Got my wife's DL Ridgerunner below 2 pounds!

[barchetta]

Not much of a gram weenie but I was able to get my wife's ridgerunner down below 2 pounds with everything. Even a stuff sack for the poles

1st: I bought a set of carbon fiber spreader bars for it. This is easily the biggest weight saving. Pictures show factory aluminum vs carbon fiber weight. They can be bought here...http://www.rutalocura.com/Contact.html

Just email him and tell him what you want carbon poles for a Warbonnet ridgerunner. $86 shipped 2 weeks ago. I bought 2 piece foot end/3 piece head end. They sure look sexy



2nd: I bought a dyneema strapped (12ft), titanium buckled, titanium bridge hammock suspension setup from Dutchware with sewn on Dutch clips.



3rd: I shortened the suspension dog bones (green head end/orange foot end amsteel) and added a zing-it ridgeline. Probably not much of a weight saving here. I inserted the same picture again to show how I attached the ridgeline to the Dutch hooks



4th: I removed all the plastic toggles from the hammock and removed the foot end net suspension all together (not needed IMO). I also shortened the head end net suspension and I attached it with s prusik loop on the ridgeline.





5th: I had Harry at hammock gear make me a cuben fiber, double ended stuff sack to replace the slightly heavier nylon one from Warbonnet and made a stuff sack for the poles out of some 1.9 nylon I had laying around (not the lightest material but it works)



Warbonnet lists the factory hammock with straps and buckle suspension and poles (also including their 1.75 ounce carabiners) at 2 pounds 7.75 ounces. I was able to shave off more than 7.75 ounces and I added a much needed bag for the poles.

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[TrailSlug]

Looks good and you could have shaved even more off by getting a netless, single layer (didn't see this mentioned), and forgo the ridgeline. Do you have a picture of the carbon fiber poles where they join together.

[barchetta]

Looks good and you could have shaved even more off by getting a netless, single layer (didn't see this mentioned), and forgo the ridgeline. Do you have a picture of the carbon fiber poles where they join together.

All true, but where we camp (mainly illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri) the bugs can get out of hand. I like hanging my hammock suspensions "tight" so I like the ridgeline. Easy to reach up and check it to make sure I have a consistent hang. I don't think it adds much weight anyways. My wife loves to camp but also likes things with very little fuss (another reason for the ridgeline). I bought her a DL so she wouldn't have to mess with a pad moving around. On a side note, I have a SL netted ridgerunner and I've had issues with bugs biting through only one layer. I've never experienced this with my DL.

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[TrailSlug]

All true, but where we camp (mainly illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri) the bugs can get out of hand. I like hanging my hammock suspensions "tight" so I like the ridgeline. Easy to reach up and check it to make sure I have a consistent hang. I don't think it adds much weight anyways. My wife loves to camp but also likes things with very little fuss (another reason for the ridgeline). I bought her a DL so she wouldn't have to mess with a pad moving around. On a side note, I have a SL netted ridgerunner and I've had issues with bugs biting through only one layer. I've never experienced this with my DL.

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Yes, where you and I live there's no choice but to have at a minimum a bug net and I too have been bitten by mossys and other biters in a single layer hammock.

[johnspenn]

I just read somewhere else that if you're going to switch to carbon fiber poles, you shouldn't shorten the dogbone suspension because that increases the lateral pressure on the poles. Something you may want to look into, wouldn't want your wife to find something like that out in the middle of the night out in the wilds somewhere.

[TrailSlug]

Do the carbon fiber poles have medal inserts where the poles join? I'm right at 200lbs and do not want to push the limits of these poles.

[drsolarmolar]

Looking at your suspension. I'm using Beetle Buckles which combines the adjustment aspect of the titanium buckle with the attachment aspect of the bridge hook in one stage rather than two. Any idea if there's a weight difference between Beetles and your setup?

************************************************** ****************************
Did a little looking on Dutch's website and answered my own question.
Titanium buckle 11g ea
Bridge hook 3.4 g each
Total. 14.4 g (per side so 28.4 g total)

Beetle Buckle. 9.8 g ea. (so 19.6 g total)

Didn't count the strap weight.

So there's an 8.8 gram difference between your set up and Beetles. If it's working for you and you like it I wouldn't change it!

[barchetta]

Looking at your suspension. I'm using Beetle Buckles which combines the adjustment aspect of the titanium buckle with the attachment aspect of the bridge hook in one stage rather than two. Any idea if there's a weight difference between Beetles and your setup?

************************************************** ****************************
Did a little looking on Dutch's website and answered my own question.
Titanium buckle 11g ea
Bridge hook 3.4 g each
Total. 14.4 g (per side so 28.4 g total)

Beetle Buckle. 9.8 g ea. (so 19.6 g total)

Didn't count the strap weight.

So there's an 8.8 gram difference between your set up and Beetles. If it's working for you and you like it I wouldn't change it!

I've had a beetle buckle fail on me so I don't use them/trust them anymore. I'm ok with the extra weight/strength of the full buckle.

Thanks for the info/comparison though.

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[drsolarmolar]

I've had a beetle buckle fail on me so I don't use them/trust them anymore

How did the Beetle fail on you?

[barchetta]

How did the Beetle fail on you?

I think I had an older version, as I think now the part that locks the webbing in place is aluminum, but the titanium piece on my beetle that stopped the webbing basically pulled through the titanium piece that the hooks were on. It deformed the entire unit and I feel about 2ft, resulting in a hole in my underwear. Dutch was amazing about taking care of it, even giving me the $$ for a new quilt.

My angles were good and at 200 pounds I was way withing the specs. Once I received the replacement set (with one titanium piece and the other aluminum) I realized I had a 1st generation setup and they must have changed it for a reason.

Anyways in my opinion, the titanium Dutch buckle that I have now is a much more robust setup and is way easier to adjust under load.

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