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  1. #31
    Senior Member goobie's Avatar
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    My guess is it's a niche market. Very labor intensive, and expensive, for a limited use item. Probably have to buy the rights as well? Yes, I'm sure you can use one all year same as using 20° or 0° quilts all year, but there are better options. I tried for MONTHS to get a polar pod, but in the end I have a more flexible system with multiple quilts for the same money.

  2. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by goobie View Post
    I have a more flexible system with multiple quilts for the same money.
    I would suspect this is the answer

  3. #33
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Looks like I am on a roll: 2 posts in one day! I have not done that in a while. But this old thread of mine has started back up, so I feel like responding!

    Quote Originally Posted by Cali View Post
    I have the regular and the polar pod. I love them. I used it in 13°.
    Billy Bob, you posted years ago about the Grand Trunk ultra lite worked great with the peapod. I did try it, but don't remember how it fit.
    I have the Switch back hammock and an old Ed Dpeer snugpak system and the peapod works great with them. I do prefer the polar pod due to the extra baffle and slightly more room for the diagonal lay.
    I will never part with my peapods. I bet one of the cottage vendors would make one if they had an example. UG guilts may do it.
    Tell it Cali! They are hard to beat, aren't they? Especially if you want to make sure you are warm at rated temps or above with absolutely minimal set up/adjustment issues. I think you are mistaking " you posted years ago about the Grand Trunk ultra lite worked great with the peapod." with my 10+ years of using a Speer Pea Pod wrapped around a narrow Calytor No Net. Those 2 seemed to be made for each other IMO, even more so than the Speer hammock + the Speer Pea Pod. Re: the Switchback: I have one also, and guess what? It is very Claytor No Net like, so no surprise that the Speer Pea Pod works great on it as well!

    Quote Originally Posted by goobie View Post
    My guess is it's a niche market. Very labor intensive, and expensive, for a limited use item. Probably have to buy the rights as well? Yes, I'm sure you can use one all year same as using 20° or 0° quilts all year, but there are better options. I tried for MONTHS to get a polar pod, but in the end I have a more flexible system with multiple quilts for the same money.
    Probably same for me now. Mainly because I stupidly sold my 900FP Speer Pea Pod, I have found that either the Superior gear set up, and/or a JRB MW or Greylock under a JRB bridge, or a 90º HT pad/inner quilt system is almost as bombproof/draft proof. At least for bottom warmth. (and the newest SG system MIGHT be approaching the PP for draft free top warmth) I have never had anything go wrong with that JRB combo for bottom warmth, but still, things do need to be adjusted correctly. No big deal IMO, very easy and consistent. And, there is nothing to adjust on the SG even if I wanted to. And it has worked without fail, as well as being my fav gathered end hammock comfort wise. So would I really want to swap any of those to go back to my Speer Pea Pod around a Claytor No Net? Hmmmmm. Not sure. Pros and cons as always.

    But, YES, there is still at least ONE way in which the original SPEER Pea Pod simply kicks butt IMO. I have not been able to match it, I only come somewhat close with my HH Super Shelter when using the over cover: keeping my face warm, and doing so with comfort and ease. (assuming one is not extremely claustrophobic, but then good luck keeping your face warm at zero F anyway if you can't stand anything near or on your face). Come on guys: that old pod design beat everything on the market for approaching a winter mummy bag for head/face warmth!

    First of all, if mostly closed down to a small face vent (which I could turn to the side when I went to my side), my head AND face were surrounded by several inches of loft! That was HUGE in promoting over all warmth and avoiding a cold nose or eyes, and more comfy than most hats, hoods and face masks I have tried to use. Even more so than a mummy bag! A mummy bag still might not take care of your nose or eyes. But with that pod, regardless of the size of face vent that I chose(from fully closed to a dime or a quarter or 6" or wide open) I could tension it or position myself so that the down was just barely touching my face, or was suspended 2" or 6" above my face.

    So here is the coup de grace(SP?) in favor of the Speer pod: If i had it adjusted several inches above my face, and whether closed(Velcro still allowed breath moisture to escape amazingly) or open a few inches, (and using something- jacket or UL quilt- to block heat escape around my shoulders-) there would still be a pocket of warmer air around my face! Warm enough so that I never had to suffer with a cold nose. In this one area- and maybe ease of boosting by adding jackets or quilts- the original Speer Pea Pod is still KING OF THE HILL, IMO. I am still working on my other new favorite and most excellent systems( Superior Gear or JRB hammock/UQ combo) for the best and most comfy ways of dealing with the cold face/eyes/nose situation. Yes, I can get er done, but nothing is as easy or guaranteed as that extinct Speer Pea Pod in that regard. My HHSS with over cover also accomplishes some of this benefit, but not quite as toasty in the head/face area. That is why I still don't get rid of it, that and it's wind proof nature.

  4. #34
    psyculman's Avatar
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    Judging from the title of this thread "The forgotten Spear Pea Pod" ......since it has been going since 10/19/2018...... it certainly is not forgotten.
    I get it out once in a while and enjoy it's advantages, including using it as a quilt on the bed in the winter. I put a few extra "sew-on" snaps, so it closes up better for use in the out doors. Not giving mine up.
    Since I retired, some times I stay awake all day, some times all night.

  5. #35
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by psyculman View Post
    Judging from the title of this thread "The forgotten Spear Pea Pod" ......since it has been going since 10/19/2018...... it certainly is not forgotten.
    I get it out once in a while and enjoy it's advantages, including using it as a quilt on the bed in the winter. I put a few extra "sew-on" snaps, so it closes up better for use in the out doors. Not giving mine up.
    Good point. Won't Fade Away. I suspect that those of us who had ever used one- particularly in years past when so many seemed to struggle with surprise cold spots with their down UQs or even TQs- have not forgotten them, not one bit. Even if we feel we have found some systems that approach the pod's draft proof advantages. For me, JRB UQs on a JRB bridge hammock, or a SG insulated hammock, come pretty close to providing a draft proof environment, particularly in the UQs. And, for the SG used with the snap on TQ version, kind of draft proof on top as well. Still, there was just something about laying down into a wide open hammock with the pod's UQ section hanging below it, and wrapping that rascal completely around me (head included if needed), that has been very hard to match. The warmth- top to bottom, head to toe, just came on like gang busters. Hard to beat.

    BTW, I was discussing the unbeatable head warmth benefits. But if too claustrophobic(like a buddy of mine) to enjoy that, how about this one: using a separate JRB down hood or some warm hats, wrap the pod around your entire body and pillow, closing the Velcro snugly all around your NECK. Now the head is totally uncovered, other than whatever hats one might choose to employ. But, the body is totally enclosed from neck down in a draft proof, motion proof (can't kick a TQ off in your sleep) cloud of down, with a huge amount of down both under and along side the head. Again, hard to beat. Still 100% as comfy as any TQ/UQ systems, but DRAFT PROOF, and ready to accept whatever added layers one might want to add, Which will all be held in place inside the draft proof pod.

    I am actually surprised Speer's Pea Pod did not enjoy a much wider success. Particularly 10+ years ago when fewer great, fail proof systems were available. But, they didn't and the market has spoken, and they have faded away except for a very few of us. For 99% of the hanging population, they are gone and forgotten.

    No, I had not been decapitated with my head tossed in a hammock. I was just using the head free/outside the pod approach. Also, if I wanted to turn to my side, I just rotated the pod around the hammock as needed, no problems. This picture was from over 13 years ago:
    Last edited by BillyBob58; 03-19-2023 at 14:10.

  6. #36
    psyculman's Avatar
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    BillyBob,

    "how about this one: using a separate JRB down hood or some warm hats, wrap the pod around your entire body and pillow, closing the Velcro snugly all around your NECK. Now the head is totally uncovered, other than whatever hats one might choose to employ. "

    I never thought of that! Condensation is always present, I have a DIY/Primaloft down hood, I should have been using that, and just stuck my head out of the PP. I'm going to try that. And yes, it's pretty simple to get in and out of at night, warms back up quick. I use it with a WalMart gathered end hammock, quite large, so it's possible to get into a somewhat diagonal flat lay position.
    Since I retired, some times I stay awake all day, some times all night.

  7. #37
    Countrybois's Avatar
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    It seems to prevent a diagonal lay, no?

    Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

    Need Adventure...Make Adventure


  8. #38
    psyculman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Countrybois View Post
    It seems to prevent a diagonal lay, no?

    Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
    Mine has a little slack for off setting
    Since I retired, some times I stay awake all day, some times all night.

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