Review: Ridgerunner Hammock, Lynx UQ, Cloudburst Tarp

[Law Dawg (ret)]

Pole mods and bridge use. Not knowing but it looks like the double pole mod=conestoga wagon mode seems ideal. Kinda like in Acer's most excellent vid but with the poles on the inside of the tarp, thoughts?

AHE's Hard Rock tarp seems to get little attention with the bridge gang. It is probably the way Judy and I will go if we look to hang in colder weather (the RR is Judy's as I am too hefty). Speaking of colder weather the UQ for this one does not sing at 20 degrees...now 0 with the custom fit might just push us over the edge.

[Acer]

Especially in cold weather,,and I don't care what your tarp is made of, I would cover the ends of the spreader bars with something soft,,as they will abuse a tarp possibly. JRB's spreader bars are rubber coated, but with the coating like you would dip the end of your plyers in a can and very thinly coated to where eventually you will wear it off,,and I scraped 3 miscule tiny holes in the side of my cuben tarp getting in or out of the bridge as it swings a dash before having HG put some more tarp panel pullouts at 80" wide to match the spreader bars. Just my 2 cents as I know Brandons hammock wider on the head end has to be super comfy.......its sooo tempting!!!

[warbonnetguy]

Affreeman,

thanks for the review. couple things:

from the picture, it looks like you have the underquilt on backwards, the logo patch should be at the head end, the elastic tensioners at the foot end.
as for the apex buckles sticking past the tarp, yes, they do so you may want to add a drip string down near each corner buckle.

[warbonnetguy]

Thanks for all the answers to my questions,,and like MedicineMan,,my only other question was going to be how big or long of a tarp would you need to cover the triangles of the hammock? Great products Brandon has offered..aweful tempting, but will wait for more reviews. Keep them coming.

the way i hang it, (will be personal preference) it's right at about 13'0" between the ends of the triangles

[warbonnetguy]

Nice review for sure.... but I can't see having to buy 2 other items (quilt and tarp) that are just made for his bridge hammock

a standard 11' long hex provides decent coverage, superfly coverage is similar to that of the cloudburst.

a pad can be used as well, comfort is more or less unchanged (pad vs quilt) for up to 2" pads, above that and i think you'd start to feel the pad (some folks may prefer the cushion of an air pad of course)

[warbonnetguy]

I'd like to add to Acer's querries and ask what tarp are people using or planning on using with this bridge hammock?
Here's my rub with bridges, compared to a gathered end-with few exceptions-there is a weight penalty (I saw Hangnout's personal bridge and this was not the case), add to that the need for a larger tarp and penalized again.
I understand some have to sleep on their back and for them the penalties are moot.
Pole mods and bridge use. Not knowing but it looks like the double pole mod=conestoga wagon mode seems ideal. Kinda like in Acer's most excellent vid but with the poles on the inside of the tarp, thoughts?

you know, the double and single are really close to the weight of the blackbird if you don't count the poles, so if you used hp's as spreaders you wouldn't have to add the weight, you could make an argument for a slight weight penalty for needing a bigger tarp, but then again, the underquilts are lighter...the full length 3 season lynx is barely 17oz (5.3 oz lighter than the 20 deg incubator)

[warbonnetguy]

I bought the Cloudburst because it is a couple of ounces lighter than the JRB 11' x 10' tarp, though now I am wondering if the JRB tarp might be more versatile as it has many more tie-outs, and it's catenary cut may make for a tauter pitch.

i think you'll find panel pulls to be more useful with this hammock than extra tieouts along the edge.

you'll want to pitch the panel pulls individually instead of joining them together like often shown with the superfly, i think this is what kept you from getting a good pitch, as they are too far apart to string together and get good results.

you can see what i mean in this pic:
http://www.warbonnetoutdoors.com/gal...&g2_itemId=234

[warbonnetguy]

Especially in cold weather,,and I don't care what your tarp is made of, I would cover the ends of the spreader bars with something soft,,as they will abuse a tarp possibly. JRB's spreader bars are rubber coated, but with the coating like you would dip the end of your plyers in a can and very thinly coated to where eventually you will wear it off,,and I scraped 3 miscule tiny holes in the side of my cuben tarp getting in or out of the bridge as it swings a dash before having HG put some more tarp panel pullouts at 80" wide to match the spreader bars. Just my 2 cents as I know Brandons hammock wider on the head end has to be super comfy.......its sooo tempting!!!

our pole tips are rounded, time will tell if this helps or not

[affreeman]

Affreeman,

thanks for the review. couple things:

from the picture, it looks like you have the underquilt on backwards, the logo patch should be at the head end, the elastic tensioners at the foot end.
as for the apex buckles sticking past the tarp, yes, they do so you may want to add a drip string down near each corner buckle.

Huh! I do, and did, know which way the UQ is supposed to go. Not sure how or why I managed to attach it backwards. Underquilt dyslexia, I guess!

[Acer]

our pole tips are rounded, time will tell if this helps or not

If tarp is cuben,,it doesn;t take much to abuse it. If silnylon,,I am thinking it will take alot better abuse as its just more durable.