First test of the new Ridge Runner

[Browning]

ok, I test hung the ridge runner in my garage. I have been in a Hennessy Deep Jungle until now so I wanted to try a bridge style.

Here are my overall impressions:
First off, the quality is fantastic. Good sewing and reinforced in all the right areas. It is actually lighter than my hennessy (suprised me). Setup is a breeze and at least as fast as the Hennessy.

It IS more tippy than the gathered end, especially when getting into it. But, its not bad enough to be a concerns or most people I would think. Once you sit down it gets a lot more stable (kinda like a kayak). Once inside, I loved it. It feels roomier, especially in the shoulders, than my gathered end. It also feels like it lays flatter. Now, if you are an active sleeper, you will have to get used to spinning in place instead of just rolling around. I just grabbed one side and pulled myself around. Not awkward after a second or two.

The only suprise was that when hung, it takes on an hourglass shape and is much narrower through the hips. No problem except when you try to sleep on your side with your knees pulled up, they hang over the side of the hammock several inches. It was fine if you don't try to get totally into the fetal position.

The saddlebags are great and are very easy to get to. Overall, the storage inside seems better than my gathered end. The view is much better than my gathered end. I thought I would miss having the ridgeline to hang things on , but the saddlebags and view more than make up for it.

Overall I am very impressed with it. I a going to experiment with my reflectix pad and underquilt this weekend. Next weekend I'll try it for our last three days of camping at Wood Badge. I'm excited to get it to the woods!

[bayoubomber]

Great review!!

[AaronMB]

Great, concise review. Thanks! The fetal position is something that I've wondered about in bridge style hammocks. How tall are you?

[Browning]

6 ft, 200 lbs

[JoshuaTrees]

Nice review. Glad you like it.
Full fetal position is tough, but you can get close. I'm just about your size, if you cheat you butt way to the other side you can get a little closer. Just wanted to mention to those concerned with tippyness, that once in the hammock you can lean very heavily to one side or the other and it won't tip. In my opinion you would have to try to get it to go over. I think the view is the most underrated benefit of using a bridge. I like setting up in porch mode next to moving water, what a view to wake up to. I love my ridgerunner, and I notice it is getting more popular each time I go to a group hang.

[Browning]

Good point. I agree that you would have to almost try to tip it over once you are laying down. I wish someone would have steered me toward this hammock as my first one. But... then I guess I wouldn't have anything to compare it to.

[gospidey]

I loves my Ridge Runner. +1 on the views. When something goes THUMP in the night, I can look and see its a armadillo and not the rhinoceros It sounded like!

I noticed for me, the more distance between trees, the "tipier" it gets. I do like the tons of storage pockets but I may have to improvise some sort of ridgeline to hang a small fan from. Texas summers can be brutal without one.

[TheFirePitGuy]

Browing you hit the jackpot with a Ridgerunner. Congrats on your score.

In my opinion, the real prize when using a double layer Ridgerunner is to use an insulated air mat with at least a 2-1/2 inch thickness in the sleeve with a little air let out of it. It flattens the lay further and feels extremely comfortable. It feels like sleeping on a giant pillow. I have yet to lay in any hammock that even comes close to the comfort level of an RR with an air mat.

[gmcttr]

... I do like the tons of storage pockets but I may have to improvise some sort of ridgeline to hang a small fan from. Texas summers can be brutal without one.

I already did the trial and error for you. See my posts #3 and #9 in this thread...https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...read.php?64032

[gospidey]

Thanks gmcttr. That should do the trick.