Smart idea. So, dump the contents out of the bag into the pack, insert the pack into the bag, and hopefully tie it off. I'm still hesitant to do all of this without a tarp above my head. I think I'll stick to good ol faithful.Originally Posted by fsupaintball
+1. Setting up in the rain or waking up in the middle of the night to take a leak in the rain is my biggest concern. Condensation is a problem that can be dealt with, though ive even had issues pitching my tarp too low and tight and waking up to a wet underside. Pulling the cover down in a downpour without extra protection makes me worry. The pack on the ground in a storm didn't enter my mind. I usually take measures to negate any issue that may arise from that in the first place, though.
I would love to see this work out the way it is claimed to. Rain, wind, and cold protection for 20 oz and 2 liters of pack space? That would be beyond magical, but without proof, I don't think I can buy it.
Cheers,
The Goat
How do you prevent water wicking down tree straps and onto the hammock?
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Gadget
Welcome to the forums Caleb, Matt and Khione. Good luck with getting it dialed in and into production. This is an amazing place for ideas, info and HONEST feedback. While we might ask a lot of our gear , however its done out of necessity...... we can't have a tarp that's " kinda " waterproof or a 0° quilt that "might" have enough down, it has to preform to a very high standard 100% of the time and in an extremely wide range of weather conditions, temps, locations and situations. Our community is EXTREMELY knowledgeable, helpful and willing to offer constructive criticism when needed ( even when not asked for sometimes lol). Once the SHEL has been used over time and succeeds in lots of different conditions and circumstances such as set up while its raining, entry/exit in rain w/o a tarp , in cold weather that tests its ability to keep condensation down or other concerns not listed in the above posts, it will earn some respect as a piece of gear that's dependable and that is worth the pack space and weight so to say. I think its a great concept and if it doesn't have any of those " kinda " or " might" issues with its design and/or function, it could be a great way to save some pack space and weight in certain circumstances . I'd certainly use one. So, good luck, don't hesitate to ask us questions and welcome to the club guys.
" The best pace is a suicide pace, and today looks like a good day to die." ~ Steve Prefontaine
The ones I use from Kroger are scentless. No bad smells. Also, it's not extra if you use it as a pack liner to keep your stuff dry when you hike. Many people use it instead of a pack cover, because your bag will inevitably get wet with a cover on but the compacter bag will keep anything inside dry.
From what they said they want this to bridge the gap between people who hang all the time with good gear and beginners. If this can get a beginner out and hanging through the fall comfortably for a lot less than the cost of UQ + TQ + tarp then I'm all for it. They will then get hooked and soon be looking for ways to save up and spend the extra hundreds with the cottage vendors and everyone wins.
That (in my mind at least) is primarily only valid if beginning or "intermediate" hangers only hang out when there is zero chance of rain. Water wicking down the straps, everything inside getting wet during setup or takedown and having to relieve oneself during anything from a gentle mist to a downpour seems like it will result in a wet bed. That will no doubt ruin the trip/experience and likely squash the desire to ever even want to bother with a hammock, particularly if someone is a relatively experienced camper/backpacker that has stayed dry and at least reasonably comfortable *shudder* on the ground.
Sometimes I think the less people that use hammocks (or more that have been turned off to hammocks), the less morons are out there damaging trees with bad hanging practices and paracord, which will lead to more regulations and restrictions. But I also think that with proper technique and equipment LNT is much more easily attainable through hammocking vs tenting, which I am all for. In that case, the more tree folk we can get, the more common knowledge proper methods will become and regulations may come and then be relaxed when the "common man" knows proper technique and equipment. I am getting off on a bit of a tangent, here, so I'm going to stop for now... again, I wish these folks the best and really hope it does what they claim. If it does, I'll be using one. I just have my doubts that it is indeed the magic bullet it is hoped to be. Good luck folks!
Cheers,
The Goat
I was thinking of the Wilderness Logics insulated sock, and I was wrong, its synthetic not down : http://wildernesslogics.com/INSULATE...R-SOCK-IWS.htm . Anyone have it that can chime in on how it handles condensation ? My Snugpak Cocoons' synthetic insulation is fairly thick compared to the WL sock and SHEL ..... I leave one end where the hammock enters open and close the other with a rubber band around it so its tight to the hammock and that's enough to vent it when I zip myself all the way in. Since the SHEL has dedicated vents, it sounds like they solve or at least help with the condensation issue maybe ? It would be interesting to test one out in a bunch of different weather conditions and temps and do a video review to post here.
" The best pace is a suicide pace, and today looks like a good day to die." ~ Steve Prefontaine
Thanks for the warm welcome Chesapeake
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Don't lose focus on the things that matter most
It sounds like Massachusetts is pretty rainy. If I were to go hammocking and its raining and going to be raining essentially non stop (ie. I'm going to get wet no matter what), then I'd totally bring a tarp. Nothing beats a tarp in that situation. I would also bring the SHEL as it still accounts for all the other gear I might otherwise bring.
But if I want to just be prepared for some rain throughout the night, the SHEL is great (the other night was a perfect example. I was hammocking and saw some rain coming in so I just had to set up before it hit, and everything stayed dry). I also always bring a water proof bag for my shoes and other items I want to leave outside my hammock.
I would say that the SHEL is a great addition because it is small and lightweight while easily keeping me warm and sheltered. But it won't meet every different situation you can think of. We definitely are doing our best to market this product so that people can see all the different ways it can be used. Some times though, if you're going to be in a rainstorm all weekend, you will need a way to set up camp that is more that what the SHEL is used for.
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Don't lose focus on the things that matter most
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