MMG IX Universal has arrived, with pics!

[Hanson]

You mean right shoulder?

Mine, which has a cover, clearly has the odd colored loop on the LEFT shoulder (or right foot???). Maybe it's different for the UQ's with covers?

[MacEntyre]

If it has a cover, it doesn't matter because the cover is on the outside... but it is confusing to have some on the left and some on the right. <Sigh!>

[Rat]

Gage and I hung last night with our IX Universal underquilts. Low was 34 Degrees F, no wind no tarps. I wore light weight Smartwool longjohns with a rabbit fur cap and a light fleece jacket with wool socks and my 30 Degree bag as a top quilt (which I am good down to about 20 Degrees in).

I was IN my bag (synthetic bottom down top) zipped up. With just the IX Universal it was a little chilly, not unbearable, but not toasty either. Gage was wearing pretty much the same cloths, but had an added fleece liner he way lying on and reported no cold spots and a warm comfortable hang all night.

So for me, 34 is about the limit with 'light-winter' gear. I am sure I could have gone lower with full winter gear (exped weight longjohns and fleece pants). But I wanted to test it with a three season clothing load. Overall I am pretty impressed with how low this lightweight IX can take me. I think I will try the inserts to get lower.

I am working on getting the images up for the second phase of my attempted head and foot closure.

I almost forgot the best part! NO MOISTURE on my back! Very nice...

[Rat]

I guess the how-to video is out because I never got it to close up all the way. I got some stills anyway, so here we go.

First I made double-dog-sure that the quilt was right side up and that I had the head end, well, at the head end...Roz got in the hammock and I started adjusting.

Initially I just stuck it on in what I would call a 'normal' fashion; everything snug, but not really tight. Still, making sure that the head end was close to the shoulders with the neck and head over the edge.

As you can see, I never could get the gaps to close up completely.

Here si how I attached it to my ENO. Used a small 'biner with the shock cord ran through, the cord-lock is one I added to make quick tension adjustments on the IX suspension. In the last image you can see I marked the right shoulder loop with a big X; all the loops are the same color.







Here are what the gaps looked like.







Then I tightened it up quite a bit and played with getting it really on that sweet spot at the shoulders to close up well. As you can see I got it to close to a very small gap on the head end, but the foot end was still pretty big. Roz isn't tall enough for her legs to extend past the foot end if her shoulders are even with the head end; maybe that is the problem, I dunno. But here are the images of the smaller gaps.





I also played with adding some shock cord to alter the angle a little bit to get it to close all the way. It worked pretty well and may be a lighter option than sewing on a full strangler. The foot end was another story; even with the shock cord to ridgeline mod I couldn't get it to close without a LOT of additional complication at set up.





I think what i am going to do is tie some mitten hooks on some shock cord and run it over the ridgeline to get closure on the head end. I will put a strangler on the foot end. I am going to do this now, hang tonight, and report back tomorrow.

[Rat]

Okay, I just finished adding stranglers to all the quilts. I tried adding the additional shock cords but it was just too complicated. I sewed the stranglers on and they are fit up waiting for tonight.

[dejoha]

I just finished taking photos and I'm having a bit of a problem uploading since I'm on the road. My results are about the same, but i also took photos of someone laying on her side and the gaps are much more pronounced.

[MacEntyre]

Hogn8tr, I'm going to make a Universal IX UQ today and send it to you, so you can tell us if there is a difference in the way they are made.

If mine is no better, there is a design change needed. If mine is better, there is a manufacturing change needed.

[Rat]

Hogn8tr, I'm going to make a Universal IX UQ today and send it to you, so you can tell us if there is a difference in the way they are made.

If mine is no better, there is a design change needed. If mine is better, there is a manufacturing change needed.

Okay, I can swing that.

[Rat]

Okay, so last night was very similar to Friday night. When I came in at 0730 this morning the temp read 36 Degrees outside, no wind.

What I did different: I added my rain gear tops and pants between the IX underquilt and my hammock. This caused the IX to hang a little lower so I had to tighten the suspension a little to get it all snug against the hammock. I also added a small foot pad in the top quilt that covers from my knees down. Changed from lightweight longjohns to midweight longjohns (Wool/Poly blend). So I really only ADDED the foot pad, as I will proly carry the longjohns and rain gear on any trip under 40 degrees.

I was toasty! I had a little CBS very early in the morning, not much, but just enough to notice it when I awoke to go find a tree. I adjusted the 'extra' insulation and all was fine again; the 'extra' insulation had just slipped around and opened a gap, easy fix. I wore the fleece jacket to bed but had to remove it, I was starting to get that too hot/sweating feeling and I left off the rabbit fur cap and just used the sleeping bag hood.

Toasty at a confirmed 36 Degrees and proly closer to 33-34 in reality. My little thermometer's batteries died so I had to rely on the remote outdoor temperature sensor for the house, but it doesn't log high and low.

So far, to get down to 34 degrees I have added a small leg pad. Weight over the pads is a few ounces heavier, but LOTS less bulky!

So I traded in:
Z-Lite pad
Four Wal Mart Blue Pad wings
DIY SPE

For:
MMG IX Universal Underquilt
Small leg pad

The real test will be below freezing, when it happens (which is rare for us) I will see what I gain by using the MMG IX Universal over pads. May hafta get some inserts by then!

Pixels to follow!

[MacEntyre]

Folks, I just spoke with Darby at Tree to Tree Trail Gear. We agreed that it would be best to make a design change.

We will use a 1.1 ripstop nylon channel at each end, adding only a few grams of weight.

That will provide the solution for those who are not able to make the ends of their IX UQ close up.