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  1. #1
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    Incubator UQ Sizing advice

    Hello everyone,

    Novice hammock user here, trying to switch from tent sleeping after many years hiking. I more or less finalized my UQ choice to Hammock Gear Incubator, but wanted to get your advise on length. I am 5'9'' (69'') and according to Hammock Gear sizing should buy standard length (78''). However, the short length incubator comes at 73'' and I am not sure why Hammock Gear only recommends this UQ for users up to 5'7''. They also state that standard length should
    generously cover most hammock campers up to about 6’ 2”.
    So if 78'' 'generously' covers 74'' tall users, why 73'' can not do the same for 69'' tall user like me?

    Looking at other manufacturers, UGQ Zeppelin is a great UQ, but has extremely long wait times at the moment. It has standard length listed at 78'' and their short it too short at 68'' to cover me head to toe. Enlightened Equipment Rebel does not even bother to sell anything longer then 75'' and calls it Long.

    So what would you recommend, would I be fine going with short 73'' length or would I have cold spots at head and toe by trying to save on length, weight and bulkiness?

    Would really appreciate your advise.

  2. #2
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    Good timing, since I've recently sold my short 73" Incubators. I'm also 5'9" and used two short versions for many trips. I would say 75% of the time they worked and I chalked up the failures to "improper" setup or just a fluke. But lately I've had more and more trouble getting consistent success. I went back to the standard 78" versions that I originally used when starting out 6 years ago. BOOM! Instant warmth and success with a 0° UQ at -1°.

    Attempting to shave 1 oz and 5" of quilt bulk cost me money, time, added frustration and ruined trips. I feel bad for recommending them for hangers my same height in the past, but I now know I was wrong. Some can make it work, but I wouldn't mess around knowing what I know now. It wasn't necessarily having less coverage. I believe it was the overall "fit" given the design of the torso vs foot shelf portion, as some have mentioned in the past and I unfortunately ignored.

    Different length hammocks really started to affect my success...not really sure why.

    So in summary, either go 3/4 or a full length for your height.

  3. #3
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    Thanks OneClick,

    great advise and I will go with your recommendation since I want to stay conservative until I know better what works for my body. UQ weight was not my concern as the difference between short and standard length was minimal (<2oz), but I was trying to save on bulk. Having to carry both UQ and sleeping bag rated at 20F would require me to compress the hell out of both items to leave space for everything else in multi-day hike.

    I have already acquired all the items in the sleeping system (Chameleon hammock, Cuben Fiber tarp, whoopie sling suspension with tree huggers, etc.) and one thing I can say for sure is that it requires me to relearn proper backpack packing as it occupies way more space then my tent + sleeping pad setup. Having to add UQ to this equation does not make it any eaiser

  4. #4
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    Sounds like you're on the right track. What size pack do you use? I typically use my 50L and it's plenty of space without cramming the quilts very hard. Both my 20 TQ and UQ have +1 oz, and I often pack my Helinox ground chair, which is a decent size. Still plenty of room without struggling.

    I wanted to reduce bulk as well so I tired a phoenix, short and standard incubator, and even a custom phincubator at 62". Everything comes at a cost. The phincubator is a 30° so it works fine at that and above. But below that I'm sticking with the full standard 20 and 0. The bulk difference isn't much between the short and standard, but when you start comparing the 3/4 phoenix to the incubator it's a different story.

    I never really got "if it isn't broke don't fix it" through my head, hence all the different things I try. It's pretty insane after a while, but slowing down

  5. #5
    Senior Member Peppy's Avatar
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    I am the beneficiary of one of his short incubators. At 5'8" it fits great with a little room!
    Last edited by Peppy; 01-24-2018 at 17:44.

  6. #6
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    I have 62L ZPacks ArcHaul. It's a very nice ultra light pack, but main compartment is 49L maximum capacity and the way ArcHaul is built, to utilize it to the max would bring top of the pack at my head level and I found that it makes it a bit weird to carry.

    I am putting my Cuben Fiber tarp in snake skin in mesh outer pocket and the rest of the setup in main compartment. The tarp itself, surprisingly, takes as much space as my ZPacks tent used to occupy.

    Since I don't have an UQ yet, I simulated it with my older mummy style down sleeping bag. I don't have a quilt, but my current sleeping bag is a hybrid design and opens up just like a quilt would do, just wider. Since I don't want to take chances with either UQ or sleeping bag getting wet, I use dry bags for each instead of just cramming them into bottom of my pack. I may need to switch to pack liner to get rid of individual dry bags and use space more efficiently, I guess.

    It does all fit, including full food bag/bear bag, but makes ArcHaul quite a bit taller and requires me to readjust. Maybe after few hikes and with bit more adjustment I can get used to it.

  7. #7
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by netscorer View Post
    I may need to switch to pack liner to get rid of individual dry bags and use space more efficiently, I guess.
    I've found the best thing to do is pack one quilt in its own stuff sack, then put that into a liner. Then pack the other quilt inside the liner around the other without a stuff sack. It gives you better "control" stuffing while still taking up less space and filling out the bottom of the pack nicely.

  8. #8
    Senior Member SteveE's Avatar
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    I just ordered a Zeppelin and opted for the long and wide version...I'm 6 feet and I'm sure the standard length would fit very well but since I'm not worried about weight or bulk I wanted that extra coverage for an arm or foot that happens to dangle out!

  9. #9
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    Zeppelin is a great UQ and was my first choice until I saw their lead time 9-10 weeks, which puts it in the April. That and I want my UQ to match my camo Chameleon (sounds like a Culture Club song, doesn't it ) and UGQ camo option was $60 extra vs free with Hammock Gear Incubator.

    Did UGQ give you any indication on the build time?

  10. #10
    Senior Member SteveE's Avatar
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    Yes I'm super excited to get mine. I ordered on Dec 27 but it is not due to come out until around the end of February. I'm really hoping it comes before as I hope to use it on a winter camping trip here to Algonquin Park!

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