Hi!
I just got the Super Shelter and am starting to question the point of it all. It is quite complex, thus making setup more time consuming unless everything is packed as a big bundle. Add to this the bulk of the under pad and any extra pads, quickly building up along with the weight.
Without the extra torso- and kidney pads I found it questionable to go down to +5 C with the setup (based on a short pilot experiment in the field, admittedly without the space blanket). The undercover is not snug enough to keep insulation of low to medium thickness in contact with the hammock. The underpad works better if the side tie-outs are unfastened. Yet, it is not snug enough to work when a slight wind is present.
On the other hand, I have slept nicely in both the Clark and the Hennessy using a Fjallraven "groundsheet" (it is actually a high-end, 14 mm thick CCF pad, www.fjallraven.com) inside the hammocks. It is very insulating, and it is flexible ("moldable") so that it does not wrinkle. In fact, my oppinion is that it adds to the comfort by cushioning some of the "hard spots" of the tensioned hammock bottom fabric (sounds silly, doesn't it?).
It is 60 cm wide and therefore keeps your sides insulated. The weight less than 500 g. I have tested it down to approx. 0 C in the Clark with good results, using a -5 C sleeping bag (slight benefit from the Clarks insulating pockets, but not much).
Extra clothing, the space blanket and the coat can still be added beneath the pad with pretty good results - I have tried this during much too chilly nights when I used a 4 mm CCF pad.
All this makes me wonder if there is any point in using the SS instead of the simpler and more robust Fjallraven pad. What do you think?
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