Thanks guys! it was very much a labour of love it took about three weeks of late nights to get done! sorry JPC Its probably gonna be the only one, I will try and write it up in the DIY section however I didnt really document the construction process at all, so it might be a little lacking.
First, very much appreciate the pics and post. I'm definitely intrigued by this hammock. Next time you're out, any chance you could post a pic or two of the interior? It's hard to tell from the current pics, but I'm interested in seeing how/where the gear goes. I absolutely love the idea behind this hammock. I was just out in my NX-250 and while lying there thought, "it'd be great if there was a small side to this to put all my crap."
Update: Last night it got down to 22 Deg F and we had a heavy frost so I gave my final setup another test run in the front yard. Since my original post on this thread, I picked up a JRB BMBH and found that the spreader bars that it comes with worked perfectly on my Flex 180. In addition to the UQ (mt wash 3), I was using a mt hardware Pinole 20 deg bag as a TQ. Aside from my feet getting rather cold, my body stayed warm. I did notice that if I shifted from one side of the hammock to the other during the night that it took about 10 min to re-build my upper body warmth. My UQ and TQ have roughly the same temperature rating but given that my back stayed warm and my feet didn't, I would assume that I am at the limits of my sleeping bag. All in all this is a great setup and I now know that I can make it through a sub-freezing night. Perhaps a new TQ is on the wish list, but then again, how often will we experience temperatures on the trail in Va below 22F? BTW, though I've only slept 2 nights in my new BMBH and admittedly am still working out the kinks, my Flex 180 is still my favorite. You just can't beat the number of different sleeping positions it offers and the extra protection it provides from the wind during the night.
Neo
Family, faith, & friends - all that really matters!
I picked up my DIY spreader bar from Lowe's. It was a 36" long, 3/4" OD, extruded aluminum tube. It was in the same section that you find angle, flat bar, round stock, etc. I cut it down to 31" and cut grooves in each end to mate with the stainless rings that I picked up on the hardware isle. My JRB spreader bar is about an inch longer and I really can't tell the difference from the inside. Only downside to the one I made is that it was a solid piece and it was always catching on limbs on the trail. Never could find an economical and strong solution to making it a two piece design. Sorry don't have any pics of the JRB bar in use just yet but will upload when I do...
Well I must admit that I am blessed to have a wife that enjoys hiking so the BMBH is actually hers. Couldn't resist the 20% off sale they had a few weeks ago.
Neo
Family, faith, & friends - all that really matters!
Keith,
Does your spreader bar modification, with the spreader bar end of the hammock attached to one tree, make the hammock uncomfortably tippy
while sleeping or while entering/exiting it? I toss and turn a fair bit
in a hammock. Thanks!
Tony
I have been in love with my NX-150 since the first trip 4 years ago, but wanted to try to get my wife started hanging with me. She has done several long AT hikes, but we have always used my tent for those trips. The Flex 180 looked like it could be the perfect solution, double up when I need, but not as large & cumbersome as the Vertex.
Just wondering if the 180 is really OK for two (small to medium) adults. When my best hiking buddy (wife!) is not along, I am sure my Brittany would love it, rather than underneath my NX-150.
I did call Clark today, asking if the pockets of the 150 were available as an option, or even special order; but no, not at this time. They did say that if enough people ask for it, that they would definitely re-engineer to include the underneath pockets. If I do change over, those would definitely be missed!! I have slept very comfortably in my 150 and a 30deg bag at 22 degrees, with the shell partly open. Kinda worried about needing UQ without.
Would definitely appreciate more info on two-up hanging in the 180!!
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