Which WB hammock is better?

[Benson Burner]

I’m laying in my MC black bird XLC. Last version. Where I sleep last night. Last weekend I took my ridgerunner out backpacking and was pretty sure that was my favorite or most comfortable hammock. Now with this top cover on and this footbox going on, I’m back here trying to figure which one I like better. Life is good. Which one do you like better?


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[alifeoutdoors]

Funny for me that you would pose this question. I'm in exactly the same boat. I used a ridge runner all season and loved it. Went out with a friend with it for the first time in May and slept like a log. I'd been having problems with sleep in gathered ends for the last couple years and thought this had solved all my problems. Though I had been confused as I've started with gathered ends in 2002 with a Hennessey and had many wonderful nights sleep when I was younger. However after several more trips over the season with the ridgerunner and then a DIY wider bridge, I realized I slept so good on that May trip because the company was so good we'd stay up talking till midnight and probably could have slept on a rock. After my last trip into the Porkies with my wife where I have to go to ground (we have not yet found a dual hanging system she likes) and even there was waking up several times during the night a light bulb went off. It's age. As I'm 45 now I realized it's just taking me much longer to make the adjustment from bed to hammock. Don't get me wrong I love hammocks but I'm not one that could hang full time, it's never going to replace my bed for day to day sleep. My average trip is 3 days 2 nights, and I noticed on the couple trips where I had a third or more nights, by that third night, I'm sleeping straight through. Or as I said above if I with night owls like myself, stay up late enough that I can sleep straight through. I know it's not "getting used to the quiet of the woods" either, because I lived remotely or "in the woods" for almost the last decade and started tripping in the BWCA with my father when I was 12. It just boils down to I could sleep like a rock in anything and anywhere in my twenties because I was, well, in my twenties.

So when the new blackbird was announced, I wanted to put a gathered end back into rotation. Picked up that and a 3 season wookie, which came in last week, and started playing with it. First, I've been a long poo pooer of hanging your foot end higher. I like a nice even ridgeline. Wrong. Yea maybe that works on ten foots but seems to be mandatory in an eleven foot or maybe it's just the XLC. As soon as I raised that footend about a foot higher, it slid and locked me into almost the perfect lay (for me). The comfort factor was almost as high and I fell into an hour long nap almost instantly. (Though the quiet of snow falling may have helped). I had tried Blackbird's in the so already knew that the footbox is a brilliant feature and a cure for most possible cases of calf ridge.

To actually get around to answering your question though, even though I haven't taken it out on the trail yet, the (new) BB XLC is going to become my go to and my favorite. I do think the ridge runner is a more comfortable and flatter lay but in the end I prefer the more minimalist approach and less fiddle factor of a gathered end. Plus, the hang out factor in the gathered end is much more pleasant and varied than you can get in a bridge, especially if I'm going solo where I won't bring a camp chair. More specifically, I've literally tried every GE brand out there and I believe the XLC fits me the best and Warbonnet's work is just my personal preference. It's just super professional is the only way I can think of putting it. The ridge runner will still make it in the pack from time to time, especially on paddling trips but the XLC is going to be my go to backpacking hammock. And that wookie man, just how I like it, effortless. On, done.

[Benson Burner]

Funny for me that you would pose this question. I'm in exactly the same boat. I used a ridge runner all season and loved it. Went out with a friend with it for the first time in May and slept like a log. I'd been having problems with sleep in gathered ends for the last couple years and thought this had solved all my problems. Though I had been confused as I've started with gathered ends in 2002 with a Hennessey and had many wonderful nights sleep when I was younger. However after several more trips over the season with the ridgerunner and then a DIY wider bridge, I realized I slept so good on that May trip because the company was so good we'd stay up talking till midnight and probably could have slept on a rock. After my last trip into the Porkies with my wife where I have to go to ground (we have not yet found a dual hanging system she likes) and even there was waking up several times during the night a light bulb went off. It's age. As I'm 45 now I realized it's just taking me much longer to make the adjustment from bed to hammock. Don't get me wrong I love hammocks but I'm not one that could hang full time, it's never going to replace my bed for day to day sleep. My average trip is 3 days 2 nights, and I noticed on the couple trips where I had a third or more nights, by that third night, I'm sleeping straight through. Or as I said above if I with night owls like myself, stay up late enough that I can sleep straight through. I know it's not "getting used to the quiet of the woods" either, because I lived remotely or "in the woods" for almost the last decade and started tripping in the BWCA with my father when I was 12. It just boils down to I could sleep like a rock in anything and anywhere in my twenties because I was, well, in my twenties.

So when the new blackbird was announced, I wanted to put a gathered end back into rotation. Picked up that and a 3 season wookie, which came in last week, and started playing with it. First, I've been a long poo pooer of hanging your foot end higher. I like a nice even ridgeline. Wrong. Yea maybe that works on ten foots but seems to be mandatory in an eleven foot or maybe it's just the XLC. As soon as I raised that footend about a foot higher, it slid and locked me into almost the perfect lay (for me). The comfort factor was almost as high and I fell into an hour long nap almost instantly. (Though the quiet of snow falling may have helped). I had tried Blackbird's in the so already knew that the footbox is a brilliant feature and a cure for most possible cases of calf ridge.

To actually get around to answering your question though, even though I haven't taken it out on the trail yet, the (new) BB XLC is going to become my go to and my favorite. I do think the ridge runner is a more comfortable and flatter lay but in the end I prefer the more minimalist approach and less fiddle factor of a gathered end. Plus, the hang out factor in the gathered end is much more pleasant and varied than you can get in a bridge, especially if I'm going solo where I won't bring a camp chair. More specifically, I've literally tried every GE brand out there and I believe the XLC fits me the best and Warbonnet's work is just my personal preference. It's just super professional is the only way I can think of putting it. The ridge runner will still make it in the pack from time to time, especially on paddling trips but the XLC is going to be my go to backpacking hammock. And that wookie man, just how I like it, effortless. On, done.

Yeah nice. My Wooki 0° is coming. Can’t wait. When it does it will surely be my cool weather choice for now as it’s my only rig with a top cover. Warbonnets stuff is tops!!!



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[Watertooner]

I started full-time hanging at home about a year ago with both a Ridgerunner and a BB XLC - swapping back and forth several times throughout the year. I've gone car camping with both about a dozen times. I've hung both in my backyard for lazy afternoons for many days. The common thread in my experiences is that I can't decide which I like better. Both models have so many strong points and neither model has many weak features (if any as opinions go). Both are accommodated very well by the Tato stand so there is no winner in the outdoor stand category either. I'm planning to add hiking trips to my life mix and will most likely take the XLC for reasons alifeoutdoors gave. In any other situation though, I'll hang in whichever hammock strikes my fancy that day. Such dithering sounds tough, but it's not. Once I'm stretched out, life is good and my choice was perfect.

[Benson Burner]

I started full-time hanging at home about a year ago with both a Ridgerunner and a BB XLC - swapping back and forth several times throughout the year. I've gone car camping with both about a dozen times. I've hung both in my backyard for lazy afternoons for many days. The common thread in my experiences is that I can't decide which I like better. Both models have so many strong points and neither model has many weak features (if any as opinions go). Both are accommodated very well by the Tato stand so there is no winner in the outdoor stand category either. I'm planning to add hiking trips to my life mix and will most likely take the XLC for reasons alifeoutdoors gave. In any other situation though, I'll hang in whichever hammock strikes my fancy that day. Such dithering sounds tough, but it's not. Once I'm stretched out, life is good and my choice was perfect.

Hahahahaha. Yes. As my daughter says: “I like both better than both.”
For me the one I’m in I’m saying: “ man...this is a nice hammock.” And I mean it. Hahahaha


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[TrailSlug]

For me it's a simple solution. I love both my BlackBird XLC and my Ridgerunner but when I'm tired at the end of a hike there's nothing better than clipping those 4 corners of my under quilt to the Ridgerunner and be done with it. I can't for the life of me keep an under quilt in place on a gathered end hammock even using quilt hooks, and triangle thingies, and etc. I simply move too much. I also love the fact that there's no ridge line to "get right". With my Ridgerunner it's as simple as reaching about eye height and clipping and I'm done. So I'm still in the Ridgerunners corner for the simplicity and comfort and oh yea those so useful saddle bags.

[hutzelbein]

I own the complete line of WB hammocks. The XLC plus Wooki is the most comfortable one to me. I haven't been able to get half as comfortable in the RR, but I'm still giving it a try now and then.

[Benson Burner]

Funny for me that you would pose this question. I'm in exactly the same boat. I used a ridge runner all season and loved it. Went out with a friend with it for the first time in May and slept like a log. I'd been having problems with sleep in gathered ends for the last couple years and thought this had solved all my problems. Though I had been confused as I've started with gathered ends in 2002 with a Hennessey and had many wonderful nights sleep when I was younger. However after several more trips over the season with the ridgerunner and then a DIY wider bridge, I realized I slept so good on that May trip because the company was so good we'd stay up talking till midnight and probably could have slept on a rock. After my last trip into the Porkies with my wife where I have to go to ground (we have not yet found a dual hanging system she likes) and even there was waking up several times during the night a light bulb went off. It's age. As I'm 45 now I realized it's just taking me much longer to make the adjustment from bed to hammock. Don't get me wrong I love hammocks but I'm not one that could hang full time, it's never going to replace my bed for day to day sleep. My average trip is 3 days 2 nights, and I noticed on the couple trips where I had a third or more nights, by that third night, I'm sleeping straight through. Or as I said above if I with night owls like myself, stay up late enough that I can sleep straight through. I know it's not "getting used to the quiet of the woods" either, because I lived remotely or "in the woods" for almost the last decade and started tripping in the BWCA with my father when I was 12. It just boils down to I could sleep like a rock in anything and anywhere in my twenties because I was, well, in my twenties.

So when the new blackbird was announced, I wanted to put a gathered end back into rotation. Picked up that and a 3 season wookie, which came in last week, and started playing with it. First, I've been a long poo pooer of hanging your foot end higher. I like a nice even ridgeline. Wrong. Yea maybe that works on ten foots but seems to be mandatory in an eleven foot or maybe it's just the XLC. As soon as I raised that footend about a foot higher, it slid and locked me into almost the perfect lay (for me). The comfort factor was almost as high and I fell into an hour long nap almost instantly. (Though the quiet of snow falling may have helped). I had tried Blackbird's in the so already knew that the footbox is a brilliant feature and a cure for most possible cases of calf ridge.

To actually get around to answering your question though, even though I haven't taken it out on the trail yet, the (new) BB XLC is going to become my go to and my favorite. I do think the ridge runner is a more comfortable and flatter lay but in the end I prefer the more minimalist approach and less fiddle factor of a gathered end. Plus, the hang out factor in the gathered end is much more pleasant and varied than you can get in a bridge, especially if I'm going solo where I won't bring a camp chair. More specifically, I've literally tried every GE brand out there and I believe the XLC fits me the best and Warbonnet's work is just my personal preference. It's just super professional is the only way I can think of putting it. The ridge runner will still make it in the pack from time to time, especially on paddling trips but the XLC is going to be my go to backpacking hammock. And that wookie man, just how I like it, effortless. On, done.

That is a lot of killer info right there. I like what you say about finding that sweet spot and raising the foot end. Nailed it. I’m laying in there saying yeah yeah. And I look over and nope. Then I get in that spot brandon says even with your eyes looking out and lining up. I go there and wham. I do like a roll under my legs in gathered ends. I slip a roll under my knees. I start being real thankful. Because I’m in a sweet spot. The warbonnet stuff is super quality like you say. It’s really really nice and not a stitch off. That I ever seen. Regardless the quality hits my mark, sounds like yours too. It was that trip you speak up that got me to get a RR so a thank you to you as well. And your friend.


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[Benson Burner]

I own the complete line of WB hammocks. The XLC plus Wooki is the most comfortable one to me. I haven't been able to get half as comfortable in the RR, but I'm still giving it a try now and then.

And to you. Back when I got my xlc. You have me a lot of great intell. Thank you to you as well.


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[voodoochile]

How come the mirror doesn't get ripped off your old VeeDub when you get in yer hammock?