I am copying this from my recent post in a current thread regarding the apparently out of business HammockTent 90 company. I have long been wishing on of our vendors, well known for quality and customer service and USA manufacturing, would jump into these products, assuming they are not protected by patents. The 2 products that come to mind are the HammockTent90 and the Speer Pea Pod(which was also made for a while by TTTG of Switchback hammock fame). I, for one, would be interested in these products if they were available. Here is a copy of what I just posted on this subject. Of course, with either product, improvements in the original are always possible and desired:
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Either way, a heads up to USA vendors. Whose up for manufacturing a 90º hammock - similar to the HT90- with a 250-400 lb weight rating, and either with a deep pad pocket, or a small interior pocket on each end meant to keep the pad in place? Or both? And with either no net or a removable net? If you do, I most likely will be immediately buying one from you.
And while I am making wishes for products from USA vendors, I might as well add: how about a redo of the classic Speer Pea Pod? Long enough to close over the ends of the hammock? Tapered narrow on the ends just like a gathered end hammock, but wide enough in the middle to come around from the bottom and drape down over the sides just enough to make contact with the body. A top closure with Velcro or zipper and/or snaps.
There is no quilt system, in my experience, that matches this for being guaranteed draft free. It even works great as a warmer weather, lighter system, say 30ºF or 40-50º, then just add some lighter quilts INSIDE the pod when needed. Loosen the pod suspension up to make room for them. Then the entire system continues to benefit from the outer pods draft proof system. I do fine with my regular quilts, but this was the most consistent and worry free way to be warm in a hammock that I ever used. IMO, it significantly improves the freedom from drafts of both TQs and UQs. And one can move around more freely inside the pod without concern for causing a draft while moving in your sleep. I even have a buddy who used a 50F rated Speer Pea Pod with a pad under the hammock inside the pod, to sleep nice and warm in the 20s at least.
I would have bought another one(or the larger Polar Pod version) long ago if TTTG/Dale, who took over Speer products, had not gone out of business. And I will buy one(as of now, never know about the future) if they were to become available again. OTOH, if someone starts making a USA based version of the HT90 or CrossHammock, I might never use a gathered end again and thus could not benefit from a Pea Pod.
Added to above quote: How about a product that will do something like this? I never saw any cold spot complaints with this product, and I certainly never had any myself. Of course, I realize market demand is very important, and I might be the only person who is so certain of how superior this system is because of draft proofing, just like being inside a mummy bag, except with all the comfort of quilts. It will, of course, weigh more and be bulkier than an UQ, because it is BOTH a TQ and UQ together, in one piece!:
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