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  1. #411
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    Built 2 sets concurrently and just hung with the first completed set last night (worked great!). Here are some things I learned from the process:

    Order your snaps and pliers right from Kamsnaps.com. Their prices are better than Amazon, their selection is awesome and you can get exactly what you need for the project, and they support canine rescue with the proceeds of their business.

    On the snap diagram for "Castor", the side facing up will become the inside of the top quilt. Minor detail, but important if your OCD (like mine) requires the outward sides of Castor and Pollux to match when in summer mode, you need to put the inner color of Pollux as the "This Side Up" side of Castor when you install the snaps. Pollux would technically be reversible except I added side loops to attach to my tie-out guy lines to secure the underquilt.

    This is another OCD touch for me, but I used "pronged studs" on Castor's ends so that the grosgrain loop around the nettles would be closed when the two are stacked. It also gives you an option to overlap the outermost fold in top-quilt-mode to further reduce air gaps.

    Attachment 182317

  2. #412
    Senior Member Crazytown3's Avatar
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    jblo nice report. Agree that buying directly from Kamsnaps is the way to go.

    Looks like your attachment did not make it through. COuld you try again maybe? I'm interested in seeing a picture if possible of the 'pronged studs' approach for the grosgrain loops.

  3. #413
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  4. #414
    Senior Member Crazytown3's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by *jblo* View Post
    Trying again
    There it is. I like it. That's a nice way to deal with the ends like that. As you say, it gives you at least a couple of options. Nicely done!

  5. #415

    Join Date
    Jul 2020
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    Durham, NC
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    This thread of posts has completely blown my mind! More importantly, it was the easy first step into making my own gear. I made 2 Gemini sets using Costco Down throws following the guidance shared in this forum - one for me and one for my daughter.

    I got use them last weekend with temperatures down in the low to mid 40F range. I was backpacking with Scouts, and debated a long time on whether or not to use the Gemini as a double UQ or split as a separate TQ and UQ combo. My sleeping bag is very old, very heavy, and I needed the space to carry gear for the smaller scouts. So I took the risk and just used a single CDT for the top and another underneath. I wore loose fitting lightweight thermal underwear and a fleece top/bottom set. I tend to sleep warm, and I was toasty almost all night. I woke a few times to move around, and noticed a cold shoulder where the TQ or UQ wasn’t quite covering. But otherwise I was very comfortable. Strangely, my daughter doubled up the UQs and used a sleeping bag as a TQ but she felt a little cold in the morning. We haven’t full diagnosed why - it may just be that she’s a colder sleeper. Unfortunately I also didn’t take any photos to share.

    One thing I noticed was the size limits, so big people beware. I have a wide, long hammock (12ft long, 66in wide). I am also wide and long (76 in tall and 260 lbs). The UQ just barely gives me the cover I need underneath on the diagonal. The TQ does not cover my shoulders. I augmented with my puffball jacket to keep shoulders (and face) warm. And still I was very comfy. But now I’m looking at a few CDT TQ designs that might require a little bit of sewing, like the design by bser272.

    This has got to be the best insulation combo for the money, and a great way to get started in cooler weather. Thanks to Leiavoia and everyone who help inform this. Truly - I’m blown away by the collective knowledge shared on this forum.
    Last edited by SubaruWx; 10-05-2020 at 20:03.

  6. #416
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    Quote Originally Posted by SubaruWx View Post
    This thread of posts has completely blown my mind! More importantly, it was the easy first step into making my own gear. I made 2 Gemini sets using Costco Down throws following the guidance shared in this forum - one for me and one for my daughter.

    I got use them last weekend with temperatures down in the low to mid 40F range. I was backpacking with Scouts, and debated a long time on whether or not to use the Gemini as a double UQ or split as a separate TQ and UQ combo. My sleeping bag is very old, very heavy, and I needed the space to carry gear for the smaller scouts. So I took the risk and just used a single CDT for the top and another underneath. I wore loose fitting lightweight thermal underwear and a fleece top/bottom set. I tend to sleep warm, and I was toasty almost all night. I woke a few times to move around, and noticed a cold shoulder where the TQ or UQ wasn’t quite covering. But otherwise I was very comfortable. Strangely, my daughter doubled up the UQs and used a sleeping bag as a TQ but she felt a little cold in the morning. We haven’t full diagnosed why - it may just be that she’s a colder sleeper. Unfortunately I also didn’t take any photos to share.

    One thing I noticed was the size limits, so big people beware. I have a wide, long hammock (12ft long, 66in wide). I am also wide and long (76 in tall and 260 lbs). The UQ just barely gives me the cover I need underneath on the diagonal. The TQ does not cover my shoulders. I augmented with my puffball jacket to keep shoulders (and face) warm. And still I was very comfy. But now I’m looking at a few CDT TQ designs that might require a little bit of sewing, like the design by bser272.

    This has got to be the best insulation combo for the money, and a great way to get started in cooler weather. Thanks to Leiavoia and everyone who help inform this. Truly - I’m blown away by the collective knowledge shared on this forum.
    I ended up putting an extra loop on my underquilt on edges of my preferred lay that hooks around the D-rings on my Chameleon. I'm entertaining sewing some D-rings on my Netless too so that I have that secure hold over my shoulders and feet. Also, the underquilt suspension hooks that come on the Chameleon are handy too for dialing in the Pollux. I've stretched the clews into the hooks on the side which helps to seal off the ends from drafts.

    In stacked-mode, the pair hang a little differently. I'm settling on an adjustable shock cord setup to attach the underquilt so it can be dialed depending on which configuration it's in and under which hammock it's hung.

  7. #417

    Join Date
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    Update with pictures! Well, pictures taken inside since it is a wet weekend here. Here is my Gemini, double layer CDT rigged for autumn:

    Gemini in red

    I used longer length clews and connected to little S-biners for my 12ft hammock, but I ran out of shock cord. So I used shorter clews on the near side, and added a bit of cordage with a taut line hitch to adjust the length.

    Shorter clews connected to cord

    Whipped clew and S-biner

    I tried this Gemini out last weekend in Summer mode using Castor as a top quilt, but it’s too short for me. I need a longer top quilt, and liked the designs shared here by bser272. So I used a rainy Saturday to break out the sewing machine: an all metal Sears Kenmore model 1410 from 1972. This old beauty has seen only a few hours of use over the decades, so I was nervous to start learning on such a pristine gem.

    1972 Kenmore 1410

    I used the simple guidance by bser272 (https://m.imgur.com/a/kOXYm) and made a pair of longer top quilts. While I LOVE the ease and simplicity of just using Kamsnaps to make Pollux top quilt, these are just 79 in long and fit me much better. I sacrificed a bit of width to get this length, but these TQs are still plenty wide.

    Pair of CDT TQs

    CDT TQ with snap

    I added a couple of cam snaps to each at the head and above the foot box seam to give me the option to close it up more or secure it over my shoulders.

    If I double up on these TQs and use the Gemini UQ in winter mode, I suspect I can stay comfortable into the upper 20F range. Not a bad set of quilts for $100 investment and bit of my time. Not to knock higher end quilts - I’m sure they are much better, but Gemini offers a nice entry point to cooler hammocking and especially as a gateway to MYOG.
    Last edited by SubaruWx; 10-12-2020 at 17:39. Reason: edits to correctly link to Flikr images

  8. #418

    Join Date
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    Report from the field ...

    I got to try out the Gemini last weekend. I was hanging in NW Pennsylvania on Saturday night when the low dipped to just below freezing, maybe 30F. Overnight, southerly winds kicked in and the temperature at dawn was closer to 38F. I used the Gemini as double layer in “shoulder season” mode and used the CDT TQs that I just made. I doubled up on the TQ. I wore loose fitting winter socks, polypropylene long underwear base layer, and a fleece sweater on top.

    I was toasty on top - maybe even a bit warm. The underside of my legs and back were also comfortable. But my butt was cold. I have the UQ clew suspension connected to a bit of line, and was able to tighten that up a bit, but I didn’t want to compress the loft. Ultimately, I took my puffball jacket and layered it between my butt and the hammock. After 30 mins, the jacket warmed up and I was good all over. I think I would have been fine without the jacket if I have worn my fleece layer pants. I’m also confident that, for me, 30F is probably the limit of the Gemini UQ in “shoulder season mode”.

    My daughter also used her Gemini in “shoulder season mode”, but used a couple of fleece blankets between her and the hammock to keep her warm.

    I could have converted the Gemini to “winter mode” and used that extra layer of down. But I didn’t because I wanted the double layers under my shoulders and to keep the option to switch the angle I was laying in the hammock. But maybe that was a mistake - I didn’t change my sleep angle at all, and I’m now consistently sleeping head-right.

    Next time, I’ll try the Gemini in “winter mode” to see if that helps my frigid rear. Anybody else get cold shoulders using “winter mode”?

    Also - I totally love the different modes for the Gemini. It’s the Gemini Transformer - more than meets the eye!

  9. #419
    New Member
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    I'm finally working on my Gemini and I thought I'd throw in that not all quilts are the same when it comes to seam ripping. The first quilt I ripped out all the seams in about 20 minutes. I would break the thread at each cross seam on the dull side and pulled out a full 5" length of thread each time. The thread on the back basically fell off.

    The second quilt sucked. It took a full three hours because the stitching was inconsistently spaced. sometimes the stitches were an 1/8" apart and sometimes they were stacked on top of each other.


    I basically had to work both sides of the quilt for each seam. It happened all throughout the quilt. I stayed with it and got it done but boy howdy, I do not want to go through that again!

  10. #420
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    One thing I learned by accident is that I think it might help to run the quilt through the dryer for about 15 minutes with clean tennis balls. I ran mine through the dryer after I thought I was done seam ripping but alas, when I took one of them out, I found I left two seams in. However, after running it through the dryer, the seams came out MUCH easier.

    It may be a one time lucky shot but it may be worth it for someone else to give it a try..

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