... you'd need a third layer of fabric and that fabric would need to be deferentially cut to match your body and sleeping pad. That would mean a custom hammock for each user and bring an all ready expensive hammock into pricing that would drive away all but the most desperate and dedicated. My goal is to solve a problem for a group of people, not only a few people who can afford one. I do have some prototype pad sleeves that work a bit like an UQ protector. That design is still in the works but it would allow the addition of that third layer at a much more economical and production minded level.
Returns-
I did get one customer who said she kept falling out and gave up... only person I know who has fallen out more than once. And wasn't even drunk.
I had one of the original testers who couldn't get over the recessed bar at their face. I've had a few folks ask about it and suggest moving it... IF it didn't take away from the room and comfort. When I said it would dramatically change the bridge; especially at the shoulders... they all got over it but one. It takes about a dozen nights for most.
Big Tim... Mountain Hanger is a big dude. He's thus far the only one who had to give up due to size. He exceeded the 350lb weight limit as have a few testers but in his case he's built like a door slab. Measuring his shoulders at his tricep Tim is roughly 80" circumference. These probably hold closer to 400lbs but at some point you become simply too big to enjoy the bridge physically. Tim used the bridge for several weeks, got in, fell asleep, slept for several hours... but 4-7 hours into the night he'd wake up like we all do for a slight change in position... but there was no place for him to go. He filled the bridge edge to edge in his torso/shoulders so rolling over or even sliding a few inches to either side wasn't going to happen for him.
I'll chime in here as another satisfied customer of Bill's. Not only does he make a super product, but he is also a very good guy to deal with. He actually communicates with his customers in a prompt, concise & detailed manner! (A few other cottage guys could take a hint from this, btw)
I cannot recommend him and his product highly enough.
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