Town's End Luxury Bridge Hammock

[Peppy]

Hey Guys,
There is very little information on this Luxury Bridge. Can any of you tell me where I can read more? I think I fit the category, 6' 240#. I currently use a WBRR double layer that I like very much. I am a side sleeper, and slide a pad in between layers to flatten the lay. I've used both a Nemo Cosmo and a Sea to Summit pad, and both work well. I did finally sew some hair ribbon on the ends to limit the amount the pad can migrate out. I tend to move a bit sleeping, especially as an old guy that pees a lot. The little info I have seen has piqued my interest.

Shoot Just Bill an email... he’s loaded with information!

[sqidmark]

Copy the following line exactly as presented and paste into the search field. You'll find more than you could ever want to know.

"towns end" OR "luxury bridge" OR "lux bridge" OR "medium bridge" OR "big guy bridge"

[Just Bill]

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...e-update/page6

The similar threads feature works pretty well too.

The thread above probably has the most information.
Apologies for the difficulty getting info but I'm still 'laying low' generally speaking. Even being hard to find... enough folks find me to keep me mildly overwhelmed.
Working on it...

To chime in for you specifically MinnetonkaBoater:
If it ain't broke, why do you want to fix it?

Warbonnet is definitely far ahead of me in terms of trail ready systems and Brandon has a good bridge. The folks reaching out to me, or more specifically switching from a RR, are typically looking to jump ship because of shoulder squeeze or sleep position issues. My Luxury bridge does not come with a pad sleeve option or integrated bug net... those can be big advantages for RR users they aren't willing to sacrifice. There are still kinks to work out with my bridges as I don't offer custom tarps or UQ's to fit these... the Ridgerunner has a deep line of off the shelf products that are time tested solutions. If you can't get creative and adapt your current gear to fit this bridge... you could be looking at a very expensive switch over. It's not my money... but you know how it goes with hammocks... you're never just swapping in one thing.

I did pick up a RR during the clearance sale (and the REI bridge) but haven't unboxed either one to be honest.
I'm hoping in the coming months to do some better side by side comparisons to help out with the selection process.
I think it will help me better as well; as I've expressed here and to folks in private... when I got into hammocks I was already a pretty active MYOG person so I just made all my own stuff. It's only been the last year or so that I started buying 'hammock' gear like UQ's and tarps from other vendors so I could help customers better with these bridges. To that end... I picked up those two bridges so I could better explain things 'head to head' for myself.

[abwillingham]

I jus got my luxury hammock and I have to say it's pretty awesome so far. I have lots of different hammocks: Hennessey, Warbonnet (Black bird and Ridge Runner), Clark NX200, several ENOs. I think this Bill Luxery will be the most comfortable by far. It's the only oneIi can side and stomach sleep comfortably. I'm 6'1" 230lbs. The ridge runner is just too narrow for me. . My arms hang off the edge when at my side. And the UQ designed for the ridge runner is too narrow for the luxery hammock. The hennessey deluxe explorer was my go-to. The best night of sleep of my adult life was in my hennessey during a cold night next to the Telico river in TN several years ago. I think I had the hang just perfect and I have never been able to replicate that comfort since. I think this luxury hammock will be much easier to get that perfect hang because it's so much more simple.

The Zepplin UQ works fantastic because it more than covers everything and it's tight around all the edges. Bill suggested a little bungee chord attached to the middle edge and running over the ridge line to tighten it further, which it did, but I don't think it's necessary for a 230lbs guy.
In fact it works far better on the luxury hammock then it does on my gathered end hammocks, which it was designed for.

IMG_0262.jpg

[Johnny Gunz]

It is an awesome hammock! I see you have one in "electric margarita" color as well I was amazed just how well standard quilts work with Bill's bridge. I love the fact there is no fiddle factor. I hang the head very slightly higher, so if I slide at all at night, it's towards my feet. That keeps the bar away from my face and I don't have to worry about making it level.

[MikekiM]

The more I read about bridge hammocks the more I want to try one. I have a DIY 11' GE in 1.6 Hyper D and all-in-all, I really like it, but if the hang isn't perfect, I still get some shoulder squeeze. I am a back/side sleeper.

[Just Bill]

The more I read about bridge hammocks the more I want to try one. I have a DIY 11' GE in 1.6 Hyper D and all-in-all, I really like it, but if the hang isn't perfect, I still get some shoulder squeeze. I am a back/side sleeper.

Talk to Squidmark.

Bridges are heavier, more complicated, more expensive and will not perform a miracle if you're already comfortable in a gathered end.
Generally they take up a little more room... and if you are switching over, you might have to reinvest in specialty equipment to fit it out.
For backpackers... you have to deal with poles. For those who like razor sharp and tight tarp pitches... you have to deal with poles.

Plus or minus... people seem to find that bridges 'rock' for much longer. It's possible to stake them down, but I'm not a fan of that idea generally.

On the plus side...
You sleep in line, so no magic angle or sweet spot to find. Calf ridge is usually not an issue.

An underquilt is always ideal for comfort... but if you choose or want to have a sleeping pad along... bridges are the best hammock IMO for this choice. I have a very nice double layer gathered end design that I have yet to share... it gets very close to the bridge's comfort with a pad but not quite as good.

And for those of us coming from the ground... we probably own a pad already. So the 'switch' from ground to air when using a bridge vs a GE can be a better experience.
And if you have a problem as a new hanger... you can still go sleep on the ground with the pad and tarp you have along.

In winter... if the wind is really howling and your pad isn't cutting it... you can 'drop' a bridge with a pad to warm up.

If you fit in the ridgerunner... that's a good bridge.
Shug does a good job in his video demonstrating the 'issue' that people describe with the RR. The ol' Shug shrug, lol. Not having met him in person or being super familiar with exactly where the line is... Shug looks to be about at the edge of that sweet spot where he's starting to encounter some shoulder squeeze when back sleeping. Switching to a side or partial side sleep as well as putting in an air pad can increase the range at which the RR can be used before one gets too big for it. I think for most under the 225 ish weight limit will find this workable if they encounter the ol Shug Shrug with the RR.

I now own, but still have yet to unbox my RR. So can't comment on setup.


But the ultimate plus for me is what you're describing. Consistency of hang.
I've had some nice nights in a GE. Here and there I thought "THIS IS IT!" Then the next night wasn't it and sometimes it was decent but not much better than the ground.

I was originally into super ultra light bridges and very compact bridges. That design pursuit led to an overall design that created a fairly fixed platform that my bridges could hang from. (See video below)
As a result they are fairly self correcting and self leveling. You can 'blow it' by several inches and it will still sleep well.
Get it within an inch and it will sleep the same as it slept at home or a year ago.
Since I makes some stuff for speed hikes... there isn't time for playing with it. It had to be quick and easy. Most of the time I just slap it up and snooze.

I've even blown it by a foot or so just to see. With the bigger ones you can slide around a bit and balance it out.
But if you do slide too much... just walk over to the tree on the side you are sliding too... tug the strap and slide it up an inch or two and go back to sleep.

The other bridge plus is fairly specific...
If you're one who sleeps semi- side (on your side but rolls from partial stomach to partial back) then a bridge is really good for that.

Bridges are really neat... very much like a floating cot. But if a gathered end works for you... nothing simpler and cleaner. Still a brilliant design in it's elegant simplicity.

[Just Bill]

I jus got my luxury hammock and I have to say it's pretty awesome so far. I have lots of different hammocks: Hennessey, Warbonnet (Black bird and Ridge Runner), Clark NX200, several ENOs. I think this Bill Luxery will be the most comfortable by far. It's the only oneIi can side and stomach sleep comfortably. I'm 6'1" 230lbs. The ridge runner is just too narrow for me. . My arms hang off the edge when at my side. And the UQ designed for the ridge runner is too narrow for the luxery hammock. The hennessey deluxe explorer was my go-to. The best night of sleep of my adult life was in my hennessey during a cold night next to the Telico river in TN several years ago. I think I had the hang just perfect and I have never been able to replicate that comfort since. I think this luxury hammock will be much easier to get that perfect hang because it's so much more simple.

The Zepplin UQ works fantastic because it more than covers everything and it's tight around all the edges. Bill suggested a little bungee chord attached to the middle edge and running over the ridge line to tighten it further, which it did, but I don't think it's necessary for a 230lbs guy.
In fact it works far better on the luxury hammock then it does on my gathered end hammocks, which it was designed for.

IMG_0262.jpg

Looking good!

Summer is our friend, lol. Warm weather forgives all. Cold punishes the slightest mistake.
When it gets colder out... you might need that little pick me up. Or you might get lucky.

Side sleeping will deform the UQ a bit more (or being a smaller person) in this bridge, that makes a little fold that can scoop a small draft of cold air. You won't notice it now, but you may later on.

I sleep mainly on my side, a bit curled up with my butt against the edge.
So I tend to simply roll the UQ up and onto my hip to seal that gap back up rather than use a bungee.
A few people tuck their top quilt into the 'gap' between the bridge and the UQ. (although tightening the UQ suspension helps that).

Mr. Johnny Gunz hisself was the one who originally 'mastered the zepplin' lol.
I think the incubator hangs a hair better for me... but the zepplin is a very nice UQ overall.

Other than the bit of side pucker... I think that with the bridge... since you are laying in line with the UQ suspension, rather than on an angle across it that it can be a better (easier) fit for most.

When we were all first dinking around... some idiot who thinks he's really clever was coming up with all kinds of clever solutions and tricks.
Turns out that the best trick is simply to hook up the quilt and not play with it so much.

[MikekiM]

Sqidmark and I have discussed it more than once... I tried one of your bridges at his house last year. Not sure which one. I was about to DIY a GE and he has a full inventory of various fabrics, lengths and widths. Admittedly, I was focused on sampling the GE's and didn't give the bridge the attention it deserved.

I am a side or back sleeper.. back mostly and I don't bother with side sleeping in the GE hammock. It would be nice. In general, I'd say I get a better sleep in my DIY GE than I do in my bed, so I am not looking to improve there, but shoulder squeeze, and quilt positioning are always an issue. No calf ridge either, thankfully. Can't say I would mind the extra rocking..

I am 5'11'' and vary between 180 and 190 depending on the season.

I already pole out my tarps so carrying another set of hammock poles isn't a horrible idea.

You mention specialty equipment.. I can see issues with tarp/pole interference, but can't think of any other gear that needs to be revised..

I suppose I am just curious..

[Peppy]

Many quilts can and do work on Bills bridges. The best fit I’ve found is a Jacks R Better Mount Washington series. I use the provided suspension, but use a mini carabiner to clip each corner on the Amsteel at each corner. It allows the quilt to move and flex with the user a bit.