Advice needed -hammock set up considerations

[dakotaross]

Hello from ITP! Different take here as I'm local and have a pretty good idea of what sort of temps you're camping in. The Jarbridge should handle them. My guess is that you need to tighten up the quilt to ensure it is most definitely against your back. You might want some of the AHE trangle thingies to help with keeping the quilt pulled up on you. What's your foot insulation? I presume a foot pad, but would just recommend that you think about insulation for your feet - for me, as my feet go, I go in terms of being cold (as long as the back side is good). And last but not least, you didn't mention what you're using for a TQ?

Now, that said, taking care of the wind does become a priority. If that can't be done with site selection only, then doors become very valuable. Otherwise, the UQP is a good supplement, but I find that I rarely take mine backpacking anymore. Dutch makes a vented sock that you might look at. I have the "summer" version which is all net on one side which I really like - net holds a little heat in and I get wind protection on the bottom. I can also use as a winter overcover, which is fine to lose wind protection on the bottom (net) because I'm typically not using my doors all closed up any other time. Otherwise, I think you have a decision on what to do with that Hennessy Hex... you could keep it and add doors from 2QZQ for about half of what a new winter tarp costs. I added cuben doors on my Tox which keeps the weight down, and frankly, I really like having some translucence when I'm in all closed up mode.

Speaking of cuben, its not really fragile, but it might require a spec more attention to detail with setup. If I was buying a winter tarp and could afford it, its the way I would go. Getting that weight/bulk savings for all of the winter tarp surface area (material) makes it worth it.

p.s. you may have all the things mentioned above on the quilt covered, I just don't want you thinking that the winter tarp is a panacea for keeping you warm... it really is an art, and therefore a learning curve, to get everything working together.

[litetrek]

When I got my cf tarp I tried to rip the stuff sack its not all that delicate. Can I do it sure but not easily.

Nobody read my comment about cuben closely. I said PUNCTURE damage. A puncture is poking with a sharp stick or similar sharp object. I've read that cuben fiber tarps are prone to PUNCTURE damage from falling branches. I think it may have something to do with cuben tarps being fairly taut and staying that way. Silnylon will stretch and sag a little and maybe that's why they don't get punctured as easily.

[dakotaross]

Nobody read my comment about cuben closely...

Its the internet, no one reads anything closely, LOL. Besides, its not really common knowledge. I don't know that its true, but I could see how it would be given that cuben doesn't stretch as much. I still think you're talking about a rare occurrence, and one that can be patched with cuben tape.

[litetrek]

Its the internet, no one reads anything closely, LOL. Besides, its not really common knowledge. I don't know that its true, but I could see how it would be given that cuben doesn't stretch as much. I still think you're talking about a rare occurrence, and one that can be patched with cuben tape.

Yes. I agree that punctures are probably pretty rare. I'm not particularly worried about damage, its a minor consideration. More important to me is the slight transparency of the material. Even the darker colors available let a lot of light through and I like to sleep later than daybreak in the mornings when hiking.

[litetrek]

Hello from ITP! Different take here as I'm local and have a pretty good idea of what sort of temps you're camping in. The Jarbridge should handle them. My guess is that you need to tighten up the quilt to ensure it is most definitely against your back. You might want some of the AHE trangle thingies to help with keeping the quilt pulled up on you. What's your foot insulation? I presume a foot pad, but would just recommend that you think about insulation for your feet - for me, as my feet go, I go in terms of being cold (as long as the back side is good). And last but not least, you didn't mention what you're using for a TQ?

Now, that said, taking care of the wind does become a priority. If that can't be done with site selection only, then doors become very valuable. Otherwise, the UQP is a good supplement, but I find that I rarely take mine backpacking anymore. Dutch makes a vented sock that you might look at. I have the "summer" version which is all net on one side which I really like - net holds a little heat in and I get wind protection on the bottom. I can also use as a winter overcover, which is fine to lose wind protection on the bottom (net) because I'm typically not using my doors all closed up any other time. Otherwise, I think you have a decision on what to do with that Hennessy Hex... you could keep it and add doors from 2QZQ for about half of what a new winter tarp costs. I added cuben doors on my Tox which keeps the weight down, and frankly, I really like having some translucence when I'm in all closed up mode.

Speaking of cuben, its not really fragile, but it might require a spec more attention to detail with setup. If I was buying a winter tarp and could afford it, its the way I would go. Getting that weight/bulk savings for all of the winter tarp surface area (material) makes it worth it.

p.s. you may have all the things mentioned above on the quilt covered, I just don't want you thinking that the winter tarp is a panacea for keeping you warm... it really is an art, and therefore a learning curve, to get everything working together.

I have never liked the jarbidge. Its not possible to tighten it up without modifying it on my Clark TX-250. On the gathered end hammock it does OK but I have only been comfortable in it down to about 30F and that was wearing a lot of winter sleeping gear. I am a lightweight backpacker and having to carry a bunch of extra bulky clothes to sleep in during the winter doesn't work well for me. I recently opted to buy a UDQ underquilt 20F - slightly overstuffed. I don't just hike locally and I needed something that will reliably take me into the mid teens without a lot of fuss. I have a 20F UGQ top quilt already. I have a good bit of hammock gear but I'm not the only one who uses it. So when I get something new I buy something based at least in part on flexibility with the entire fleet of gear.

I have found that wearing wool socks is all I need to insulate my feet. I never get cold feet even when camping in below zero weather back in my younger days.

I like the Hennessy hex. If I'm going on an overnight in the summer its the tarp I taken even though its pretty heavy as tarps go. The clark vertex is nice and lighter but it takes a pretty big space to set it up and sometimes on the trails I hike on the spots to camp are a little small for it. I tend to go to wilder places than the AT, so my hiking style may not be typical for some hikers.