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  1. #1
    New Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Nelson, BC
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    8

    Hoping for the right hammock in a couple of weeks.

    I have been hovering in the background for a few months and now have a question for you.

    Although I haven't been able to dial a hammock in yet, I am convinced I don't want to sleep in a tent again unless absolutely necessary.

    I currently have a Clark NX-270. Well made and love the storage/insulation pockets but it makes me sleep like a banana. Not really possible to sleep at a diagonal. Whenever I pull myself up I slide right back down and my legs are higher than my body. Clark recommends keeping the netting loose so you don't damage the hammock which means more sag. I tried tightening it up a bit just to see how that worked but it was impossible to move the zippers around the perimeter. Anyway, not bashing Clark here because it's a beautiful piece of gear respected by a lot of people but I need something different. Unfortunately between moving etc... I am well beyond the return period. Unless you tell me I am doing something wrong I will be selling it.

    Also tried a WB XLC and HH Explorer and felt cramped.

    I see Dream Hammock (7 week wait), Simply Light and Hammock Gear recommended a lot here. The Simply Light Trail Lair is leading simply because of the turn around. I am able to go on a backpacking trip in two weeks and sounds like they can accommodate that. But if I had to wait, I could use the Clark and it wouldn't be terrible. Just not ideal.

    And I am 6'05 225.

    Appreciate any advice.

    Paul

  2. #2
    Senior Member Peppy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Calamine, Arkansas
    Hammock
    Towns-End
    Tarp
    WB, Towns-End, UGQ
    Insulation
    LSOH, JRB, UGQ
    Suspension
    Straps & Buckles
    Posts
    992
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    5
    An XLC/Eldorado is amazing, just hard to get it right the first time, but once you do, it's great. For turn around, I'd go with a trail lair or an in stock dream sparrow.
    Hammock Tourist / Hammock Fiend / Hammock Therapist

  3. #3
    Senior Member Nameth's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Hammock
    Trail Lair/LSOH WarriorUL
    Tarp
    ManyFly's/HG WP
    Insulation
    HG/Speer/WB
    Suspension
    Straps/Buckles
    Posts
    177
    Welcome Paul. Peppy is right, the XLC/Eldorado, is a great hammock, but can be finicky, and not just for noobs. Both the Sparrow and the Trail Lair are excellent choices, they have been my two go-to hammocks, depending on weather, for awhile.

    Also, go over to YouTube and search shugemery, he has a 12 part series, "Hammock How-To For Noobs", it's an excellent series. He's pretty much our community ambassador and has helped countless of us through the many nuances of becoming full-time hangers.

    Good Luck, Mark

  4. #4
    Senior Member TrailSlug's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Huntsville, AL
    Hammock
    Warbonnet RR / BlackbirdXLC
    Tarp
    SimplyLightDesigns
    Insulation
    Lynx / LocoLibre
    Suspension
    webbing/buckles
    Posts
    7,730
    Images
    1
    In what way did you feel cramped in an WB XLC? This is a huge hammock and cramped isn't one of the attributes I would use when using this hammock. It sounds like you may like a bridge hammock if gathered end hammocks are feeling too cramped to you.

  5. #5
    New Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Nelson, BC
    Posts
    8
    Thank you both for the responses. I have viewed a lot of Shug's videos and yes they are super. I don't think I have seen his 12 part series so will take a look at that next.

    You know the more I research, the more positive reviews I read about the NX-270 which means I might be doing something wrong. I am going to set it up (after seeing the videos) and see if it can be tweaked. I hope I am because it wasn't inexpensive and it sure has some nice features.

    I have already corresponded with Jared so need to decide quick if I want one by next week.

  6. #6
    Senior Member sidneyhornblower's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    outside
    Posts
    1,500
    Quote Originally Posted by paulsinbc View Post
    I see Dream Hammock (7 week wait), Simply Light and Hammock Gear recommended a lot here.
    Were you aware that Dream Hammock has a ready to ship section as well? https://www.dreamhammock.com/ReadyToShip.html
    You can't customize, but you'll get it much, much quicker than the custom orders. I just took a look and see Ravens, Dariens and Sparrows on that page.
    "...the height of hammock snobbery!"

  7. #7
    New Member
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    Sep 2015
    Location
    Nelson, BC
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    8
    Yes I saw that but right or wrong I wanted to go wider and possibly have a double layer. It is tempting though.

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    SW Missouri
    Hammock
    WB BBXLC, DH, DIY, GT Hybrid
    Tarp
    Etowah Outfitters
    Insulation
    HG TQ and JRB UQ
    Suspension
    DIY Whoopies
    Posts
    137
    Quote Originally Posted by paulsinbc View Post
    I have been hovering in the background for a few months and now have a question for you.

    Although I haven't been able to dial a hammock in yet, I am convinced I don't want to sleep in a tent again unless absolutely necessary.

    And I am 6'05 225.

    Appreciate any advice.

    Paul
    You kind of answered your own question when you said haven't dialed one in yet. It is hard to find a hammock that just instantly is perfect for you. Think about that for a second. I am 5'9" and about 185. How could any hammock be perfect for me and you set up the same way? The trick is to find the hammock that meets all your needs then fiddle with it over and over. I have the XLC and agree if the setup isn't right it can be a bit tight. It is designed from what I hear to be used with the foot quite a bit higher than the head. I find mine perfect with just a few inches higher, but others have mentioned a foot or more.

    Just an inch or two up on the foot and down on the head or vice versa makes the same hammock seem like a totally different one to me. Add in the variables like ridgeline tension, strap/whoopee angle, and even the underquilt suspension adjustments and there is an unbelievable amount of tinkering to be done before you write off one hammock.

    At your size I agree wider is likely a bit better, and most of the vendors can provide great advice there. But no matter which one you get, you are going to have to learn it and all it's little quirks before it will be just right. I have several hammocks and each one has to be dialed in differently. The basics are a starting point, and guys like Shug give pointers, but you will need to make lots of little changes, because I don't think Shug is 6'5" either!
    Last edited by Miquel Westano; 07-22-2019 at 21:08.

  9. #9
    Senior Member soul embrace's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Bama
    Hammock
    Dream Hammock Sparrow : SLD
    Tarp
    HG : SLD
    Insulation
    HG : SLD : WB
    Posts
    1,362
    Quote Originally Posted by paulsinbc View Post
    I have already corresponded with Jared so need to decide quick if I want one by next week.

    if Jared has the material in stock he will have it made and shipped out within 24 hours, sometimes the same day depending on when you order it. yes he is that quick
    There's magic in the woods,
    if you know where to look for it.
    -Pete's Dragon

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    michigan
    Posts
    3,145
    Quote Originally Posted by soul embrace View Post
    if Jared has the material in stock he will have it made and shipped out within 24 hours, sometimes the same day depending on when you order it. yes he is that quick
    SLD is a solid choice. I'm on my second Trail Lair and extremely satisfied. I'm using a 10 footer in hexon 1.0 and I'm 5' 10", 180. It's super comfortable and the quality is top notch. Turnaround time is mind boggling.

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