Bridge Pod

[aaronbartell]

Curious if any further progress has been made on the pod concept for bridge hammocks? It was mentioned in this 2012 post.

I've made a number of bridge hammocks and am thinking I could create a "skinny bridge"; a bridge that was smaller at the foot than the head so off the shelf sleeping bags could be used to create a pod (similar to what others have done with gathered end).

[Just Bill]

Nothing specifically comes to mind.

My problem (or lack of interest) is that I like bridges because I switch positions often to alleviate back pain. If I was happy sleeping in a fixed position, I could have seen myself diving into this more.
I think that's the general issue/complaint with pod systems... you (mostly) have to lay inline on your back.

I don't think it's technically a huge challenge to pod a bridge... the challenge would be finding a bridge I'd want to do it on.
My micro bridges are pretty close with only 26" bars... but those are side sleepers for me. Technically my original micro bridge could easily work with a modified elephants foot or hoodless mummy with a drawcord footbox.

You're further restricting your footprint with limiting things to a mummy conversion.

What does mildly interest me is attaching the top quilt and UQ in the center. That would let you reduce a little weight but still maintain the option to move your legs and torso with a top quilt type upper (as opposed to a mummy hood).

Don't mean to poop on the idea; as I don't think it's that far fetched.
But what I would do is build the narrow bridge itself and see if you like it. (that's where I stopped)
If you find a winner... I think from there it's a custom job to enclose it properly, but I could see a generously cut sleeping bag off the shelf working.

WV is the expert at insulating a bridge... I understand Jeremy (Brother Bones) is not far behind these days.
I did a few of them but as eventually selling them was the plan... they were cost prohibitive in my style of bridge.

I am warming up (get it) to the idea of a bridge with an integrated UQ, especially in my more open bridges as it's so easy to cool off. A 30* rated model would be versatile IMO in all but high summer.

[Just Bill]

Guessing some of Dutch's Bridgeskin models were probably along the lines of skinny enough to work with if you wanted to look at some of those.
If I recall right they were fairly tightly cut.

[Just Bill]

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Apygyt54yYPwg5huO4Dhgv20dFT1ng

For what it's worth... that's the original micro bridge. Probably the closest I came to something that could be dumped into an off the shelf bag.

Forgive the bad pictures... but perhaps a slightly better candidate as I flip through. This was an integrated pad version which was basically designed to be exactly the size of a Large Neo-Air and nothing more.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Apygyt54yYPwg5huO4Dhgv20dFT1ng

This is what the micro bridge evolved to for production... probably unsuitable for a pod unless you made some serious gaskets (slots) in the bag at the knee end.
https://1drv.ms/f/s!Apygyt54yYPwg-0lO4H_4iiSF9ddsA

[WV]

Glad I had a chance to see these views of the MicroBridge, Bill. You flop a knee over to change positions and the MicroBridge is there to catch it. Brilliant!

[aaronbartell]

Thanks for the reply, Just Bill. You've given me some food for thought.

Let me go further into some things I have tried and where my poderings for future attempts have taken me...

Here(n2) is a Yukon Outfitters off-the-shelf gathered-end hammock that I converted into a bridge (n1). I have sewn a 1" nylon webbing to the side and have that same webbing continue on to be the suspension portion. This is suprisingly simple to create and one of my sons now uses one of these full time. What's even better is it comes with a bug net out of the gates. So you get a decent bridge hammock for about $30.

n1 - This is my first version. I've since removed the need for eye bolts and now use 2" seatbelts to create a mini pocket on each side of the hammock to hold a spreader bar.
n2 - https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared...LnOJOO2qo4Imnx

What I am now pondering is to approach a bridge from the inside out. Normally we first think about the hammock and now we'll add insulation to it. What if we started with insulation and added bridge hammock to it?

Specifically, what if a bivy bag(n3) had nylon straps and spreader bars added to it? I haven't pulled the trigger on this because it will cost me $60 :-)

n3 - https://www.amazon.com/Tennier-Woodl.../dp/B008JXV2PM

Thoughts?

[Just Bill]

Anything is possible.

Though I believe in getting the 'core' product right first before I expand on it.

Matt Kirk built a few 'air bivies' that were pretty neat. He converted one of my micro bridges into a pack as well.

But like many 'do it all' things it wasn't that enjoyable to use long term and they were only for FKT trips where every gram counted.

Bivies are sweet because you just 'throw down' as an UL option. But they aren't that enjoyable to use... I could see condensation issues only increasing with both the elevated and 360* convection exposure. So maximizing ventilation would require some heavy mods to a bivy... and what you're showing is just a cover... not an insulated bivy.

You still need the structure inside so you can lay on the load bearing portion. If you could just suspend a sleeping bag or insulated bivy, you'd still be crushing out the underside of the insulation.
You'd have to make the inner shell of the sleeping bag loadbearing somehow, which is impractical IMO.

So you're still back to thinking from the inside out... a loadbearing layer must be between you and the insulation.
Just picture getting in that bivy with a sleeping bag and laying in a hammock... webbing and poles might suspend that bivy... but at the end of the day you've still got any further insulation you would add between your body and the structure.