SuperShelter pseudo-tests

[Chris.Biomed]

Chris... I will join you fellows, some day.. I just thought that day would be very very far away in my future. Now it seems so close... or maybe ill just add a zipper to my HH's bugnetting... Either way is difficult for me... a BB is expensive, and 2Q's zipper mod might turn just as expensive including shipping and handling fees.

That's the same reason I had when I got the BB, shipping fees are the real PITA!

Just try to sell your HH + SS and if it works then you've got the cash needed to get a BB and a DD tarp (roughly the same weight and size as the JRB's 10 11 tarp yet only costs about 45 compared to 120)

[elcolombianito]

Ramblinrev
First, the heatsheet just becomes another thing to toy around with, and what I loved about the HH is that, for example compared to my Clark, it had less things to care about fixing and adjusting. The ocf and HS packed together or apart, separate from the hammock just takes this away. Second, at first I went your way for placing, taking off, and rolling up the ocf pad: this wasn't difficult at all and i was going to make this my method too. When I added the HS, rolling it up with the ocf pad, and still placing or taking it off per your instructions, wasn't too different than before. So yes, it doesn't really make it more difficult than only using the ocf. But maybe since the heatsheet isn't breathable, compressing the rolledup ocf+heatsheet didn't seem too easy anymore as when it was just the ocf pad. This i didn't like. So I said to myself: try BB58's approach (and supposedly Tom Hennessy's method).

If I leave the whole thing rigged up, I found I needed fewer steps to pack it all up or for setup, and it all packs up into one single bag which resulted to be the same size as joining what would be the result of your method. Fewer steps, less things separate... it was looking good for what i was used too with the HH.
So now, for packing, I just get out the hammock pushing the pad to the side... untie the tie outs from where they are staked, and since i don't have to take the ocf pad off, i don't have to fiddle more with the tieouts of the hammock. Then take one hammock end, with the opposite still hanging, and roll it all up using the same technique you use to roll the pad. Then I stuff it in the sack, untied the remaining hammock end. The result is almost the same in size as just rolling the ocf with the heatsheet, with the little difference that compressing it doesn't feel as difficult... somehow the air escapes better this way.
For setup its just the backwards process... hang one end fist, unroll the the whole thing, hang the other hammock ends, stake tieouts, and just get in the hammock, stick a hand out the slit, and pull the pad to my desired position.

Hope it does clear things up. I really try to make my spanish thoughts make sense when i write them in english.

[Ramblinrev]

Hope it does clear things up. I really try to make my spanish thoughts make sense when i write them in english.

Thanks... I guess what it comes down to is different preferences and that's what makes this an interesting world. As I say, I have committed to the HH because it is the only hammock I can get in to and out of with anything remotely approaching ease and grace. So given that as my primary criteria, I guess I put up with the rest. I was never able to get my Underquilts to hang properly, so the SS is really so much easier for me. But hey...

I have heard the Blackbird is alot like any other gathered end top/side loader in regards to getting in and out so while I think the product is cool as a moose I am not highly motivated to get a hammock that will hold me captive...

Again... what ever floats your boat.

[elcolombianito]

Just try to sell your HH + SS and if it works then you've got the cash needed to get a BB and a DD tarp (roughly the same weight and size as the JRB's 10 11 tarp yet only costs about 45 compared to 120)

hmmmmmm... tempting... your making me realize I could afford a BB, though i wouldn't need a tarp. I currently have three tarps: two expedition asym stocks, and a poly hex. I just want a silnyl tarp, but that can definitely wait.

A friend of mine is pushing me to sell him my old HH expedition. His offering me 100 bucks for hammock, stock fly, ringbuckle supports... 115 if i add the new snake skins, which im not :P. I could take some of my saveup money for the AARn and complete for the BB....

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH... I feel im cheating on my HH, im not even givng her a chance.... but i will, at least three outdoor tests and a zippermod, she has been really nice to me, she deserves it. But i also deserve a new and differetn hammock...

[elcolombianito]

Thanks... I guess what it comes down to is different preferences and that's what makes this an interesting world. As I say, I have committed to the HH because it is the only hammock I can get in to and out of with anything remotely approaching ease and grace. So given that as my primary criteria, I guess I put up with the rest. I was never able to get my Underquilts to hang properly, so the SS is really so much easier for me. But hey...

I have heard the Blackbird is alot like any other gathered end top/side loader in regards to getting in and out so while I think the product is cool as a moose I am not highly motivated to get a hammock that will hold me captive...

Again... what ever floats your boat.

Oh, don't get me wrong, i love my HH! Im having problems is with its new jewlery (the SS), but im getting around it, and if i do the zipper mod it would just be a small one, just to access the ocf pad easier, not to change the way i get in, I adore the bottom entry. Specially for bug control. Thats why i would first do the zip mod on my old hammock, just to test it and see if its really worth it.

hmmm, you making me think alot now about the UQ... I can't get my DIY UQs to hang properly either, but i thought it was my bad sewing. Thats one thing i liked about the supershelter first hand, that once i got in, ive had no cold spots, but excessive hot spots... with my DIY UQs I have never been able to eliminate the cold spots.

Anyway, im not giving up on the SuperShelter, non the less on my HH.

[elcolombianito]

im sure this would get rid of most of the issues one faces with the bottom entry of the HH's.

Very badly put! I meant... the issues I FACE WITH THE BOTTOM ENTRY SLIT, which are two: 1) ventilating the hammock in hot weather isn't easy (that noseeum mesh retains much more heat that one could imagine, and just taking it off, or a fraction of it, would help this problem), and 2) accessing things outside of the hammock, which wasn't really a problem for me untill the supershelter, cuz i have this urge to fit the ocf pad perfectlyt under me. I could just get in the hammock and let the ocf pad underme as it is, it does cover my underside completely and provide the heat, but i like it to be more even, so i stick my hand out the slit and accomodate it a bit, until i feel there is the same amount of pad to my left as there is to my right. this is no really easy, adn acces from the top would be easier.

Id also like to remember you all that my experience with my SS so far has been in my room! For such an environment, where i cant even get a medium tight ridgeline, nor set the tieouts properly, i think the Supershelter has proven to be worth the hazzle. Just need to be patient and stop making such strong statements before trying it under real outdoor circumstances.

Thanks for understanding.

[elcolombianito]

Just because I know how much pictures are way better than words (and my sister purchased a new digital camera! weeeee)... here is my setup in my room. I actually hang it higher than shown to get better ridggeline tension, I had to lower it for better shot. Also, tie outs are not always like that. I've tried them in different hights every night, always finding different good and bad things.
My room isn`t big enough to get a full view shot, sorry...

[Knotty]

I'm pretty happy with my SS. Been good down to mid 30's adding just the heat sheet. Haven't had a chance to go colder.

The only thing which makes me nuts is the way entry slit in the SS bunches up when the hammock is empty, preventing everything from hanging in it's natural position. Not a big deal, just annoying.

[BillyBob58]

Just because I know how much pictures are way better than words (and my sister purchased a new digital camera! weeeee)... here is my setup in my room. I actually hang it higher than shown to get better ridggeline tension, I had to lower it for better shot. Also, tie outs are not always like that. I've tried them in different hights every night, always finding different good and bad things.
My room isn`t big enough to get a full view shot, sorry...

Hope you can get to the woods soon! What's the weather like down there now? I really think a major key to enjoying this system when breaking camp each day is putting it all in one large sack and compressing as needed. But, again, it is hard to keep all of the cords on the Prussick hooks from coming undone once stuffed. So, I have added cheap mini-biners to the Prussick lines. Then, when I tie to the trees, all is adjusted pretty well just as it was when I broke camp in the morning. It is all very quick and easy, especially if I have changed the tree hugger system to webbing with cinch buckles. Easy/quick up and easy/quick down!

[elcolombianito]

Knotty,
Glad to meet another satisfied supershelter user. I too don't like how it looks, but I actually thought it would be worse. It helps to leave things inside.
May I ask, how do you stake the tie outs? I mean, What level? do you put them high, or low, or as horizontal as possible?
Ive tried many possitions and maybe since Im in my room, in terms of fuctionality ive seen no difference. What does change is that with the tieouts high, and the higher they are, the supershelter is kindof loose on the perimeter and doesn't wrap tight the hammock's edge, apparently because the hammock's bug nettting edge isn't taut (probably isn't the way to say it, so look at pic 1 attached to this post, please) and is something that doesn't change if im inside the hammock. On the other hand, when staked lower, this seems to go away (see attached pic2).