Always felt that folks who don't like to read probably shouldn't participate in a text based communication board...
Missed two items of note:
Transitions-
As a frequent 'tester' myself with a bad back... something many of my testers and customers have come to agree on is that you often need about three nights to 'switch'. Much like doing a bit of exercise leaves you a bit sore or tender the next day... so can switching your sleep system. Humans are pretty adaptable creatures overall, but we also get habituated to things. So in any transition I tell folks to give it some time. Especially with bridges though as they carry your back a bit differently which can cause some discomfort. Some GE users report sore shoulders/upper back because of the way their weight is supported. Due to the way a bridge supports you it's easy to feel a bit tender. As someone who doesn't stretch often enough, I equate it with that same feeling. Stretching feels good in the long term, but in the short term it can be unpleasant. Much like a good soak in a hot tub can unkink some bound up muscles- those same muscles can release toxins in the process and leave you feeling stiff or sore the next day too. I find this happens often with bridges and can be an easy turn off- especially if you're swapping back and forth.
Insulation-
This is neither good nor bad per say- just is what it is. Bridges generally sleep cooler... especially mine... and especially compared to a gathered end.
On the plus side- in warm weather you've got a good clean breeze and more comfortable open bedspace to help out.
When it's colder you've got to fight a bit harder.
It can be very hard to fit an UQ to a bridge for some folks. Though some have zero issues and even find they are easier to use since you are sleeping inline with the quilt
End bar bridges are much easier to fit than recessed bar bridges.
Despite our description of a 'flat lay' in truth we really just mean that we are evenly supported.
A gathered end still has a slight curve to it.
An End Bar bridge also has a slight curve to it.
A Recessed bar bridge can actually invert- meaning the center (your low back) is higher than your head and ankles. This can create two pools of dead air under your back and shoulders.
Point being- underquilts are held up mainly by a shock cord primary suspension that you're supposed to settle into.
With some bridges you need an extra 'pick me up' in the center, or ideally a custom quilt.
Even if you get it all perfect: The simple fact is that heat rises.
As you pump heat into your UQ... your top quilt is what prevents it from rising. However as a bridge body is flat and open... some of that heat migrates to the edges of the UQ/bridge and simply pumps away.
With a gathered end your UQ wraps you- doing 2/3rds of the work. As a result your top quilt can be both minimally sized and even a bit lighter rating.
With a bridge your UQ at best does half the work, but usually about a 1/3 (your back and a hair of your sides), while your top quilt must insulate 2/3rds of your body AND help trap rising heat from the UQ.
Many hammock folks are used to using a mismatched set of quilts- this works well in the BMBH- but not very well in more open bridges.
So while perfectly normal for ground dwellers to upsize a top quilt to stretch a sleeping pad.... that concept is counter-intuitive for an experienced gathered end hammock user and can be a source of frustration if switching.
While not a silver bullet for bridge warmth... going a bit heavy on the top quilt helps drive the heat into the UQ.
On the practical side... you can make anything work if you try hard enough.
But around 20* or so it can be counterproductive to push your bridges. Pads aren't made for convective heat loss- the gold standard of backpacking pads (the Xtherm) works amazing into below zero temps for many folks... but fails around 25* in the air. On the plus side- just drop it down if you get an unexpectedly low night. And of course if there is snow on the ground that's comfy enough to sleep in too.
And even I don't mind being in a little nest of down covered gathered end for a night or two on a winter weekend... no sense beating yourself against the wall when a simple solution is available.
Bookmarks