My hammock is here. Woohoo.

**Jebediah** · 12-09-2018, 10:02

XLC, Superfly, Wookie 20, UQ Protector and Topcover. Got here late yesterday. I have a little time to play with it today.

I started splicing some 1.75 dyneema.

I had to show it off. And next I’ll be testing it in some decently cold wet weather.

Thanks to all that have reviewed and discussed their gear. It has been a world of help reading this forum. You folks have built a wonderful place.

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**Jebediah** · 12-09-2018, 10:06

Did anyone notice those big wood things sticking out of the ground in my back yard? TREEEEE’S!

**baldknobber** · 12-09-2018, 11:43

Congrats on the new kit! I remember Brandon mentioned the top cover was redesigned with enhanced mesh vents; if you get a chance to use it can you report back on your thoughts?

**Jebediah** · 12-09-2018, 13:35

I will report on it, but I won’t have any other topcover experience to compare it with. I do have experience with condensation from ground dwelling type gear, so I can compare with that.

**Jebediah** · 12-12-2018, 08:52

I slept in the hammock on Monday night. Low was 25*f. I set up in the dark for the experience and then got in it at 9 PM. I had the topcover zipped to hammock, UQ Protector under the Wooki 20, and Superfly setup with. A wide base and baseline about 1.5 feet above ground level. Doors were microbiner closed and had a 3-4 inch gap. I used an EE Revelation 20 as a top quilt. I wore IB260 zip top and IB260 bottom, IB balaclava and Smartwool Trekker socks. I also had a Rab Neutrino that I wore for setup. I tried a Sea to Summit pillow, but found that I did not like it. So I just pushed it aside.
At first it was way to warm in the hammock. I fell asleep for a good while and was woken by the cold breeze on my face coming from the topcover vent. I adjusted my Sea to Summit pillow to block the breeze from my face, but still allow the vent to its job. In the early hours I got cold. I put on the Rab, scrunched my legs in close and fell back to sleep. In a short while I was too hot on the upper torso so I took off the Rab and kind of padded it under and on both sides of my head. That worked great.
Then I had to get up for bathroom break. It was hard to rewarm the Wooki at first. I slept until 7am when the neighbors dog barked.
Condensation - topquilt was dry. But it was only 25*, so it was not much of a test. Topcover was frosted with condensation. But it was mostly at the end. There was a strip of frost that started above my head got wider and more pronounced as it moved to the foot end. I attribute this to the incoming air at the side vent by my face. I am not sure if this is design feature, but it worked beautifully. The air appears to draw in at the face vent, and then by convection and pressure (of force) was pushed up along the top of the top cover and out the foot end vent. If Warbonnet had this design concept in mind, I have to say they executed it brilliantly.
One drawback is that if I were to hike on the next day I would want to remove the Topcover so that it would not dampen the hammock when the frost melted. I get OCD about moisture in the winter.
Now I need some colder, 15*f temps to test it a little better.

**cmc4free** · 12-12-2018, 09:52

That's one heck of a "starter kit!" Congrats!!

With the S2S pillow (assuming it's the Aeros type), you might like it better if it's inflated just enough that you can't feel the valve on the back of your head/neck. I like a very minimal pillow in a GE hammock, otherwise I feel like my head is pushed up or forward too much. I have Hammock Gear's Argon down pillow and think that one is the bee's knees.

**GreatBigDave** · 12-12-2018, 10:50

Originally Posted by Jebediah

Did anyone notice those big wood things sticking out of the ground in my back yard? TREEEEE’S!

Nice hammock lab you got there off the back porch.

**Scottybdiving** · 12-12-2018, 18:28

Excellent choice. My 1st hammock was a WBBB. I tested it out in the yard a bunch, including during a tropical storm. Get comfortable with repetative put up and tear down before you go trekking. It will make your experience much nicer. Looks like you have a nice testing ground.

**Jebediah** · 12-13-2018, 09:02

Originally Posted by cmc4free

That's one heck of a "starter kit!" Congrats!!

With the S2S pillow (assuming it's the Aeros type), you might like it better if it's inflated just enough that you can't feel the valve on the back of your head/neck. I like a very minimal pillow in a GE hammock, otherwise I feel like my head is pushed up or forward too much. I have Hammock Gear's Argon down pillow and think that one is the bee's knees.

Thank you . I think I did have it inflated too much. It’s several years old and, like all the blue Aeros I have had , it leaks a little after a year or so.
My plan is to use no dedicated pillow and just use a clothing item. But I will have to say that a pillow makes book reading a little easier. I can rest the book on my chest when my head is propped up.