So nobody over about 220 of I want to be safe?
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So nobody over about 220 of I want to be safe?
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
"It turns out that what you have is less important than what you do with it"
I rate it to 250 but around 230/240 I push folks towards the Big Guy version unless someone is really looking to keep the weight down. It's your bridge so be as conservative as you'd like but 225lbs is plenty safe.Originally Posted by goalie
I just bring it up as early on it was understandably easy to mix up the two models and there were a few folks who were showing them off at group hangs letting 300+ pound folks climb into the Luxury. Nothing serious happened but better safe than sorry.
Just figured I'd chime in as it can be tempting on a scout trip or group hang to exceed the weight limits. The main issue seemed to be that the Luxury was too squishy and a few folks expecting a more supportive bridge were disappointing until they got a chance to try the heavier one. You very much need the right bowl of porridge with hammocks.
If you do have a decent collection of bigger folks let me know... I do have a loaner body I can send to those like yourself who have the Aluminum poles. The CF poles I do limit to 225lbs, but the AL pole set is the same on the Big Guy. I used to do a hybrid set of .75/.625" poles for the Luxury but it barely saved anything and didn't make sense to continue stocking it.
Don't forget to check out 'The Chair Trick' too if you haven't already. I've also been doing a double version to make a couch.
Might come in handy if you wanted to sit around more easily.
If you like how it sits- you can attach the loop and leave it larksheaded onto the bridge suspension. So when you wake up and want to cook breakfast you can just hop out and clip the loop to convert to chair mode quickly.
Just Bill, I appreciate all the info you've provided in the other "generic" forums.
Though the "fit" of my RR is fine, the 13+ tree distance requirement means I usually have to take a GE hammock for site choice flexibility - especially if a camping partner also has a RR. So someday I might end up with another model. I am only 5'6" and around 170 lbs. At one time, I figured if I ever got a JustBill bridge it would be the Lux model. Given your current designs, does that same right. I don't need ultralite and I don't need 200lb+ support. My shoulders might be considered broad, but squeeze (in GE or Bridge) doesn't seem a problem. My main issue with the RR bridge is the 13+ ft suspension span.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
I think we discussed it a bit when you got the gathered end but... Happy Medium Folder
For those who are okay with a RR, but not so okay with the tree to tree distance:
The Happy Medium is likely the current best choice. It is designed to fit under a 10' tarp with a roughly 9'9" RL distance. It's adjustable a few inches in either direction. This is my recessed bar model and with the CF poles comes in just a hair over 17 ounces.
So besides saving weight and tree to tree distances... it also meets the needs of side and belly sleepers better and has all the premium features of my larger bridges in terms of the amsteel in channel suspension, adjustable ends, and flat lay. It is nothing like a RR in terms of bedspace or how you use it. It's not cheap at $300, but it does include the $90 carbon fiber pole set in that price.
I'd lean towards that for you given other comments about shoe-horning in the the RR and tarp needs. One overlooked thing about a recessed bar bridge is that the bars are about 5' apart as opposed to 7' apart. So part of the 'closing the doors/coverage' problem is alleviated because the bars are closer to where a typical Hex tarp 'breaks'. Basically the poles line up closer to the widest portion of the tarp.
The Spreader bars on the Happy Medium are 36" and it's a symmetrical bridge too. There are pockets at one end, but no designated head or foot end which can help in a tight spot too... or at least reduce a little head scratching during setup.
Overall- The Luxury is really what the name says... a bit of overkill for those who are don't have very broad shoulders or are very tall side sleepers. That said it's what I personally sleep in if not testing another model because... why not, lol. So if backpacking, pack size, tarp coverage, tree to tree, etc. are not a concern then go for the Luxury.
The 'Just a Bridge' prototype I've been working on is my version of an end bar. While I did better by limiting the hang distance to 12'... it's still an end bar model. The goal of that one is to crack a pound, and hopefully crack $200. And not everyone likes the recessed bars. This prototype is furthest along and about halfway through the 10 person/900 night test.
I also have a 'Harmony Bridge' prototype I'm working on... which is an updated and bigger version of my micro with 36" bars.
Trying to get that to a very clean 9' tree to tree and in the 12 ounce range to build a bridge based UL backpacking system around.
I am testing blended versions of the Happy Medium and Luxury as well as mentioned in another thread.
Perhaps I can do a more budget friendly version with my new construction technique and shave a few ounces in the bargain.
I did a few Luxury ones... currently sewing a hand full of medium ones.
If you made it this far... maybe the best thing for you personally to do is hold off a bit and see if adding you to the test group for one of these prototypes makes more sense. You might be a good test case to see if I can pry you back out of your GE and into a bridge. I sorta fell into the 'Big Guy' market and I'm happy I've been able to help... but developing a viable bridge system for backpacking, LD hiking, and paddling is my real passion.
Ive been spending a lot of time in my Hybrid Lux as of late. Its not quite as spacious as the regular Lux, but saves a few ounces My regular Luxury bridge in the stuff sack and with bug net attached weighs 26.7oz. My hybrid weighs 23.1 with the same net. They both offer plenty of width. I mix and match the poles a bit. My aluminum poles, which are exactly what the Big Guy bridge uses, comes in at 11.7oz, while my carbon fiber poles come in at 7.1. So all in, I can go on the heavy end of everything for a grand total of 38.4oz down to 30.2.
Now to be honest, the Luxury is the more comfortable of the two. With the recessed bars, it is simply wider, and lives up to the name Luxury. The end bar model is nice though, with the option of saving a few ounces (half a pound or so) it is much wider than all but the recessed bar model, and has been getting a lot of trail time.
With some minor tweaks at time, I find I can use about any quilt on the market (anyone that knows me knows that I've tried about all of them).
These bridges are my go to when it comes to warm weather (the openness is amazing and its nice not to have insulation wrapping about you). They are also very nice in the shoulder seasons. Winter use is definitely doable, and I've done it, but with pack room dwindling because of extra food, insulation, etc, I find that the coldest trips end up being a GE just for weight, packability, etc.
Love, love, love my bridges!
(This wandering post brought to you by a guy who just loves being in a hammock. I leave in a week for the yucatan, and yes, i'm taking and sleeping in a towns-end hybrid lux for the week)
Hammock Tourist / Hammock Fiend / Hammock Therapist
Hope you have another great trip in the Yucatan.
A lot of the hotels even have hammock hooks on the wall, so inside or out I’m covered!
Hammock Tourist / Hammock Fiend / Hammock Therapist
Still sleeping indoors with it. Still getting >50% "deep" sleep most nights.
The only downside I've found is that if I put my headlamp over the ridgeline, it bounces around and makes noise when I change positions.
Thankfully, the gear pockets by your head quietly hold the light just fine.
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"It turns out that what you have is less important than what you do with it"
BF5E2E36-2B07-432D-8E79-9E51ACA729EA.jpeg love this hammock on a hot, sunny day! #Alabama
Get lost in the woods and find yourself again. A vacation,to me, is working with your hands and surviving because of the fruits of your labor. In the business world I teach;in the natural world I learn.
What a great way to capture a hammock metric. Curious what mine would look like but would not work with just a cell phone.
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