I have the top cover for the XLC. Does the top cover do the same thing as the sock?
I have the top cover for the XLC. Does the top cover do the same thing as the sock?
Partly. The main task of both a top cover and a sock is to keep warm air in the hammock. But since the sock encloses the complete hammock, including underquilt, it also keeps the warmth in the underquilt. So the sock offers a bit more protection. But you can always add an underquilt protector to your hammock with top cover. That will take care of the underquilt. However, I have the feeling, that a sock is a bit more effective than a top cover plus UQP.
What hutzelbein said. If it is windy you want to place your tarp at a 90 degree angle to the wind so the wind is hitting the tarp on the side and not going thru it as any wind going thru the tarp can suck the warmth out of the UQ and the inside of the the hammock even with a UQP and or Top cover on. My first experience with this was when I was testing some new gear in my Secret Hammock Institute of Testing in my back yard when the wind picked up. The wind would blow thru and suck the warmth out of my TQ and UQ and I would suffer instant CBS and CTS ( Cold Top Syndrome ) at the same time. The wind would stop and I would toasty again...then the wind would blow thru again. After 30 minutes of this I went inside and ordered a sock.
I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !
This is very interesting. I was always under the assumption that a good tarp, TQ, and UQ was all a hanger needed for the winter. Gunner and Hutzelbein you added some great additional thoughts. This gives me a month to get my order in before the winter hang in Feb. I'm definately going to put my gear through some testing this week before I make my final decision on what to purchase.
Like any piece of gear, socks are not perfect. Many folks recommend using a canvas sock once the temps drop below a certain temp as it breathes better and reduces moisture build up. I have used my War Bonnet sock with the door partially open to help vent the inside and so far it has worked, Of course it rarely gets that cold around here ( 9 degrees here since I started hanging ) so I get limited cold weather testing in my area.
You can hang in the winter with out a sock if you can find an area sheltered from the wind, get the tarp low enough to block the wind, close the tarp doors ect. I have seen videos / pictures of hangers set up in the snow who build up the snow around their setup to act as a wind block. There are just so many variables that come into play, site selection, weather, gear ect.
Mabrown730...I see you have a BB XLC so if you get a sock, make sure it will work with a 11 ft hammock.
I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !
I have had more opportunities to use the sock with extenders and it works great. I now just leave them on and with the drawstring on the extenders, no snags. The grab is so strong, I will break the cord before they come undone from the omnitape. If I use e shorter hammock, I can just take the extenders off after I get it set up. They probably weigh less than an ounce.
I got one of the new WB Travel Socks yesterday.
No cinch cord. Just a slit.
My pics disappeared but here are new ones.
I clipped it right to my cinch buckle with a small S-biner. It is perfect with just the right amount of tension to rest on my Traveler hammock's ridge line. This is one of the huge benefits of getting all your components from one house - all yer chit fits like they were meant to be
You can leave it connected to the hammock and pack everything in the large stuff sack the sock came in. It appears that they meant to give you extra room in the big stuff sack in order to do so. You could thus store and put the thing up already "assembled" and simply hook in your UQ after set up. In a way, it is also like a storage snake, or "pig", because you could leave all your sleeping gear/UQ in it, all zipped up, and put it away like that.
I used it with a WB Traveler hammock. The simple crescent shaped zipper design in deceptive in that it works ridiculously well. It allows venting at the "top" but still opens completely to essentially have a half cover that is extremely open and provides near total open access to your hammock - like there was no sock at all.
Open.
Closed.
Last edited by alukban; 02-09-2016 at 14:21.
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