krshome, come down to the Frozen Butt Hang in Columbia, SC the last weekend of this month, and I'll happily let you try the peapod and the polar pod.However, I will keep an eye on you, because once you sleep toasty warm in one, you may want to sneak off with it.
"No whining in the woods"
I searched and searched on Google last year and finally found one of the old WM inserts they used to sell. May still be available......http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/sho...8_10000001_-1_Originally Posted by krshome
Or here....http://www.sunrisemountainsports.com...ander+-+Summer It adds width to the bag.
Shug
Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven
Thanks Shug I have never seen that expander before but looking at it I think for me it will still be too snug. I talked to Darby today and the poor guy is sick as a dog but he did help me out a little. The Polarpod has the same amount of down per baffle but there is two mor baffles so the loft is the same as the Peapod. He said for my size that the Peapod would be tight with a TQ and UQ and recommended the polarpod. Only problem is he's to si k to make it in time for the Mount Rogers hang S.O.B. I wll get the Polarpod and try it out but may add some down so I wouldn't need my TQ or UQ only time will tell.
I just love PeaPod threads that I did not start!Rare as they might be! There are really very few of us commercial version PeaPod users here at HF(just don't know why), and a very few more home rigged pod users, I think we are a smaller club than the HHSS club! I think I have some sort of fantasy knocking around in my head where though there are very few pod users, there are a high % of happy pod users and I have influenced many of them to come over to the pod side starting with my long as* PeaPod review fro Jan 07!
That is my hope, anyway!
Cali, I love your post because it points out how different we all can be and how you really can not go by another persons experience, you just have to try it yourself. The old YMMV. I am 6'1" and up and down between 205-215 lbs, and I have never been restricted in my PeaPod, diagonal or otherwise. I wonder if that could be due to the hammocks I have used, the very narrow Claytor No Net and the wide but short Speer 8.5? Or maybe I have just not had as much stuff in there as you have and that makes the dif? Now, there is a trick extreme lateral fetal position that I have used a few times, where I get almost 90* to the hammock's axis: I can not do that in a PeaPod, it will pop the Velcro open. Still, laying diagonal in my Claytor, even on my side with legs straight, I don't even compress the loft at the foot or head. You just never know!BillyBob did a great job of describing the Peapod, so all I have to add is: I have the regular peapod and the polar pod, and by far the polar pod is much more comfortable and warmer. I am only 5'10 and I found the regular peapod too restricting for getting a good diagonal lay in the hammock. I used my Polar Pod last year at the SC Frozen Butt Hang 14* and I had my Speer hammock with Snugfit (20*) UQ and a 20* TQ and I was very toasty warm.Good luck in your decision.
You are very welcome! Can you tell I am a pod aficionado? (but I am currently caught pod-less. In a moment of weakness I sold my Old Speer 927 FP 20F PeaPod. I have since decided I have to get another one for my non-bridge hammocks! I have been experimenting with UQs and TQs on my old Claytor, and while it definitely worked, it all just seemed a big hassle compared to the old pod. Of course, I could just stick to those quilts on my BMBHs, that is hassle free, but I don't know. There is just something about that PeaPod head protection!
Krs, you are exactly my size, and a PeaPod was fine for me. (however, consider Cali's words!) But it also depends on how much you are planning on putting in there with you. Still, if there is any question, and you can live with the extra oz and money and size, then it only makes sense to go with the PolarPod. For one thing, I think it's greater size will allow the top layer to drape down on your body much easier, which should decrease how much gap you must fill, especially with wider deeper hammocks. And it is long enough to close over or near the ends of even some longer hammocks. And there is no doubt that there is more room to add winter TQs and UQs for going way below zero. Of course, when you don't need all that extra room, when it is not all that cold, a PeaPod is a very versatile set up. You can vent massively just by opening up various sections of Velcro and adjusting for a big gap under you. Or even open it up on top all the way.
I think you are right to watch out for that!krshome, come down to the Frozen Butt Hang in Columbia, SC the last weekend of this month, and I'll happily let you try the peapod and the polar pod.
So you are going to get the Polarpod and you will have to wait for it? Are there any PeaPods in stock? You are probably right to go for the PolarPod considering your deep winter plans. Still, keep in mind that that I took a 20F PeaPod, on a wide/deep Speer hammock, to 10F adding only a space blanket on the bottom and a 40F(if that warm) synthetic summer narrow bag used as TQ, plus my usual clothing. I was fine. I never felt I would have to add that much more to go below zero. Just putting a zipped up down vest or jacket under my back would add several inches of loft. Also, Ed Speer would often add a CCF pad under the hammock. I have a friend who has a 45-50F or so PeaPod that he has taken on 2 trips with me. He puts a thermarest pad down under the hammock in the pod, and a 25F or so TQ inside the hammock and closes the pod around all of that. He has always slept very toasty in the 20s and 30s or even a bit colder. I know, 20s is not all that cold for what you are considering, but it was also only a 45F+ pod.
Oh well, have fun with however you go! Hey, you know what I have wished someone would make and sell for a long time? A pod extender. You know, like that WM bag extender Shug posted about? But for the PeaPod, one to make it wider and one to make it longer. When it is not all that cold, just leave the extender behind. Atart a "want to buy" thread, you might luck out!
Last edited by BillyBob58; 01-12-2015 at 20:53.
So after reviewing my decision to buy the PolarPod I realized I have a 10 foot hammock, so that will not work for me. My hammocks are all 10 foot x 60 inches. I also realized that the TTTG hammocks are 52" so with my wider hammock will my the pod still work? Looks like the Peapod may be my only option at this point.
There are also bags that work really well as pods if you're worried about the extra space on top. I have a Wiggy's superlight "Freedom Shelter" bag and it's a 0F synthetic. For a down option, the Exped Dreamwalker 650 is a 20F and even roomier than the Wiggy's bag. I've used down underquilts and topquilts to supplement in both bags. Pod's are the way to go in the cold in my opinion. No fiddling, no gaps. Just warmth and comfort. Good luck in your search.
A lotta ins... lotta outs... lotta what-have-you's
Why won't the 10 ft hammock work with both the PeaPod or the PolarPod? I most often have used my PeaPod with my 10 ft Claytor No Net, amd it works just fine, but I would like it even better if the Peapod was a bit longer(like the PolarPod) so that it could cinch down past the ends of the hammock and over the suspension. Like it does with the shorter Speer Hammock.
As for the 60" width, that is indeed 1 foot wider than my Claytor. I think this would be a disadvantage, but not a big deal if you are planning to add quilts to fill the top gap anyway. And I would not be surprised if the 1.5 ft wider PolarPod had enough size for the top layer to sink down on or pretty close to your body, even with such a wide hammock. Plus, if you hang your hammock a bit looser the sides will drop down making it easier for any pod's top layer to sink down on top of you. Or at least minimize the gap which needs to be filled.
I am trying to remember the width of my Speer 8.5 that the PeaPod was originally designed to work on. It was pretty wide, a lot wider than my 4 ft wide Claytor. Maybe 60" wide? Not sure. But again, remember, the main thing with a wide deep hammock is the sides will raise the pod more than a more narrow hammock. Not all that important if you are going to fill the top gap with quilts anyway.
I was under the assumption that the Polarpod at 10.5 feet would be to long on a 10 foot hammock. Good to know it should still work. I found a Peapod on the forum to try out so i'm sure i'll learn a lot when I actually have one. Thanks for the help and Im sure I'll have more to say after I receive mine.
Last edited by krshome; 01-15-2015 at 20:13.
I love this thread, because I love my Peapod and Polar Pod. They equal toasty warmth. Krshome I hope that peapod will work great for you. I am going to try my WL Summer Series quilts with my peapod and see how cold I can go with that.
BillyBob, I know I am shorter than you, but I try to get a good diagonal lay and it seems a bit difficult. The Claytor is a narrower hammock and I think I may still have one, so I will have to try that with my peapod. I may also be a bit claustrophobic and the polar pod gives me more room.
"No whining in the woods"
I have an old DIY hammock that I may cut the sides to 52" just to see how it works with the pod. Time to break out the sewing machine.
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